Additions and corrections for March 2004

A World-Wide List of Turtles and Tortoises on Stamps

by Donald N. Riemer


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


-- A --
ARUBA

-- B --
BAHAMAS
BAHRAIN, KINGDOM OF
BELARUS
BENIN

-- C --
CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
COSTA RICA

-- D --

-- E --
ESTONIA

-- F --

-- G --

-- H --
HUNGARY

-- I --

-- J --
JAPAN

-- K --
KOREA, NORTH
KOREA, SOUTH

-- L --

-- M --
MEXICO
MONTSERRAT

-- N --
NEW CALEDONIA

-- O --

-- P --

-- Q --

-- R --

-- S --
SENEGAL
ST. HELENA
ST. THOMAS AND PRINCE ISLANDS
SURINAM

-- T --
TADJIKISTAN
THAILAND

-- U --
UNITED NATIONS (NEW YORK)
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

-- V --
VIET NAM

-- W --

-- X --

-- Y --

-- Z --


ARUBA


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 237 25c 30 Sep 03 Eretmochelys imbricata Hatchlings at water's edge. Date also reported as 16 Oct 03.
SC 238 60c 30 Sep 03 Dermochelys coriacea Hatchlings at water's edge. Date also reported as 16 Oct 03.
SC 239 75c 30 Sep 03 Chelonia mydas Hatchlings at water's edge. Date also reported as 16 Oct 03.
SC 240 150c 30 Sep 03 Caretta caretta Hatchlings at water's edge. Date also reported as 16 Oct 03.


BAHAMAS


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 1093 80c 24 Nov 03 Unidentified Sea Turtle Painting by Alton Lowe entitled "Annual Visit", shows a turtle on a beach. From four value set, all w/ paintings by Alton Lowe. The set is collectively entitled "Waters of Life". Date also reported as 1 Dec 03.


BAHRAIN, KINGDOM OF


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 590 Various 05 Jun 03 Unidentified Tortoise Sheet of twelve stamps depicting animals and plants. Tortoise on one. Lower selvedge of sheet and each stamp inscribed "World Environment Day 2003".
SC 590 j 250 fils 05 Jun 03 Unidentified Tortoise Single stamp w/ tortoise from Scott Bahrain #590. Large tortoise facing camera.


BELARUS


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 463 600rub 12 Mar 03 Emys orbicularis Adult on land facing left. Same design as turtle stamp on Scott Belarus #463a.
SC 463 a Various 12 Mar 03 Emys orbicularis Mini sheet w/ four each of Scot Belarus #462 and 463. Bottom margin inscribed "www.belpost.by"


BENIN


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
1000f 2003 Unidentified Sea Turtle S/S of one stamp w/dinosaurs on stamp and sheet margin. Turtle is on the stamp, among roots of a tree growing in the water. Turtle looks like a sea turtle but it appears to be in a freshwater habitat and there is a frog on a tree root and frogs do not occur in salt water. This item is probably an illegal issue.


CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
60f 13 Dec 03 Small, Crude Turtle Square plate w/ turtle and fish patterns. Turtle is very small and difficult to discern, even w/ magnification. From set depicting bronze wares of Eastern Zhou Dynasty.


CHRISTMAS ISLAND


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 444 50c 31 Oct 03 Stylized Sea Turtle Santa Claus sitting on back of turtle giving gifts to crabs on beach and birds in tree. From two-value Christmas set.


COSTA RICA


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 568 Various 03 Sep 03 Cartoon Turtle S/S of eleven stamps depicting scenes from the story "Cocori". One stamp is very large and has a denom of 225 col. The other ten stamps are normal size and have denoms of 25 col.
SC 568 a 25 col 03 Sep 03 Cartoon Turtle Boy, turtle, monkey and bird.
SC 568 f 25 col 03 Sep 03 Cartoon Turtle Jaguar, turtle, armadillo, monkey, boy and father.
SC 568 g 25 Col 03 Sep 03 Cartoon Turtle Boy and monkey pushing turtle.
SC 568 h 25 col 03 Sep 03 Cartoon Turtle Monkey w/ open arms, turtle and boy.


ESTONIA


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
3.60 09 Oct 03 Unidentified Skeleton Postal card w/ turtle skeleton in cachet. Stamp is imprinted on card. Issued for 150th Anniv. of the Estonian Naturalists' Society. Imprinted stamp depicts Karl Ernst Von Baer.


HUNGARY


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 3851 500fo 09 May 03 Emys orbicularis Mini-sheet of one stamp. Large spider on stamp. Turtle, egrets and dragonflies in border of sheet. No turtle on stamp.


JAPAN

See End Note #11 for information about Japanese postal cards w/ turtles.


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
N/A 2003 Stylized Turtle Vertical s/s w/ two vertical columns of five stamps each, down left side of sheet. Turtle in upper right corner in margin of sheet. There is a snake forming an oval around the turtle.


KOREA, NORTH


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
Various 18 Feb 03 Tortoise Ship Booklet w/ a strip of six stamps depicting ships. Tab at far right of strip has a tortoise ship. No turtles or tortoise ships on stamps -- only on tab.
Various 10 Jun 03 Unident. Freshwater Turt. Booklet of four stamps depicting many animals on cover and on stamps inside. Two turtles on booklet cover (at base of waterfall and at extreme right edge of cover). Two additional turtles on stamps inside of booklet. Exists perf. and imperf.
3w 10 Jun 03 Unident. Freshwater Turt. One of the single stamps w/ turtle from booklet issued this date. Turtle at base of waterfall. Exists perf. and imperf.
150w 10 Jun 03 Unident. Freshwater Turt. One of the two turtle stamps from booklet issued this date. Very small turtle at edge of water, near boar's snout. Exists perf. and imperf.


