metric names

SI-Metric Unit Names
(the scientists behind the units)


Below is a checklist of SI-metric system unit names on postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.). Currently nineteen (19) SI units are named after prominent scientists who were involved in some aspect of physics relating to the unit named after them. Fifteen (15) of the names appear on one or more stamps, with the exception being Newton, which appears on a large number of items. Four (4) of the names have never appeared on a stamp. The unit names are listed in order of complexity, starting with SI base units, followed by simpler and then more complex derived units. (Note about capitalization: unit names when spelled-out are not capitalized [Celsius being the exception], the first letter of the unit symbols are capitalized, and when the person and not the unit is meant, the names are capitalized.) Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the items featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the author using the e-mail address at the bottom of this page.


Nineteen (19) SI-metric unit names covered on this page:


\
CountryCatalog Number*Type of Item**Year of IssueNotes on Content***
ampere
(A)
Ampere Andre-Marie Ampere
(1775 - 1836)
Afars and IssasC921975(200th anniv. birth)
Albania2205bOne of strip of 4 (2205 (a-d))1986(150th anniv. death)
Albania2206On (center) label of SS1
Congo (People's Republic, Brazzaville)358 (Mi503)1975(200th anniv. birth)
France3061936(100th anniv. death)
France6261949
FranceB339 (Mi1293)1960Ampere (cable-laying ship)3
Germany (East)16291975(200th anniv. birth)
MaliC2581975(200th anniv. birth)
Monaco10011975(200th anniv. birth)
kelvin
(K)
Kelvin Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)
(1824 - 1907)
Guinea-Bissau5401983
Serbia3942007(100th anniv. death)
Scotland (Clydesdale Bank)P20820 pounds (banknote)1972—1981
Scotland (Clydesdale Bank)P215 (like P208)20 pounds (banknote)1982—1990
Scotland (Clydesdale Bank)P217 (like P215)100 pounds (banknote)1985, 1991
Scotland (Clydesdale Bank)P223 (face like P217)100 pounds (banknote)1996
Scotland (Clydesdale Bank)P229D (like P223)100 pounds (banknote)2001
degree Celsius
(°C)
Celsius Anders Celsius
(1701 - 1744)
Nevis1185k (Mi1458)One of MS17 (1185 (a-q + label)); also detail in (left) margin2000
Sweden1402 (Mi1188)One of booklet pane of 6 (1402a (6x 1402)), also inside cover1982
Sweden1401-1402 fdcStamp and cachet on FDC
hertz
(Hz)
Hertz Heinrich Rudolf Hertz
(1857 - 1894)
1
Algeria3311964Hertzian cable telephone line, Algiers-Annaba: "Faisceau Hertzien"5; (70th anniv. death)
Congo (People's Republic, Brazzaville)574 (Mi799)1980Hertzian wave communication, Brazzaville: "Faisceaux Hertziens"5
Congo (People's Republic, Brazzaville)662 (Mi898)1982Hertzian wave communication network: "Faisceau Hertzien"5
Congo (People's Republic, Brazzaville)663 (Mi899)
Congo (People's Republic, Brazzaville)664 (Mi900)
Czechoslovakia9531959
Gabon350 (Mi561)1975Hertzian wave transmitter network: "Faisceaux Hertziens"5; (80th anniv. death, in 1974)
Germany (East)3541957(100th anniv. birth)
Germany (West)7621957100th anniv. birth
Germany (West)13931983(90th anniv. death, in 1984)
Germany18221994(100th anniv. death)
Guinea-Bissau5391983(90th anniv. death, in 1984)
Malagasy Republic3391963Hertzian cable, Tananarive-Fianarantsoa: "Faisceau Hertzien"5; (70th anniv. death, in 1964)
Malagasy Republic339 dsDeluxe sheet
MexicoC3321967(110th anniv. birth)
San Marino12631992
San Marino1263 fdcStamp and cancel on FDC
newton
(N)
Newton Sir Isaac Newton
(1642 - 1727)
2
AjmanMi9941971
AjmanMi994 dsImperforate deluxe sheet
Ajman StateNone
None (imperf.)
