Updated 18 May 2007
As far as I have been able to determine, there are at least 53 Sobralias depicted on stamps, representing at least twenty different species [amabilis, candida, cattleya, decora, dichotoma, fragrans, grandiflora, infundibuligera, macrantha, macrantha v. splendens, macrophylla, mucronata, panamensis, pleiantha, ruckeri, "sanderiana," sessilis, violacea, xantholeuca, yauaperyensis, and two unidentified species]. They are listed below with their corresponding Scott/Michel numbers. If you find any additional issues, or can provide digital images for any of the stamps listed, please do not hesitate to contact me at
sobralia@autrevie.com.
Entries marked with a 
symbol have photos available.
Abchbl, appears to be Sobralia macrantha.
1990/11/01 Belize, Sobralia macrantha, $0.60 [718].
1993 Belize, Sobralia decora, $0.60. Set of four orchid stamps, varying denominations, issued to commemorate the WOC, Glasgow [Scott 1009-1012].
(
at near right)
.
1994 Belize, Sobralia mucronata, $0.75. Christmas stamp.
( at far right)
2001/12/04 Belize, Sobralia fragrans, $0.25; part of Christmas stamp set designed by Jennifer Toombs and issued in sheets of 50.
( at left, stamp in lower right corner)
.
1962/06/28 Bolivia, Sobralia macrantha, 1000 Bolivars [462]. Set of eight flower stamps, which included two orchids.
( at right)
.
1982 Brazil, purple
Sobralia sp., 85,00 on a souvenir sheet with three orchid stamps issued for Brapex V (V Exposicao Filatelica Brasileira) held in Blumenau, Santa Catarina State [Scott 1792]
.
1968/04/16 British Honduras,
Sobralia macrantha, $0.25 [211]. Set of four orchid stamps issued to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
.
1975/03/07 Costa Rica, Sobralia macrantha v. splendens, $0.80 [C624]; part of a set of four stamps issued, pictured at left, image of Sobralia at lower right.
.
1980 Costa Rica, Sobralia amabilis cachet on Aerogram $0.02
1983/04/25 Costa Rica, Sobralia amabilis cachet on Aerogram, 8.40 col
.
1990/12/01 Ecuador, Sobralia species, 100 sucres [1254]. Issued in a booklet of 10 stamps. Click here for image of the set.
1994/02 Ecuador,
Sobralia dichotoma 150 Sucres. Issued for the 1 Convencion de Conservacion de Orquidas Andinas.
.
1987/6/08 El Salvador, Sobralia "sanderiana" C 1.50. Part of a set of eight stamps, Scott #1131-1138.
.
1967/07/29 France, Sobralia sessilis, $0.40 [1192].
2001 The Gambia, Sobralia candida, D7
.
1968/11/12 Germany (DDR), Sobralia macrantha, 40 pfennig [1061].
( at right)
.
.
1998/06/02 Ghana, Sobralia candida, 5500 c. on miniature sheet.
( at left)
.
1990/03/06 Grenada, Sobralia macrantha, $4.00 [1802].
199- Grenada,
Sobralia macrantha, $0.45
.
1978/12/07 Guatemala, Sobralia xantholeuca, $0.01 [C653].
Part of a set of 10 stamps, C652-61.
Photo of set
1985/07/02 Guyana, Sobralia xantholeuca, $0.60 [401].
1987/03/17 Guyana, Sobralia xantholeuca, $2.00 [G1971].
.
2000/07/28 Honduras, Sobralia macrantha, 10 lempiras.
1987/10/08 Laos,
Sobralia sp., 39 kip [796c].
(cancelled stamp at right)
.
.
2001 Liberia, Sobralia yauaperyensis, $100. on miniature sheet.
( at left)
.
1962/02/01 Nicaragua,
Sobralia pleiantha, 5-cent [RA74].
One of a set of ten orchid stamps (Sobralia is in the lower right corner of set).
.
1965/??/?? Nicaragua, Sobralia pleiantha, 5-cent [unlisted].
Reissue of RA74 with overprint: "Pensiones de Retiro y Montepio G.N.".
1965/12/03 Nicaragua, Sobralia pleiantha, 5-cent [851].
Reissue of RA74 with overprint:"Camporee Scout 1965".
1969/09/03 Nicaragua, Sobralia pleiantha, 5-cent [867].
Reissue of RA74 with overprint:"O.I.T. 1919-1969".
1972/07/29 Nicaragua, Sobralia pleiantha, 5-cent [908].
Reissue of RA74 with overprint:"Correo" [in blue].
.
.
