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NORSE HISTORY OF MANN STUDIED THROUGH NEW SET OF STAMPS
Created in collaboration with Manx artist Juan Moore and Professor R. Andrew McDonald, this set of stamps depicts six pivotal moments in Manx history under the medieval rulers of Mann. Vibrant and atmospheric artwork has been supplied by Juan Moore, who has worked alongside Professor R. Andrew McDonald, a leading expert and author of The Sea Kings: The Late Norse Kingdoms of Man and the Isles, c. 1066-1275, to produce this standout collection.
Manx artist Juan stated: “I’ve always been fascinated by Vikings and their connection to the Isle of Man. It has been a real joy and privilege to work on these stamps. I really wanted to do something a bit different in terms of style. Creating contemporary and moody pieces, which I’m pretty happy with.”
Issue artist Juan Moore marks the release of The Age of the Sea Kings stamps at the Tynwald Offices, seen next to the 13th Century Manx Sword of State.
Created in collaboration with Manx artist Juan Moore and Professor R. Andrew McDonald, Isle of Man Post Office is delighted to issue this collection of six stamps studying a fascinating period of Manx history, the Age of the Sea Kings.
Professor R. Andrew McDonald writes…
In the High Middle Ages, the Isle of Man and the Hebridean islands off the west coast of Scotland were forged into remarkable maritime realms known as the Kingdoms of Man and the Isles. At their greatest extent, these kingdoms stretched from the Calf of Man to the Butt of Lewis, the rocky headland jutting into the unforgiving North Atlantic at the northernmost point of the Outer Hebrides. For about two centuries, between the late 1070s and the mid-1260s, the rulers of these kingdoms – the Manx and Hebridean sea kings descended from Godred Crovan – dominated the seaways with their galley fleets, earning international reputations as both ferocious, Viking-like warlords as well as pious Christian princes as they interacted with an array of powers around the shores of the Irish Sea and further afield from Norway to Rome.
The exploits of the sea kings are recorded in the medieval Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles, as well as other contemporary texts and documents. In contrast to their medieval stature, the story of the medieval sea kingdoms and their rulers has almost vanished from modern memory, relegating these once-dynamic realms to the status of modern-day lost or forgotten kingdoms.
Godred Crovan (reigned 1079-95): Godred was an IrishNorse warlord with connections to the ruling dynasty of Dublin who established the kingdom of Man and the Isles by conquering the Isle of Man in 1079 after winning the famous battle of Sky Hill. A survivor of the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, he is a mysterious figure, but he possessed a reputation as a formidable warrior and briefly controlled Dublin before his death in 1095, when Irish annals styled him “king of Dublin and the Isles.” Godred founded the dynasty of sea kings that ruled Man and the Isles until 1265.
Godred Olafsson (reigned 1154-87): Godred’s father, Olaf, was assassinated in 1153, but Godred swiftly avenged him and took power. Godred’s marriage to an Irish princess was solemnised by a Papal representative, signaling ongoing links with Ireland, and stronger ties with Rome. Conflict with his brother-in-law, Somerled
of Argyll (d. 1164), led to the violent splitting of the kingdom into two parts, one under the control of the Manx dynasty, the other, comprising some of the Scottish islands, under Somerled’s family. Godred also contended with the English presence in Ireland from the 1160s, and his daughter, Affrica, married the Anglo-Norman adventurer John de Courcy. Olaf Godredsson (reigned 1113-53): Godred Crovan’s death sparked a series of intense power struggles (including feuding among his sons), but eventually his son Olaf, who had been raised in England, took power and consolidated the kingdom. Olaf enjoyed a long reign and was well-respected by his contemporaries. A pious ruler, he revitalised the Church in his kingdom, established the bishopric of the Isles, and founded Rushen Abbey in the south of the Isle of Man. Rushen became the premier monastery on the Island and is the likely place of composition of the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles . Rognvald and Olaf Godredsson (reigned 1187-1226 and 1226-37): Before his death, Godred designated his younger son Olaf as his successor, but the Manx people chose the elder son Rognvald instead, preferring his maturity, and foreshadowing the dominant theme of Rognvald’s reign: the titanic feud with his brother that culminated in a civil war with Olaf, resulting in Rognvald’s death at the battle of Tynwald in 1229. Rognvald was a vigorous warrior with an international reputation who had dealings with rulers in many neighbouring lands as well as the Papacy. The civil war brought unwelcome attention from Scotland and Norway, foreshadowing the demise of the kingdom.
