the place where Paleontology and Paleoanthropology meets Philately
Turkey
Dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals on stamps and postmarks of Turkey
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Contents:
- Country overview
- Philately of Turkey
- Official stamps of Turkey related to Paleontology
- Commemorative postmarks of Turkey related to Paleontology
- References
- Acknowledgements
Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental country in Eurasia, mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe.
The country is encircled by seas on three sides: the Aegean Sea is to the west, the Black Sea to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
The Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles, which together form the Turkish Straits, divide Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia.
Ankara is the capital while Istanbul is the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.
The area of Turkey has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic by various ancient Anatolian civilisations.
Following WWI, the conglomeration of territories and peoples that formerly comprised the Ottoman Empire was partitioned into several new states.
The Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922), initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his colleagues against the occupying Allies, resulted in the abolition of monarchy in 1922 and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, with Atatürk as its first president. [R1]
In 1863 Turkey became the second independent country in Asia (after Russia) to issue adhesive postage stamps and in 1875, it became a founding member of the General Postal Union, soon to become the Universal Postal Union.
Turkey became a republic in 1923, and in the following years, its postal service became more modernized and efficient and its postage stamps expertly designed and manufactured.
The republic's first stamp issue was a definitive series depict a star and crescent, somewhat reminiscent of the Duloz issue. [R2]
Official stamps of Turkey related to Paleontology: dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals
| 05.06.2012"World Environment Day" [1] | 15.06.2017 "Ankapark" [2] | |
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Notes:
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| Cover of the booklet with 3D dinosaur stamp of Turkey 2012 |
Regular and 3D Dinosaur stamps of Turkey 2012 on registered letter to Germany. The 3D, plastic, stamp MiNr.: 3969, Scott: . |
Actually there are only 3 stamps depicting dinosaurs.
Pteranodon, depicted on stamp with face value of 1 TL, is not a dinosaur but a Pterosaur.
In addition to commemorative block of 4 stamps an introductory booklet with plastic, hologram stamp inside was issued.
Even though the plastic stamp is sold inside of a booklet it can be used for postal purpose as any other regular stamp.
[2] Ankapark: one of the largest theme park in the world with a total area of 1.200.000 square meters, including 100,000 square meters of indoor space and 1,100,000 square meters of open space, opened in Ankara in 2017.
At the entrance of AnkaPark, the visitors meet the most magnificent architectural examples of Turkish history.
Moreover, the world's most diverse and most realistic dinosaurs are placed at the park.
Later on Ankapark was renamed to the Wonderland Eurasia. [R3]
Commemorative postmarks of Turkey related to Paleontology: dinosaurs
| 05.06.2012"World Environment Day" [FDC] [1] | 15.06.2017 "Ankapark" [FDC] [2] | |
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References:
- [R1] Turkey: Wikipedia, FlagCounter
- [R2] Postal History and Philately of Turkey:
Wikipedia
Links to official website of the Post Authority, stamp catalog and a list of new stamps of Turkey are here - [R3] Ankapark: Wikipedia, BBC (in Turkish) National Turk (in Turkish)
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.
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