This site contains
pictures of nearly 3,000 stamps, maxi cards and covers. We include
only stamps and souvenir sheets, and don't generally include sea turtles
that appear in the selvedge, on labels or tabs, in watermarks or cancellations,
or stamps featuring items made from tortoiseshell. Cartoon turtles
are included if they have flippers, are swimming in the ocean, or
if local legend/culture defines them as sea turtles.
Postage stamps offer
an excellent and novel means of promoting the conservation of
sea turtles, as well as stimulating an interest in their biology.
The popularity of issuing stamps depicting sea turtles has increased
considerably during recent years; when this list was first published
in the Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Biology
and Conservation in 1990, there were known to be 285 stamps from 77
countries. The list currently features nearly 2600 stamps from 215
countries and territories.
The green turtle,
Chelonia mydas, is the most popular species, and is featured
on 920 stamps, followed by the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata,
on 578; the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta on 309; the
leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, on 295; the olive
ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, on 141; the Kemp's ridley
turtle, Lepidochelys kempii, on 38; the flatback turtle, Natator
depressus, on 36; and prehistoric sea turtles Archelon or Protostega
on 38. The remaining stamps feature stylized turtles, either not identifiable
to a particular species, or shown as a drawing or cartoon.
The majority of
the stamps feature the sea turtle as the subject, with others
featuring the turtle as part of the stamp's background or border design.
Many of these stamps are quite beautiful, with some of the more recent
additions reflecting an increased awareness and interest in the sea
turtle's behavior and habitat, depicting nest digging, egg deposition
and hatchling activity, as well as the dangers of plastics and other
debris in the ocean. On the other hand, 30 stamps show turtles being
chased, restrained or stepped on; a few of these even show dead turtles
killed or being butchered by fishermen, entangled and drowned in a
fishing net, or swimming amid discarded plastic debris.
Ascension Island,
British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman Islands, and Solomon Islands
have one or more sea turtles in their Coat
of Arms; 68 stamps show the turtle in this manner, sometimes barely
visible to the unaided eye. Sea turtles on coins
or currency are featured on 17 stamps, 24 sea turtle stamps are
in "stamps-on-stamps", and 137 sea turtle
stamps also show maps or globes, other
topics popular with collectors.
With only modest expense and effort, it is
possible for the amateur philatelist and sea turtle enthusiast to assemble a substantial
collection of attractive and interesting stamps. (Click to see the
most expensive set!) We hope those of you who have already started
collecting will enjoy browsing the information and images included here.
Having Said All That ...
Depending on what you like and choose to collect,
be aware that more and more countries are assigning their stamp production to agents for sale to the "New Issue" and/or
"Topical" trade. These stamps are often never made available in the issuing country's post offices for
its citizens to use for postage. A great many of these stamps misidentify the species of sea turtle they display,
and/or show sea turtles engaging in uncharacteristic behaviors ... like standing on the tips of their foreflippers
on land ... appearing to tend or protect "their" hatchlings as they emerge from the nest nearby, etc. There seems to be an
ongoing debate as to whether such stamps, are, or should be, considered POSTAGE stamps, and who should make that decision.
Such stamps are identified when possible.
In addition, "Cinderella" stamps are defined as "... resembling a postage
stamp, but not issued for postal purposes by a governmental postal administration ..." We include
cinderella stamps that bear the name of an actual country or region, and a denomination in a legitimate
currency ... UNLESS they have been declared illegal stamps. Counterfeit illegal stamps are not Cinderella stamps, local
issues nor private issues; they are fake stamps in the name of real countries and provinces created by individuals for
profit. We are isolating these when we learn they're illegal, without providing descriptions or any other information
about them, but will likely continue to include them so viewers are aware so can avoid buying them.