Mathematics: a philatelic history

There are many hundreds of postage stamps relating to mathematics, ranging from the earliest forms of counting to the modern computer age. Here you will meet many of the mathematicians who contributed to this story – influential figures such as Pythagoras, Archimedes, Newton and Einstein – and will learn about those areas, such as navigation, astronomy and art, whose study aided this development.

This website is aimed at anyone interested in mathematics and its applications. Although parts of it assume some knowledge of school- or college- level mathematics, most of it should be of interest to those without this background. In particular, I hope that it will also attract a philatelic audience.

This is not a history of mathematics in the conventional sense of the word. Several important mathematicians and topics are omitted, due to the absence of suitable stamps featuring them, while others may have assumed undue prominence because of the abundance of attractive images. Where appropriate I have let the stamps dictate the story.  

Postage stamps are an attractive vehicle for presenting mathematics and its development to general audiences. For some years I have presented an illustrated lecture entitled Stamping through Mathematics to school and college groups and to mathematical clubs and societies. Since 1984 I have also contributed a regular ‘Stamp Corner’ to The Mathematical Intelligencer, and in 2001 I wrote a book entitled Stamping through Mathematics, published by Springer, New York.

We are grateful to the postal authorities whose stamps are featured here. Anyone who feels that their rights have been infringed is invited to contact us and we will correct the situation as soon as possible.

[Czech Republic 2000; Germany 1977; Great Britain 1987; Greece 1955; Portugal 1981]