Label from MS8 + 8 labels, also imperforate MS8 + 8 labels1972
Ascension1421971
Ascension142aBooklet pane of 4 (4x 142)
Ascension3851986"Newton's reflector telescope"
BeninC2761977250th anniv. death
Benin12261999"Isaac Newton" locomotive
Bulgaria37931993(350th anniv. birth)
Burundi759SS12000
Central Africa Republic780 (Mi1188)1985"Newton" telescope
Central Africa Republic780a (BL359)SS1 (780)
Central Africa Republic781 (Mi1189)
Central Africa Republic781a (BL360)SS1 (781)
Chad440B (BL151)Gold foil SS11983
Chad806gOne of MS9 (806 (a-i))1999
Congo (People's Republic, Brazzaville)C238 (Mi588)1977(250th anniv. death)
Congo RepublicMi1693One of MS6 (Mi1691-1696)2000
De La Rue (PLC)None"1" (test banknote), also back?
DjiboutiUnknown d (new issue)
Unknown d (imperf.)
One of MS4 (a-d), also imperforate MS4 (a-d)2006
DubaiC571971
Fiji5511986"Newton's reflector" telescope
France8611957
Germany17711993(350th anniv. birth)
Germany1771 blackprintBlackprint
Germany1771 hologramHologram
Germany1771 fdcStamp and cancel on FDC350th anniv. birth
Ghana1031
i1031
1987"Wedgewood honors Newton"
Ghana11301031 overprinted1989"Wedgewood honors Newton"
Ghana1130a
i1130a
1031 overprinted with comet logo
GibraltarUnknown (new issue)From MS82009
Great BritainNoneHalfpenny (trade token), also reverse1793
Great BritainNoneMedallion, also reverse~1970
Great BritainP137a1 pound (banknote)1978—1982
Great BritainP137b1 pound (banknote), also back1982—1984
Great Britain11721987
Great Britain1172 fdcStamp and cachet on FDC
Great Britain1173
Great Britain1174
Great Britain1175
Great Britain13371990(Newton's telescope)6
Great Britain18701999
Great Britain1870aMS4 (4x 1870)
Grenada15351987
GrenadaB141989"Newton's Principia"
Grenada2932dFrom MS17 (2932 (a-q + label))2000
Grenada2932p
Grenada Grenadines9091987
Grenada Grenadines15391993(350th anniv. birth), also (Newton's telescope)6
Guinea Republic987a (BL216)In (upper-right) margin of SS1 (987)1986"Newton", and "Telescope de Newton"
Guinea Republic988 (Mi1110A)
i988 (Mi1110B)
1986
Guinea Republic988a (BL217)SS1 (988)
Guinea Republic989b (Mi1106-1111)One of MS6 (984-989)1986
Guinea Republic990 (BL212)In (left) margin of SS11986(Newton ?)
Guinea Republic1262cOne of strip of 3 (1262 (a-c))1994
Guinea RepublicUnknown3 (BL1484)SS12007"Télescope de Isaac Newton" (in text in stamp); also Christian Huygens
Guinea RepublicUnknown3 fdcSS1 on FDC
Guinea-BissauUnknown2003
Guinea-BissauUnknown
Unknown (imperf.)
SS1 (stamp)2003
Guinea-BissauUnknown e (new issue)
Unknown e (imperf.)
One of MS6 (a-f), also imperforate MS6 (a-f)2008
Guinea-BissauUnknown fdc (new issue)
Unknown fdc (imperf.)
