This second issue by South-West Africa on its discoverers celebrates the 500th anniversary of Diogo Cão‘s 1486 landing in Cape Cross, so called because of the limestone padrão (cross-shaped pillar with Portugal’s coat of arms) they erected there. During his second exploratory mission along Africa’s west coast, Cão and his crew were the first Europeans to set foot on what is now Namibia, reaching the southern most point any European had been to at the time. The padrão, partially buried by the sand, was discovered in the 19th century by the Germans during their occupation of the territory, and is now in the Technical Museum in Berlin, but a replica still stands at Cape Cross.

The set was designed by Jacobus Johannes van Ellinckhuijzen and issued on 24 January 1986.

Value	Print run	Gibbons	Michel	Scott	Yvert
0.12	?	455	583	552
0.20	?	456	584	553
0.25	?	457	585	554
0.30	?	458	586	555

Related posts:

1. Bartolomeu Dias’ Voyage: 500th Anniv. 1
2. Portuguese Navigators
3. Nautical Instruments 1
4. Sea route to India: 500th Anniv 2
5. Portuguese Lighthouses

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