 UK Darwin Set 2009-02-12 Royal Mail has issued, on February 12, 2009, a set of new stamps and a souvenir sheet to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. The stamps also mark the 150th anniversary, November 24, 1859, of the publication of Darwin’s “On The Origin of Species.” The new set of stamps feature a unique jigsaw puzzle type of design for each stamp to demonstrate how the various areas of Darwin’s studies – zoology, botany, geology, ornithology and anthropology – came together to form his theory of Natural Selection.
CartoPhilatelists will be especially interested in the special miniature sheet which features a map of the Galapagos Islands, where Darwin conducted much of his field research. The GBP 2.34 mini-sheet features “four stamps showing some of the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands that Darwin encountered during his voyage as Ship’s Naturalist on the
 UK Darwin Mini Sheet 2009-02-12 hydrographic survey ship HMS Beagle. The animals of these isolated islands and how they showed evidence of variation and evolution had a profound influence upon Darwin’s theory of natural selection. The animals are shown against the background of the map produced on the mission.” A press sheet of 12 un-cut miniature sheets is also available for purchase on the Royal Mail web site.
 Cuba 2009 Cuba has issued a new stamp depicting Darwin’s voyage in the HMS Beagle. A world map with the route is shown in this new issue. If anyone has more information on this issue, please let us know.
[ There must be other countries which may be issuing similar Darwin Commerative Stamps. Please send us any information on new issues. — web admin. ]
 United Kingdom 2009-01-13 A single First Class rate stamp featuring the Harry Beck designed “London Underground Map” was featured as part of the British Design Classics, issued by Royal Mail on January 13, 2009. The first “Tube” map was designed in 1931 by Beck, an Underground employee, with the concept being based on an electrical diagram. Beck continued to create maps for the London Underground until 1960. [ subway maps for other cities are often draw using a similar style. does anyone know of any other subway map stamps? –web admin]
On November 10, 2008 Indonesia Post issued a set of stamps depicting various small and outer islands “Pulau-pulau Kecil Terluar / The Small Outermost Islands” in the Indonesian chain of islands. The stamps feature a photograph of the island, and a locator map. A full sheet of stamps,
 Indonesia 2008-11-10 shown above, contains 16 stamps in four sets for four different designs. In the center of the full sheet is a large detailed map of Indonesia with the names of many of the outter islands, and red lines indicating which islands are shown in the stamps. A smaller size sheet containg only the 16 stamps without the large center map was also issued. The detailed map in the center of the full sheet will be of keen interest to fellow CartoPhilatelists.
 Latvia 2008-11-07 On November 7, 2008 Latvian Post issued a single stamp that commemorates the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918. The stamp shows the Latvian Coat of Arms overlaid on the national flag in the shape of the country boundary. This issue of 500,000 stamps is printed in sheets of ten by Cartor Security Printing.
Article Number 10: Identification of Unknown Map on Vatican sc1008
New Submission July 2008, Research, text and scans by Miklos Pinther
Our tenth Marginalia article submitted by Society President Emeritus Miklos Pinther sheds some light on a previously unknown map. –web admin
In 2005 David Wolfersberger originally asked me about the world map depicted on the Vatican City’s special souvenir sheet (scott 1008) which was issued for the China 1996 Philatelic Show. Both Dan Nelson and I searched the sources we knew, and I asked some other map historians, but unfortunately, no information was available about the cartographer or the publisher. The results of the searching showed that this “unknown map” was also of specific interest of those who collect antique maps on stamps. A number of suggestions were offered, but since several editions of very similar designs are known, the precise source of this particular map remained an enigma.
 Vatican City, sc 1008, March 15, 1996 What we do know about this fine souvenir sheet, shown below, comes from an article about this issue that appeared in the May 1996 journal of Vatican Notes. The article states that the souvenir sheet, issued on March 15, 1996, measures 138 x 100 mm, and features a world map in two hemispheres, with the right hemisphere depicting Marco Polo’s return route to Venice. The map was copied from a volume preserved in the Pontifical Lateran Library. Along the top of the sheet are the coat of arms of Vatican City, the logo of the International Philatelic Exhibition “CHINA ‘96”, and an inscription in Italian and Chinese. At the lower center is a perforated 2,000 Lire stamp which features Marco Polo, taken from the first printed edition of Il Millione, the account of the travels of Marco Polo. The issue size was 300,000 souvenir sheets with printing carried out by Helio Courvoisier S.A. of Switzerland on white chalky paper in color rotogravure.
Now, thanks to the kind intercession of Dr. Roberto Rossetti, a former legal adviser to the United Nations and personal aquaintance, who has sent the following information which has been kindly provided by Dr. Laura Ciolli, DeputyLibrarian of Pontifical Lateran University Library in Rome.
