Romania

Fossils and reconstructions of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, paleontologists, Charles Darwin, Natural History Museum, fossil found places on stamps, postmarks and postal stationeries of Romania


<< previous country back to index next country >>


Contents:
Romania, is a sovereign state located in Southeastern Europe. It borders the Black Sea, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, and Moldova.
It has an area of 238,391 square kilometres and a temperate-continental climate, with population of 20 million. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest. Modern Romania emerged within the territories of the ancient Roman province of Dacia, and was formed in 1859 through a personal union of the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia.
The new state, officially named Romania since 1866, gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877. At the end of World War I, Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia united with the sovereign Kingdom of Romania.
In June–August 1940, as a consequence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and Second Vienna Award, Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union, and Northern Transylvania to Hungary.
In November 1940, Romania signed the Tripartite Pact and, consequently, in June 1941 entered World War II on the Axis side, fighting against the Soviet Union until August 1944, when it joined the Allies and recovered Northern Transylvania.
Following the war and occupation by the Red Army, Romania became a socialist republic and a member of the Warsaw Pact. After the 1989 Revolution, Romania began a transition back towards democracy and a capitalist market economy. [R1]

The first stamps inscribed "POSTA ROMANA" were issued in January 1865; the three values depicted Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza in profile, facing right. In 1891, Romania issued its first commemorative stamps, a series of five in which the usual profile of the king was framed by an inscription marking 25 years of his reign. In 1896, Romanian stamps were overprinted in Turkish currency for use on ships passing between Constanța and Constantinople. In 1903 the first pictorial designs were issued to note the opening of a new post office in Bucharest, followed by a series of 10 designs in 1906, for the 40th anniversary of Carol's reign. [R2]




Official stamps of Romania related to Paleontology: fossils, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, paleontologists, Charles Darwin

25.04.1959 "Famous personalities" [1] 20.06.1962 "Famous personalities" [2] 25.11.1966 "Prehistoric animals"
Charles Darwin among other famous personalities on stamp of Romani 1959 Famous Romanian paleontologist Grigore Cobalcescu ( among other famous personalities on stamp of Romani 1962 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 1966, Click for details
29.07.1967 "Famous personalities" [3] 30.07.1993 "Prehistoric animals" 30.04.1994 "Dinosaurs"
Fossil of Dinotherium giganteum on stamp of Romania 1967 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 1993 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 1994
26.07.2001 Surcharged from 1994 25.02.2005 "Dinosaurs from Tara Hategului - Romania"
Struthiosaurus transylvanicus dinosaur on surcharged stamp of Romania 2001 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 2005 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 2005
19.01.2007 "100 years since the foundation of biospeleology by the Romanian scientist Emil Racovita" [A3]
Cave bear Ursus spelaeus on stamp of Romania 2007 Cave bear Ursus spelaeus on stamp of Romania 2007 Michel "Dinos - whole world" catalog 2019. Approx. 2500 colour 
						illustrations and about 20 000 price quotations at approx. 328 paperback pages with Novelties up to MICHEL Rundschau 1/2019 have been catalogued in this edition
22.01.2016 "Prehistoric animals" (issued in Sheets and two Mini-Sheets formats)
Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 2016 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of stamps of Romania 2016 Dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of limited edition Mini-Sheet of Romania 2016
18.06.2020 "Institute of Speleology 'Emil Racovita', a century of research" [4]
Cave Bear fossil on Speleology stamps of Romania 2020

Notes:
[1] Charles Darwin is depicted on the gray stamp among other famous personalities
Charles Darwin on international stamps of year 1959
Charles Darwin on international stamps of year 1959
The year 1959 was both the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Robert Darwin, and the 100th anniversary of the publication of his most famous work "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection".
Many countries issued stamps and postmarks to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and 150th anniversary of the publication of “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”. Only a handful of countries issued stamps in Charles Darwin’s honor for the 150th anniversary of his birth and 100th anniversary of the publication of his most significant work. The five countries that released stamps in 1958-1959 were all communist countries and included GDR (in 1958), USSR, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Poland.

