This issue celebrates some of the Portuguese navigators that played an important role in the Age of Discovery. The stamps indicate the dates of their main contributions.

Gil Eanes was the first to sail past Cape Bojador in 1434, opening the possibility for further explorations of the African west coast by sea. João Gonçalves Zarco led the discovery of the Madeira islands, and later their settlement in 1425. Bartolomeu Dias was the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, in 1488. Vasco da Gama led the first European maritime expedition to reach India, in 1498. Pedro Álvares Cabral was the European discoverer of Brazil in 1500. Fernão de Magalhães led the first circumnavigation expedition, which set sail in 1519. Gonçalo Velho was believed to have discovered several Azorean islands in 1431-33, but this is nowadays disputed. Certain is he led their settlement and was their first governor. Diogo Cão explored the West African coast and was the first European to sight and enter the Congo River in 1482.

The set was designed by Jaime Martins Barata and engraved by Maxime Ferré ($50 and 2$00 stamps), Robert Godbehear (1$75 and 3$50 stamps) and E.T. Dawson (remaining values).  The stamps circulated from 29 July 1945 to 8 August 1950. Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd., in London, printed the stamps in recess, on plain paper sheets of 10×10 stamps with perforation 13½. Moreover, 50 thousand miniature sheets were printed, each featuring a set of taller and narrower stamps.

Stamp	Print run	Afinsa	Gibbons	Michel	Scott	Yvert
0.10	4,000,000	644	969	673
0.30	1,500,000	645	970	674
0.35	1,000,000	646	971	675
0.50	10,000,000	647	972	676
1.00	1,500,000	648	973	677
1.75	1,500,000	649	974	678
2.00	1,000,000	650	975	679
3.50	1,000,000	651	976	680

Related posts:

1. Ships of the Discoveries 1
2. Discovery of America: 500th Anniv. 1
3. Bento de Góis
4. Portugal joins the Council of Europe
5. Europa issues

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