The third stamp is a portrait of Amerigo Vespucci as an homage to the great navigator who’s name was given in baptizing the New World of The Americas. His 550 years birthday was celebrated in 2004.
      The three stamps have the same measurements and nominal values: 4,4x4,4cm and 118.000 Lei each.
      The same subjects are represented on the three silver medals.
      The front of the first one shows Mercator and Hondius. It follows the same composition of the stamps and the etchings. The back is an effigy of Amerigo Vespucci, also an almost perfect reproduction of the stamp. The front of the second medal reproduces an old image of an ornamental glazed ceramic tile from Stephen The Great’s times (1457-1504), one of the most important leaders in the history of the Moldavian Principality. It shows the heraldic symbols of Moldavia and a ribbon with some reproductions of the most famous Romanian stamp of all postage stamps: The Moldavian Buffalo. The Rene de St-Marceau’s sculpture in Bern is shown on the back of the medal having as foreground a detail of his work – a symbolic image of Bern – containing feminine character holding in her hand a shield with the heraldic emblem of the city of Bern. Issued by the Romanian State Mint they are 37mm in diameter and made of 927 proof sterling silver.
      The folder that comes we the album includes set of six original hand printed and numbered signed prints out of which the main attraction is probably the 30,5x38,5cm one that is the base of the whole work.
      The second one is a Schwartz Druk, an actual size print with Romania lettering and the nominal value of each piece. In philatelic printing process this is considered a white-black proof prior to mass production. In present times this practice is almost lost – keeping in mind that the actual printing is manually done.
      The other four prints are 30,5x38,5 woodcuts, the same size of the whole folder, reproduce subjects found on the medals. The entire set is presented in a First Day marked envelope.
      We also have to emphasize an important fact related with this special philatelic issue: it was the first time when a private sponsor, Mr. Matache Nicolaide, president of Uzin International, financed the whole process. The fruitful collaboration with Romfilatelia – for which we have to greatly thank Mrs. Cristina Popescu, President and General Director, for her openness and courage – we succeeded in finishing the job in time. A real help in finalizing this project was offered by Mr. Leonard Pascanu – President of The Romanian Philatelic Association and Mr. Doru Cojocaru, a distinguished and renown stamp collector for whose contributions we are in debt.
      We also are gratefully thankful to Mr. Gilles le Baud, director of Cartor Security Printing in Paris who made possible the making of this craftily produced album and stamps. The author has to also thank the generous and professional support offered by The Romanian State Mint and Mr. Mircea Badarau - General Director, who supervised the entire minting process of the medals’ highest performance quality.
      We have to thank The Tipo Aktis Publishing and Printing House, especially Mr. Sandu Cuturela, General Director, for the his participation in the printing process of the folder and envelope that come with the album as well.
      Last but not least we are greatly indebted to The National Museum of Maps and Old Books. It generously offered us all the help needed with the necessary documentation.
      The whole 2500 printed sets is limited and numbered.