Taiwan 2025 "Dinosaurs"

Issue Date	07.11.2025
ID	Michel: Bl. 253 (4811-4814) ; Scott: ? ; Stanley Gibbons: ?, Yvert et Tellier: ?. Category: pR
Design	Zhang Zongda (also known internationally as Chung-Tat Cheung)
Stamps in set	4
Value	NTD 15 - Titanosaur NTD 15 - Hadrosaurus NTD 15 - Oviraptor NTD 15 - Therizinosaurus
Emission/Type	commemorative
Places of issue
Size (width x height)	stamps: 63.0 mm x 34 mm Mini-Sheet: 150 mm x 100 mm
Layout	Mini-Sheet of 4
Products	FDC x 1, MC x1
Paper	Self-adhesive stamp paper
Perforation	Die cut
Print Technique	Offset
Printed by	Royal Joh. Enschede B.V. (Netherlands)
Quantity	300,000
Issuing Authority	Chunghwa Post

On November 7^th, 2025, the Postal Authority of Taiwan (Chunghwa Post) issued the first set of four self-adhesive "Dinosaurs" stamps in the form of a Mini-Sheet. Another Mini-Sheet was issued on July 7^th, 2026.

The issue depicts four dinosaur groups from the Late Cretaceous: titanosaurs, hadrosaurs, oviraptors, and therizinosaurs, and highlights one of the most fascinating aspects of dinosaur biology: reproduction.
In addition to life reconstructions of the animals, each stamp features a fossil egg containing a developing embryo, emphasizing discoveries that have significantly improved our understanding of dinosaur nesting behaviour and parental care.

The dinosaurs depicted on the stamps

Titanosaurs

Titanosaurs on stamp of Taiwan 2025, MiNr.: ?, Scott: ?.

Titanosaurs were a diverse group of long-necked saurischian dinosaurs that dominated the terrestrial ecosystems of the Late Cretaceous. Some species exceeded 30 metres in length, making them among the largest land animals ever to have lived. They were herbivores with a worldwide distribution, including Asia, South America, Africa, Europe, and Madagascar.

The official Taiwan Post description states that the reconstruction depicts a titanosaur from India.
India has yielded some of the richest Late Cretaceous titanosaur fossil deposits in the world, particularly from the Lameta Formation in central and western India. Numerous skeletal remains, together with thousands of fossil eggs and nesting sites, have been discovered in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. These discoveries have provided valuable insights into the anatomy, reproduction, and nesting behaviour of titanosaurs, making India one of the most important regions for the study of sauropod dinosaurs.

Titanosaurus indicus, described by British paleontologist Richard Lydekker in 1877 from the Late Cretaceous Lameta Formation, was the first species assigned to the genus Titanosaurus.
Although the genus is now regarded as a nomen dubium, it gave its name to the diverse sauropod clade Titanosauria and marked the beginning of more than a century of research on Indian titanosaurs.

Theropod and fossil eggs on the 2009 commemorative cover of the Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park, India.

One of the most important titanosaur localities in India is the Raiyoli (Balasinor) Dinosaur Fossil Park in Gujarat, where thousands of fossil eggs, numerous nesting sites, and skeletal remains have been discovered in the Lameta Formation.
The importance of these discoveries was recognized by India Post in 2009 with the issue of a commemorative cover marking the Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park. Although the cachet depicts a theropod dinosaur beside fossil eggs, the site is best known for its spectacular titanosaur discoveries. Thousands of fossil eggs and dozens of nesting grounds have been uncovered at Balasinor, together with skeletal remains attributed to titanosaurs, confirming that these giant sauropods nested there during the Late Cretaceous. The exceptional preservation of the nests, eggs, and embryos has provided unique insights into titanosaur reproduction, colonial nesting behaviour, and the early development of their young, making Balasinor one of the world's most important dinosaur nesting sites.