[2] Famous Romanian geologist and paleontologist, member of the Romanian Academy in 1886 Grigore Cobilcescu (Sometimes spelled Cobalsescu) (1831 -1892 ) shown on light blue stamp of the set.
He was the first professor of geology and mineralogy at the University of Iasi. He developed the first Romanian book on geology, "The Limestone at Repedea" (1862), in which he agrees with the Catastrophic interpretation of the fossil record after Cuvier.
After learning about Darwin’s theories, Cobilescu became one of the most ardent supporters of Darwin’s evolutionary theory in Romania.
He researched stratigraphy, petrography and paleontology - especially in the Eastern Carpathians. The results of this study are included in his most acclaimed work “Geological and Paleontological Studies of Certain Tertiary Formations in Some Parts of Romania” (1883).
After known Darwinism, Cobalcescu returned on his own and has become one of the most ardent supporters of this view in Romania. He did research stratigraphy, petrography and paleontology, especially on the Eastern Carpathians. The results of studies are included in the work accestor "Studies on the geology and paleontology of Tertiary realms of some parts of the Eastern Carpathians". [R4]
Romania paleontologist Grigore Cobilcescu on stamp of Romania 1962 Grigores Antipa and fossil of Dinotherium giganteum on stamp of Romania 1967
Romania paleontologist Grigore Cobilcescu on stamp of Romania 1962 MiNr.: 2073, Scott: 1495 Grigores Antipa and fossil of Dinotherium giganteum on stamp of Romania 1967 MiNr.: 2609, Scott: 1941

[3] Fossil of Dinotherium giganteum depicted on a background of the green stamp, dedicated to Grigores Antipa (1861-1944). He founded the Romanian school of hydrobiology, ichthyology and oceanography, pioneer in the field of museology, the author of modern concepts in ecology, biosociology and biosphere.
He was Director of the Museum of Natural History in Bucharest, where he made important contributions to the organization of the phylogenetic and ecological collections.
As a token of gratitude for his work in the museum since 1933, the Museum of Natural History bears his name. The Dinotherium is the most expressive artifact of the museum.
Some website and even catalogues mention this stamp as the first stamp depicting a paleontologist. Unfortunately, this is not accurate, as G. Antipa was a biologist and not a paleontologist.
The presence of Dinotherium giganteum in the background of the stamp likely gave people a wrong impression that G. Antipa was a paleontologist. As theDinotherium giganteum fossil is a highlight of the Museum, it has appeared on both this stamp and on the margin of the mini-sheet “Centenary of the Natural History Museum” in 2008. [R3]

[4] The third stamp of the issue, with the value of Lei 8.50, shows the cave bear skulls found in the Rece (Cold) Cave, the bear being the representative mammal of the last Ice Age in the Carpathians. The Rece Cave is located on the left slope of Cutilor Gorges, from Rosia Township, Bihor County.



Other stamps to consider: contributors to Paleontology science, Natural history museums, fossil found places, prehistoric animals on margins

31.05.1958 "Famous personalities" [A1] 28.08.1958 "10 years since death of Emil Racovita" [A3] 22.06.1961 "Wildlife & Hunting" [A2]
Carl Linnei among other famous persons on stamps of Romania 1958 Emil Racovita on stamps of Romania 1958 Stone age hunter on Lynx stamp of Wildlife & Hunting set of Romania 1961
24.06.1968 "150th anniversary of Ion Ionescu de la Brad; 100 birth anniversary of Emil Racovita" [A3] 25.01.1976 "200 years of USA independence" [A4] 18.08.1997 "Centenary of the Start of the Antarctic Expedition with the 'Belgica' " [A3]
Ionescu de la Brad and Emil Racovita on stamps of Romania 1968 Thomas Jefferson on stamp of Romania 1976 Emil Racovita among other explorers on stamp of Romania 1997
22.03.1999 "Bugs with overprinted values" [A5] 20.05.2008 "Centenary of National Natural History Museum" 17.02.2011 "Romanian Caves" [A3]
Dinosaur silhouettes on stamp of Romania 1999, Click for enlarge Fossil of Dinotherium giganteum on stamp of Romania 2008 Romanian Caves on stamp of Romani 2011, Click for enlarge
20.09.2014 "555th Anniversary of Bucharest" [A6]
Geological Museum on stamps " BUCHAREST, 555 YEARS OF EXISTENCE ", Romania 2014

Notes:
[A1] Carl von Linné (1707 - 1778) Sweden Carl Linnaeus, was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature used in all biologically related sciences, including paleontology. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology. [R7]
Prehistoric hunter on stamp of Romania 1961
Prehistoric hunter on stamp of Romania 1961 MiNr.: 1982, Scott: 1426

[A2] In June 1961, Post Authority of Romania issued a set of 10 stamps "Wildlife & Hunting".
Wild animal shown on foreground and a hunter on a background. The stamp with face value of 20 bani, with Lynx on foreground shows a hunter with a spear depicted on the background, perhaps a prehistoric human from the stone age.

