Author: thedigitalphilatelist

Papilio homerus, commonly known as the Homerus swallowtail or Jamaican swallowtail, is the largest butterfly species in the Western Hemisphere. The butterfly is named in honor of the Greek poet Homer. It is endemic to Jamaica where the butterfly simultaneously serves as an icon of national pride and a need…

The blue mahoe (talipariti elatum), is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to the islands of Cuba, Jamaica, the US. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The blue mahoe is a beautiful and durable timber that is widely used for cabinet making and also…

The flag of Jamaica was adopted on 6 August 1962 (Jamaican Independence Day), the country having gained independence from the British-protected Federation of the West Indies. The flag consists of a gold saltire, which divides the flag into four sections: two of them green (top and bottom) and two black…

Guaiacum officinale, commonly known as roughbark lignum-vitae, is a species of tree in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, that is native to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America. This small tree is very slow growing, reaching about 10 m (33 ft) in height with a trunk diameter of…

The ackee(Blighia sapida) is a fruit of the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family, as are the lychee and the longan. It is native to tropical West Africa. The scientific name honours Captain William Bligh who took the fruit from Jamaica to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England in 1793. The English…

Details Designer: Victor Whitely Printer: Harrison & Sons Ltd. Process: Photogravure Paper:  Watermark: Multiple J & Pineapple Perf: 14.5 (comb) Cylinders:  1A 1A 1A 1A 1A 1C 1C 1C 1C 1C 1D (Bluish Green), 1D (Brown), 1D (Bistre), 1D (Blue), 1D (Pink) Sheet: R6 x 10 Quantity: Reprint: 1 June 1965 25 April…

Considered as a legacy from the British with slight modifications, the Jamaican coat of arms was granted to Jamaica in 1661 under Royal Warrant. The original was designed by William Sancroft, then Archbishop of Canterbury. The original motto, INDUS UTERQUE SERVIET UNI is the Latin translation for “The Indians twain…