Show Your "Fossilized Stamps" - Fossils On Stamps And Covers

A few items related to the 1952 Algeria issue. It was designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon. The first is one of several hand-colored artist die proofs.

Wow, Nils! these items are incredible. As an engraved stamps collector for more than a decade, I rarely see such beautiful colorful die proof. I think these assay colors are much attractive than the color chosen for the real issued stamp. Congratulations for your great items and thanks for sharing them with us. Regards.

Thanks, LaoPhil! I collect the stamps of Pierre Gandon and focus on proofs. Here are a couple of others he hand-colored for this issue (from a total of five)...

Nils, more great items and many thanks you enriched this thread with them. As an art engraved stamp collector I fully understand why you collect the stamps of Pierre Gandon.

I am also a great fan of Gandon. He is one of my favorite French designers and engravers and I find his stamps very attractive, unique and outstanding. In several different threads under "Stamp Engraver Forum", I posted many of his great stamps including monochrome color assays, die proof (designed by him) maxi cards and FDC's.

Thanks again for your great contribution.

Tortoise fossil, issued for use in Wallis and Futuna on December 2, 1990.

Note from Paleophilatelie.eu site, the best site of paleontology in philately:
Although this stamp is inscribed "Fossile de Tortue", it is not a fossil, but a highly stylized sculpture, in volcanic rock, of a turtle with algae on its carapace, discovered during archaeological excavations between 1984 and 1989 on the islands.

Carlos de la Torre (1856–1950) was a prominent Cuban naturalist, malacologist, and zoologist. He made significant contributions to the study of mollusks and Cuban biodiversity. As a professor and later rector at the University of Havana, he played a key role in advancing natural sciences in Cuba.

The 100th anniversary birth of la Torre, issued by Cuba on August 28, 1958.

- Fossilized skeleton of giant ground sloths Megalocnus rodens, found by la Torre
- Ammonite Fossil, la Torre collected and described numerous ammonite fossils found in Cuba.
- Polymita picta, Cuban painted snail, studied by Carlos de la Torre (not fossil)
- Fourth stamp in the set features la Torre, but I still don't have it.

I've collected fossils on stamps my whole life and have never seen this issue listed in any of the topical books or check-lists on the subject. Cameroun Scott #808 from 1986 shows a fossil dragonfly inset at lower left.

A few poster stamps and labels:

Nils, if you give me your permission to use your scan, I will ask about the Cameroun stamp if our Facebook group.

____________________

Charles Wilson Peale (1741 - 1827) was an American painter, soldier and naturalist. The following stamp shows Peale's self-portrait painting "The Artist in His Museum." On the right side, fossilized Mastodon skeleton, jaw and bone. The stamp was issued by the USA on January 15, 1955 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

@LaoPhil, yes, please go ahead and use the scan. I have this stamp as an imperf and a deluxe proof (both rather common) but am desperate to find an FDC (I've never seen one, even in someone else's collection).

One of my major collections has been prehistoric life on FDC's, the goal being to collect at least one first day cover for every single issue featuring prehistoric life of any kind up through 1990. After a couple of decades of collecting (five Lindner albums in total), I sometimes doubt the existence of the few remaining I need! There are certainly Cameroun FDC's of other issues from this same year, so I remain hopeful...

Nils, I posted your Cameroun stamp and the question. Hope to receive answer and will update here.

Deinotherium is an extinct genus of large, elephant-like proboscideans that lived from the middle-Miocene until the end of the Early Pleistocene. Here is a fossilized Deinotherium skull on postmark issued by Germany in 2001 publicizing the Deinotherium museum in Eppelsheim, Germany.

Thanks, LaoPhil... I didn't really have a question on the stamp, I was merely pointing out that it had been overlooked on topical check-lists/publications. But I'll be interested to see if anyone has any further insights.

Nils, correct, no question in your text. I posted it in our FB group to learn if someone else lists it as a fossil or know a list of it. I received only one response from an Indian collector:

"I had shared this with Prof. Ramani Srinivasan and his answer is - "The two other pictures are Anax sp. and Calopteryx virgo. The insect could be a fossil going by the wings, maybe Meganeura sp.". He collects on Dragonflies and he can be reached on......."

Will update if I will receive more responses. BTW, very beautiful stamp!

Thanks, LaoPhil! In response to that quote, something interesting... my Master's Degree (many years ago) was on an order of fossil insects called the Meganisoptera (also called Protodonata), sometimes (incorrectly) called "giant dragonflies", which include Meganeura. I actually have a small collection of Meganeura on stamps (almost all bogus issues, sadly). So, I can say with confidence that this is NOT a Meganeura.

It's common practice, though, to classify most fossil dragonflies as "Meganeura", but it's usually wrong.

No idea what species of fossil they were going for here, my guess would be that it was some creative invention on the part of the artist.