The first postage stamps to enter circulation in the islands were Ceylon stamps in six denominations depicting Edward VII overprinted "Maldives", issued on 9 September 1906. When these stamps ran out, unoverprinted Ceylon postage stamps were used until the first original "Maldives" stamps were issued on 15 May 1909. It was a series of 12 stamps depicting the minaret of the Friday Mosque in Male.