standard time

Standard Time
and Time Zones
(and Gregorian Calendar)

 time zones

Below is a checklist of Standard time and time zone (and Gregorian calendar) postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.). Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the items featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the author using the e-mail address at the bottom of this page.

The Old Royal Observatory at Greenwich, also known as the Old Greenwich Observatory, or as Flamsteed House, is referred to several times in the Standard Time and Time Zones table below. It is intimately related to the development of standard time and time zones. A detailed history of the Observatory is found here.

Sections/divisions of the table below
Standard time and time zones
Gregorian calendar

CountryCatalog NumberType of ItemYear of IssueNotes on Content
Standard time and time zones
Argentina1314 (Mi1522)1981100th anniv. Naval Observatory, 1881: 24 time zones
Argentina1314 fdcStamp and (Circulo Filatelico de Liniers) cachet on FDC
Antigua and Barbuda920 (Mi930)1986Old Greenwich Observatory
Antigua and Barbuda973 (Mi978)920 overprinted with Halley's Comet logo1986Old Greenwich Observatory
Ascension Island386 (Mi395)1986Old Greenwich Observatory
Barbuda787 (Mi893)Antigua and Barbuda 920 overprinted "Barbuda Mail"1986Old Greenwich Observatory
CanadaNone(Multi-color printed) cachet on cover2004"Canada summer time zones"
Fiji183 (Mi161)1962"180° meridian - International Date Line"
Fiji164-165+167+178+183-184+187 fdcOne of seven stamps and (Stinsons Limited) cachet on FDC
Fiji283 (Mi255)1969Map of Fiji: "180° - International Date Line"
Great BritainNonePostcard back~1902 (Old) "Royal Observatory, Greenwich"
Great BritainNone(Pictorial) cancel1973"Greenwich Day" (3 May 1973)
Great Britain742 (Mi675)1975(300th anniv.) Old Greenwich Observatory
Great Britain742 maxiMaxicard
Great Britain1058 (Mi993)1984100th anniv. Greenwich Meridian, 1884: prime meridian (in red), (Apollo-11 ?) satellite view
Great Britain1059 (Mi994)100th anniv. Greenwich Meridian, 1884: prime meridian (in red), English Channel map
Great Britain1060 (Mi995)100th anniv. Greenwich Meridian, 1884: prime meridian (in red), Greenwich observatory
Great Britain1061 (Mi996)100th anniv. Greenwich Meridian, 1884: prime meridian (in red), George Airy's transit telescope
Great Britain1058-1061 fdc1Four stamps and (Royal Mail) cachet on FDC (Edinburgh cancel)(As above for stamps)
Great Britain1058-1061 fdc2Four stamps and (Greenwich) cancel and (Royal Mail) cachet on FDC
Great Britain1058-1061 fdc3Four stamps and (London) cancel and (Royal Mail) cachet on FDC
Great Britain1061 fdc1Stamp and (London) cancel and (Benham) cachet on FDC
Great Britain1061 fdc2Stamp on FDC
Great Britain1133-1136 fdc1 (Mi1060-1063 fdc1)(Benham) cachet on FDC, also detail1986"Old Royal Observatory Greenwich" (at the right)
Great Britain1133-1136 fdc2 (Mi1060-1063 fdc2)(Benham) cachet (different) on FDC, also detail and back
Great Britain1338 (Mi1298)1990(One tower of) Old Greenwich Observatory
Great Britain1338 cardPHQ card
Great Britain1336-1339 fdc1One of four stamps on FDC (Cotswold and Stuart / BPCPA cachet, Greenwich cancel)
Great Britain1336-1339 fdc2One of four stamps on FDC (Mercury cachet; Greenwich cancel, different), also back
Great Britain1336-1339 fdc3One of four stamps on FDC (Mercury cachet; Armagh cancel), also back
Great Britain1336-1339 fdc4One of four stamps on FDC (Royal Mail cachet, Brighton, East Sussex cancel)
Great Britain1336-1339 fdc5One of four stamps on FDC (Royal Mail cachet, Northampton cancel)
Great Britain1336-1339 fdc6One of four stamps and (Benham) cachet on FDC (Armagh, N. Ireland cancel)
Great BritainNone(Pictorial) cancel2002(Upper part of) Old Greenwich Observatory
Isle of Man (Great Britain)850In (lower-left) margin of MS3 (805 (a-c))1999"Greenwich Meridian 2000" logo
Isle of Man (Great Britain)850 fdcMS3 on FDC
Isle of Man (Great Britain)850 folderFolder
Isle of Man (Great Britain)KM10511 crown (silver coin)2000Old Greenwich Observatory 24-h clock face with embedded brass strip from original Prime Meridian
Ivory CoastUnknown ss (BL none)In (upper-right) margin of SS1 [known illegal issue]2012Old Greenwich Observatory
Ivory CoastUnknown b (Mi?)One of MS2 (a-b)2016Old Greenwich Observatory
Ivory CoastUnknown fdc1MS2 on FDC
Ivory CoastUnknown fdc2MS2 on FDC (different cachet)
Ivory CoastUnknown ms (Mi none)In (lower-right) margin of MS2 (a-b), also detail [known illegal issue]2017Old Greenwich Observatory
Ivory CoastUnknown ms fdcMS2 on FDC
Japan732 (Mi771)From MS20 (732a (20x 732))196175th anniv. Japanese standard time, 1886: Sun, Earth, meridian; Akashi City Astronomical Science Museum, on 135º E longitude, the meridian of Japan Standard Time (depicted in some of the cachets)
Japan732 specimen732 overprinted "mihon" (in Japanese)
Japan732 fdc1Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (NCC) cachet on FDC, also insert and back
