Agatha Christie (1890-1976)

     Agatha Christie was commissioned by the London Daily Dispatch in 1930 to write a mystery story set on the Isle of Man. It contained clues to places where £100 prizes were hidden in snuffboxes. The idea was to attract treasure-hunters to the island to boost tourism. The story was published in the Daily Dispatch in five installments toward the end of May. 250,000 booklets with the story were also distributed on the island.
     In 2003 the Isle of Man issued a set of 5 stamps with tabs featuring writers and stories with a Manx connection. Christie's story, "Manx Gold" was the subject of the first value.