The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles: Much of what we know about the medieval Kingdom of Man and the Isles and its rulers is derived from the 13th-century Latin text called the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles. Probably begun at Rushen Abbey in the late 1250s or early 1260s and compiled by a series of scribes down to the year 1316, the Chronicles is a dynastic history of the Manx sea kings, replete with high politics, intrigues, battles, and anecdotes illuminating society and religious belief. Without it, much less would be known about this forgotten kingdom of the medieval British Isles.
The last Sea Kings, 1237-65: Olaf’s three sons, Harald, Reginald, and Magnus, were the last sea kings in Man. During their reigns they coped with the rising influence of Norway and Scotland as well as internal unrest. Harald’s reign ended in tragedy when he perished in a shipwreck in 1248. Reginald was assassinated weeks into his reign in 1249, sparking several years of strife. Magnus journeyed to England and Norway, and supported King Hakon of Norway’s failed expedition to the Isles in 1263. That failure led to Magnus’s subjection to Scottish overlordship before his death at Castle Rushen in 1265, bringing to an end a dynasty that had ruled for some two centuries.
C
Technical Details
Text: R. Andrew McDonald
Artwork: Juan Moore
Design: EJC Design
Printer: bpost
Process: Offset Lithography
Colours: 4
Paper: Tru White Litho 110gsm
Perforations:
11.5 per 2cm
Stamp Size: 41.5mm x 28mm
Format: Sheets of 20
Date of Issue: 8th April 2025
Limited Editions: Presentation Packs 1000 First Day Covers 1500
On VE Day itself the Island’s schools were closed and the churches were open all day offering services of thanks. Prime Minister Churchill’s broadcast at 3pm was followed by the Island’s air raid sirens sounding their final “All Clear”. Celebrations continued into the evening although the authorities had refused to extend the licensing hours for public houses! The Island’s servicemen in Europe celebrated as best they could. The Manx Regiment, which was the light anti-aircraft regiment of the 7th Armoured Division, the “Desert Rats”, was located in Germany near Hamburg and received the order to “Stand down and cease fire” at 8pm on the 7th May. They celebrated with bonfires and a great sense of relief that their long journey was coming to an end although for most it would be many months before they could return home.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Text: Ivor Ramsden MBE
Imagery: Mary Evans Picture Library & Leonard McCombe
Design: The 572
Printer: bpost
Process:
Perforations: 11.5 per 2cm Stamp Size: 50mm x 40mm
of
Isle of Man Post Office is delighted to share this collection of six stamps depicting our Island’s harbours as seen by local artist Janine Skelly.
A Set 90p, £1, £1.90, £2.15, £2.75, £3 (not illustrated) AED31 £11.70
B Presentation Pack AED41 £12.80
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Text & Artwork: Janine Skelly
Design: ................................................ Isle of Man Advertising
Printer: bpost
Process: Offset Lithography
Colours: 4
Paper: Tru White Litho NEW 110g
C First Day Cover AED91 £12.85
D Island Harbours Prints AED10 - AED15 £35.00 (See back cover)
Perforations: 11.5 per 2cm
Stamp Size: ........................................................ 40mm x 40mm
Format: Sheets of 20
Date of Issue: 2025
Limited Editions: Presentation Packs 1000 First Day Covers 1500
Isle of Man Post Office presents a fascinating visual collection of eight stamps featuring the work of renowned Manx photographer Leonard McCombe.
Leonard McCombe grew up in rural isolation on the Isle of Man in the town of Port Erin to the south of the Island. At age 14 he contracted Scarlet Fever and had to drop out of secondary school. While recovering, he first took up painting and then photography. At 16 he sold pictures of a local fire to the London Daily Express. This encouraged him to send pictures to the London newspapers.
McCombe’s interest in photography continued to grow as he dedicated more time to capturing life on the Isle of Man, offering a glimpse back in time to Manx life in the 1930s and ‘40s. Remarkably, recently unearthed photographs taken by Leonard document life at the Rushen Internment Camp in the south of the Island, the only female camp in Europe. These images are of great historical importance to the Isle of Man and provide an incredibly rare insight into the previously unseen camp as a key part of the Island’s Second World War history.
