Manuel Coelho Baptista de Lima Military History Centre
CTT – Correios de Portugal, in collaboration with the Angra do Heroísmo Philatelic Group and the MAH, present a EUROPA stamp issue at Boa Nova, NHMMCBL. Issued annually, coordinated and accredited by PostEurop, the EUROPA stamp issues – a philatelic initiative founded in 1956 by the countries that created the European Coal and Steel Community – currently involve over 50 postal organisations. This year, the theme is “Archaeological Discoveries”, with Portugal issuing stamps for the mainland, the Azores, and Madeira by decision of the CTT. For the Azores archipelago, the selection highlights the return to Europe of the great overseas naval careers, choosing a bronze colubrina from 1545, recovered from the bay of Angra do Heroísmo in 1972. This is the oldest bronze cannon cast in Portugal, made by King João III’s master founder Joham Diaz, and was therefore proposed by the Museum of Angra do Heroísmo as a Movable Heritage of National Interest. The event will also include a short presentation on the colubrina by the MAH senior technician, Jaime Regalado.