Japan732 fdc2Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (multi-color printed) cachet on FDC, also insert
Japan732 fdc3Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (multi-color printed) cachet (different) on FDC
Japan732 fdc4Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (multi-color printed) cachet (different) on FDC
Japan732 fdc5Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (Saburo Watanabe) cachet on FDC
Japan732 fdc6Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (Saburo Watanabe) cachet (different) on FDC
Japan732 fdc7Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (BSB) cachet on FDC, also back
Japan1676 (Mi1687)1986100th anniv. Japanese standard time, 1886: meridian, 12-h clock face
Japan1676 specimen1676 overprinted "mihon" (in Japanese)
Japan1676 fdc1Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (?) cachet on FDC
Japan1676 fdc2Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (?) cachet on FDC
Japan1676 fdc3Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (K-?) cachet on FDC
Japan1676 fdc4Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (NCC) cachet on FDC, also back
Japan1676 fdc5Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (?) cachet on FDC card
Japan1676 fdc6Stamp and (pictorial) cancel and (YMD?) cachet on FDC card, also blank card
Kiribati421 (Mi420)1983Map of Kiribati: International "Date Line"
KiribatiNoneStampcard of 6?"International Date Line"
KiribatiNoneStampcard of 6 (different value)
Korea (North)2402 (Mi2495)1984100th anniv. Greenwich Mean Time, 1884: 12-h clock face
Korea (North)2403 (BL183, Mi2496)SS1
Korea (North)Unknown (Mi6254)From MS9 (9x single)2016Implementation of "Pyongyang [Standard] Time" zone for North Korea; 12-h clock face
Korea (North)Unknown fdcStamp and (text) cancel and (red and blue printed) cachet on FDC
LiberiaKM443$10. (silver coin)2000"Greenwich Meridian"
MaliUnknown a (Mi none)One of MS2 (a-b) [known illegal issue]2018"Observatoire royal de Greenwich", and 24-h clock face
New Zealand1628 (Mi1813)From MS10 (1628a (10x 1628)) or from MS6 (1628b (6x 1628))2000Year 2000: International Date Line: world map, Sun
New Zealand1628 fdc1Stamp and (New Zealand Post) cachet on FDC, also back and insert
New Zealand1628 fdc2Stamp and (New Zealand Post) cachet (different) on FDC, also back
New Zealand1628 maxiMaxicard
New ZealandNonePostcard back, also front2008"140 years GMT" (in text on front); "First country to adopt Greenwich Mean Time"
Nicaragua1985f (Mi3297)One of MS16 (1985 (a-p)) (Mi3292-3307)1994Greenwich Observatory
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)46 (Mi46)1984100th anniv. International Date Line, 1884: South Pacific map
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)46 specimenOverprinted "specimen"
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)46+label1Overprinted "specimen" and gutter label1
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)46+label2Overprinted "specimen" and gutter label2
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)46 proofBlack-and-white proof
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)47 (Mi47)100th anniv. International Date Line, 1884: globe, map
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)47 specimenOverprinted "specimen"
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)47+label1Overprinted "specimen" and gutter label1
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)47+label2Overprinted "specimen" and gutter label2
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)47 proofBlack-and-white proof
Niuafo'ou (Tonga)46-47 fdcTwo stamps and (pictorial) cancel and (black printed) cachet on FDC(As above for stamps)
Palau568 (Mi1745-1750)MS6 (568 (a-f))2000Millennium: 24 time zones
Tonga586 (Mi896)1984100th anniv. International Date Line, 1884: George Airy, Greenwich Meridian pioneer
Tonga586 proof1Black-and-white proof
Tonga586 proof2Chromalin proof
Tonga586 specimenOverprinted "specimen"
Tonga586 specimen+labelOverprinted "specimen" and gutter label
Tonga587 (Mi897)100th anniv. International Date Line, 1884: Sanford Fleming, time zone pioneer
Tonga587 proof1Black-and-white proof
Tonga587 proof2Chromalin proof
Tonga587 specimenOverprinted "specimen"
Tonga587 specimen+labelOverprinted "specimen" and gutter label
Uganda1658m (Mi2261)One stamp and in (left) margin of MS17 (1658 (a-q + label)) (Mi2249-2265)2000Millennium: Highlights, 1850-1900: world time zones establishment
Wallis and Futuna IslandsC177 maxi (Mi659 maxi)(La Numismatique française) cachet on maxicard, also back1994International Date Line and selected time zones
Gregorian calendar
Germany (West)1383 (Mi1155)1982400th anniv. Gregorian Calendar, 1582: calendar illumination
Vatican City715 (Mi811)1982400th anniv. Gregorian Calendar, 1582: surveying the globe
Vatican City716 (Mi812)400th anniv. Gregorian Calendar, 1582: edict of reform
Vatican City717 (Mi813)400th anniv. Gregorian Calendar, 1582: presenting edict
Vatican City717a (BL4)MS3 (715-717)400th anniv. Gregorian Calendar, 1582

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