Peru
Fossils, prehistoric animals, paleontologists, Natural History Museum on stamps and postmarks of Peru


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Contents:
Peru is a country in South America, situated on the western side of that continent, facing the South Pacific Ocean and straddling part of the Andes mountain range that runs the length of South America.
Peru is bordered by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south.
Peru is a country that has a diversity and wealth not common in the world. The main attractions are their archaeological patrimony of pre-Columbian cultures and the hub of the Inca's empire, their gastronomy, their colonial architecture (it has imposing colonial constructions) and their natural resources (a paradise for ecological tourism). [R1]

Some numbered Mini-Sheets with prehistoric animals of Peru
Some numbered Mini-Sheets with prehistoric animals of Peru. MiNr.: 2233, 2599, Scott: 1598, 1798.
Peru began using stamps in 1857 that initially were provided by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company.
Around 1860 Peru acquired a French-made device (the so-called "Lecoq" press) that was used to print, emboss and cut imperforate stamps from paper strips.
In 1866, Peru issued a set of definitive stamps depicted two different Lama specimens: Lama vicugna, Lama glama - one of the first stamps with animals.

Peru is very rich for fossil of prehistoric animals.
Between 2007 and 2017 Post Authority of Peru of the country, Serpost, issued one or two Mini-Sheets/Souvenir Blocks showing local fossils and reconstruction of prehistoric animal, mostly mammals almost every year.
Mini-Sheets/Souvenir Blocks of Peru have a serial number on the back side, see on the right.
FDCs of these stamps were issued in limited quantities. [R2]




Official stamps of Peru related to Paleontology: fossils, prehistoric animals, paleontologists

31.03.1992 "100th anniversary of death of Antonio Raimondi" [1] 03.06.1999 "Geology of Peru" [2] 03.10.2000 "Paleontology of Peru"
Antonio Raimodi on stamp of Peru 1992 Fossil bivalve Virgotrigonia peterseni and minerals in Geology in Peru stamps of Peru 1999 Petrified wood in nature reserve 'Bosque de Sexi' on Palaeontology stamp of Peru from 2000
06.12.2004 "Prehistoric animals" 18.04.2005 "115th anniversary of Antonio Raimondi" [1] 16.01.2007 "Prehistoric Animals"
Prehistoric animals, smilodon and taxodon, on stamps Peru 2004 Antonio Raimondi, Italian naturalist and Ammonite on stamps of Peru 2005 Prehistoric Animal: fossil and reconstruction of Purussaurus on stamps of Peru 2007
28.09.2007 "Prehistoric Animals" 26.08.2009 "Prehistoric Animals" 21.09.2010 "Prehistoric Animals"
Prehistoric Animal: Megatherium on stamps of Peru 2008 Prehistoric Animal: Baguatherium on stamps of Peru 2008 Prehistoric Animal: Thalassocnus littoralis on stamp of Peru 2010
17.10.2011 "Prehistoric Animals" 12.09.2013 "Prehistoric Animals"
Prehistoric Animal: Livyatan melvillei on stamp of Peru 2011 Prehistoric Animal: Inkayacu paracasensis on stamp of Peru 2013 Prehistoric Animal: Canaanimys maquiensis on stamp of Peru 2013
05.11.2014 "Prehistoric Insect" 10.01.2017 "Prehistoric Animals" [2] 14.11.2022 "Plesiosaur"
Prehistoric Insect in Amber: Sycorax peruensis on stamp of Peru 2014 Fossil and reconstruction of Pelagornis on stamp of Peru 2017 Plesiosaur on stamp of Peru 2022
12.12.2023, "Megalodon"
Prehistoric marine animal: megalodon on stamp of Peru 2023

Notes:
[1] Antonio Raimondi (1826-1890), depicted on stamp 1992 and a block from 2005,
Antonio Raimondi on stamp of Peru 1992
Antonio Raimondi on stamp of Peru 1992.
Antonio Raimondi on stamp of Peru 2005
Portrait of Antonio Raimondi on margin of a Mini-Sheet "115th anniversary of Antonio Raimondi" from Peru 2005
was born in Milan, Italy in 1824 and as a child was already very interested in the natural sciences.
In 1850 he left Italy to escape the independence war in his country and came to Peru for research, scientific investigations and other observations; the decision for Peru was very emotional but as well deliberate.
Antonio Raimondi traveled more than 19 years in countless trips through Peru and explored the country and the people under different aspects of science. He investigated as well the impact of the Spanish presence on the Peruvians and their culture. He was well-respected during his lifetime and recognized for his collecting of plant and insect specimens, minerals, stones and fossils. He also drew maps and painted watercolors. [R3]

[2] At the end of 2016, the Post Authority of Peru, Serpost, presented several new stamps on their Internet site.
Most of these stamps did not arrive in the Post offices of Peru until the beginning of 2017.
The postmark for the FDC cover is dated January 10th 2017, as shown below:
Prehistoric animals, Pelagornis on stamp of Peru 2016
Prehistoric animals, Pelagornis on stamp of Peru. According to Serpost it was issued in 2016, but the postmark from FDC dated 2017. MiNr.: 2754, Scott:



Other stamps to consider: Natural History Museum

04.10.2013 "95th Anniversary of the Natural History Museum" [A1] 11.02.2019 "100th Anniversary of the Natural History Museum" [A1]
Natural History Museum on stamp of Peru 2013 Natural History Museum on stamp of Peru 2019

Notes:
[A1] The Natural History Museum (Museo de Historia Natural) in Lima, is Peru's most important museum of natural history.
It was established in 1918 and belongs to the National University of San Marcos.
The museum is repository of representative specimens of Peruvian fauna, flora and minerals, including exhibitions of mammals, primates, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, birds, plants, fossils, dinosaurs, fish and minerals. [R4]



Commemorative postmarks of Peru relate to Paleontology: fossils and reconstruction of prehistoric animals

Legend is here
03.06.1999 "Geology of Peru" [2] 03.10.2000 "Paleontology in Peru" 06.12.2004 "Prehistoric animals"
Ammonite o n postmark of Peru 1999 Petrified wood on postmark of Peru 2000 Skull of Smilodon on postmark of Peru 2004
18.04.2005"Antonio Raimondi" [2] 16.01.2007 "Prehistoric Animals" 28.09.2007 "Prehistoric Animals"
Antonio Raimondi on postmark of Peru 2005 Skull of Purussaurus on postmark of Peru 2007 Fossil of Megatherium on postmark of Peru 2007
26.08.2009"Prehistoric Animals" 21.09.2010 "Prehistoric Animals" 17.10.2011 "Prehistoric Animals"
Head of Baguatherium on postmark of Peru 2009 Fossil of Thalassocnus littoralis on postmark of Peru 2010 Livyatan melvillei on postmark of Peru 2011
12.09.2013 "Prehistoric Animals" 05.11.2014 "Prehistoric Insect"
Fossil of Inkayacu paracasensis on postmark of Peru 2013 Canaanimys maquiensison postmark of Peru 2013 Insect in Amber: Sycorax peruensis on postmark of Peru 2014
10.01.2017 "Prehistoric Animals" [2] 14.11.2022 "Plesiosaur"
Prehistoric bird Pelagornis on postmark of Peru 2014 Plesiosaur on postmark of Peru 2022



Other postmarks of Peru to consider: Natural History Museum

Legend is here
04.10.2013 "95th Anniversary of the Natural History Museum" [A1] [FDC] 11.02.2019 "100th Anniversary of the Natural History Museum" [A1]
Emblem of Natural History Museum on postmark of Peru 2013 Emblem of Natural History Museum on postmark of Peru 2019



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.


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