Issued by Israel

Issued on Jun 23, 2014

Description of the Stamps and the First Day Cover :
Near Eastern Fire Salamander stamp and tab, Southern Banded Newt stamp: photos by Guy Haimovitch.

Eastern Spadefoot Toad tab and stamp, stamp sheet margins and FDC: photos by Pini Hemo.

Hula Painted Frog stamp and tab, Southern Banded Newt tab: photos by Dror Galili. 

Type : Se-tenant pair of Stamps with Tabs, Mint Condition and First Day Cover along with Stamp and a Special First Day Cancellation

Security mark : Microtext

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 2 Shekel each

Plate : 950

Stamps per Sheet : 8

Tabs per Sheet : 4

Method of Printing : Offset

Printer : Joh. Enschede, The Netherlands

About : 

• This stamp series presents four of the seven amphibian species currently inhabiting Israel. All four species are endangered locally or globally. Human activity has harmed the amphibian class more than other vertebrates. Due to their extreme sensitivity, amphibians serve as a bio-indicator of deterioration in the global environment. Amphibians have mainly been harmed in Israel as a result of their habitats being destroyed, but the key reason for their being endangered in the world is infectious diseases which are mostly spread as a result of trade in amphibians.
• Southern Banded Newt : 
  • Scientific Name : Ommatotriton vittatus.
  • The Southern Banded Newt lives along the edges of winter pools in the Mediterranean area of Israel. The adults are active from the beginning of winter. They are reddish-brown in color with a white abdomen and orange edges. This species eats small invertebrates. During the mating season the males grow a crest of skin and enter the water. Once the male locates a female, a courting ritual begins, at the end of which the male lays a sperm sac on the ground for the female to absorb. The eggs are laid on plant leaves, which the female rolls up in order to protect them. The tadpoles develop over the course of a number of months, and then leave the winter. This species is classified as being critically endangered in Israel.

• Hula Painted Frog : 
  • Scientific Name : Latonia nigriventer.
  • The Hula Painted Frog was first documented in the Hula Valley in the 1940’s. Later, after not being seen since the 1950’s, it was the first amphibian species in the world to be classified as being extinct. It was rediscovered in the Hula Nature Reserve in November 2011 and since then additional frogs of this species have been found in the reserve and the surrounding area, attesting to the existence of an active population. There is very little biological and ecological information about this species. It was recently discovered that the Hula Painted Frog belongs to a species that became extinct in Europe one million years ago. This finding means that this species is a living fossil. It is classified as being critically endangered in the world.

• Eastern Spade–foot Toad : 
  • Scientific Name : Pelobates syriacus.
  • The Eastern Spadefoot Toad lives along the edges of winter pools in the Mediterranean area of Israel. There are approximately 40 known populations in Israel. The populations in the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee are genetically different than those in the Lower Galilee and the Coastal Plain. The adults are nocturnal and active from the beginning of the rainy season, but only when it rains. During the day these toads burrow deep into the soil, using the bony spade-like tubercles located on their hind legs. This species eats invertebrates, mostly snails, Mating takes place in the water and the notably large tadpoles (up to 20 cms) develop over the course of 3-5 months. Once the pools begin to dry up the tadpoles roll out of the water. The number of Eastern Spadefoot Toad populations found in Israel is decreasing, and the species is classified as being critically endangered.

• Near Eastern Fire Salamander : 
  • Scientific Name : Salamandra infraimmaculata.
  • The Near Eastern Fire Salamander lives along the edges of winter pools, streams and springs on Mt. Hermon, in the Galilee and in the Carmel mountains. Adults (up to 30 cms) are mainly active in the winter. Their black and orange coloring serves as a warning of the toxin that is secreted on their skin. Mating takes place on land. The male locates a female and lays a sperm sac, which the female absorbs. The female spawns 15-100 tadpoles in the water, which then develop over the course of a number of months until they roll out of the water. This species is classified as being endangered in Israel.