By the time McCombe turned 18 in 1941, he was a full-fledged war correspondent for Picture Post. At 21 he covered the great Allied breakout from Normandy and became the youngest Fellow ever elected to the Royal Photographic Society. His images of “displaced persons,” a term which he first coined to describe German refugees from Eastern Europe, earned him an invitation to LIFE Magazine and a new life in the United States post-war.
Leonard enjoyed a successful career as a photojournalist for LIFE Magazine, his insightful and diverse images were published through to the last weekly edition of LIFE in 1972. Perhaps
one of McCombe’s most enduring contributions to popular culture was his 1949 photograph of cowboy Clarence Hailey Long.
By 1961 Leonard and his wife Gertrude had purchased a farm on eastern Long Island. Buying a farm was like making a journey back to the Isle of Man, Leonard said: “It gave me the feeling of getting back to myself”.
As McCombe transitioned and turned inward to farming with his family, his scrapbooks, writings, negatives, prints and books were quietly forgotten in his study until now. Many of the images shared throughout this stamp collection have never been seen or published since the rolls of film were developed several decades ago.
Throughout his career, McCombe maintained a commitment to capturing candid moments that revealed deeper truths about his subjects. He once stated, “I want my work to be thoughtprovoking rather than entertaining.”
Leonard McCombe’s journey from the rural coastal town of Port Erin to the forefront of American photojournalism underscores his determination and talent as one of the 20th centuries leading photographers.
This collection celebrates his life, works and career, honouring his Manx roots.
McCombe passed away in 2015, leaving behind a legacy visual storytelling. The Gertrude and Leonard McCombe Foundation, focusing on cancer wellness during treatment, was founded in their memory in 2019. His work continues to be shared in exhibitions around the world, from the U.S. to Germany and the Isle of Man.
Standing Order Dispatch Date: 08.05.25
Through the Lens of Leonard McCombe
Set 4 x £1 4 x £1.90
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Prestige Booklet
Booklet Pane
PRICE CODE
Issue date 08.05.25
AEF31
AEF41
AEF91
AEF71
£11.60
£12.70
£12.75
£23.20
AEF36 £11.60
Island Harbours – Janine Skelly Issue date 24.04.25
Set 90p, £1, £1.90, £2.15, £2.75, £3
AED31
Presentation Pack AED41
First Day Cover AED91
Island Harbours Prints
£11.70
£12.80
£12.85
AED10 - AED15 £35.00
VE Day 80th Anniversary Issue date 15.04.25
Set 90p, £1, £1.50, £1.90, £2.26, £3.75
AEG31
£11.31
Presentation Pack AEG41 £12.41
First Day Cover AEG91 £12.46
Sheetlet in Folder AEG64 £18.50
The Age of the Sea Kings Issue date 08.04.25
Set 90p, £1, £1.90, £2.15, £2.26, £3.25
AEE31
£11.46
Presentation Pack AEE41 £12.56
First Day Cover AEE91 £12.61
Europa Cover AEE95 £7.50
Europa Sheetlet AEE68 £13.56
Standing Order Dispatch Date: 27.02.25
KNOX: Order & Beauty Issue date 27.02.25
Set 90p x 5, £1 x 3, £2.29 & £2.55
AEC31 £12.34
Presentation Pack AEC41 £13.44
First Day Cover AEC91 £13.49
Prestige Booklet
Booklet Pane
Local Rate Self-Adhesive Postal Booklet (10 x 90p)
UK Rate Self-Adhesive Postal Booklet (10 x £1.00)
AEC71 £24.68
AEC36 £15.68
AEC74 £9.00
AEC76 £10.00
Isle of Man Arts Council 60th Anniversary, 1965–2025 Issue date 14.01.25
Set 90p x 5, £1 x 3, £1.90, £2.15
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Self-Adhesive Set
Self-Adhesive First Day Cover
AEB31 £11.55
AEB41 £12.65
AEB91 £12.70
