Johannesburg – In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Iziko South African Museum, the South African Post Office has issued a special series of stamps at the Small Registered Letter rate, accompanied by two commemorative display cards.
These collectible items showcase scientifically and culturally significant artefacts from the museum’s collection, reflecting its core role in researching, documenting, archiving, and conserving heritage objects, as well as educating the public and elevating understanding.
Founded in 1825, the Iziko South African Museum is the oldest in Southern Africa.
In 1999, it became part of the Iziko Museums of South Africa, which comprises five Cape Town museum clusters.
The museum is one of 11 national institutions preserving the nation’s natural and cultural heritage and offering South Africans a place to explore history, science, and art.
Designed by Thea Clemons of Philatelic Services, the stamps and the commemorative envelope illustrate:
The skull of the extinct bear Agriotherium africanum, discovered at Langebaanweg in the Cape Province.
Reconstruction – Syncerus antiquus: The spectacular horns of Syncerus antiquus, a giant prehistoric buffalo.
The Kouga Meteorite: a fascinating meteorite from the collections of the museum. This meteorite is a solid piece of rock from space, possibly from an asteroid or comet that survived its journey through the atmosphere to land on Earth.
The Mbashe River Buff (Deloneura immaculata) is a rare butterfly first recorded near the Mbashe River in the Eastern Cape, in December 1863 by Colonel James Henry Bowker, and described in 1868 by Roland Trimen.
Mont-Aux-Sources by Moses Tladi (1903–1959): In 1931, Moses Tladi (1903–1959) became the first black artist to exhibit at the Iziko South African National Gallery, after the opening of its new building
The Linton Panel, a renowned piece of rock art from the museum’s archaeological collection, also features. From the Eastern Cape, it depicts scenes that offer insight into the spiritual and cultural life of early San communities
The magnificent Iziko South African Museum building, situated at the top of Company’s Gardens and at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town, appears on commemorative display card 8004.
These stamps and the commemorative envelope (CDC) will be available at selected post office branches and from Philatelic Services at sa.stamps@postoffice.co.za from 12 December 2025.
Given that not all branches have this series available, orders can be emailed to
Sa.stamps@postoffice.co.za, Proof.Manganyi@postoffice.co.za or