[A3] Emil Racovita (1868-1947) was a Romanian biologist, zoologist, speleologist and explorer of Antarctica. Together with Grigore Antipa, he was one of the most noted promoters of the natural sciences in Romania. Racovita was the first Romanian to have gone on a scientific research expedition to the Antarctic, more than 100 years ago, as well as an influential professor, scholar and researcher.
He found and described several fossils in caves he was observing, for example Ursilor Cave which is depicted on stamp of 2011 (face value 0.30 L). The cave was discovered in 1975. The name of the cave originates from the numerous cave-bear fossils discovered here, being an appropriate shelter for animals for more than 15,000 years.
They believe that the cave entrance was blocked by a fallen rock so that more than 140 bears attacked each other because of hunger. In September 1975, a group of amateur speleologists from "Speodava" Club explored the cave for the first time and 5 years later it was opened for tourists. One of the bear fossils and its reconstruction is shown on stamp of 2007 and the cave shown on the stamp from 2011. [R5]

Emil Racovita, cave bear and Ursilor Cave on stamps of Romania
Emil Racovita, Cave Bear and Ursilor Cave on stamps of Romania





[A4] Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd American president, author of the Declaration of Independence depicting on one of these stamps. He was also a central player in the beginnings of American paleontology.
In addition, his participation occurred at a time when people were struggling with the ideas of fossils as evidence of past life, of extinction, and of an Earth far older than the Biblical account.
Some of the fruits of Jefferson's paleontology became part of the collections at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.
Beginning in 1849 these holdings were transferred over to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, where they are currently housed.
National Geology Museum of Romania on stamp of Romania 2014
National Geology Museum of Romania on stamp of Romania 2014 MiNr.: 6872, Scott:
More info is here and here
Note: The stamp of Thomas Jefferson was issued in 1851 is the first Paleontology related stamp.

[A5] Various dinosaur silhouettes used as overprint label on surcharged bug stamp of Romania 1999 to cover the old face values.
Original stamps were issued in 1996.

[A6] National Geology Museum of Romania, located in Bucharest, shown on stamp with face value of 9.10L.
The museum hosts a collection of 80,000 samples of rocks, fossils, and minerals from Romania. [R8]



Postal stationeries related to Paleontology: fossils, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals

? "Natural History Museum - Gr. Antipa" ? "Fossils from Petroșani Mining Museum" [PS1]
Cave Painting on postal stationery of Romania Fossil on postal stationery of Romania Fossil on postal stationery of Romania
1994 "Prehistoric animals"
Pteranodon on postal stationery of Romania 1994 Pterodactylus on postal stationery of Romania 1994 Deinonychus on postal stationery of Romania 1994
1994 "Prehistoric animals" 1999 "Australanthropus Olteniesis" 19.01.2007 "100 years since the foundation of biospeleology by Romanian scientist Emil Racovita" [A3]
Iguanodon on postal stationery of Romania 1994 Australanthropus Olteniesis on postal stationery of Romania 1999 Cave Bear on ine of postal stationeries of Romania 2007

Notes:
[PS1] The Petroșani Mining Museum (Romanian: Muzeul Mineritului Petroșani) is a museum focused on coal mining and located in the Jiu Valley city of Petroșani, Hunedoara County, Romania.
The collection includes some 1500 items related to mining, including some unearthed fossils.
It is the country's only museum that focuses on coal-mining technology. [R6]



Other postal stationeries of Romania to consider: Natural History Museums, stylized prehistoric animals

20.05.2008 "150th anniversary of Grigore Antipa" [FDC] [PSO1]
Stylized Mammoth on imprinted stamp of postal stationery of Romania 2008

Notes:
Mammoth on logo of Natural History Museum of Grigore Antipa Mammoth on imprinted stamp of Romanian postal stationery 2017 [PSO1] 150th anniversary of Grigore Antipa. [3]
He was director of the Museum of Natural History in Bucharest, where he made important contributions to the organization of the phylogenetic and ecological collections.
As a token of gratitude for his work in the museum since 1933, Museum of Natural History bears his name.
Imprinted stamp on the postal stationery shows the logo of the museum with silhouette of Mammoth.
The mammoth and Dinotherium giganteum (depicted for the first time on Romanian stamp in 1967) are most impressive and popular artefacts of the museum.
Set of 2 mint stamps issued on the same date with Dinotherium giganteum on tab at top-left corner of every Mini-Sheet.
Dinotherium giganteum on tab attached to stamp of Grigore Antipa, Romania 2008
Dinotherium giganteum on tab attached to stamp of Grigore Antipa, Romania 2008. MiNr: 627, Scott: 5044.




