PERSKUTUAN TANAH MELAYU on 31 August 1957, at 12 PM, issued a first day cover (FDC) stamp commemorating the attainment of Independence (Merdeka) from Great Britain. The postmark cancellation on this FDC originated from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, which was a relatively new town having been established in 1954. Interestingly, two stamps -- 20 cents total -- were affixed to the envelope and posted to Australia (which is partially erased). In time it ended up with a philatelist in England. I purchased it from him, and after nearly 67 years it made its way back home to Malaysia.
There were many alternate first day cover cachets marking Merdeka. These were either made by enterprising people who sold them at the entrance of the post office or at the post office counters (if they had good connections). The Merdeka stamp was brown in colour with a denomination of 10 cents (sen). It featured one of the founding fathers and first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tengku Abdul Rahman. A group of Malaysians and a boat at sea is depicted on the stamps as well.
The 1957 Merdeka stamp and cachet is highly collectible now and commands a premium price. I was fortunate to obtain this one for a third of the usual price, which can cost as much as US$400, depending on the condition of the FDC and/or the collector's selling price.
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