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The mysterious Surf Islands stamps

Stamp collecting and surfing might not be the most obvious bedfellows, writes Christer Brunström, but perhaps there are readers out there who enjoy both hobbies. If so, the Surf Islands might just be the perfect spot, but where are they located?

A number of small sheets of eight different stamps inscribed ‘Surf Islands’ reached the philatelic marketplace sometime in 1994. Printing was not of the highest quality and the only distinguishing features are the rather curious name of the islands and the denominations in Rp. All the stamps in a sheet have exactly the same denominations (Rp. 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, 0.25, 1,-, 2.50, 5.- and 10.-).

Some collectors have suggested an Indian origin as Rp. could be the abbreviation of rupee. However, some assert that it looks more like the short form of the Indonesian rupiah.

All sheets exist both imperforate and perforated. The following themes have been featured on the Surf Islands sheets: flowers (three different sheets noted), mushrooms & berries, birds, African wildlife, motorcycles, cars, airplanes and ships, but there are undoubtedly many more.

Unfortunately, my studies of maps and other sources haven’t revealed the existence of any Surf