Commemorative covers related to Paleontology: fossils and reconstructions of prehistoric animals on cachets

1982 "Natural History Museum, named after Grigore Antipa" 1992 "125th anniversary of Grigore Antipa" [3] 1993 "Prehistoric animals" [COV1]
Megaloceros giganteus on cachet of commemorative cover of Romania 1982 Deinotherium on cachet of commemorative cover of Romania 1992 Prehistoric animals on cachet of commemorative cover of Romania 1993
1993 "Dinosaurs" [COV2]
Dinosaurs  on cachet of commemorative cover of Romania 1993

Notes:

[COV1] These covers are not FDC, as they looks like. The postmarks dated 16.02.1993, but the stamps were issue on November 25th 1966.

[COV2] These covers are not FDC, as they looks like. The postmarks dated October 23rd 1993, but the stamps were issue on July 30th 1993


Commemorative postmarks of Romania related to Paleontology: dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, paleontologists

Legend is here
22.12.1981 "150th anniversary Romanian paleontologist Grigore Cobilcescu" [Sp] [A2] 26.12.1981 "Philatelic show - Geology, Speleology, Paleontology" [Sp] 11.01.1982 "125th anniversary of Sabba Stefanescu - geologist and paleontologist" [Sp] [PM1]
Romanian paleontologist Grigore Cobilcescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1981 Fossil on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1981 Romanian paleontologist Sabba Stefanescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1982
12.01.1982 "125th anniversary of Sabba Stefanescu - geologist and paleontologist" [Sp] [PM1] 03.03.1982 "Petroșani Mining Museum" [Sp] [PS1] 25.04.1982 "Bear's Cave" [Sp]
Romanian paleontologist Sabba Stefanescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1982 Plant fossil on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1982 Fossil of cave bear, Ursus Spelaeus, on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1982
25.12.1982 "Natural History Museum of Grigore Antipa" [Sp] 09.10.1983 "International philatelic show Geospepa'83" [Sp] 12.11.1983 "Expogeo philatelic show" [Sp]
Giant deer on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1982 Mammoth on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1983 Plant fossil of Otozamites aninensis on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1983
09.06.1985 "International philatelic show Geospepa'85" [Sp] 14.09.1986 "Paleontological reserve Soceni" [Sp] 09.08.1987 "International philatelic show Geospepa'87" [Sp]
Fossil of pterosaur Limnornis corneti on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1985 MOLLUSCS fossils from paleontological reserve Soceni on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1986 Skeleton of Dryosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1987
10.12.1989 "International philatelic show Geospepa'89" [Sp] 28.04.1990 "International philatelic show - Viata Satuluni" [Sp]
Truthiosaurus transsilvanicus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1989 AUSTRALANTHROPUS OLTENIESIS on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1990
15.02.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Mammuthus meridionalis" [Sp] 15.02.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Mammuthus trogontherii" [Sp] 16.02.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Deinotherium giganteum" [Sp]
Mammuthus meridionalis on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Mammuthus trogontherii on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Deinotherium giganteum on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
16.02.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Ursus Spelaeus" [Sp] 17.02.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Bison Priscus" [Sp] 17.02.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Megaceros eurycerus" [Sp]
Ursus Spelaeus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Bison Priscus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Megaceros Eurycerus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
18.02.1993 "60 years since the National Museum of Natural History was renamed the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History" [Sp]
Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979
19.02. & 20.02. 1993 "60 years since the National Museum of Natural History was renamed the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History" [Sp]
Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979
20.02.1993 "60 years since the National Museum of Natural History was renamed the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History" [Sp] 30.07.1993 "Prehistoric animals" [FDC] 02.10.1993 "Jurassic creatures: Plesiosaurus" [Sp]
Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Plesiosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