MS6 on FDC
Hungary2485Single + label, from MS4 (2485a (4x 2485 + 4 labels))1977(250th anniv. death)
India7671977"Newton" (in text)
Korea (North)2134Stamp-on-stamp: France 8611981
Korea (North)32651993(350th anniv. birth)
Korea (North)3266
Korea (North)3267
Korea (North)3268
Korea (North)3269
Korea (North)3265-3269 proofsDeluxe proofs
Korea (North)3265aMS3 (3265-3266+3269)
Korea (North)3265bMS3 (3265+3267-3268)
Korea (North)3878In (lower-middle) margin of MS3 (3878 (a-c))1999
Korea (North)3878 red missingIn (lower-middle) margin of MS3, red missing
Laos5811984
Lesotho5781987
Malagasy Republic1100bOne of MS16 (1100 (a-p))1992(350th anniv. birth)
MalawiUnknown a (new issue)One of MS2 (a-b)2008
Maldive Islands12681988
MaliC3011977(250th anniv. death)
MaliC301 dsImperforate deluxe sheet
MaliUnknown a (new issue)
Unknown a (imperf.)
One of MS2 (a-b)2006
MaliUnknown (new issue)SS12009
Mauritius6261986"Newton's contemporary reflector" telescope
MexicoC3771971
Monaco16011987
Mongolia951aFrom MS9 (951 (a-i))1977(250th anniv. death)
Mongolia951b
Mongolia951c
Mongolia951d
Mongolia951e
Mongolia951f
Mongolia951g
Mongolia951h
Mongolia951i
MongoliaKM182500 tugrik (coin)1999Isaac Newton
Mongolia2504hOne of MS20 (2504 (a-t))2001
MozambiqueUnknown aOne of MS6 (a-f), also imperforate MS6 (a-f)2001
Nagaland (India)Local1972"Newton's telescope"
Netherlands7311988"Newton" prism
Nevis1185oOne of MS17 (1185 (a-q + label)); also detail in (left) margin2000
Nicaragua878
878 back
1971Newton's law (of gravity): "Ley de Newton"
Nicaragua14891985"Telescopio de Newton"
Nicaragua1985dOne of MS16 (1985 (a-p))1994
NigerC124 (Mi249)1970
NigerC124 proofDie proof
NigerC141 (Mi267)C124 overprinted1970
Paraguay871
i871
Changed colors on imperforate1965
Paraguay874
i874
Changed colors on imperforate1965
Poland884 (Mi1136)1959
PolandNoneStamp on postal card1972(330th anniv. birth, in 1973)
Redonda (Antigua)87371987
RomaniaNoneCachet on cover2003
Russia (USSR)5601 (Mi5758)Single + label1987
RwandaUnknown1999
St. Pierre and MiquelonC561974
St. Vincent9201986(Newton's telescope)6
St. Vincent26991999
San Marino10231982
Sierra Leone2254hOne of MS17 (2254 (a-q + label))2000
South Africa995a
955e
In (surrounding) margin of MS10 (955 (a-j))1996
Staffa (Scotland)Local19??(Newton's telescope)6
Togo1365SS1 (stamp)1986
Togo1409SS1, 1365 overprinted in silver1986
TuvaluKM1720 dollars (coin), also obverse1993
Uganda5661987
Umm Al QiwainNone1973(Newton's locomotive ?)7
Umm Al QiwainNoneDeluxe sheet
Uruguay16291996
Viet Nam16001986
Yemen Arab RepublicMi909
iMi909
1969
Yemen Arab RepublicMi916Mi909 imperforate with changed colors1969
Yemen Arab RepublicMi916_ims12Imperforate MS12 (12x Mi916)1969
Yemen Mutawakelite KingdomMi8631969
Yemen Mutawakelite KingdomiMi863 opImperforate Mi863 overprinted in red1972
Yugoslavia2502c (Mi?)One of booklet pane of 7 (2502 (a-g + 2 labels)), also booklet cover (Michel MH10)2000(Newton's telescope)6
pascal
(Pa)
Pascal Blaise Pascal
(1623 - 1662)
Cambodia2057In (upper-right) corner2001(picture only)
Central Africa Republic1359 (Mi2573)2000
Central Africa Republic1359a (BL649)SS1 (1359)
