South Korea 2011 "The Age of Dinosaurs - Jurassic Period"

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Issue Date	11.08.2011
ID	Michel: 2831-2834; Scott: 2364a-d; Stanley Gibbons: 3166-3169; Yvert et Tellier: 2625-2628; Category: pR
Design	Designer - Jiwon MO; Engraver- Yeongsook HEO
Stamps in set	4
Value	Won 340 - Scelidosaurus Won 340 - Stegosaurus Won 340 - Allosaurus Won 340 - Dilophosaurus
Emission/Type	commemorative
Issue place	Seoul
Size (width x height)	stamps: 50mm X 33mm, Sheet: 250mm x 150mm
Layout	Sheet of 12 stamps
Products	FDC x1
Paper	White Unwatermarked
Perforation	13
Print Technique	Offset, six colors + Intaglio, one color
Printed by	Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation
Quantity	540,000 stamps each
Issuing Authority	Korea Post

On August 11^th 2011, Korean Post issued the second set "The Age of Dinosaurs" of the three-year series, started in 2010. This series covers Mesozoic Era and features dinosaurs found around the world. Every issue show four dinosaurs and cover one period of the Mesozoic Era:

• "Triassic Period" - 05.08.2010
• "Jurassic Period" - 11.08.2011
• "Cretaceous Period" - 08.08.2012

Below are, slightly corrected, quotes from official press release, of Korean Post, published on their website in 2011.

"The Age of Dinosaurs (1^st)" was issued in 2010, Jurassic dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era are introduced in the second set.
The Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era spanned 50 million years from 199.6 to 145.5 million years ago. It is the second period of the Mesozoic Era following the Triassic Period. In this period, giant reptiles such as dinosaurs thrived on the land, and ammonites, in the sea. In the latter part of the Jurassic Period, birds appeared for the first time, with gymnosperms like cycads and gingkoes thriving.

Scelidosaurus dinosaur on stamp of South Korea 2011, MiNr.: 2831, Scott: 2364a.

Stegosaurus dinosaur on stamp of South Korea 2010, MiNr.: 2832, Scott: 2364b.

Scelidosaurus as an herbivorous dinosaur, it had a rather small head and small body, being 250 kg in weight and about 4m in height. It walked on four legs. With its hind legs being longer than the front legs, it is thought to have run with its hind legs and to have walked with its hind legs to reach and feed on the leaves of tall trees. Its most prominent body feature is the oval-shaped dermal scutes on both its back and tail. It was discovered both in the U.K. and U.S.A.

Stegosaurus as an herbivorous dinosaur during the Late Jurassic spikes on its tails. Compared to its large body, its head was relatively very small, with its long hind legs and short, crooked front legs making its back crook forward. With its large body, it moved very sluggishly. It is 9 m in height and 2 tons in weight. It was discovered in the western part of the U.S.A.

Allosaurus dinosaur on stamp of South Korea 2011, MiNr.: 2833, Scott: 2364c.

Dilophosaurus dinosaur on stamp of South Korea 2010, MiNr.: 2834, Scott: 2364d.

Allosaurus as a carnivorous dinosaur flourishing in the latter part of the Jurassic Period, it is known to be the fiercest predator in the North American continent. Its feature is the crests just in front of its eyes. It also had a sturdy jaw and teeth made for killing herbivorous or other carnivorous dinosaurs, as well as the hand that had sharp claws. It was 3.6 tons in weight and 14m in height. And it was discovered in the western part of the U.S.A., Portugal and Australia.

Dilophosaurus as a carnivorous dinosaur during the Early Jurassic, it had two crests split in the shape of a V on top of its head. Its razor-sharp teeth, long and strong legs, and long claws were perfect for hunting. Its first toe on its hand was shaped in the way to hold a prey, functioning like a thumb. It was 330~450 kg in weight, and 6~7 m in height. It was first reported in the U.S.A., with the possibility of having been discovered in the southern part of China being raised.

Products and associated philatelic items

FDC		First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
The reverse side of the FDC contains technical details about the issue.
Mini-Sheet	Boklet
Example of circulated covers

References:

• Technical details and short press releases:
  Korean stamp postal services, colnect.

Acknowledgements:

• Many thanks to Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, for review of a draft of this article.

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