1983/02/05 Nicaragua, Sobralia macrantha, 1 cordoba [Scott 1219].
One of a set of sixteen stamps. (Subset of four stamps, at far right)
1984/12/01 Nicaragua, Sobralia macrantha, 1 cordoba [Post].
1985 Nicaragua Sobralia macrantha, 5 cordoba [Scott 1525]
One of a set of sixteen stamps. (Subset of four stamps, at far right)
1986/03/16 Nicaragua, Sobralia macrantha, 5 cordoba [M2656].
One of a set of sixteen stamps.
1987/03/25 Nicaragua, Sobralia macrantha, 10 cordoba [M2746, Scott 1602].
One of a set of sixteen stamps. (Subset of four stamps, at far right)
.
1966/03/16 Panama, Sobralia panamensis, $.30 [C354].
One of a set of two stamps and two souvenir sheets [C354A].
(souvenir sheets below, right)
1965/07/28 Paraguay, Sobralia macrantha, $.20 [699] purple.
1965/07/28 Paraguay, Sobralia macrantha, $.30 [700] blue.
1965/07/28 Paraguay, Sobralia macrantha, $.90 [701] bright magenta.
1965/07/28 Paraguay, Sobralia macrantha, 1.50 gua [702] green.
1965/07/28 Paraguay, Sobralia macrantha, 4.50 gua [703] orange.
.
1965/09/06 Poland,
Sobralia macrophylla, 4 zloty [1352].
Located in teh lower left corner of a sheetlet of nine stamps, Scott #1346-54.
.
1988/10/24 Romania, Sobralia macrantha, 1 leu [3536j].
Part of a souvenir sheet [3536] with 12 orchid stamps. The Sobralia is on the lower right corner. (N.B. - two orchid ("ORHIDEE") sheets with blue borders were issued on that date; the other sheet is #3535).
.
1987/06/08 Salvador, Sobralia xantholeuca, 1.50 col [1137].
.
1982 Scotland (Eynhallow), Sobralia sp., 2 pounds [NS].
.
1977/01/19 Suriname, Sobralia sessilis, $0.55 [463].
Issued as part of a set of five orchid stamps of varying denominations.
.
1996 Uruguay, Sobralia species on souvenir sheet.
( above right)
.
1993 Venezuela, Sobralia cattleya, Bs. 100. Issued in sheets of 10 different orchids.
( at left)
.
.
.
.
.
1994 Venezuela, Sobralia infundibuligera and Sobralia violacea, Bs. 40 each. Issued in sheets of 10 with line drawings of orchids taken from publications by G.C. Dunsterville in the margin.
( above)
.
1995 Venezuela, Sobralia ruckeri, Bs. 80. Issued in sheets of 10 with line drawings of orchids taken from publications by G.C. Dunsterville in the margin.
( at right)
Peggy Alrich, 1991, Orchids on Stamps, 88 pages, ATA Handbook 118, issued at $9.00, American Topical Association, PO Box 630, Johnstown, PA 15907 USA
This soft-cover book is very useful, in that it includes stamp listings by country as well as by genus, with nine pages of black and white photos. Available also from the American Orchid Society Book Department. The author also has a fantastic new project in the works that may be published in 2002 by the University of Florida-Gainesville, featuring many color photos.
Also, see the list of worldwide "Orchid Stamps" list, published quarterly in sections by the Chalmers family on behalf of the
Orchid Stamp Club International and sent to members. This is an update of the comprehensive work by Peggy Alrich.
H.S. Wilshaw, 1982, Orchid Stamp Collecting, Vol. I 1935-1981, published in England. This glossy, large format, soft-cover book was unfortunately not followed by additional volumes. In addition to stamp listings, 401 nearly life-sized colour reproductions of orchid stamps are shown on 22 pages of this unique book. Many of the stamps featured are extremely rare and very valuable, and are the culmination of 30 years selective collecting by the author.
Another very beautiful, hard-cover book was written by Vale Eiji Miyoshi, "The World Orchid Stamps". I was privileged to see Peggy Alrich's copy of this. And if anyone knows where I can procure a copy, *please* let me know.
For a general introduction and links to much additional information and images, see the article,
"An Introduction to Orchid Stamps" and see
Stanhopeas on Stamps, another site by Nina Rach
Other stamp collecting links:
Plants on Stamps -- American Topical Society special monthly topic, December 1999.
There is a new ATA Handbook, #137, "Plants on Stamps, Vol.III"
Joseph Luft's Philatelic Resources on the Web --
offers 2147 philatelic links!
Copyright 2002 Nina Rach
Comments? Send email: sobralia@autrevie.com