• The above text is provided by Prof. Sarig Gafny, School of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 20, 2011

Issued for : Despite the challenges and limitations, the ASI is serving the country credibly. On the occasion of its completing 150 years of existence, the Department of Posts commemorates the event with the issue of a set of two postage stamps.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma 

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 & 2000 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million each (0.1 Million each to proponent)

Miniature Sheet : 0.1 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : SPP Hyderabad

About : 

• Archaeology, even as it engages with the human past, is a modern pursuit that fosters productive harmony between the society and its heritage. Learning from the peoples of the past and their relationships with the environment is nowhere more relevant than in India, a continent like country with its bewildering diversities and contradictions, and which is often described as living simultaneously in different centuries.
• The task of protecting the cultural heritage of the nation has been entrusted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), an organization functioning under the Department of Culture of the Government of India. Activities of the ASI include archaeological research, scientific analysis, excavation of archaeological sites, conservation of protected monuments and areas of national importance, maintenance of the museums and regulation of legislation related to antiquities and art treasures.
• Archaeological investigations in India began towards the end of eighteenth century, the initial efforts having been inspired by the accounts of travellers who visited this wonder land, till then little known. The arrival of Sir William Jones and the subsequent formation of the Asiatic Society in 1784 gave a major fillip to the discipline. These early archaeological initiatives culminated in the setting up of the ASI in 1861. Legendary archaeologists like Alexander Cunningham, John Marshall and Mortimer Wheeler contributed to the emergence of the Survey as a respected and professionally competent organization.
• The distribution of archaeological landmarks in India is balanced in time and space. They are from different ages, and spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. The ASI has been conscious of the fact that each monument mirrors the power of assimilation and the traits of Indian soil and cultures emerging out of it. It has internalized the duty assigned to it, that of preserving such a heritage for future generations. The heritage sites and monuments under ASI’s charge are of an immense variety, and include palaces, temples, mosques, churches, monasteries, stupas, step-wells, megaliths, pillars, kos minars, tombs, cemeteries, rock shelters with prehistoric paintings and rock-cut caves, belonging to prehistoric, protohistoric, historic, medieval and colonial periods. These monuments and sites are located in different climatic zones, ranging from the snow-bound heights of the Himalayas to coastal areas of tropical weather.
• The ASI is, at times, called upon to face challenges of complex nature requiring special efforts with regard to the preservation of cultural heritage, when development programmes are in progress. Such development schemes include construction of dams and hydro-electric projects, establishment of large industries, urban development projects etc., which could endanger the monuments. In the recent past, village population gradually moving to the cities and towns for better subsistence has posed problems to the monuments to a great extent. Instances of encroachment at the protected monuments and large scale construction of buildings of commercial and residential nature have posed threats to their very existence.
• Text : P.N. Ranjit Kumar (Based on the inputs furnished by the proponent).

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Issued by India

Issued on Oct 17, 2001

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a set of stamps depicting four of the stories from the Panchatantra.

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamps, Mint Condition

Colour : Four Colour

Denomination : 400 Paise each (4/Setenant)

Overall size : 3.91 x 8.7 cms. (Setenant)

Printing Size : 3.91 x 8.7 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported Unwatermarked stamp paper

Stamps Printed : 3 million Each

Number per issue sheet : 18 Setenant

Printing Process : Photo Offset

Printer : Madras Security Printers Ltd.

About : 

