The Stamp of the Cod

A bounty of giant Codfish has been swimming in waters off NL for thousands of years.

No wonder this fish has had such a defining place in this province's rich past.  

So much so, that Cod, in its salty state, was once the currency of this place.

The majesty of Cod - as a fish and its role as economic and cultural shaper - was recognized as early as 1865, when it was honoured with a pictorial on a postage stamp.

Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire from 1855-1933.  From 1857-1947, Newfoundland issued over 300 postage stamps.   This 90-year period, according to Terranovapub.com,  ...  spanned five monarchs and two world wars, that saw the conquest of the North Atlantic by air, the change from sail to steam, and the invention of radio, the airplane, and the light bulb.   http://www.terranovapub.com/newfoundland-stamp-designs.html    

A review of some of the literature on Newfoundland’s old postage stamps reveal they are renowned for their beauty, history and high collector value. They also are unique in the world as nearly every aspect of the early development of the Newfoundland nation is depicted upon them:    A study of Newfoundland postage stamps is a study of Newfoundland history, politics, natural resources and geography. Many parents educated their children using Newfoundland postage stamps as valuable reference material, prior to union with Canada on March 31, 1949. http://visitnewfoundland.ca/briefstamp.html     

While the first Newfoundland postal stamp was issued in 1857, it was not until 1865 that a pictorial was released which celebrated the Codfish -  the mainstay of the Newfoundland economy and the major commodity which formed trade networks and cross-cultural exchanges. Newfoundland is known as the first country to show a fish on its adhesive stamps.  The green stamp, with a Codfish depicted swimming to the left, would be criticised by Albert Perlin (1937) for its design flaw – omitting the split in the Codfish’s tail.   

It would not be the last time that King Cod would be featured on a postal stamp in the Colony of Newfoundland.   The blog spot "Big Blue" provides the following information on the issuing of Cod stamps:   "Between 1880-1896, three stamps with  a new Codfish  design were released. The 2c yellow green, and the 2c green were issued in 1880 and 1896 respectively, while the 2c red orange was produced in 1887."   http://bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.ca/2014/05/newfoundland-pictorials.html 

In 1932, two varieties of the 1 Cent stamp were issued - with the first  one printed in green (Jan).   By August 1932,  the colour was changed to grey.   These stamps were part of the “First Resource Issue”.  One paid tribute to Cod as currency in the Newfoundland nation; and was based on a photograph by renowned photographer Robert Holloway. 

Although described by Albert Perlin as “possibly the ugliest stamp Newfoundland had ever issued” (1959:128), NFLDStamps.com offers this perspective,  "The stamp realistically portrays a catch of fresh cod. The caption could be a painful reminder to inshore fishermen that they were rarely if every paid in cash by fish merchants and therefore had to pay their debts literally in ‘fish’ (the generic term that applied specifically to cod). http://www.nfldstamps.com/userfiles/files/2.%20History%20of%20Newfoundland%20Stamps.pdf

In 1937 King Cod was featured on a postal stamp with a member of the Royal  family - King George VI.    This is the  first stamp of the Long Coronation Issue of Newfoundland and it shows a Codfish to the left of the King's  oval portrait.

The Cod fishery would also be spotlighted in two other postage stamps according to Professor Thomas Nemec. Former secretary of the St. Johns’s Philatelic Society:
1)  8¢.  “Fishing, One of the Colony's Resources.” A crew of inshore fishermen in two boats is depicted ‘hauling’ or unloading fish from a codtrap. The design may have been based on a contemporary photo. The Colony’s fisheries were its economic mainstay.

2)   Leaving For The Banks.” Ten two-masted schooners in full sail are also depicted sailing through  the Narrows. Since their crews fished offshore on the Grand Banks the vessels were called ‘bankers’.    Historically, some storms were famous for having caused the deaths of hundreds of fishermen.   http://www.nfldstamps.com/userfiles/files/2.%20History%20of%20Newfoundland%20Stamps.pdf

By June 23, 1947, Newfoundland issued its final stamp. These stamps were used for letter, parcel and airmail until April 01, 1949, when they were replaced by Canadian stamps.

Postal stamps, predating Newfoundland’s entry into Confederation, remain valid for mail posted anywhere within Canada - if you can find one; or have a friend who is kind enough to share these special gems.

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