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Tonga issued a large number of stamps in the early years with turtle watermarks on the back of the stamp. The Scott numbers are: 38-52, 54-62, 63-69, 70-81, 100-126, 134-135, 146-151, 158-174, 182-202, 210-221, 237, 269-273, C16-C21, C34-C39, C47-C57, C87-C91, CO1-CO6, CO9-CO20, CO27-CO43

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5s 30 Mar 73 Geochelone radiata Turtles appear on two Tongan coins shown on stamp.

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7s 30 Mar 73 Geochelone radiata Turtles appear on two Tongan coins shown on stamp.

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10s 30 Mar 73 Geochelone radiata Turtles appear on two Tongan coins shown on stamp.

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20s 30 Mar 73 Geochelone radiata Turtles appear on two Tongan coins shown on stamp.

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30s 30 Mar 73 Geochelone radiata Turtles appear on two Tongan coins shown on stamp.

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10s 04 Jul 77 Geochelone radiata Turtle appears on a Tongan coin shown on the stamp.

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15s 04 Jul 77 Geochelone radiata Turtle appears on a Tongan coin shown on the stamp.

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25s 04 Jul 77 Geochelone radiata Turtle appears on a Tongan coin shown on the stamp.

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50s 04 Jul 77 Geochelone radiata Turtle appears on a Tongan coin shown on the stamp.

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75s 04 Jul 77 Geochelone radiata Turtle appears on a Tongan coin shown on the stamp.

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25s 15 Dec 78 Chelonia mydas Stamp is self-adhesive.

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32s 27 Aug 86 Stylized Turtle Design Gutter pairs of this stamp have a faint, white-on-white design of stylized turtles in the background of the stamps and the gutter. Stamp-on-stamp design depicting Scott Tonga #1. Issued for the centenary of the first Tonga postage stamps.

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42s 27 Aug 86 Stylized Turtle Design Gutter pairs of this stamp have a faint, white-on-white design of stylized turtles in the background of the stamps and the gutter. Stamp-on-stamp design depicting Scott Tonga #47a. Issued for the centenary of the first Tonga postage stamps.

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57s 27 Aug 86 Stylized Turtle Design Gutter pairs of this stamp have a faint, white-on-white design of stylized turtles in the background of the stamps and the gutter. Stamp-on-stamp design depicting Scott Tonga #91. Issued for the centenary of the first Tonga postage stamps.

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2.50pa 27 Aug 86 Stylized Turtle Design Gutter pairs of this stamp have a faint, white-on-white design of stylized turtles in the background of the stamps and the gutter. Stamp-on-stamp design depicting Scott Tonga #628. Issued for the centenary of the first Tonga postage stamps.

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50c 27 Aug 86 Stylized Turtle Sheet of eight stamps. The background of the sheet is a white-on-white design depicting numerous turtles. No turtles on stamps.

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1pa 02 Mar 89 Chelonia mydas See also Tonga Scott 880.

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3pa 02 Jul 91 Stylized Sea Turtle Dorsal view of stylized sea turtle w/ beach, sea and sun in background. Inscribed “HEILALA WEEK” in upper right corner.

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1pa 02 Jul 91 Stylized Sea Turtles Sheet of five stamps plus one label w/ two stylized sea turtles in margin. No turtles on stamps.

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32s 11 Nov 91 Stylized Sea Turtles Santa’s sleigh being pulled through the air by two sea turtles.

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42s 11 Nov 91 Stylized Sea Turtles Santa on roof w/ sleigh and two sea turtles.

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3.50pa 11 Nov 91 Stylized Sea Turtles Santa’s sleigh being pulled through the air by two sea turtles.

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1pa 21 Sep 94 Chelonia mydas Similar to Tonga Scott 705. The differences are: (1) “1994” appears in the lower right corner of this stamp, (2) The word “Tonga” is written in much larger, bolder letters on this stamp, (3) The denom is in the lower right on this stamp and in the top center of #705, (4) The words “Chelonia mydas” appear on this stamp and not on #705. The pictures on both stamps are identical. Both this stamp & Tonga Scott 705 exist in sheets of 20 stamps w/ five progressives down the center of the sheet.