• The Panchatantra is an evergreen classic in the world of children’s literature. Widely attributed to Vishnusarman, a versatile teacher, the stories were originally written in Sanskrit probably around 500 A.D. Pancha means five and tantra means doctrines of conduct or modes of action. According to legend, a king who had three foolish sons engaged Vishnusarman to reform them and enable them to grow up into worthy adults. The teacher achieved this by weaving a wondrous world of fables which bought out the five tantras which were innate in them, namely, confidence, creation of prosperity, earnest endeavour, friendship and knowledge.
• The first stamp tells the story of the friendship between a monkey and a crocodile which turned sour when the crocodile fell prey to the evil influence of his greedy wife. The wife crocodile convinced the husband that she was ill and could be cured only by eating the heart of a monkey. Pretending to take him home for dinner, the crocodile got the monkey to travel on his back, but half way through the river he told him the truth. The monkey did not loose his presence of mind and replied that he had kept his heart safely in the tree on the river bank and he could happily give it to the crocodile if his wife needed it. The foolish crocodile turned back towards the river bank, where the monkey jumped off to safety.
• The second story is that of a vain but stupid lion whose downfall was brought by a crafty little rabbit. The big lion was mindlessly killing the animals of the jungle till one day when the rabbit informed him of the presence of another lion in the jungle. He could not tolerate a contender within his sphere of influence, and wanted to eliminate him. The rabbit took him to a well, where the lion could see his own reflection. Mistaking the reflection to be the second lion, he jumped on to it, only to fall into the water and drown.
• The third stamp illustrates how two crows who were helpless before a snake which preyed on their baby crows got rid of the menace by using their intelligence. The crows snatched a jewel necklace from the nearby village and dropped it next to the snake. The villagers had to kill the snake first to retrieve the necklace, thus making life easier for the crows.
• The fourth stamp depicts the story of a foolish tortoise whose ambition to fly was fulfilled by two geese who were his friends. The geese held a stick between their beaks and the tortoise held on to it with his teeth. However, while in flight, he forgot how precarious his position was and started to speak something. He lost hold of the stick and fell down to his death.
• The requirements and qualities of children’s literature are different from adult literature, in the same way as a child is different in his attitudes and responses from an adult. A fanciful story which entertains the child and stimulates his imagination is sure to find immediate favour with him. At the same time, good literature should also teach the child something – help him in some way to understand the norms of the society in which he lives. Panchatantra embodies all these qualities. It is therefore no surprise that it maintains its spell over the children of today as much as the pupils of Vishnusarman many centuries ago.
• Text: P.N. Ranjit Kumar

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Issued by India

Issued on Aug 15, 1998

Issued for : At the conclusion of the 50^th anniversary of Independence, the Department of Posts pay homage to the martyrs of the freedom struggle with the issue of this special / commemorative setenant of two stamps, symbolising the years of struggle for Independence, the attainment of independence and India’s achievements in the post-independence years.

Design : The instant stamp design portrays progressively from left to right our struggle for freedom culminating in the demand for self-government and eventual independence, leading on to industrial, scientific and technological developments – all contributing to the building of modern India. The spirit of adventure and exploration resulting in Indian scientists, especially geo-physicists and oceanographers reaching Antarctica is also suggestively proposed in the stamp design. The first day cover depicts the first slogan postmark, heralding the historic day, 15^th August 1947 along with the first postage stamp issued, by Independent India.

Credits :
Stamp design : C. R. Pakrashi
FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Se–tenant set of 2 Stamps, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 300 & 800 Paise

Overall size : 2.88 X 6.68 cms.

Printing size : 2.53 X 6.33 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated stamp paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.

Stamps Printed : 0.7 Million

Number per issue sheet : 21/Setenant

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

About : 

