Armenia 2017 "Flora and fauna of the ancient world (I)"





Issue Date 28.12.2017
ID Michel: 1048-1049; Scott: 1129-1130; Stanley Gibbons: 1056-1057; Yvert: 900-9001; Category: pF
Designer David Dovlatyan
Stamps in set 2
Value Dram 230- Pterosaur
Dram 280- Tyrannosaurus
Emission/Type commemorative
Issue place Yerevan
Size (width x height) 40mm x 24mm
Layout Two Mini-Sheets 10 stamp each
Products FDC x1, MS x2
Paper chalky, no watermark
Perforation 13x13.25
Print Technique Offset lithography
Printed by Cartor Security Printing, France
Quantity 40,000 each Stamp
Issuing Authority Haypost CJSC
Pterosaurs and Tyrannosaurus on Flora and fauna of the ancient world stamps of Armenia 2017


On December 28th, 2017, (initially planned for November 1, 2017) Post Authority of Armenia - Haypost - issued a set of 2 commemorative stamps, showing some prehistoric animals - the flying reptile, pterosaur and the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus.
Even though some dinosaur fossils have been found in Armenia, there was not enough material to associate them with any particular species, so Haypost used the classic dinosaur and pterosaur for these stamps.

Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that existed during most of the Mesozoic: from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous.
Pterosaurs on Flora and fauna of the ancient world stamps of Armenia 2017
Pterosaur on stamp of Armenia 2017, MiNr.: 1048, Scott: 1129.
Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight. Their wings were formed by a membrane of skin, muscle, and other tissues stretching from the ankles to a dramatically lengthened fourth finger. Early species had long, fully toothed jaws and long tails, while later forms had a highly reduced tail, and some lacked teeth.
Tyrannosaurus on Flora and fauna of the ancient world stamps of Armenia 2017
Tyrannosaurus on stamp of Armenia 2017, MiNr.: 1049, Scott: 1130.
Many sported furry coats made up of hair-like filaments known as pycnofibers, which covered their bodies and parts of their wings. Pterosaurs spanned a wide range of adult sizes, from the very small to the largest known flying creatures of all time.

Tyrannosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex (rex meaning "king" in Latin), is one of the most well-represented of the large theropods. Tyrannosaurus lived throughout what is now western North America, on what was then an island continent known as Laramidia. Fossils are found in a variety of rock formations dating to the Maastrichtian age of the upper Cretaceous Period, 68 to 66 million years ago.


Products and associated philatelic items

FDC (clean and circulated) First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Pterosaurs and Tyrannosaurus on Flora and fauna of the ancient world FDC of Armenia 2017 Pterosaurs and Tyrannosaurus on Flora and fauna of the ancient world FDC of Armenia 2017 Pterosaur and Tyrannosaurus on postmark of Armenia 2017
Example of Circulated Covers
Pterosaurs on circulated cover of Armenia 2017 Tyrannosaurus and Argentinosaurus on circulated cover of Armenia 2019 Tepejara and Pterosaur on circulated cover of Armenia 2019
Mini Sheets
Pterosaurs and Tyrannosaurus on Flora and fauna of the ancient world stamps of Armenia 2017



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 very valuable comments.


Last update 12.02.2023