Antarctica on Postage Stamps

**Antarctica on Postage Stamps** is the study of several postal issues of the United States Postal Service and other postal services that feature the subject of Antarctica.

Antarctic stamp topics generally fall into one or more of seven categories including Vinson Massif, Antarctic explorers, penguins and other fauna, maps and globes, the Antarctic Treaty, the International Geophysical Year, and the International Polar Year.

## Vinson Massif

**2002**
Canada issued a 48 cent stamp as part of a set of eight for the United Nations International Year of Mountains. Its first day of issue was 1 October 2002 in Hayes Junction, Yukon Territory.**2002**
Canada issued the set of eight in a souvenir sheet which includes additional pictures and information.
## Antarctic Explorers

**1972**
United Kingdom featured James Clark Ross with his chart of his voyage in the background.**1980**
Mongolia issued this souvenir sheet as part of a set honoring Antarctic exploration.**1987**
For the 75th anniversary of Antarctic research, Hungary issued a set including this stamp of James Cook.**1987**
The Hungarian set also includes Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen.**1987**
Ernest Shakleton appears on another stamp in the Hungarian set.**1987**
Hungary also honored Roald Amundsen.**1988**
The United States honored Antarctic explorers with this block of four twenty-five-cent stamps. Its first day of issue was 14 September 1988 in Washington DC.**2003**
Russia's Vostok Station samples ice cores drilled from Lake Vostok.
## Penguins and Other Fauna

**1978**
The USSR featured the Whitewinged Petrel on this three kopeck stamp.**1978**
The USSR issued this Emperor Penguin stamp as part of a set of five featuring Antarctic fauna.
## Maps and Globes

**1947**
Chile issued these two stamps highlighting their Antarctic land claim.**1956**
This map shows the location of Soviet scientific bases.**1959**
South Africa commemorated the SANAE with this stamp.**1965**
Japan publicized their latest Antarctic expedition.**1966**
Argentina marked the first anniversary of their launching a rocket from an Antarctic base.**1966**
USSR marked ten years of Antarctic exploration with this map of its research stations.**1998**
This stamp was issued to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Deception Island Argentine base with he implication that it was still functioning, however, it had been abandoned during the volcanic eruption of 1969 and never reoccupied.**2006**
Bulgaria issued this souvenir sheet for their tenth year of Antarctic cartography.
## Antarctic Treaty

**1971**
Norway marked the tenth anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty with this stamp.**1971**
South Africa also commemorated the tenth anniversary of the Treaty.**1971**
The United States marked the decennial of the Antarctic Treaty with an eight-cent stamp. Its first day of issue was 23 June 1971 in Washington DC.**1987**
Korea issued this stamp for the first anniversary of its signing of the Antarctic Treaty. It also features a Sea Explorer expedition to Vinson Massif and penguins.**1991**
Chile actually violated the Treaty when it issued this stamp for its thirtieth anniversary, because it shows its claim to the Chilean Antarctic Territory.**1991**
South Africa marked the thirtieth anniversary with a pair of stamps. This 27-cent issue features *SA Agulhas* and penguins. Its first day of issue was 5 December 1991.**1991**
The second in this set, this 65-cent stamp connects South Africa to its research station.
## International Geophysical Year

**1957**
Norway issued this 65 øre stamp for the International Geophysical Year.
## International Polar Year

**2007**
South Africa featured its SANAE IV station to mark the event.