As of August, Australia Post is commemorating three famous shipwrecks in Australian waters, displaying artist recreations of the events on a set of new $1 stamps. Fittingly, this collection of shipwreck stamps will be dubbed Shipwrecks.
Which Shipwrecks Are Depicted on the New Australian Stamps?
All three $1 stamps were designed by Simone Sakinofsky on contract with the Australia Post Design Studio. According to Michael Zsolt, Australia Post Philatelic Manager, these shipwreck stamps were chosen specifically due to their historical and archaeological significance to Australia.
“They involve compelling stories of human drama, survival, and rescue in a time when maritime exploration and trade missions flourished in Australian waters and passenger shipping was evolving,” he said.
The first stamp of the bunch will depict the Zuytdorp, with a painting by Adriaan De Jong. A three-masted trade ship for the Dutch East India Company, the Zuytdorp was headed from the Netherlands to Indonesia before it crashed near Shark Bay in Western Australia. As a result, the area it crashed was renamed the Zuytdorp Cliffs. In addition to the ship, a silver coin will be represented in the picture, representing a bag of valuable silver coins that was being transported on the ship and now held at the Western Australia Museum.
The second stamp depicts the PS Clonmel with art by Ian Hansen. The Clonmel was a steam boat that left Sydney in December of 1840, becoming stuck in a sandbar off the coast of Port Albert on January 1 before it could reach its destination of Melbourne. A piece from the Heritage Victoria collection, a crystal decanter found in the wreck, will be featured in the artwork along with the ship.
Finally, the third stamp features the HMS Pandora, featuring art by Oswald Brett. The Pandora sank in 1791 while returning from England after a mostly successful mission to apprehend mutinous crew members of the Bounty ship in the Pacific. Unfortunately, 35 of those on board died as the ship crashed into the Great Barrier Reef, four of the lives lost being prisoners. In the beginning of the dangerous nature of the mission, a pistol is featured in the stamp’s artwork based on a real salvaged gun from the ship, currently on display in the Queensland Museum.
What Do the Stamps Come With?
In addition to the stamp pack, collectors who purchase the full set will receive a first day cover, a medallion cover (limited to 3,500 pieces), a prestige booklet, a free roll of 100 standard self-adhesive postage stamps (valued at $1 each) and a booklet of 10 of the same, and a set of three maxicards.
Interested collectors can purchase the shipwreck stamps at participating Australian posts offices or order by phone by calling 1800-331-794, also available online at auspost.com.au/stamps (international shipping is available). The stamps will be on sale from August 29 2017 until they run out.
Conclusion
Act fast if you want to get your hands on the new Shipwrecks stamp collection the Australian Post is issuing. These shipwreck stamps are a great chance for postage enthusiasts get their hands on a piece of history, being able to hold representations of the PS Clonmel, the Zuytdorp, and the HMS Pandora in their hands for the first time. Our favorite is Adriaan De Jong’s depiction of the Zuytdorp; what’s yours?
Leave a Reply