- This is a mint set of five sheets of the series called "The Face on Mars" from Sierra
Leone. This set includes 4 sheets, each with 9 stamps, plus a souvenir sheet with just one
stamp on it - the Face on Mars.
- THE FACE ON MARS is a 1 mile wide Sphinx like face first photgraphed during NASA's Viking space mission in 1976 and discovered by researchers while
viewing the Viking mission photographs.
- In 1990, Sierra Leone became the first country to officially recognize the Face by
featuring it in this stamp set. This 37 stamp set by Sierra Leone saluted the coming
exploration of Mars in 1990. The set includes the famous "Face on Mars" discovered by
researchers while viewing the Viking mission photographs. A second photograph of the mile
long and 1000 foot high face taken by Viking 1 on a later orbit and at a different sun
angle, provided evidence that the first photograph may not have been a trick of light and
shadow as widely assumed.
- The nation of Sierra Leone (a nation in West Africa) is renowned
in the philatelic world. This set was issued on Jan. 15, 1990 by Sierra Leone as a special
commemoration saluting the coming Exploration of Mars.
- The set has not been handled and is in the original cellophane envelope. I purchased this
set in 1990 and it has been carefully stored since then. The stamps are in perfect
condition. A great addition to any collection along with the investment potential generated
by the renewed and ongoing space exploration of Mars.
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