This series depicts four nautical instruments used by the Portuguese during the Age of Discoveries. The compass allows to determine the ship’s heading, while the cross-staff, the quadrant and the mariner’s astrolabe measure the altitude of a star (e.g. Polaris in the Northern hemisphere and the Sun in the Southern hemisphere), from which the ship’s latitude could be determined. While the cross-staff was more accurate, it was more difficult to use, and hence replaced by the other instruments.

The stamps were designed by José Luís Tinoco, lithographed by the Mint on enamelled paper sheets of 5×10 stamps with perforation 12×12½ and two phosphor bands, and circulated from 9 May 1992 to 31 March 1999.

Stamp	Print run	Afinsa	Gibbons	Michel	Scott	Yvert
60.00	1,000,000	2074	2283	1920	1910
70.00	600,000	2075	2284	1921	1911
100.00	600,000	2076	2285	1922	1912
120.00	600,000	2077	2286	1923	1913

Related posts:

1. Nautical Instruments 2
2. South West Africa’s Discoverers 2
3. Camões in Mozambique: 400th Anniv.
4. Sea route to India: 500th Anniv 1
5. Sea route to India: 500th Anniv 3

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