Nova Scotia issued its first postage stamps in September 1851. The stamps, 3d. blue, 6d. yellow-green, and 1s. dull purple, were diamond shaped and depicted the crown of Great Britain surrounded by four heraldic flowers of empire. In 1853 the square 1d. rose stamp was added featuring a portrait of Queen Victoria. 

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On January 1st, 1860, Nova Scotia switched from pounds to dollars and cents. So, in October of that year, the province issued stamps in five new denominations: 1c. purple, 5c. blue, 8 1/2c. green, 10c. vermilion, and 12 1/2c. black, and in May of 1863 a 2c. grey/black stamp was added.  The stamps were based on two portraits of Queen Victoria, one in profile and one face on. After Confederation, in 1867, Nova Scotia stamps were gradually replaced by stamps of the Dominion of Canada.

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The blue stamp for both the pence and cents issues were by far the most common, being the inter- and intra-provincial letter rate. Although The BlueNotes will feature examples of stampless covers and covers franked in other denominations and sent from other jurisdictions, Nova Scotia's blue stamps will predominate here as they did in historic provincial usage. ​​