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Sunday 4 September 2022

2492) "Fantasies of the Fauna", Romania: Romfilatelia (Romanian Post) has issued a set of four stamps featuring the Pink orchid mantis ("Hymenopus coronatus"), Dead leaf mantis ("Deroplatys truncata"), Jewelled flower mantis ("Creobroter gemmatus"): Date of Stamp Set issue: 31.08.2022:

2492) "Fantasies of the Fauna", Romania: Romfilatelia (Romanian Post) has issued a set of four stamps featuring the Pink orchid mantis ("Hymenopus coronatus"), Dead leaf mantis ("Deroplatys truncata"), Jewelled flower mantis ("Creobroter gemmatus"): Date of Stamp Set issue: 31.08.2022:

Romfilatelia has continued with the series of postage stamps issues dedicated to Fauna and introduces into circulation, on 31.08.2022 which has as its theme titled - "Fantasies of the Fauna".

Diversity, in the natural environment, is sometimes presented to be the result of an artist creating shapes and colours whose perfection misleads the viewer who can attribute to an insect characteristic strongly perceived as belonging to another species, such as a - flower.

This natural, fanciful occurrence of the environment, has been beautifully depicted in four postage stamps (with images of rare beauty), which have been given a defining title -  "Fantasies of the Fauna".

The issue is also special for collectors in that it addresses a double theme - "Flora and Fauna".

The Stamp issue:

The issue consists of four Stamps (S), four Mini Sheets (MS), a First Day Cover (FDC) and a special Philatelic Folder.

The Stamps:

i & ii) Pink Orchid Mantis ("Hymenopus coronatus") is featured as a variety of colours on the stamps with the face values of Lei 4 and Lei 10.50 and on the First Day Cover, is a species of mantis native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. 

It shows a strong sexual dimorphism, as females being, sometimes, 2 times larger than males. The colouration of this species, along with the shape of its 6 petal-like legs, make this species an excellent ambush predator.

iii) Dead leaf mantis ("Deroplatys truncata"), is illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 6.50, which is a species of mantis, also native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. 

As its name suggests, it resembles a dead leaf, which helps it both when it comes to warding off predators and for ambushing its prey.

iv) Jewelled flower mantis ("Creobroter gemmatus"), rendered on the stamp with the face value of Lei 10, is a species of mantis native to Asia. 

Thanks to its colouring, it easily camouflages itself in the canopy of shrubs and trees, where it waits for its prey, consisting of insects.

The Philatelic Folder (PF) has been minted into a limited run printing of 182 pieces and is equipped with the special philatelic block of four imperforated stamps of the issue along with two round perforated labels, with the First Day postmark, clearly imprinted in foiling. The special philatelic block is numbered from 001 to 182.

“Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History" has assisted with the coordination of this postage stamps issue.

The First Day Cover (FDC) is titled "FANTEZIILE FAUNEI (meaning "Fantasies of the Fauna). At left bottom is depicted a species of mantis native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. 

At top right are affixed the four stamps issued in the set cancelled with a special Handstamp/postmark of  Bucharest Post Office date -"31.08.2022".


Four Sheetlets (S) of five Stamps each issued in the set, with a coupon/label.


Four Full Sheets (FS) of 32 stamps each oof the four variants issued in the set.

Technical details:

Issue Date: 31.08.2022

Designer: George Ursachi

Process: Offset, in 4 colours, Paper for stamps, gummed, produced by Tullis Russel (UK origin), purchased by the Stamp Factory; weight: 112 ± 4% g/m2

Colours: 4 Colours

Sizes

Stamp Size: 48.00 mm x 33.00 mm, 

Minisheet Size: 120.00 mm x 123.00 mm,

Special Block Size: 154.00 mm x 140.00 mm (in philatelic folder)

Stamp Values: 04.00 Lei, 06.50 Lei, 10.00 10.50 Lei




Links to Posts on "European Year of Rail":


Links to some posts on Romanian currency and philately on this Blog:




















Fantasies and Flora Stamp Series, Romania:




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