AEB32 £11.55
AEB95 £12.70
The Chinese Year of the Snake Issue date 08.01.25
Set £1.10, £2.75, £3.50, £3.69
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Sheetlet
Collection (Sheetlet & First Day Cover)
AEA31 £11.04
AEA41
£12.14
AEA91 £12.19
AEA64
£11.04
AEA50 £22.73
Manx Links with China Issue date 02.01.25
Set 85p x 4
Sheet Set (3 x sets)
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Sir Mark Cavendish KBE – The Manx Missile
Sheetlet
Standing Order Dispatch Date: 28.10.24
Sir Winston Churchill 1974 – 1965, 30.11.2024
ADP31
ADP66
£3.40
£10.20
ADP41 £4.50
ADP91 £4.55
Issue date 30.12.24
ADQ43
£13.18
date 30.12.24 Sir Winston Churchill 1974 – 1965 Self-Adhesive Sheetlet ADP65 £17.50 Online Postage First Day of Service, 24.10.24
date 30.12.24 IOMPO Online Postage First Day of Service Cover
Father Christmas Issue date 28.10.24 Set 85p, £1.60 x 3, £2.31, £2.72
First Day Cover
Booklet 10 x 85p
Self-Adhesive First Day Cover
The Lights of Mann – Aurora Borealis
Set 85p x 2, £1.60, £2.31 x 2, £2.72,
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Prestige Booklet
Booklet Pane
Issue date 25.10.24
ADR31 £10.64
ADR41 £11.74
ADR91 £11.79
ADR71 £22.04
ADR36 £10.64
Aurora Borealis Collection (Prestige Booklet & Presentation Pack) ADR43 £29.95
Celtic Corvids Issue date 30.09.24
Set 85p, £1.28, £1.60, £2.31 x 2, £2.72
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
ADM31 £11.07
ADM41 £12.17
ADM91 £12.22
Small Island of Wonder Issue date 16.09.24
Set 85p, £1.28, £1.60, £1.82, £2.31, £3.21
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Standing Order Dispatch Date: 30.08.24
150th Anniversary of the UPU
ADJ31
£11.07
ADJ41 £12.17
ADJ91 £12.22
Set £2.72 x 4 ADL31 £10.88
Presentation Pack ADL41 £11.98
First Day Cover ADL91 £12.03
150th Anniversary of the UPU Double Cancellation Cover ADL95 £22.50
Stars of Variety Issue date 30.07.24
Set 85p, £1.28, £1.60, £2.31 x 3
ADK31 £10.66
Presentation Pack ADK41 £11.76
First Day Cover ADK91 £11.81
Tynwald Week – Photos by Martin Parr
Set 85p x2, £1.28 x 2, £1.60 x 2, £1.82 x 2
ADI31 £11.10
Presentation Pack ADI41 £12.20
First Day Cover ADI91 £12.25
Collectors Album (Prestige Booklet & Stamp Card Set in folder)
ADI43 £27.70
Prestige Booklet ADI71 £22.20
Booklet Pane
Standing Order Dispatch Date: 28.05.24
Aviation Anniversaries
Set 85p, £1.60 x 2, £2.31 x 2, £2.72
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
Peel Traditional Boats By Nicola Dixon
Set 85p, £1.28, £1.51, £1.60, £2.31 & £3.21
Presentation Pack
First Day Cover
ADI36
£11.10
PRICE CODE
ADH31 £11.39
ADH41 £12.49
ADH91 £12.54
ADG31 £10.76
ADG41 £11.86
ADG91 £11.91
The Liberation of Europe – WW2 Issue date 29.04.24
Set (10 stamps) 85p x 2, £1.28 x 2, £1.60 x 3, £1.82, £2.31 x 2
Liberation of Europe Commemorative Pack
Prestige Booklet and 2 First Day Covers
Presentation Packs (D-Day and Operation Market Garden combined)
First Day Covers (D-Day and Operation Market Garden combined)
Prestige Booklet The Liberation of Europe
Booklet Pane
(D-Day and Operation Market Garden combined stamp sheets)
Arnhem 80th Anniversary Paratroopers Flown Cover
ADF31 £15.50
ADF43 £37.50
ADF41 £17.70
ADF91 £17.80
ADF71 £23.14
ADF36
ADF92
£15.50
£35.00
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COINS & BANKNOTES
Isle of Man coins display our rich culture and varied history. The Isle of Man has a unique constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom, enabling it to mint its own currency – the Manx Pound.
We are official suppliers of Isle of Man Treasury Coins and Banknotes and a member of the International Bank Note Society.
