Philately, Theosophy and
Two countries have issued postage stamps in honor of the Theosophical Society (TS) and two of its Presidents. In 1968 Sri Lanka issued a postage stamp, value 2r and multicolored, commemorating the work of Henry Steel Olcott in that country. The stamp recognized the fact that Olcott was dedicated to promoting Buddhism and general education for the indigenous people.
In 1975, in appreciation of the energetic role promoting self-rule the Theosophical Society has played in that country, the Indian Government issued a special postage stamp, value 25p and multicolored. The issue commemorated the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Society. The stamp shows the seal of the Society and its motto, “There is no religion higher than truth.”
Commemorating the birth of Annie Besant and her work for Indian self-rule, the Indian Government issued, in 1963, a stamp, value 15np and colored green, showing her portrait and birth and death dates. Philatelists might be interested to know that, according to the Stanley Gibbons catalogue, the first issue carried an incorrect date of birth as 1837 for Besant whereas she was actually born in 1847.
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