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1pa 31 May 96 Chelonia mydas Identical to Scott Tonga 880 except that the words “Chelonia mydas” appear in the upper left corner of this stamp and “1996” appears at the bottom. See also Tonga Scott 705, 880, & O 83. This stamp (920) also exists as a vert. strip of five attached to a vert. strip of five progressives & as a sheet of twenty w/ five progressives down the middle.

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2.50pa 19 Mar 99 Unidentified Turtle Depicts Capt. James Cook, his ship and men holding a turtle. From four-value Explorers set. Turtle could be a sea turtle or the famous radiated tortoise that Capt. Cook is known to have given to the King of Tonga in 1777.

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2.50pa 19 Mar 99 Unidentified Turtle S/S w/ stamp of same design as Scott Tonga 1017. Turtle could be a sea turtle or the famous radiated tortoise that Capt. Cook is known to have given to the King of Tonga in 1777.

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10s 2004 Stylized Sea Turtles Scott Tonga #787 revalued for postal use (10s on 32s). Original denom. crossed out w/ “XX”. Black “10s” o/p’d near bottom margin.

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10s 2004 Stylized Sea Turtles Scott Tonga #788 revalued for postal use (10s on 42s). Original denom of 42s crossed out with a small “XX” and a small black “10s” o/p’d near bottom margin.

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10s 2004 Stylized Sea Turtles Scott Tonga #788 revalued for postal use (10s on 42s). Original denom of 42s crossed out with a large “XX” and a large black “10s” o/p’d near bottom margin.

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$4 21 Feb 13 Eretmochelys Imbricata Strip of four stamps containing photos of captive hawksbill turtles taken at the National Cultural Center at Nuku’alofa where they are kept in a natural habitat.

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$5 21 Feb 13 Eretmochelys Imbricata Strip of four stamps containing photos of captive hawksbill turtles taken at the National Cultural Center at Nuku’alofa where they are kept in a natural habitat.

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$4 21 Feb 13 Eretmochelys Imbricata S/S containing four stamps with the same photos as the strip. Large Green turtle in the selvedge.

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$5 21 Feb 13 Eretmochelys Imbricata S/S containing four stamps with the same photos as the strip. Large Green turtle in the selvedge.

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$2 23 Nov 15 Astrochelys radiata From Queen Elizabeth II Longest Reigning British Monarch block of 4. Radiated tortoise given by Captain Cook to the Tonga royal family.

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Various 31 Aug 17 Stylized sea turtle Set of 4 Peace Corps stamps

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$3.50  7 Oct 20  Chelonia mydas   One stamp from set of 24 Tourism stamps.

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Various  15 Nov 22 Stylized turtle  Peace Corps set of 2017 with overprints.

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31s 15 Dec 78 Chelonia mydas Stamp is self-adhesive.

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1pa 31 May 96 Chelonia mydas Identical to Tonga Scott 920 except denom. appears in upper right corner of this stamp and the words “OFFICIAL POSTAGE & REVENUE” appear in the lower right corner. See also Tonga Scott 705, 880, and 920. Stamp also exists as a sheet of twenty w/ a strip of five progressives down the middle.

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1.10pa 15 Dec 78 Chelonia mydas Stamp is self-adhesive.

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10c 1998 Cartoon Sea Turtles This is a revenue stamp. It is Tonga Scott #787 (the 1991 Christmas stamp) w/ an indistinct, gray o/p that says “Stamp Duty” plus a distinct “10c” o/p covering the original denom. of 32s. The “SD” prefix to the Barefoot number stands for Stamp Duty.

3pa 1991 Stylized Sea Turtle Scott Tonga #774 o/p’d in silver: “Tonga Welcomes the Round the World Yacht Race 1991. O.H.M.S.” Stamp may not have been issued. O.H.M.S stands for “On Her Majesty’s Service” and indicates that this was intended to be an official stamp (e.g. – the type of stamp listed w/ an “O” prefix to the Scott catalog number).

3pa 1991 Stylized Sea Turtle Scott Tonga #774 o/p’d in gold: “Tonga Welcomes the Round the World Yacht Race 1991. O.H.M.S.” Stamp may not have been issued. O.H.M.S stands for “On Her Majesty’s Service” and indicates that this was intended to be an official stamp (e.g. – the type of stamp listed w/ an “O” prefix to the Scott catalog number).