ABOUT THE STAMP SERIES Monitor Lizards of Papua New Guinea
Following on from the success of the Dangerous Snakes of Papua New Guinea stamp series, Mark was invited to prepare a second set of stamps for PostPNG and the subject selected was Monitor Lizards of Papua New Guinea. Ten monitor lizard species (family Varanidae) occur within the political boundaries of PNG and Mark had photographs of seven of these, including the longest living lizard in the world, the Papuan monitor lizard (Varanus salvadori), aka Salvador's monitor lizard, crocodile monitor, tree crocodile or Artrellia, a long-tailed arboreal species that achieves a greater length even than the arid-island dwelling Komodo dragon (V.komodoensis).
Mark provided all the images and text.
The stamp series was launched on 5th January 2011.
Mark O'Shea with a Papuan monitor lizard, Varanus salvadori backdrop is Varirata National Park,
the closest locality to Port Moresby where this lizard has been recorded. (click to enlarge)
A signed copy of this photograph is provided
with each order of monitor lizard stamps.
The stamp pack featured species are:
K1.05 Emerald tree monitor Varanus prasinus
K5.00 Papuan argus monitor Varanus panoptes horni
K5.00 Papuan monitor Varanus salvadori
K7.00 Blue-tailed monitor Varanus doreanus
The stamp sheet featured species are:
K1.05 Blue-tailed monitor Varanus doreanus
K5.00 Spotted monitor Varanus similis
K5.00 Mangrove monitor Varanus indicus
K7.00 Pale-throated monitor Varanus jobiensis
The souvenir sheet featured species is:
K5.00 Papuan argus monitor Varanus panoptes horni
PNG currency consists of Kina and toea ie. 100 toea = 1 Kina
The species not featured as photographs, but included in the stamp pack information, are:
Black tree monitor Varanus bogerti
Finsch's monitor Varanus finschi
Rossel Island monitor Varanus telenestes
Stamp Pack
Four mint and unused stamps in a folded souvenir stamp pack
containing descriptions of the ten species of PNG monitors and details of the designer Mark O'Shea.
Cover features
Papuan monitor, V.salvadori
Opened the stamp pack measures approx. 20cm high by 16cm wide.
This stamp pack can be provided signed by Mark.
£12.00 per pack
Stamp Sheet A sheet featuring four different stamps from the stamp pack, suitable for a stamp album or for framing and mounting on a wall.
£10.00 per sheet
Souvenir Sheet A souvenir sheet featuring a Papuan argus monitor, V.panoptes horni, suitable for a stamp album or for framing and mounting on a wall.
£7.50 per sheet
First Day Cover 1
Four stamps from stamp pack affixed to the official FDC cancelled with the official
monitor lizard first day of issue stamp.
The first day cover measures 22x11cm.
This first day cover can be provided signed by Mark.
£10.00 per FDC
First Day Cover 2
Stamp sheet affixed to the official FDC cancelled with the official
monitor lizard first day of issue stamp.
The first day cover measures 25.5x17.8cm.
This first day cover can be provided signed by Mark.
£10.00 per FDC
First Day Cover 3
Souvenir sheet affixed to the official FDC cancelled with the official monitor lizard first day of issue stamp.
The first day cover measures 22x11cm.
This first day cover can be provided signed by Mark.