• India’s emergence as an independent nation was the culmination of the largest mass movement spread across almost a century. The British rulers met with stiff resistance right from the beginning of their rule in India. The peasants, the tribal people, the chiefs and other sections rose up in revolt in every part of the country at different times. The year 1857 witnessed the first widespread armed uprising which shook the foundations of British rules in India. The British restored to brutal repression measures, to crush the uprising. Even after the great uprising of 1857 had been crushed, popular discontent against British rule, however, continued to manifest in armed revolts in different parts of the country during the remaining years of the 19^th century.
• Side by side, new political forces emerged which gave rise to a nationwide movement for national liberation. As the First World War ended, the Indian National Movement entered the era of mass struggle against repression, for “Self-Rule”. A new element was ushered in into the political life of the country – the involvement of the common people in the struggle for freedom, with Mahatma Gandhi emerging as the greatest leader in India’s struggle for freedom.
• One of the worst political crimes of the 20^th century was committed in Punjab during 1919. On 13^th April, the day of Baisakhi festival, troops under Gen. Dyer opened fire without warning on a completely peaceful and defenceless crowd at the Jallianwala Bagh ground which was enclosed on all sides. The massacre stunned the people and became a turning point in the history of the struggle for freedom. With Gandhiji’s call for ‘Non-Cooperation’ peasant struggle intensified in U.P., Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra and Bengal, becoming nationwide.
• The revolutionary movement of 20’s and 30’s which developed alongside was an integral part of the struggle for freedom. The revolutionaries, however, slowly gave up terrorist methods and concentrated on building mass organisations of workers and peasants. The mass struggle entered a phase more powerful than before with the “Boycott Simon Commission” movement. The Congress went on to launch the “Civil Disobedience movement” for the attainment of “Purna Swaraj”. Along with the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience movements, the “Quit India movement” was the third great phase in the mass struggle for freedom, with the nation taking to the streets, courting arrest. During the Second World War the Provisional Government of ‘Azad Hind’ was formed under the inspiring leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose. The men and women of the ‘Indian National Army’, took up the cry of “Jai Hind”, and blazed a trail of glory as they succeeded in liberating a part of Indian Territory. The trial of three Azad Hind Fauz officers further inflamed public feeling. People clashed with the police and workers, countrywide, went on strike. From February 1946 onwards there were strikes by sections of the armed forces, the most serious being the Naval mutiny. These events finally convinced the British government that the foundations of their empire were collapsing and accelerated the process of negotiations for the transfer of power. The dreams of generations of Indians were finally realised on 15^th August, 1947, with India attaining Independence. In the words of country’s first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, at the Constituent Assembly, 11 p.m., 14^th August, 1947 –
  In this Solemn hour of our history
  when, after many years of struggle,
  we are taking over
  the governance of this country,
  let us offer our humble thanks
  to the Almighty Power that shapes
  the destinies of men and nations
  and let us recall in grateful remembrance
  the services and sacrifices of all
  those men and women,
  known and unknown,
  who with smiles on their faces
  walked on the gallows
  or faced bullets on their chests,
  who experienced living death
  in the cells of the Andamans or
  spent long years in the prisons of India,
  who preferred voluntary exile
  in foreign countries to a life of
  humiliation in their own,
  who not only lost wealth and property
  but cut themselves off from near and
  dear ones to devote themselves
  to the achievement of the great
  objective which we are witnessing today.
• Text : India’s struggle for Independence, NCERT Publication.

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Issued by People’s Republic of China

Issued on Apr 13, 1998

Picture : Different construction view of Hainan Special Economic Zone :- 1. 50 f – Urban construction, Haikou, 2. 50 f – Economic development zone, Yangpu, 3. 150 f – Phoenix International Airport, Sanya and 4. 150 f – National tourism and resort zone, Yalongwan

Type : 2 Pairs of Stamps, Mint Condition

Colour : Multicolored

Denomination : 50, 50, 150 & 150 Fen

Perforation : 12

Printing Process : Lithographed

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Issued by India

Issued on Aug 16, 1988

Issued for : 15 August, 1988 brings to a close the commemoration of 40 years of India’s Independence. To mark this occasion the Department of Posts is issuing a stamp commemorating the contribution of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, towards the cause of freedom and his famous call “Swaraj is my birthright” which inspired generations of Indians.

Description of Designs : This composite setenant stamp features a painting by M.F. Husain; the beginning of the historical statement by Tilak in Marathi is printed over the stamp. The design of the stamp is done by Contract Advertising (India) Ltd.

First day cover is designed with a sketch of the frontline leaders of the Indian Independence Movement, Bipin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai. The design is done by K.S. Radhakrishnan.

The design of the Brochure is based on the first stamp of India after independence issued on 21.11.47. The design is done by Smt. Alka Sharma.

Type : Vertical se–tenant set of 2 Stamps (composite design), Mint Condition

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 60 & 60 Paise

Printed : India Security Press

About : 

