The Geological Survey of India Centenary stamp was issued on 13th January 1951, commemorated 100 years of the organization.
The stamp depicts two Stegodon Ganesa, an extinct elephant-like creature. This was the first time a prehistoric animal was featured on a postage stamp. The image was based on a reconstruction by Henry Fairfield Osborn.
The name of the genus Stegodon means “roofed tooth,” from Greek terms - stegein 'cover' and odous 'tooth'.
The species are distant relatives of mammoths and modern Indian elephants, Stegodons are extinct mammals from the order Proboscis. Four meters in height and eight in length, these are the sizes that ancient elephants reached, and also three-meter tusks were very close to each other. Scientists suggest that their trunk was not between the tusks, but simply hung to the side.
The stamp was valued at 2 annas. It is watermarked with multi-stars and is a perf. 13 stamp.
Special covers issued along with the stamp:
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