The map in question is entitled:
MAPPA MONDO O VERO CARTA GENERALE DEL GLOBO TERESTRE
Rapresentato in due Planisferi E nuouamente coretta e in piu parte Aumentata secondo le Relatione piu recente
Prepared by N. Sanson (Nicolas Sanson of Abbeville,1600-1667), engraved by Gio. Lhuilier (Joannes Lhuilier), and published in 1684 by Gio. Iacomo de Rossi (Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi) printing workshop of Rome. This map is the first of a set of maps in a bound edition of 47 x 34 cm size. Other maps in order are of Europe, Asia, Africa, Italy and the Lazio region, as well as of other subjects and of various dimensions. The Library’s volume bears a mark “SA”, meaning that it originally belonged to the convent of Saint Bonifacio and Alessio on Aventine Hill.
Mr. Pinther and the CartoPhilatelic Society are grateful to Dr. Rossetti and Dr. Ciolli for providing this information.
References:
Thomas I. Crimando, “New Issues” in Vatican Notes, volume 44, no. 6, May 1996, pp. 4-5., The Vatican Philatelic Society. https://www.vaticanphilately.org
Additional Notes:
Both Dan Nelson and Miklos searched extensively on the Internet for the map depicted in the souvenir sheet but it does not seem to be online. If anyone knows of an online version of the true map shown in the souvenir sheet, please inform Mr. Pinther.
An interesting resource for a number of old maps is the EU’s digmap project, but I am not sure of the status of the project, beyond the search interface and the digmap wiki site.
[2022-06: this site is down; no visible project status is listed here. the project may have been moved to the european digital library (europeana portal) and their geography/maps collection. -web admin]
More information about philatelic issues from the Vatican can be found at the Vatican Philatelic Office.
Unfortunately, I could not find an image of Nicolas Sanson. Perhaps someone can help?
–web admin
 The CarotPhilatelic Society held its 3rd meeting on February 2nd, 2008 at the Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition in Sarasota Florida. There were six members from the Society present at the meeting.
The first order of business was the Secretary/Treasurer Report. This report is detailed in the New CartoPhilatelist Journal, #21, April 2008
During the meeting Miklos raised the subject of a second volume in the Society’s Occasional Publication series and presented a copy of “Old European Road Maps” from the Postal History Journal (1980), which perhaps could be used as the basis for the second volume.
Another idea was to follow up on a reported sixth volume that Walter Klinefelter had in preparation at the time of his death. Al met his daughter recently and will contact her to see if there is anything there that perhaps we could take on and complete.
These discussions will move to the new Society member’s forum where they can be further discussed.
Martin Oakes was introduced as the new editor of the New CartoPhilatelist.
David reported that Revision 4 of the Maps on Stamps checklist is ready to go with only minor corrections being made. An announcement will be in the next issue of the TNCP. Several issues were raised about the Checklist:
David reported that were a couple of members interested in putting the Checklist into some type of database system, however there will be some tradeoffs in doing this. This discussion also, has started on the new Society member’s forum.
David also delivered a presentation sent from Reese concerning the Society’s web site. The report gave details into the differences between the two sites which the Society has and provides an overview of some new revisions and enhancements to the sites.
The next topic for discussion was Exhibiting, lead by Miklos. He presented a paper with a lot of information on exhibiting, including rules on exhibiting from the FIP and APS. Miklos mentioned several reasons for exhibiting and suggested that both individual and a Society exhibits might be in order.
Mark made a very interesting presentation on Maps on Gutters. Numerous examples from many countries were presented. David then concluded the formal meeting with a short presentation on map stamps of the Military Order of Malta.
A very nice sales/trading session followed with many of us adding to our collections.
Friday evening the Society group met at the Boathouse Restaurant at the Hyatt for a very nice dinner. The Saturday evening dinner was at Mariana Jack, an interesting place not far from the Hyatt. A wonderful time was had by everyone with plenty of talk and discussion.
All present agreed that meeting every two years would be appropriate. Two suggestions were made: One of the ASDA Mega-Shows in New York City, or the London 2010 Festival of Stamps (May 8-15, 2010, Islington). There seemed to be more favor for NYC since that would hopefully allow for more attendees.
We look forward to meeting more of our Society members at a future meeting.
  
  
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Welcome to the CartoPhilatelic Society Celebrating our 71st Year as a Society. Come and Join Us!
The CartoPhilatelic Society has entered our 71st year as a Society! In 1955 a group of philatelists with a keen interest in map stamps founded the CartoPhilatelic Society. Today we carry on their passion for map stamps in the collections we assemble and the research we conduct.
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