Ceylon first PM

Pictured is Don Stephen Senanayake, the first prime minister of Ceylon (from 1948 to 1952).

He is considered as the Father of the Nation, after Ceylon gained independence from the British in 1948.

Ceylon Hand of Peace

This is the 'Hand of Peace' on a semipostal stamp of Ceylon for the 2500th anniversary of the birth of Buddha.

The extra 5 cents went to the Buddha Jayanti Fund. Buddha Jayanti is a festival celebrating the birthday of Buddha.

Ceylon medical school

The Colombo Medical School's centenary was marked on this 1970 commemorative stamp.

Colombo is the largest city in Ceylon.

That's an oil lamp at the center of the design.

Ceylon leopard

A leopard relaxes on this 1970 Ceylon stamp.

Ceylon semipostal once

Not so obvious but this stamp used to be a semipostal issue before the black bars and a square were overprinted, on the right side, obliterating the second value.

Ceylon ITU

What was commemorated on this 1965 stamp is the centenary of the International Telecommunication Union, headquartered in Geneva as an agency of the United Nations.

Yes, the Philippines is a member state of the ITU.

Ceylon oriole

"I'm an oriole! I'm an oriole!"

Specifically a black-headed oriole, also known as black-hooded oriole, among other names.

Ceylon engraving vs photogravure

Top stamp is printed by engraving and bottom stamp by photogravure.

Which of the two printing methods do you like?

Ceylon coconuts

These are king coconuts, native to Ceylon.

Ceylon Adam's Peak

Adam's Peak in Ceylon is a conical mountain...but not as "perfect cone" as Mount Mayon!

Ceylon King George VI

Now it's King George VI who's featured on this Ceylon stamp...and a rubber plantation worker tapping a tree.

Ceylon King George V

In 1935 Ceylon still was a British colony.

That's why this stamp shows King George V and Windsor Castle.

Ceylon King Edward VII

Ceylon issued stamps from 1857 to 1972, the year when this island nation changed its name to Sri Lanka.

Yep, the change in name makes Ceylon a "dead country" in philatelic lingo.

The stamp above pictures King Edward VII of the United Kingdom.