Turkey 2026 "Saber-toothed tiger"

Issue Date	21.09.2026
ID	Michel: Scott: Stanley Gibbons: Yvert: UPU: Category: pR
Design
Stamps in set	1
Value	45 TL - Saber-toothed tiger
Size (width x height)	36mm x 52mm
Layout	Sheet of 25
Products	FDC x1
Paper
Perforation
Print Technique	Digital
Printed by	PTT Printing House
Quantity	stamps: 100.000 FDC: 2.000
Issuing Authority	PTT

On September 21^st, 2026, the Turkish Post issued a stamp depicting a saber-toothed cat. The design appears to be AI-generated, possibly based on an image of a modern tiger modified to feature elongated canine teeth, rather than a scientifically accurate reconstruction of an extinct species.

The stamp features a saber-toothed tiger associated with the rich fossil deposits of Çorakyerler, near the centre of Çankırı in central Turkey.

The skull of the saber-toothed tiger from the collection of the Çankırı Museum depicted on the cachet of the FDC.

Scientific excavations at the site, led by Professor Ayla Sevim Erol, have unearthed a diverse assemblage of Late Miocene mammals dating back approximately 8.5–9 million years. Some of these fossil finds are exhibited in the Natural History Department of the Çankırı Museum. The locality is particularly remarkable because these ancient deposits lie within a modern urban area, an unusual setting that brings the region's prehistoric past into close proximity with its present-day inhabitants.

The fossils include rhinoceroses, ancient giraffes, three-toed horses of the genus Hipparion, hyenas, antelopes, bovids, porcupines, primates, and extinct saber-toothed cats. Together, they provide valuable evidence of Miocene ecosystems in Anatolia and help researchers investigate mammalian evolution and dispersal between Europe and Asia.

Machairodus on stamp of Bulgaria 2023, MiNr.: 5626, Scott: 5051.

Although remains of the ancient felids are relatively scarce at Çorakyerler compared to some contemporary Anatolian sites, they hold immense scientific significance. One of the specific saber-toothed cats identified here is Machairodus aphanistus, an extinct predator belonging to the machairodontine group. Its elongated upper canine teeth were perfectly adapted for capturing and killing prey. Fossil evidence suggests this species inhabited a range of environments, potentially including relatively wooded habitats, though its precise ecological preferences remain subject to ongoing scientific interpretation.
The remarkable diversity of the Çorakyerler fauna is not limited to mega-herbivores and large carnivores like Machairodus. In recent years, the site gained international scientific renown following the discovery of Anadoluvius turkae, an 8.7-million-year-old fossil primate. This groundbreaking specimen provides crucial clues regarding early hominid evolution, suggesting that human ancestors spent a significant evolutionary window in Anatolia before migrating south.
Today, these globally vital findings have made the Natural History wing of the Çankırı Museum a thriving cultural hub, drawing tens of thousands of international visitors annually.

Products and associated philatelic items

FDC	First-Day-of-Issue Postmark	Examples of Circulated Covers
		The reverse side includes more stamps

References

• Technical details and short description:
  The Turkish Post website
• Excavation at:
  
  Cankiri Postasi
  • Fossils dating back 9 million years are being unearthed in excavations in Çankırı. from 05.09.2025
  • Prof. Dr. Erol: "It doesn't exist in any other city center in the world, it only exists in Çankırı!" from 04.05.2025
• Cankiri Museum:
  PDF Flyer, including the image of the skull.
• Anadoluvius turkae:
  Wikipedia (in German)