05.10.1993 "Jurassic creatures: Triceratops" [Sp] 07.10.1993 "Jurassic creatures: Stegosaurus" [Sp] 11.10.1993 "Jurassic creatures: Tyrannosaurus" [Sp]
Triceratops dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Stegosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Tyrannosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
12.10.1993 "Jurassic creatures: Brontosaurus" [Sp] 13.10.1993 "Jurassic creatures: Archaeopteryx" [Sp] 22.10.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Archaeopteryx" [Sp]
Brontosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Archaeopteryx on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Archaeopteryx on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
23.10.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Tyrannosaurus" [Sp] 23.10.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Brontosaurus" [Sp] 22.10.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Plesiosaurus" [Sp]
Tyrannosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Brontosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Plesiosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
22.10.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Stegosaurus" [Sp] 23.10.1993 "Prehistoric animals: Triceratops" [Sp] 02.11.1993 "Jurassic park: Brontosaurus" [Sp]
Stegosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Triceratops on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Brontosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
02.11.1993 "Jurassic park: Stegosaurus" [Sp] 04.11.1993 "Jurassic park: Tyrannosaurus" [Sp] 04.11.1993 "Jurassic park: Triceratops" [Sp]
Stegosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Tyrannosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Triceratops on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993
04.11.1993 "Jurassic park: Plesiosaurus" [Sp] 09.03.1994 "50 years since death of Grigore Antipa" [Sp] 07.01.1994 "50 years since death of Romanian paleontologist Ion Simionescu" [Sp] [PM2]
Plesiosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1993 Fossil of sauropod dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Romanian paleontologist Ion Simionescu and some prehistoric animals on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
30.04.1994 "Dinosaurs" [FDC] 02.06.1994 "AL II-LEA Fossil and Minerals show: Struthiosaurus transsylvanicus" [Sp] 03.06.1994 "AL II-LEA Fossil and Minerals show: Megalosaurus" [Sp]
Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1979 Struthiosaurus transsylvanicus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Megalosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
03.06.1994 "AL II-LEA Fossil and Minerals show: Gallimimus" [Sp] 04.06.1994 "AL II-LEA Fossil and Minerals show: Parasaurolophus" [Sp] 04.06.1994 "AL II-LEA Fossil and Minerals show: Camarasaurus" [Sp]
Gallimimus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Parasaurolophus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Camarasaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
08.06.1994 "AL II-LEA Fossil and Minerals show: Stenonychosaurus" [Sp] 22.08.1994 Prehistoric animals: Plesiosaurus" [Sp] 23.08.1994 Prehistoric animals: Triceratops" [Sp]
Stenonychosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Plesiosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Triceratops dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
24.08.1994 Prehistoric animals: Archaeopteryx" [Sp] 25.08.1994 Prehistoric animals: Brontosaurus" [Sp] 26.08.1994 Prehistoric animals: Stegosaurus" [Sp]
Archaeopteryx on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Brontosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Stegosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
27.08.1994 Prehistoric animals: Tyrannosaurus" [Sp] 29.08.1994 "Deinonychus" [Sp] 29.08.1994 "Pterodactylus" [Sp]
Tyrannosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Deinonychus dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Pterodactylus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
31.08.1994 "Iguanodon" [Sp] 29.08.1994 "Pteranodon" [Sp] 19.09.1994 "10th philatelic show of Polar Philately" [Sp]
Iguanodon on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Pterodactylus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Plesiosaurus and ammonite on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
12.12.1994 "Zoological Museum in Cluj Napoca: Pteranodon" [Sp] 12.12.1994 "Zoological Museum in Cluj Napoca: Iguanodon" [Sp] 13.12.1994 "Zoological Museum in Cluj Napoca: Pterodactylus" [Sp]
Pterodactylus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Iguanodon dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Pterodactylus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994
