This article is about one of my all-time favorite definitive series of stamps, issued by Togo between 1964-1965 and totaling 22 stamps. The stamps show the exotic flora and fauna in very nice miniatures, some of the varieties of plants, animals or birds being pictured for the first time on stamps, or the only time! The stamps have by now a vintage look and are a true delight for the avid collector.
Pictured above: tiger orchid (Odontoglossum grande); mallow (Hibiscus); the African swallowtail (Papilio dardanus); morpho aega (Morpho aega); the emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator).
Pictured above: the hingeback tortoise (Kinyxis erosa); the crane flower (Sterlitzia reginae); the ball python (Python regius); the cabbage tree emperor moth (Bunaea alcinoe); the flap-necked chameleon (Chameleo dilepsis).
Pictured above: the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris); St. Peter’s fish (Zeus faber); the gray angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus); the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis); the African palm civet (Nandinia binotata).
Pictured above: the black-bellied seedcracker (Pyrenestes ostrinus); the Bohor reedbuck (Redunca redunca); the baboon (Papio doguera); the black and white mannikin (Spermestes bicolor); the red-headed lovebird (Agapornis pullarius).
Pictured above: the grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus); the yellow-breasted barbet (Trachyphonus margaritus).
If you enjoyed this article, feel free to subscribe to Philately.Lately. Fresh articles about philately in your inbox, at the frequency you desire (instant/daily/weekly digest).
Stamps featured in post: 22; Period: modern (1964-1965); Pricing: moderate; Michel Catalog no’s and prices: Togo Mi385-406, 120EUR Availability: not readily available, may surface in online auctions.
Philately. Lately. 
Thank you for sharing the flora fauna stamp collection – do we know about the artists behind the images?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mimi, great to have you here! Yes, in fact the stamps are designed by Gabriel & Maxim Shamir (also known as the Shamir brothers). They designed a lot of stamps, mostly for their adoptive country, Israel, for which they also deisgned the coat of arms. Thank you for pointing this out, I had actually forgotten to mention this in the article. 🙂
LikeLike
Very Cool 👍😃 thanks again ☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very cool. Do you have the Scott numbers for these?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Gary! Happy to have you around. I don’t have a Scott catalog around to check and couldn’t google a plausible result to share with you. I use Michel catalog numbers; being based in Europe it’s more common. If you have a Scott catalog or can browse one at the local library look under Togo for year 1964.
LikeLike