Titanosaurs are also renowned for their nesting sites.
Thousands of fossil eggs have been discovered in extensive nesting colonies in Argentina, India, Spain, France, Romania, and other countries. The eggs were usually buried in shallow pits and incubated by the heat generated within the surrounding sediment, probably aided by geothermal activity or decomposing vegetation. Several eggs have preserved embryos, including remarkably complete specimens from Patagonia and India, providing valuable information about the anatomy, growth, and development of these gigantic dinosaurs.

Hadrosaurus

According to the official Taiwan Post description, this reconstruction depicts a Hadrosaurus from the United States.

Hadrosaurus on stamp of Taiwan 2025, MiNr.: ?, Scott: ?.

Hadrosaurus, or duck-billed dinosaurs, were among the most successful herbivorous dinosaurs of the Late Cretaceous and are well known from North America and Asia. Many species lived in herds and probably exhibited complex social behaviour.

The fossil record of hadrosaur reproduction is among the most complete known for any group of dinosaurs. Numerous nesting colonies, eggs, embryos, hatchlings, and juveniles have been discovered, particularly in the Upper Cretaceous rocks of Montana, USA. These remarkable finds demonstrate that hadrosaur parents cared for their young after hatching until they were able to leave the nest. The inset on the stamp depicts a fossil egg containing a developing hadrosaur embryo.

A Hadrosaurus (Hadrosaurus foulkii) was the world’s first mounted dinosaur skeleton, named by the American palaeontologist Joseph Leidy in 1858.

Hadrosaurus foulkii on a cachet of a U.S. advertising cover from the 1870s or 1880s. It was used to advertise fossil marl, a natural fertilizer produced by John T. Robert & Bro. of Germantown, Philadelphia.
Image courtesy: Dr. Lida Xing, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor and doctoral advisor, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China

Under Leidy’s supervision, the English sculptor and natural history artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, who, under the guidance of Richard Owen, had created the first three-dimensional models of dinosaurs (including Iguanodon) and other prehistoric animals for the Crystal Palace exhibition in Sydenham in 1854, reconstructed and mounted the incomplete skeleton at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia in 1868.
Although many missing bones had to be restored, it became the first dinosaur skeleton ever exhibited to the public and marked the beginning of modern museum displays of dinosaurs. The Bernissart Iguanodon, mounted fourteen years later, was the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton to be reconstructed and exhibited.

Oviraptor

Oviraptor on stamp of Taiwan 2025, MiNr.: ?, Scott: ?.

According to the official Taiwan Post description, this reconstruction depicts an Oviraptor from Mongolia. Oviraptor was a small to medium-sized feathered theropod that lived during the Late Cretaceous in the Gobi Desert. It possessed a toothless beak, a prominent cranial crest, and was probably omnivorous.

The name Oviraptor, meaning "egg thief," was coined in 1924 after the first specimen was discovered lying on a nest believed to contain the eggs of Protoceratops. Decades later, spectacular discoveries of exquisitely preserved oviraptorid embryos and adults brooding their nests demonstrated that these eggs actually belonged to Oviraptor and its close relatives. The fossils showed that the adults protected and incubated their eggs in a bird-like posture, making oviraptorids one of the best examples of the evolutionary link between non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds. The inset on the stamp depicts an oviraptorid egg containing a developing embryo.

One of the most remarkable examples is Citipati osmolskae, a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur, discovered in the Late Cretaceous deposits of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. This dinosaur was among the largest oviraptorids; it is estimated to have been around 2.9 meters in length and to have weighed 75–83 kg.

Incubating Citipati on the eggnest on stamp of Mongolia 2022

Incubating Citipati on its nest of eggs on stamp of Mongolia 2022, MiNr.: 4206, Scott: 2993.

Embryo of Citipati osmolskae on stamp of Mongolia 2022, MiNr.: 4209, Scott: 2995.