FranceB181 (Mi626)1944
France1038 (Mi1398)1962(300th anniv. death)
France1038 fdc1Stamp and cancel on FDC
France1038 fdc2Stamp and cancel (different) and cachet on FDC
France1038 maxiMaxicard
Monaco875 (Mi1080)1973350th anniv. birth
Monaco875 fdcStamp and cachet on FDC
Monaco875 maxiMaxicard
joule
(J)
Joule James Prescott Joule
(1818 - 1889)
No postal items found
watt
(W)
Watt James Watt
(1736 - 1819)
Albania2205cOne of strip of 4 (2205 (a-d))1986(250th anniv. birth)
Albania2206On (center) label of SS1
Cuba37181996
Grenada15381987
Lesotho1213a (Mi1579)One stamp and in (lower-left) margin of MS6 (1213 (a-f)) (Mi1579-1584)1999James Watt (ship, in text)
Maldive Islands2421dOne of MS17 (2421 (a-q + label))2000
Mali5381986(250th anniv. birth)
Mali538 dsDeluxe sheet
Mali581538 overprinted1992(250th anniv. birth)
Monaco10011975Wattmeter (device shown)
St. Thomas and Prince IslandUnknown e (new issue)One of MS6 (a-f)2008
Sierra Leone2296bOne of MS2 (2296 (a-b))2000
Sierra Leone2517eOne of MS6 (2517 (a-f))2002
Wallis and Futuna Islands341
i341
1986(250th anniv. birth)
coulomb
(C)
Coulomb Charles Coulomb
(1736 - 1806)
FranceB3521961
volt
(V)
Volta Alessandro Volta
(1745 - 1827)
Afars and IssasC1051977(150th anniv. death)
Cyrenaica25Italy 188 changed color and overprinted1927100th anniv. death
Cyrenaica26Italy 189 changed color and overprinted
Cyrenaica27Italy 191 changed color and overprinted
DjiboutiC107Afars and Issas C105 overprinted1977(150th anniv. death)
Eritrea102 (Mi125)Italy 188 changed color and overprinted1927100th anniv. death
Eritrea103 (Mi126)Italy 189 changed color and overprinted
Eritrea104 (Mi127)Italy 191 changed color and overprinted
Italy188 (Mi259)1927100th anniv. death
Italy189 (Mi260)
Italy190 (Mi261)
Italy191 (Mi262)
Italy526 (Mi784)1949Voltaic pile (device shown)
Italy527 (Mi785)1949
ItalyP11210,000 lire (banknote)1984
Italy1873 (Mi2205)1992
Italy2309 (Mi2560)1999
San Marino10421983
Somalia97Italy 188 changed color and overprinted1927100th anniv. death
Somalia98Italy 189 changed color and overprinted
Somalia99Italy 191 overprinted
Trieste (Italy)53Italy 526 overprinted1949Voltaic pile (device shown)
Trieste (Italy)54Italy 527 overprinted1949
Tripolitania25Italy 188 changed color and overprinted1927100th anniv. death
Tripolitania26Italy 189 changed color and overprinted
Tripolitania27Italy 191 changed color and overprinted
farad
(F)
Faraday Michael Faraday
(1791 - 1867)
British Antarctic Territory188 (Mi189)Like 184 inscribed in blue1991200th anniv. birth
British Antarctic Territory189 (Mi190)Like 185 inscribed in blue
British Antarctic Territory190 (Mi191)Like 186 inscribed in blue
British Antarctic Territory191 (Mi192)Like 187 inscribed in blue
British Antarctic TerritoryNoneCachet on cover1990Faraday (Station, Antarctica)
British Antarctic Territory198 (Mi199)1992Faraday (Station, Antarctica)
British Antarctic Territory344 (Mi385-386)On one of pair (a-b)2004Faraday Station (Antarctica)
British Antarctic Territory342-344 fdcOne of three pairs of stamps on FDC
Cambodia20532001
Cuba35801994
DjiboutiUnknown a (new issue)
Unknown a (imperf.)
