On March 24, 1992, Vatican City issued a series of five stamps and a souvenir sheet commemorating the fifth centenary of the discovery and evangelization of America.
This issue commemorates the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and early Catholic missionary work in America, as represented by the individuals depicted on these stamps. The 850-lire stamp depicts "La Virgen de los Reyes Catolicos" ("The Virgin of the Catholic Kings"), the image inspired by a painting in the Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain.
The stamps are vertical in format, measure 28 x 41.4 mm, and have a perforation of 11 3/4. They were printed on white chalky paper in multicolor rotogravure and issued in sheets of twenty.
At the top of each stamp appears the inscription V CENTENARIO DELLA SCOPERTA ED EVANGELIZZAZIONE DELL'AMERICA 1492-1992. At the bottom appear the words POSTE VATICANE and the denomination.
Crimando, Thomas. "5 th Centenary Discovery and Evangelization of America." Vatican Notes 40, no. 6 (May 1992): 1, 4.
