In Part 1and Part 2 we’re explored top 10 forged stamps in history. Today we’ll take a look at top 10 most common animals on postage stamps.
Numbers 10 and 9 go to snakes and dolphins, respectively.
Eagle Stamp (3c brown)
Mexico - 1864
Snakes appear on more than 1,500 postage stamps worldwide. They are often shown as dangerous animals, but they can also represent medicine, rebirth, wisdom, or national identity. One of the earliest snake images appeared on a Mexican stamp issued in 1864, together with an eagle.
Sealife (Including Common Dolphin)
USA - 1990
Dolphins are also popular, especially on stamps connected with oceans, marine life, and nature protection. The first known postage stamp featuring dolphins was issued by the United States in 1901.
Moving on to positions 8 and 7 on our list.
Corals
British Antarctic Territory - 2017
Corals may not be the first animals we think about, but they have appeared on around 1,600 postage stamps. They are especially common on stamps issued by island countries and places famous for coral reefs. Barbados issued some of the earliest stamps dedicated to different types of coral in 1965.
Sheep
New Zealand - 1991
Sheep have appeared on a similar number of stamps, although their meaning is often very different. They usually represent farming, rural life, wool production, or religious traditions.
Next are numbers 6 and 5 on our list.
Cattle
UK - 1984
Cattle and dogs often go hand in hand, and they have ended up next to each other here as well. Cattle and oxen have appeared on more than 2,000 stamps around the world. They are usually connected with agriculture, food production, traditional farming, or the economic history of a country. One of the best-known early examples is the American “Western Cattle in Storm” stamp from 1898.
Dogs
Malta - 2020
Dogs are even more common, with thousands of stamps showing different breeds, working dogs, and famous pets. Newfoundland issued one of the earliest dog stamps in 1887, featuring the breed that carries the country’s name.
We’re getting close to the most popular animals on postage stamps. Before revealing numbers 2 and 1, let’s take a look at numbers 4 and 3 on our list.
Year of the Horse
Hong Kong - 2026
Horses are among the most common land animals shown on stamps. They appear in military scenes, sporting events, royal ceremonies, farming, transport, and traditional culture. An early American stamp from 1869 showed a post rider travelling on horseback.
Fish
Pitcairn Islands - 2007
Fish are even more popular, with more than 10,000 different stamps believed to have been issued worldwide. Newfoundland’s 1865 codfish stamp is one of the earliest and most famous examples.
We’re now at numbers 2 and 1. Number 2 on our list goes to butterflies and moths, while birds take the number 1 spot.
Endemic Butterflies
India - 2008
Butterflies and moths have appeared on more than 10,000 postage stamps. Their colours and patterns make them perfect for attractive stamp designs, while many issues also promote biodiversity and endangered species.
Exotic Birds
Romania - 2019
Birds are in a category of their own and are probably the most frequently featured animals in postal history. More than 40,000 bird stamps have been recorded worldwide, showing everything from common garden birds to rare tropical species. The famous Basel Dove, issued in Switzerland in 1845, is considered the first postage stamp with a bird as its main design.
Note: The first animal shown as the central motif of an adhesive postage stamp was a dove. It appeared on the famous Basel Dove, issued by the Swiss canton of Basel on 1 July 1845.
Today, we explored the top 10 animals most commonly seen on postage stamps. Keep an eye out for more Top 10 articles, and in the meantime, don’t forget to check out some of the previous articles in this series.