One of MS4 (a-d), also imperforate MS4 (a-d)2006
DjiboutiUnknown fdc (new issue)
Unknown fdc (imperf.)
One stamp of MS4 and cachet on FDC, also imperforate
Great BritainNoneCinderella (poster stamp)1931
Great Britain6581971Faraday Building, Engineering Faculty, University of Southampton
Great Britain13601991(200th anniv. birth)
Great BritainP384a20 pounds (banknote)1990—1991
Great BritainP384b20 pounds (banknote)1991
Great BritainP387 (like no.384)20 pounds (banknote)1993
Great Britain18691999
Great Britain1869 panePrestige pane of 4 (4x 1869)
Malagasy Republic1100eOne of MS16 (1100 (a-p))1992
MalawiUnknown b (new issue)One of MS2 (a-b)2008
Palau538jOne of MS17 (538 (a-q + label))2000
United StatesNoneCachet on cover1992Faraday (Station, Antarctica)
ohm
(Ω)
Ohm George Simon Ohm
(1787 - 1854)
Germany18291994Discovery of Ohm's Law: "Entdeckung des Ohmschen Gesetzes"
siemens
(S)
Siemens Werner von Siemens
(1816 - 1892)
Central Africa Republic841 (BL401)SS11986
Germany (Berlin)9N90 (Mi97)1952
Germany (West)968 (Mi528)1966(150th anniv. birth)
Germany1768 (Mi1642)1992(100th anniv. death)
weber
(Wb)
Weber Wilhelm Eduard Weber
(1804 - 1891)
No postal items found
tesla
(T)
Tesla Nikola Tesla
(1856 - 1943)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Croat Administration)1632006150th anniv. birth
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Serb Administration)283A2006150th anniv. birth
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Serb Administration)283SS1
Croatia147199350th anniv. death
Croatia147 fdcStamp and cancel and cachet on FDC
Croatia626 (Mi?)2006(150th anniv. birth)
Croatia626 fdcStamp and cancel and cachet on FDC
Czechoslovakia9491959
Georgia4052006(150th anniv. birth)
Ghana2062cTwo stamps and in (lower) margin of MS8 (2062 (a-h))1998
Ghana2062d
India1393 covCachet on cover1991
Lesotho1379b(Middle) one of MS3 (1379 (a-c))2005
Macedonia3732006(150th anniv. birth)
Palau557sOne of MS20 (557 (a-t))2000
SerbiaP41_2003100 dinara (banknote)2003
SerbiaP41_2004100 dinara (banknote)2004
SerbiaP49100 dinara (banknote)2006
SerbiaKM4220 dinara (coin)2006(150th anniv. birth Nikola Tesla)
SerbiaKM431000 dinara (coin)2006(150th anniv. birth Nikola Tesla)
SerbiaKM445000 dinara (coin)2006(150th anniv. birth Nikola Tesla)
SerbiaKM4510,000 dinara (coin)2006(150th anniv. birth Nikola Tesla)
Serbia-KosovoUnknownImperforate SS12006150th anniv. birth
Serbia-KrajinaUnknown (Mi58)One of strip of 2 + label, or one of MS8 + label; also on selvedge1996(140th anniv. birth)
Serbia-KrajinaUnknownImperforate SS12000
Serbia-Montenegro3422006150th anniv. birth
Serbia-Montenegro342 maxiMaxicard
Serbia-Montenegro343
Serbia-Montenegro343 maxiMaxicard
Serbia-Montenegro342-343 fdc1Two stamps and cachet on FDC
Serbia-Montenegro342-343 fdc2Two stamps and cachet (different) on FDC
Serbia-Montenegro342-343 bookletBooklet covers, also inside (10x (342-343)
Serbia-Montenegro344MS2 (344 (a-b))
Serbia-Montenegro344 fdc1MS2 and cachet on FDC
Serbia-Montenegro344 fdc2MS2 and cachet (different) on FDC
