450th anniversary of the birth of the cartographer Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594).
Stamp issued on 14.04.1962.
Face value: 3 Belgian francs.
Print: 10,200,000 copies.
Catalogues
- OCB/COP (Belgium) No. 1213.
- Scott No. 579.
- StampWorld No. 1278.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1213.
Gerard
Mercator is the Latinized name by which the Flemish cartographer Gerard Kremer
is known. Born in Rupelmonde (East Flanders) on March 5, 1512, he died in
Duisburg (Germany) on December 2, 1594. He studied under Gemma Frisius at
Louvain. He began producing maps in 1537, and issued his famous Mercator projection in 1569.
The image on this stamp is based on an engraving in 1574 by Frans Hogenberg, who also engraved some of Mercator's maps. The engraving of Mercator first appeared in his 1584 edition of Ptolemy's Geography. It also appeared in the 1595 editon of Mercator's Atlas, published after Mercator's death by his son, Rumold. The view of the earth on the globe included "America" under Mercator's left hand, with the North Pole under the compass in his right hand.
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