1884 Stamp Issuance Schedule
This Issuance Schedule utilizes stamp pages from Korea's Postal Museum Web Site.
Clicking on high-lighted Stamp No./s,
activates a link to KSS-KorBase;
if available.
| STAMP NO./s | DATE ISSUED |
TOPIC DESCRIPTION | STAMPS ISSUED |
REMARKS |
| 1 | 11.18. 1884 |
5 Moon stamp | 1 | |
| 2 | 11.18. 1884 |
10 Moon stamp | 1 | |
| U1 | Minted 1884 |
25 Moon stamp Un-issued |
1 | |
| U2 | Minted 1884 |
50 Moon stamp Un-issued |
1 | |
| U3 | Minted 1884 |
100 Moon stamp Un-issued |
1 |
Extracted from Philatelic-I; Jim Kerr's "Old Korea":
On March 27, 1884, Hong Yong Sik (some say his father had this role) was made
Postmaster General, and he proceeded to order a set of 5 stamps from Japan, and to
establish a postal system centered at Seoul, with branches at Pusan, Inchon, and Wonsan.
Stamps #1 and 2 became available late in November 1884, and are known cancelled before
December 4, 1884, the official opening date of the system. Unfortunately, Hong, who by
that time was prime minister, was murdered that day (or perhaps December 6), and the
central P0 was sacked and burned, with rioting of Koreans and Chinese against Japanese
influence continuing through December 7.
Picture of Hong Yong-sik
Picture of First Postal Flag
One US officer on the scene reported “many sheets” of #1 and 2 “thrown into the streets.”
Hong’s home was used as execution hall by the winning (conservative) faction, and later was
given to H. N. Allen for a hospital. Thus #3-5, which were not yet in Korea, were never regularly
placed in use except in later customs, shipping, and tax roles.