- With a length of 205mm, the stamp is valued at Rs. 500
- The Kandy Perahera was chosen as the theme due to it being one of the world’s oldest cultural festivals
- The world’s longest stamp from 2011 to 2023 was the 175 mm stamp of the Viceroy locomotive issued by the Sri Lanka Postal Department
- Philippines set the record for the world’s longest postage stamp and held it for just two months and eight days before it was broken again
The world’s longest stamp was issued last Tuesday (20th) at the conclusion of the Kandy Perahera. This commemorative stamp, themed on the Sri Dalada Perahera, measures 205 mm in length and is valued at Rs. 500.
The ceremony featured prominent figures, including the Diyawadana Nilame, the President, the Basnayake Nilames of the Four Great and Outlying Temples, the District Governor, and other Government officials. The inaugural stamp and the first-day cover were presented by Senior Deputy Postmaster General Rajitha K. Ranasinghe to the Minister of Mass Media, Transport, and Highways, Dr. Bandula Gunawardana. The minister then handed them over to the President and Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela.
Senior Deputy Postmaster General Ranasinghe, who oversees the operations department on behalf of the Postmaster General, provided insights into the stamp’s significance: “We’ve just issued the world’s longest stamp, measuring 205 mm. The stamp was designed by artists Ruwan Upasena and Isuru Chaturanga, and 300,000 copies are being printed. Since this is a commemorative stamp, it won’t be reissued. The value of the stamp is Rs. 500. We have released fifty first-day covers priced at Rs. 800 each.”
Stamp Advisory Committee
Isuru and Ruwan who crafted the stamps
Commemorative stamps are issued following a formal process. Ranasinghe elaborated on this: “The country has a Stamp Advisory Committee, an external stakeholder committee headed by the Postmaster General. The annual stamp plan is prepared by this committee, which issues 36 stamps annually based on public suggestions received through newspaper advertisements. The creation of this longest stamp was a result of a proposal from our stamp advisory council.”
When asked about the reason for making the world’s longest stamp, Ranasinghe explained, “Earlier, we issued a long stamp featuring the Viceroy locomotive, which was 175 mm long. The Kandy Perahera was chosen as the theme because it is one of the oldest cultural festivals in the world, globally renowned for its historical and cultural significance. This led to the decision to create this new stamp.”
Ranasinghe also provided a comparison with previous records: “Ours is now the longest postage stamp in the world. The previous record was held by the Philippines, which issued a 200 mm stamp on June 12, 2024, to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the First Republic of the Philippines.
That stamp depicted significant events in Philippine history, from the declaration of independence on June 12, 1898, to the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo by American forces on March 23, 1901. The Philippines held the record for just two months and eight days before our postal department broke it.”
Kyrgyz Express Post
“Before the Philippines, the world’s longest stamp was issued by Kyrgyzstan’s postal administration, Kyrgyz Express Post, which created a 184 mm stamp to mark the International Year of Mountain Development in 2022. This stamp, issued on January 30, 2023, depicted the Char-Tash mountain range in Kyrgyzstan.”
Ranasinghe said, “Prior to that, Thailand held the record with a 170 mm stamp issued in 2017 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the throne.
The Viceroy locomotive stamp issued by the Sri Lanka Postal Department, measuring 175 mm, remained the world’s longest stamp from 2011 to 2023 without attracting much attention.”
He said, “Once again, the world’s longest stamp is ours. We are confident that a stamp symbolising our cultural pride will gain the attention of the world.”
