Talking Stamps

If you are a 70’s or 80’s kid, you may have seen phonograph records on cereal boxes, which could be cut with scissors and played. Bhutan did something similar with stamps. on 15th April 1973, they released the world’s first talking stamps - seven miniatures, one-sided, 33 1⁄3 rpm vinyl records playable on a standard turntable.

10 CH : yellow text on red record (69 mm) and plays Bhutan history 25 CH: gold on green (69 mm) and plays the National anthem Nu. 1.25 : silver on blue (69 mm) and plays the Bhutan history (in English) Nu. 3  : silver on purple (100 mm) Airmail stamp and plays the Bhutan history (in Bhutanese) and folk song #1 Nu.7 :silver on black (69 mm) and plays  Folk song #1 Nu. 8 : red on white (69 mm) and plays  Folk song #2 Nu. 9 : black on yellow (100 mm) Airmail stamp and plays Bhutan history (in English), folk song #1, and folk song #2

  • 10 CH: yellow text on red record (69 mm) and plays Bhutan history 
  • 25 CH: gold on green (69 mm) and plays the National anthem 
  • Nu. 1.25: silver on blue (69 mm) and plays the Bhutan history (in English) 
  • Nu. 3: silver on purple (100 mm) Airmail stamp and plays the Bhutan history (in Bhutanese) and folk song #1 
  • Nu.7: silver on black (69 mm) and plays  Folk song #1 
  • Nu. 8: red on white (69 mm) and plays  Folk song #2 
  • Nu. 9: black on yellow (100 mm) Airmail stamp and plays Bhutan history (in English), folk song #1, and folk song #2

Most of the stamps from that period were from Bhutan Stamp Company, set up by Burt Kerr Todd. Todd was an American entrepreneur, and a friend of the Royal family. He was helping the king of Bhutan pursue for a loan from the World Bank, which was rejected and led to a suggestion from one of the officials from the bank to look for postage stamps as an alternative source of revenue. Bhutan eventually issued some gimmicky stamps such as these phonographic stamps. By early 70s stamps were the major source of income for the Himalayan kingdom.

The stamps are loved by both philatelists and vinyl record collectors.



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