• At around the beginning of this century there was a certain disenchantment with the approach of the older and more moderate group of nationalists. The Partition of Bengal in 1905 catalysed the wave that carried our National Movement to its new phase with its emphasis on Swaraj, Swadeshi and Boycott.
• Tilak’s thundering proclamation on Swaraj and the cries of “Vande Mataram” rekindled national pride. For the first time the common man boldly stepped out in the current of our National Movement. The youth of India responded enthusiastically to the call of independence from foreign rule. The charged mood of the times was later summed up by Jawaharlal Nehru, who wrote in his Autobiography – “……. For the first time since the Revolt of 1857 India was showing fight and not submitting tamely to foreign rule – Almost without an exception we were Tilakites…..”. On the economic front the emphasis on Swadeshi proved to be a boon; cottage industry prospered and large-scale enterprises were also set up. Tilak spread the message of self-confidence and self-reliance. He helped to widen the social base of our National Movement.
• Upon the death of this great son of India, in 1920, Mahatma Gandhi wrote “….The roar of the lion is hushed. For us he will go down to the generations yet unborn as a member of modern India….” His bravery, his simplicity, his wonderful industry and his love of his country inspire us even today.
• Text, Courtesy: Implementation Committee for Commemoration of 40^th Anniversary of India‘s Independence & Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary.

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Issued by Pakistan

Issued on Dec 31, 1984

Issued for : Now, Pakistan Post Office is issuing, on December 31, 1984, two special postage stamps of the denomination of Rs. 2/- each on Moenjodaro, in the World Heritage Monument series, as a part of “Save Moenjodaro” Campaign.

Designer : Adil Salahuddin & M. A. Munnawar (PSPC)

Type : Se–tenant set of 2 Stamps, Postal Used

Denominations : Rs. 2/- each design

Colours : Dark brown, reddish brown, light brown, & yellow ochre

Size of stamps : 33.10 x 41 mm

Size of print : 29.10 x 37 mm

Perforation : 13 x 13½ C

Quantities : 500,000 each denomination

Number of stamps in a sheet : 60 (Sixty) 30 (thirty) each design (se-tenant)

Process of printing : Litho Offset

Printers : Pakistan Security Printing Corporation

About : 

• The dead city of Moenjodaro is located on the right bank of the Indus River, about 400 Kilometers North of Karachi. The remarkable discovery of Moenjodaro in 1922 was at first nothing more than the result of routine explorations by the Archaeological Survey of British India, regarding twin mounds, one large & the other small, in the district of Larkana, about 12 Kilometers east of the small town of Dokri.
• The excavations conducted in the subsequent years established that a civilization possessing a high standard of art & craftsmanship & a well developed system of pictographic writing had existed about 2250 B.C., in the Indus Valley for a considerable period before the arrival of Indo-Aryans. Moenjodaro and other sites of Indus Valley have provided very significant archaeological results and given us considerable information about the civilization of the original inhabitants of the sub-continent.
• The excavated ruins at Moenjodaro, which have so far been subjected to the attention of archaeologists, cover an area of about 100 hectares.
• Well-constructed and covered drainage systems and neat parallel streets, laid out in an orderly design, suggest a developed and major civilization, far ahead of most of the rest of the ancient world. Europe at the time, more than 4,500 years ago, had barely emerged from the Stone Age. Moenjodaro, however, yields its secrets reluctantly. It will be sometime before a really comprehensive picture of the life of the people begins to emerge.
• The economy of the cities of Moenjodaro was based upon the fertile valleys of the major rivers of the Indus Basin & the easy means of communication and transportation which these rivers afforded. As such, agriculture was the main occupation of the people of these regions. There is evidence to show that wheat, barley, sesamum, dates and cotton were cultivated. The farmers depended on the annual rains and floods for the irrigation of their fields. The architecture of the Moenjodaro period is plain & utilitarian. There are neither imposing temples nor royal tombs. It seems that the aim of the city builders was to make life comfortable rather than luxurious. No definite answer can be given to the question, as to who were the people who lived in Moenjodaro. But it is certain that they were of non-Aryan racial stock and highly civilized.
• Among the causes for the decay and desertion of these ancient cities of Indus Valley Civilization after 1800 B.C., progressive desiccation of the Valley may have been one. Another possibility may be the growing danger of floods which compelled the inhabitants to evacuate these cities. There was a remarkable dearth of weapons of defence and war and it is probable that those rich cities with their un-warlike mercantile population were either ransacked by the invading tribes from the neighbouring hilly regions or that the inhabitants were compelled to migrate to more fertile valleys when dry & arid climatic conditions started prevailing on the Indus Valley.
• It is a paradox of facts that the ruins of Moenjodaro buried beneath the accumulations of five thousand years remained in an excellent state of preservation. But as soon as they were exposed from oblivion to the incredible gaze of the 20^th Century, they were overtaken by water-logging and salinity. These two diseases, combined with the threat of bank erosion by the Indus River, pose a grim danger to the existence of one of the most valuable cultural legacies of the human race.
• Measures to Save Moenjodaro have been devised by the Government of Pakistan with the help of UNESCO experts. As a part of an international appeal for assistance to preserve Moenjodaro, the Pakistan Post Office, in collaboration with the Authority for the Preservation of Moenjodaro (Pakistan), had arranged to bring out a series of special stamps for public motivation. The first issue of the “Save Moenjodaro” series, consisting of a set of five stamps in se-tenant, was brought out on 29^th February, 1976. This was followed by a 20-Paisa stamp issued on 31^st May, 1976 and a 65-Paisa stamp issued on 31^st August, 1976. Earlier, on 16^th September, 1963, a set of four stamps was issued on Archaeological Series, out of which one 13 Paisa stamp depicted Moenjodaro.
• Issued by: The Director General, Pakistan Post Office, Islamabad. 