13.12.1994 "Zoological Museum in Cluj Napoca: Deinonychus" [Sp] 20.01.1995 "Kokoro dinosaurs show at Geology Museum of Bucharest" [Sp] 01.06.1995 "Pro-Natura'95 show: Camarasaurus" [Sp]
Deinonychus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1994 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995 Camarasaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995
06.06.1995 "Pro-Natura'95 show: Struthiosaurus transsylvanicus" [Sp] 07.06.1995 "Pro-Natura'95 show: Stenonychosaurus" [Sp] 05.06.1995 "Pro-Natura'95 show: Megalosaurus" [Sp]
Struthiosaurus transsylvanicus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995 Stenonychosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995 Megalosaurus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995
05.06.1995 "Pro-Natura'95 show: Parasaurolophus" [Sp] 09.06.1995 "Pro-Natura'95 show: Galliminus" [Sp] 07.12.1997 "130th anniversary of Grigore Antipa" [Sp]
Parasaurolophus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995 Galliminus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1995 Giant deer Megaloceras on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1997
04.08.1999 "Australanthropus Olteniesis" [Sp] 02.10.2000 "Australanthropus Olteniesis" [Sp] 20.11.2000 "Prehistoric animals: Parasaurolophus" [Sp]
Australanthropus Olteniesis on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1999 Australanthropus Olteniesis on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2000 Parasaurolophus dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2000
20.11.2000 "Prehistoric animals: Parasaurolophus" [Sp] 09.04.2002 "Prehistoric animals: Stegosaurus" [Sp] 09.04.2002 "Prehistoric animals: Tyrannosaurus rex" [Sp]
Parasaurolophus dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2000 Stegosaurus dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2002 Tyrannosaurus Rex on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2002
24.02.2003 "Prehistoric animals: Edmontosaurus" [Sp] 26.02.2003 "Prehistoric animals: Megalosaurus" [Sp] 16.10.2003 "Fossil "Ion" Homo Sapiens the oldest in Europe" [Sp]
EDMONTOSAURUS dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2003 Megalosaurus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2003 Jaw of Homo Sapiens on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2003
06.12.2003 "AL XL Fossil and Minerals show: Struthiosaurus transylvanicus" [Sp] 19.01.2004 "XV Polar stamps show" [Sp] 28.02.2004 "XVI Nationals Minerals and Fossils show" [Sp]
Struthiosaurus transylvanicus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2003 Mammoth on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2004 Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2004
25.02.2005 "Dinosaurs from Tara Hategului - Romania" [FDC] 02.12.2005 "XVII Nationals Minerals and Fossils show" [Sp] 15.12.2005 "The third decade of Geospepa thematical group: Archaeopteryx" [Sp]
Skull of Elopteryx nopcsai dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2005 Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2005 Archaeopteryx on commemorative Geospepa postmarks of Romania 2005
17.05.2007 "100th anniversary of Biospeleology: Ursus spelaeus" [Sp] 24.03.2008 "150th anniversary of Eduard Toll" [Sp] [PM4] 07.04.2009 "200th anniversary of Charles Darwin" [Sp]
Cave baer, Ursus spelaeus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2007 Eduard Toll and Siberian Mammoth on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2008 Charles Darwin on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2009
21.02.2011 "100 years since death of Romanian paleontologist Grigoriu Stefanescu" [Sp] [PM3] 12.04.2011 "30th anniversary of Geospepa philatelic club - Geology, Speleology, Paleontology" [Sp] 16.01.2012 "Cave painting" [Sp]
Romanian paleontologist Grigoriu Stefanescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2011 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2011 Cave painting by Homo erectus on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2012
24.01.2012 "150th anniversary of Romanian paleontoogist Grigore Cobilcescu" [Sp] [2] 15.10.2012 "Prehistoric animals" [Sp] 10.07.2013 "140th anniversary of Romanian paleontologist Ion Simionescu" [Sp] [PM2]
Romanian paleontologist Ion Simionescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2013 Romanian paleontologist Ion Simionescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2013 Romanian paleontologist Ion Simionescu on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2013
22.01.2016 "Prehistoric animals" [FDC] 12.04.2018 "Prehistoric animals: Dinosaurs" [Sp]
-
19.04.2018 "Human Evolution" [Sp]
-
Magyarosaurus dacus dinosaur on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2016 Dinosaurs on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2018 Human evolution sequence on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2018

