This Friday, October 9^th, CTT celebrates the World Post Day with several tribute, celebration and appreciation philatelic issues dedicated to its employees and all Portuguese people. Among them is a philatelic issue on the “500 years of Posts in Portugal – 5^th Group”, a tribute to all CTT employees, a special booklet with the stamp “Thank you Portuguese people”. It is a book dedicated to the 500 years of the Posts in Portugal, and also a first-day cover. 

The stamp issue presented today by CTT is a tribute to all Posts’ universe employees worldwide, that never stopped working during these times of crisis. It is the last stamp issue celebrating the 500 years of the postal public service in Portugal.

Also today, CTT presented a special booklet thanking all Portuguese people for these centuries of trust. This booklet includes a special stamp that will not be on the market, but offered to all those who enter the CTT Post offices between October 9^th and November 6^th 2020 – date of the signature of the royal chart appointing Mr. Luis Homem as the first Portuguese “correio-mor”.

CTT edited and presented the book “500 years of Posts in Portugal”, by Fernando Moura, historian and Curator of the Philatelic and Artistic Heritage of the CTT Postal Museum, located the Fundação Portuguesa das Comunicações. This book tells the story of the Portuguese Posts as of November 6^th 1520, when King D. Manuel I signed the royal chart appointing Mr. Luis Homem as the first Portuguese “correio-mor”. It was the beginning of the adventure of the public postal service in Portugal.

Aware of the importance of this date, INCM– Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda decided to issue a collection coin on the same theme. CTT presented a first-day cover, a product composed by stamps, a commemorative postage stamp and the coin, limited to 20 000 units worth 10.00€.

The philatelic issue is composed by five stamps with 115 000 copies each, worth 0.53€, 0.75€, 0,86€, 0.91€ e 1.00€. Illustrations were by Luís Taklim. The first-day stamp cancellations will take place at the Restauradores Post Office in Lisbon, Município II in Oporto, Zarco Post Office in Funchal and Antero de Quental Post Office in Ponta Delgada. The special booklet with the stamp “Thank you Portuguese people!” will be delivered freely at the CTT Post Offices between October 9^th and November 6^th 2020, 2 million units. Its design is from Prof. João Machado. The book is limited to 45000 copies worth 40€. The design of the first-day cover is from Luiz Duran, author of numerous stamps. The coin is worth 5€, and the 500 years series included in the FDC is worth 4.05€.