Serbia-Montenegro344 bookletBooklet covers, also inside (SS1)
Serbia-MontenegroNoneCancel2006150th anniv. birth
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard2006(150th anniv. birth)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Serbia-MontenegroNonePostcard (different)
Trieste (Yugoslavia)66Yugoslavia 373 overprinted1953(10th anniv. death)
Trieste (Yugoslavia)67Yugoslavia 374 overprinted
United StatesNoneCinderella1956100th anniv. birth
United States2057One of block of 4 (2058a (2055-2058))1983
United States2057 fdcStamp on FDC
United States4227 fdcCachet on FDC2008
Yugoslavia136 (Mi326)1936(80th anniv. birth)
Yugoslavia137 (Mi327)
Yugoslavia373 (Mi712)1953(10th anniv. death)
Yugoslavia374 (Mi713)
Yugoslavia448 (Mi791)1956(100th anniv. birth)
Yugoslavia449 (Mi792)
Yugoslavia450 (Mi793)
Yugoslavia451 (Mi794)
YugoslaviaNoneCachet on QSL card81956100th anniv. birth
YugoslaviaP84a (no security thread)500 dinara (banknote)1970
YugoslaviaP84b (security thread)500 dinara (banknote)1970
YugoslaviaNoneCachet on cover1974
Yugoslavia1308 (Mi1655)From MS9 (1308a (9x 1308))1976120th anniv. birth
Yugoslavia1308 fdcStamp and cachet on FDC
YugoslaviaP91a (like no.84)500 dinara (banknote)1978
YugoslaviaP91b (like no.84)500 dinara (banknote)1981
YugoslaviaP91c (like no.84)500 dinara (banknote)1986
YugoslaviaP1071000 dinara (banknote)1990
YugoslaviaP110 (like no.107)1000 dinara (banknote)1991
YugoslaviaP114 (like no.107)1000 dinara (banknote)1992
YugoslaviaP121 (face like no.114)5,000,000 dinara (banknote)1993
YugoslaviaP127 (face like no.121, back like no.114)10,000,000,000 dinara (banknote)1993
YugoslaviaP128 (face like no.110)5000 dinara (banknote)1993
Yugoslavia2201 (Mi?)1993(50th anniv. death)
Yugoslavia2201 maxiMaxicard, also back
YugoslaviaP139100 dinara (banknote)1994
YugoslaviaP146 (like no.139)5 novih din (banknote)1994
YugoslaviaP148 (back like no.146)5 novih din (banknote)1994
YugoslaviaKM16920 novi dinara (coin)1996
YugoslaviaP156100 dinara (banknote)2000
Yugoslavia2502e (Mi?)One of booklet pane of 7 (2502 (a-g + 2 labels)), also booklet cover (Michel MH10)2000
Yugoslavia2520 (Mi3026)2001
Yugoslavia2520 misperfMisperforated pair
YugoslaviaNoneCancel and cachet on cover200360th anniv. death
YugoslaviaNoneCancel and cachet (Cyrillic) on cover
henry
(H)
Henry Joseph Henry
(1797 - 1878)
United States943Also detail1946Henry statue (miniscule in stamp) in front of Smithsonian Institution headquarters "Castle" (Washington DC)
becquerel
(Bq)
Becquerel AH Antoine-Henri Becquerel
(1852 - 1908)
4
Comoro Islands2571977Nobel Prize, 1903: Becquerel (second from left), incorrectly spelled Beckerel
Comoro Islands257a (BL94)SS1 (257)
Comoro IslandsMi594257 overprinted1979Nobel Prize, 1903: Becquerel (second from left), incorrectly spelled Beckerel
FranceB2021946
Guinea Republic2132SS12002100th anniv. Nobel Prizes; (150th anniv. birth)
Guinea-BissauUnknown cOne of MS6 (a-f)2008(100th anniv. death)
Guinea-BissauUnknown aOne of MS6 (a-f)2009(100th anniv. death, in 2008)
Guinea-BissauUnknown fdcMS6 on FDC
Guyana3007aOne of MS9 (3007 (a-i))1995Nobel Prize, 1903: Becquerel