Notes:
[PM1] Sabba Ștefănescu (January 12, 1857 - August 16, 1931) was a Romanian paleontologist and geologist, professor of paleontology at the University of Bucharest, a corresponding member of the Romanian Academy, who studied the evolution of mastodons and elephants, as evidenced by the fossils of Pliocene and Pleistocene fossils he researched in the country and during his stay in Paris. [R9]

[PM2] Ion Th. Simionescu (born as Ion Gheorghiu; July 10, 1873—January 7, 1944) was a Romanian geologist, paleontologist and naturalist.
He wrote extensively about paleontology and stratigraphy, describing 707 taxa, of which at least 98 were previously unknown. Over the course of seventeen paleontological works, he named and defined the Volhynian, Bessarabian and Khersonian substages of the Sarmatian. [R10]

[PM3] Grigoriu Ștefănescu (1836–1911) was a Wallachian-born Romanian geologist, mineralogist paleontologist. Together with Grigore Cobălcescu, he is the founder of the Romanian school of earth sciences (geology, mineralogy, paleontology). [R11]

[PM4] Eduard Gustav Freiherr von Toll (14 March 1858 – 1902), often referred to as Baron von Toll, was a Russian geologist and Arctic explorer. He was most notable for leading the Russian polar expedition of 1900–1902 to the legendary Sannikov Land.
It is less known that in 1893, he led an expedition to Siberia along the Siberian Sea with the goal of finding the remains of Mammoths to bring them back to Saint Petersburg.
Unfortunately, he was only able to find and unearth a few bones of the animal. These bones are depicted on the bottom-left corner of the postmark. [R12]



Other commemorative postmarks of Romania to consider: Natural History Museums, flint tools

Legend is here
15.04.1980 "Hand ax" [Sp] 10.05.1980 "Bone tools" [Sp] 20.05.1980 "Bone tools" [Sp]
Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1983 Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1983 Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1983
15.11.1983 "115th anniversary of Emil Racovita" [Sp] [A3] 29.03.1987 "75 years since death of Captain Robert Falcon Scott" [Sp] [PMO1] 15.11.1988 "Emil Racovita" [Sp] [A3]
Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1983 Captain Robert Falcon Scott on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1987 Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1988
16.08.1992 "Speleology in Romania" [Sp] [A3] 03.10.2000 "Bones of Australanthropus Olteniesis" [Sp] 04.10.2000 "Hand ax" [Sp]
Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 1992 Bones of Australanthropus Olteniesis postmarks of Romania 2000 Flint tools on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2000
05.10.2000 "Silex tools " [Sp] 06.10.2000 "Silex tools" [Sp] 06.03.2002 "Bone tools" [Sp]
Flint tools on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2000 Flint tools on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2000 Flint tools on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2002
05.02.2002 "Bone tools" [Sp] 01.11.2005 "125th anniversary of Alfred Wegener" [Sp] [PMO2] 19.05.2007 "Emil Racovita" [Sp] [A4]
Flint tools on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2002 Alfred Wegener on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2005 Emil Racovita on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2007
20.05.2008 "Centenary of National Natural History Museum" [FDC] 12.05.2010 "115 years of Natural History Museum" [Sp] 29.03.2012 "100th anniversary of Robert Falcon Scott" [Sp] [PMO1]
Stylized Mamoth on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2008 Natural History Museum on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2010 Captain Robert Falcon Scott on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2012
12.05.2015 "120 years of Natural History Museum" [Sp] 18.06.2020 "Institute of Speleology 'Emil Racovita', a century of research" [FDC] [A3]
Natural History Museum on commemorative postmarks of Romania 2015 Emil Racovita on postmark of Romania 2020

Notes:
Glossopteris on stamp British Antarctic Territory 1990
Glossopteris on stamp British Antarctic Territory 1990 MiNr.: 160, Scott: 157
[PMO1] Robert Falcon Scott CVO (6 June 1868 – 29 March 1912) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery expedition of 1901–1904 and the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition of 1910–1912.
Scott and his companions died on the second expedition. When Scott and his party's bodies were discovered, 16kg of Glossopteris (an extinct beech-like tree from 250 million years old) fossils from the Queen Maud Mountains were found next to their bodies, which they had dragged on hand sledges.
These fossils were promised to Marie Stopes (shown on UK stamp in 2008) to provide evidence for Eduard Suess's idea that Antarctica had once been part of an ancient super-continent named Gondwanaland (now Gondwana). More details are here.
Note: Robert Falcon Scott was honoured on several stamps of British Antarctic Territory and UK, as well as on several international postmarks.

[PMO2] Alfred Lothar Wegener (1880 -1930) was a German scientist, geophysicist, and meteorologist.
He is most notable for his theory of continental drift (Kontinentalverschiebung), proposed in 1912, which hypothesized that the continents were slowly drifting around the Earth.
Note: Alfred Lothar Wegener was honoured on several German (Berlin, DDR ) and Austrian stamps in 1980, as well as on several international postmarks.


References:



Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to
  • Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, for reviewing the draft page and his valuable comments.
  • fellow collector Peter Brandhuber from Germany and Mr. Alexander Pedchenko from Russia, for their help in finding some missing philatelic stuff of Romania.



<< previous country back to index next country >>