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| Go shopping in Antarctica with recommendations, reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and locals. |
 | Antarctica Shopping | Tips 1 - 10 of 19 |  |
Many of the different countries' bases on King George Island and the Antarctic Peninsula have gift shops that sell souvenirs. The Chile's Frei base even has a post office where you can mail postcards.
That's about it for shopping, so pack wisely.
Everything is pretty expensive because it takes a lot of resources to get things to Antarctica. Leave a Comment Theme: Gifts
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In 2004, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Mawson Station in February 1954, the Australian (Perth) Mint issued a very limited edition of a special $1 coin. The total production run was limited to 7500 and they were made available only as high quality proof coins. The coins are 1oz of 99.9% pure silver with colour incorporated into the reverse side. They are 40mm across and come in a sealed clear plastic container, itself within a velvet lined metal case, that in a cardboard box (second photo). Now that’s packing! The coins come accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity and (to the best of my knowledge) are the first 'Antarctic' coins issued anywhere.
It seems the initial “Mawson Commemorative” coins were so popular that further 'Antarctic' coins have been produced in 2005 (a leopard seal and pup) and 2006 (Edgeworth David Station). The following website is for the official sales outlet for the Perth Mint, where the coins can be ordered, though they may sometimes be found on Ebay, where I obtained mine. You will need to scroll down the webpage in the link to find the 2004 coin.
The price of the 2004 Mawson coin has doubled since its initial release to a current $150A.
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If you happen to visit an United States research station, make sure you have plenty of cash. And I mean cash. Don't count on being able to use credit. They have the normal assortment of tourist stuff there, mostly for the people that work there. Merchandise varies from cheap touristy crap to pretty good quality clothing. That isn't cheap. Plan on spending US$40 to US$75 for a shirt with the station logo embroidered on it.
PATCHES- What can I say? I'm a patch whore. You'll find no shortage of patches at a US Antarctic Station. The stores sell them for US$5 apiece. I have around 30 from Antarctica alone. The real challenge though, if you find yourself at a USAP station, is to get patches that are not for sale in the store. Individuals that bring their own down usually don't bring a lot and they disappear fast. For example, the patch at the upper right in the photo (Operation Deep Freeze) was offered by a member of the NY Air National Guard's 109th AW. With only 100 to sell, they were gone in no time flat. Looks great on the left sleeve of my US Air Force A-2 Aviator's jacket.
A few hundred bucks. Easy. I can't speak for anything other than US research stations, though. I'm sure they are a lot more reasonable than any of these cruise lines charge for trinkets, though. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherDirections: Go south from anywhere in the world. (I love that one...never gets old.) -Fox
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Inside of the Ukrainian Research-station Vernadsky Point you will find the southernmost souvenirshop on earth, it is quite small and you will find it in the 1st floor (USA: 2nd floor) of the mainbuilding of the scientific station.
The shop offers some badges, handmade clothings,and even a Matrioska Doll made like a penguin. That was 70 US $ and I did not want to spend so much money, although it looked quite nice.
A funny souvenir might be also the shirt that had lots of stamps of various antactic stations on it. These guys in Vernadsky obviously have a lot of time besides of their jobs and have to search for some way to make some extra money. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherDirections: It is on the 1st floor of vernadsky Station. Dont forget to take your shoes off and walk in your socks (hopefully they are without holes in it ??)
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Port Lockroy has its own british postoffice and that postoffice is inside the well-sorted souvenirshop of the British Antarctical Thrust, who had rebuilt that station again and runs it more as a heritage-site than a real research-station.
This place is british, BUT only US $ are accepted in the shop and postoffice !
They have lots of great books, postcards, T-shirts, fridge-magnets etc. but their most favorite souvenir are the local stamps of course, because you will get them only on this small island inhabited by these 3 people working for the thrust.
I sent my postcards on Dec. 2nd 2008 and now I wonder how long they will take to get home !! ;-))
2 US $ is what you pay for each stamp, no matter where you send your postcards, the great postcards will also cost 2 US $ Leave a Comment Theme: OtherDirections: This shop is in Port Lockroy,inside the biggest building, 20 meters from the landing-point of the Zodiaks !
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Where there is a tourist--a souvenir shop will follow-- true even for Antarctic souvenirs
The Chilean President Frei Base and their neighbor the Russian Bellinghausen Station and more South, the Great Wall Chinese Base, all have a place to buy souvenirs.
T shirts, hats, cups, stamps.
I now am a proud owner of the Chile Antarctic flag for my bedroom.
a beautiful photo, post card to mail from Antarctica. or Antartica t shirts in Spanish Russian or Chinese. I found you could use dollars to pay for things at every one of the country's bases which made it easy also euros are welcome.
If you like to collect passport stamps like I do you also get your passport stamped (free) at all the bases which is great. It seems some countries still claim part of the Antarctica and like to thing things like passport stamps and postage stamps make the land claim more valid.
And, you can send a card or letter from say the Chile Antarctica, Russian Antarctica or Britsh Antarctica. You should send a card to VT for the wall had I only known.
Oh about $10.85 Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Chile Antarctic Research Station shop Frei BasePhone: +56-2-441-0257Directions: Frei Base near the Bank just down from the Clinic Chile Antarctic Research Station shop via Chilean Air Force(FACH). Pdte. Frei Base, King George Island(Isla Rey Jorge) Punta arenas, ChileWebsite: or 56-2-601 9001 (ext 3234).
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Many of the national bases sell stamps.For those VT stamp collectors a number of nice stamps are available some very nice stamps have been issued by the British Antarctic, New Zealand's Ross Dependency, the Australian Antarctic Territory, but for sheer consistency of good design, pleasing colors and superb production my vote goes to the French from the T.A.A.F. which includes Terre Adelie, the Crozet Archipelago (annexed in 1772), and other sub-antarctic islands such as Kerguelen and St Paul & Amsterdam Islands
the collection for 2003 is avalible for about
15 euros Leave a Comment Theme: HobbiesDirections: MONSIEUR LE Gérant Postal Base de Port aux Français District de Kerguelen Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises VIA La Réunion
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King Edward Point, South Georgia shoot of the post office at King Edward Point, South Georgia.
All new stamp issues together with First Day Covers for the British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands, and the Falkland Islands are obtainable from Sovereign Stamps, the retail arm of the Britsh Crown Agents Stamp Bureau.
Sovereign Stamps
Crown Agents Stamp Bureau
Old Inn House
2 Carshalton Road
Surrey SM1 4RN
United Kingdom
Stamps may be ordered on-line from Sovereign Stamps.
Mint stamps, first day covers, and information are also available from:
The Philatelic Bureau
GPO Stanley
Falkland Islands
South Atlantic Leave a Comment Theme: Hobbies
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The only "shop" that I got to see was at Port Lockroy. This is a closed down military base, that has now reopened as a museum.
They do have badges, T-shirts and little souvenirs like that, plus they have the only post office in Antarctica!!!
Unfortunately the shop was not opened for the season, when we were there in November, the staff was expected to come on December 15, 2003 - so no shopping for me!!! Leave a Comment Theme: Other
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New Zealand Antarctica stamps on line
a few NZ bucks Leave a Comment Theme: Hobbies
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on February 7, 2004
on September 15, 2006
on March 19, 2004
on December 23, 2008
on August 11, 2003
on December 25, 2006