KOREA, SOUTH


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
1997 400w 11 Apr 03 Ceramic(?) Turtle Celadon pitcher with lid in the form of a dragon-turtle.
SC Various June 2003 Tortoise Ship Booklet featuring modern ships on cover and on stamps inside. Ancient tortoise ship on right margin of booklet pane. This booklet MAY be from South Korea, not North Korea.


MEXICO


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 2260 a $5.00 Unidentified Sea Turtles Re-issue of Scott Mexico #2260. Original was perforated 14. This re-issue is perforated 13 x 13.25.
SC 2261 a $5.00 Unidentified Tortoise Re-issue of Scott Mexico #2261. Original was perforated 14. This re-issue is perforated 13 x 13.25.


MONTSERRAT


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
$1.50 28 Nov 03 Chelonia mydas Sheet of 6 stamps including a frog, lizard, crab, mongoose, marmoset, and turtle. Sheet inscribed "Animals of the Caribbean".
$1.50 28 Nov 03 Chelonia mydas Single stamp w/ turtle from sheet of six. Turtle swimming up and right.


NEW CALEDONIA


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 723 a N/A 24 Aug 95 Unidentified Sea Turtle S/S of six stamps and one label. The turtle is on a small circular logo at the bottom right corner of the label. Label is imprinted "260f" but this is the value of the entire sheet, including the six stamps. It is NOT the value of the label itself, which has no denomination.
SC 899 e Various 24 Oct 03 Four Sea Turtle Species Scott New Caledonia #899 o/p'd "Coupe du monde 2003" and "Champion du monde" in upper and lower margins respectively. Entire sheet is die cut in the shape of a sea turtle.


SENEGAL


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
360f 2002 Geochelone sulcata Prominent turtle w/ snake. Ostrich running in background. Inscribed "Faune - Tortue D'Afrique".


ST. HELENA


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 819 25p 08 Apr 03 Geochelone gigantea Pane of twelve 25p stamps plus four non-denominated labels promoting tourism. Tortoise on one stamp only. Stamp inscribed "Plantation House". The tortoise depicted is almost certainly "Jonathan" the famous tortoise of St. Helena Island.
SC 819 a 25p 08 Apr 03 Geochelone gigantea Plantation house, people w/ tortoise, coat-of-arms. Single stamp w/ tortoise from Scott St. Helena #819. The tortoise depicted is almost certainly "Jonathan" the famous tortoise of St. Helena Island.


ST. THOMAS AND PRINCE ISLANDS


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
Various 31 Dec 02 Lepidochelys olivacea S/S w/ four stamps. Sheet die cut in the shape of a dorsal view of a sea turtle.
7000db 31 Dec 02 Lepidochelys olivacea Adult swimming to right at water surface. WWF logo in upper right corner.
7000db 31 Dec 02 Lepidochelys olivacea Three adults on beach facing left. WWF logo in upper right corner.
6000db 31 Dec 02 Lepidochelys olivacea Two adults emerging from surf. WWF logo in upper right corner.
6000db 31 Dec 02 Lepidochelys olivacea Three hatchlings emerging from nest. WWF logo in upper right corner.


SURINAM


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC B 361 60 + 30c 04 Nov 87 Turtleback Design Fabric(?) with a design described as a "turtleback design". Stamp inscribed "met Schildpadrugmotief". In Dutch this means "with turtleback design".


TADJIKISTAN

Tadjikistan is a former republic of the Soviet Union that gained its independence in 1991.


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
Various Nov 2003 Testudo horsfieldii Sheet of eight stamps, each depicting a different insect, mammal, bird, or tortoise. Sheet inscribed "Nature of Middle Asia". Date also reported as October 2003.
Various Nov 2003 Testudo horsfieldii Sheet of eight stamps identical to the sheet described above except that this one is imperf and there are four small figures inscribed in the four corners of the selvedge: a bird, a beetle and two mammals. Sheet inscribed "Nature of Middle Asia". Date also reported as October 2003.
53d Nov 2003 Testudo horsfieldi Single stamp w/ tortoise from either of the two "Nature of Middle Asia" sheets. Date also reported as October 2003.


THAILAND


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
3b 01 Mar 04 Cuora amboinensis
3b 01 Mar 04 Platysternon megacephalum
3b 01 Mar 04 Indotestudo elongata
3b 01 Mar 04 Heosemys spinosa


UNITED NATIONS (NEW YORK)


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 604 a 29c 13 Mar 92 Chelonia mydas Pair of stamps: Scott #603 and #604. Turtle on #603 only.


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 3831 37c 02 Jan 04 Eretmochelys imbricata Sheet of ten 37c stamps depicting life on a Pacific coral reef. Turtle on one stamp only. Upper selvedge inscribed "Pacific Coral Reef". Bottom selvedge inscribed "Nature of America".
SC 3831 e 37c 02 Jan 04 Eretmochelys imbricata Single stamp w/ turtle from Pacific Coral Reef sheet. Adult swimming right underwater.


VIET NAM


Catalog # Denom.      Date      Turtle      Description      Comment
SC 2471 10000d 10 Jul 93 Stylized Turtle Stylized turtle on s/s of one stamp. Turtle in margin of sheet, not on stamp. Stylized bird standing on turtle's carapace.


http://www.personal.psu.edu/crr2/turtstmp/ Last updated:   Mar 4, 2004