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Issued by Great Britain

Issued on Jul 11, 1979

Issued for : International Year of the Child

Picture : Different pictures taken from different Books of Children : 9p – Peter Rabbit, 10½p –  The Wind in the Willows, 11p – Winnie the Pooh and 13p – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Colour : Multicoloured

Type : Traffic Light Gutter Pair Stamps, Mint condition

Denomination : 9, 10½, 11 & 13 Pence

Perforation : 14 x 14½

Printing Process : Photogravure

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Issued by Japan

Issued on Sep 25, 1975

Issued for : As the second of the Japanese ship series, two 20 yen postage stamps (se-tenant) will be issued featuring “Goshuin-sen” and “Tenchi-maru” respectively.

Picture : Goshuin–sen was a large-sized foreign trader authorized by the shogunate. It was active in trade with Southeast Asia from Momoyama Period (1575-1600) to the early part of Yedo Period (1615-1866). By means of the Goshuin–sen the wealthy merchants in Kyoto, Sakai and Nagasaki set about foreign trade. At the beginning the ship was built after Chinese fashion and about 30 metres long, but later European ship-building technique was adopted and the body became larger.

Tenchi–maru was the state ship built by the order of Shogun Iyemitsu Tokugawa, the third. Constructed like a warship it was 44 metres long, about 16 metres wide and about 4 metres deep. Lacquered in vermilion it was gorgeous ship with 76 oars and in use from 1630 to the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate (1866).

Colour : 1. Light Olive & 2. Dark Blue

Type : Stamps, Postal Used

Denomination : 20 Yen each

Printing Process : Engraved

Perforation : 13

Stamps Printed : Printed checkerwise in sheets of 20

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Issued by Japan

Issued on Aug 30, 1975

Issued for : As the 1^st in the Ship Series, 2 kinds of 20 yen postage stamps (se-tenant) depicting ancient vessel’s plyed between Japan and China will be issued.

Picture : One of the 2 stamps shows “Kentoshisen“, a large Chinese-style oceangoing ship which crossed the East China Sea over a dozen times to carry Japanese envoys to and from China in the Asuka (538~645), Nara (710~783) and Heian (784~1191) periods (6^th-12^th centuries). Several ships of this type were used for a single voyage to carry a total of over 500 persons including chief and deputy envoys, doctors, fortune tellers and students – all heading for the ancient Chinese capital of Changan. These persons greatly contributed to cultural progress in Japan.

The other stamp bears the drawing of “Kenminsen“, a Government-authorized trade ship of purely Japanese style. The ship was used by the Government in the Muromachi era (14^th-16^th centuries) to dispatch its mission to the Ming dynasty. In those days, trade took the form of presenting gifts through envoys. For about 150 years until 1542, “Kenminsen” ships were sent nearly 20 times.

Colour : 1. Rose Red & 2. Sepia

Type : Stamps, Postal Used

Denomination : 20 Yen each

Printing Process : Engraved

Perforation : 13

Stamps Printed : Printed checkerwise in sheets of 20

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