Maldive Islands2117dOne of MS9 (2117 (a-i))1995Nobel Prize, 1903: Becquerel
RomaniaNoneCancel on cover2003
RomaniaNoneCancel (same) and cachet on postal card2003
Sweden6381963Nobel Prize, 1903: Becquerel
Sweden637-638 fdcStamp and cachet on FDC
Sweden638aCoil strip of 5 (5x 638), perforated vertically
gray
(Gy)
Gray Louis Harold Gray
(1905 - 1965)
No postal items found
sievert
(Sv)
Sievert Rolf Sievert
(1898 - 1966)
No postal items found

*Scott catalog number, unless prefixed with Mi or BL for Michel; P = Pick banknote catalog number; KM = Krause and Mishler coin catalog number.
**FDC = first day cover; SS# = souvenir sheet, MS# = miniature sheet, where # = number of stamps in sheet, and the numbers in parentheses are the catalog numbers of the stamps in the sheet.
***Descriptions, such as anniversaries, when given in parentheses are not directly indicated on postal items, but are otherwise implied by the year of issue for these items.

1The hertz unit was not named after Heinrich Hertz' nephew, Gustav Ludwig Hertz (1887 - 1975), a 1925 Nobel Prize winner in physics, who has also been honored on many stamps.
2Isaac Newton was born on 25 December 1642 on the Julian Calendar. On the Gregorian Calendar, Newton's birth occurred 4 January 1643. Note also the X-ray Multi-mirror Mission / Newton satellite (launched 1999-12-10).
3Ampere name for cable-laying ship is noted in description in Michel catalog.
4The becquerel unit was not named after Antoine-Henri's grandrather, Antoine-César Becquerel (1788 - 1878), who has also been honored on at least one stamp.
5Hertzian waves are electromagnetic waves produced by oscillations in an electric circuit, as a radio or radar wave: first investigated by H. R. Hertz; "Faisceau Hertzien" or "Faisceaux Hertziens" = antenna-based wireless transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals.
6The telescopes on these items are similar in design to those identified as "Newton's reflector" or "Newton's telescope" on other items.
7The locomotive on this item is similar in design to that credited to "Isaac Newton" on Benin 1226.
8A QSL card is a written confirmation, meaning either "do you confirm receipt of my transmission" or "I confirm receipt of your transmission". QSL is not an acronym but is one of the many three-letter Q codes used in radiocommunication.


The following table summarizes, by count, the metric system unit name postal items from the table immediately above.

SI-metric UnitSymbolNameNumber of CountriesNumber of Items
ampereAA.-M. Ampere710
kelvinKLord Kelvin11
degree Celsius°CA. Celsius22
hertzHzH.R. Hertz1116
newtonNSir I. Newton55110
pascalPB. Pascal34
jouleJJ.P. Joule00
wattWJ. Watt811
coulombCC. Coulomb11
voltVA. Volta925
faradFM. Faraday612
ohmΩG.S. Ohm11
siemensSW. von Siemens35
weberWbW.E. Weber00
teslaTN. Tesla820
henryHJ. Henry11
becquerelBqA.-H. Becquerel66
grayGyL.H. Gray00
sievertSvR. Sievert00
Total: 15 out of 19 namesTotal: 224 items


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Updated: 2009-11-20