This 1974 commemorative issue from the British Virgin Islands celebrates prominent explorers who shaped the Age of Discovery and England’s maritime legacy.

• The 5c stamp features Christopher Columbus, who charted the Caribbean and first sighted the Virgin Islands in 1493.

• The 10c stamp depicts Sir Walter Raleigh, noted for his voyages to the New World and the search for El Dorado.

• The 25c shows Sir Martin Frobisher, a pioneer of early Arctic exploration in pursuit of the Northwest Passage.

• The 40c honors Sir Francis Drake, the famed privateer and circumnavigator whose adventures brought England glory.

Each stamp bears a minimalist portrait in a single color tone with the inscription “Historical Figures 1974” and the royal cipher E II R, reflecting the colonial heritage of the territory.