Several exceptionally preserved specimens were found associated with nests containing large eggs. The most famous specimen, IGM 100/979, nicknamed "Big Mama", was discovered at the Ukhaa Tolgod locality in the 1990s. It represents an adult Citipati preserved in a brooding position, crouched over a circular nest with its forelimbs spread around the eggs.
The posture of the specimen was remarkably similar to that of modern birds protecting and incubating their nests. It provided some of the strongest evidence that oviraptorid dinosaurs cared for their eggs rather than stealing them, as had been assumed when the first Oviraptor specimen was discovered. The discovery of "Big Mama" helped transform our understanding of dinosaur reproduction and behavior, revealing that many theropod dinosaurs displayed complex nesting strategies and parental care.

Therizinosaurus

Therizinosaurus on stamp of Taiwan 2025, MiNr.: ?, Scott: ?.

According to the official Taiwan Post description, this reconstruction depicts Therizinosaurus from Mongolia. Therizinosaurus was one of the most unusual theropod dinosaurs, reaching up to 10 metres in length. Its name means "scythe lizard", referring to the gigantic curved claws on its hands, which were among the longest claws known from any animal. Although a member of the theropod lineage that includes carnivorous dinosaurs and modern birds, Therizinosaurus was probably herbivorous or omnivorous. It possessed a feathered body, a small head with a toothless beak, a long neck, and enormous forelimbs ending in three scythe-like claws that could exceed one metre in length.

When the first remains of Therizinosaurus were discovered in Mongolia in the 1940s, only the huge claws were known, leading to great uncertainty about the animal’s appearance and lifestyle. Later discoveries of related therizinosaur dinosaurs revealed that these animals were feathered maniraptoran theropods, closely related to the evolutionary line leading to modern birds. The enormous claws were probably not used for hunting, but may have helped the animal gather vegetation, defend itself, or display to rivals.

Skeleton of Deinocheirus mirificus on margin on 100^th anniversary of modern science Souvenir Sheet of Mongolia 2021

Another remarkable giant theropod from Mongolia is Deinocheirus mirificus, meaning "terrible hand". Discovered in the Gobi Desert in 1965, it was originally known only from a pair of enormous forelimbs, making it one of the greatest paleontological mysteries of the twentieth century. More complete skeletons, discovered decades later, revealed that Deinocheirus was a giant feathered ornithomimosaur rather than a close relative of Therizinosaurus. Like Therizinosaurus, it demonstrates the extraordinary diversity of Mongolia's Late Cretaceous dinosaur fauna and how new fossil discoveries can dramatically change scientific interpretations. The skeleton of Deinocheirus was depicted on the margin of the Mongolian 2021 miniature sheet commemorating the 100^th anniversary of modern science.

Fossil eggs attributed to therizinosaurs have been discovered in Asia, including Mongolia and China, providing valuable information about their reproductive biology. Studies of eggshell microstructure and embryonic remains indicate that therizinosaurs shared nesting characteristics with other maniraptoran dinosaurs, including bird-like incubation behaviors. These discoveries provide further evidence of the close evolutionary relationship between non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds.

Together, the four stamps celebrate discoveries that have fundamentally changed our understanding of dinosaur biology. Fossil eggs, embryos and brooding adults demonstrate that many dinosaurs reproduced and cared for their offspring in ways strikingly similar to modern birds, providing important evidence for the evolutionary relationship between non-avian dinosaurs and birds.

Products and associated philatelic items

FDC	First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks

	This postmark was printed on the FDC during its production	This postmark was available in the GPO at the first day of issue only

FDC (circulated)	Postcards

There are two more stamps on the reverse side of the FDC, posted as registered letter to Germany on the day of issue.	The English name on the cover of the postcards set "Maximum Cards of Dinosaur Souvenir Sheet" is an erroneous translation from Chinese. The postcards on the right are postcards with corresponding cancelled stamps on their reverse sides.

References

Technical details and short description: Taiwan Post, Online store of Taiwan Post.
Titanosauria: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Paleobiology Database
Hadrosaurus foulkii: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Oviraptor philoceratops: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Citipati osmolskae: Wikipedia
Therizinosaurus cheloniformis: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Deinocheirus mirificus: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dinosaur eggs and embryos: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica
India dinosaur nesting sites (Balasinor): Wikipedia

Last update 08.07.2026