Queen Isabella II

History	1847	1854	1855	1856	1858	1859
1861	1862	Jan 1863	Feb 1863	Oct 1863	1864	Home

August 1, 1862

(Friday)

5-cuartos. Issued for domestic mail under half-an-ounce, (single weight interior postal rate). A total of about 10,000 stamps were issued in shades of red and reddish- brown. The stamps remained in use until January 1863, with later usage also known. (Scott #13; SG #18; Edifil #10 and #10a)

The general design of this stamp remains the same as the previous issues, but has been considerably modified. The inscriptions are in much smaller letters and in Roman capitals instead of sans-serif. There is a period between "CORREOS" and "INTERIOR". There is a period after "Cs" in the lower label, instead of under the "s" as in the previous issue. There is an inner frame to the inscribed labels. The end of the bust is pointed in front and almost touches the pearled circle. The central disc is smaller and does not touch either the upper and lower labels or the sides of the frame. The circle surrounding the effigy is out of the centre of the solid disc of colour, and there is an additional circular white outline at the left side. There are three complete ornaments and a portion of a fourth in each half of the sides of the frame. The pattern in the spandrels is comparatively coarse.

The stamps were lithographed by M. Perez y Hijo in Manila; printed on thick white wove paper; issued imperforate; and measure 19¼ x 23¼ mm. The stamps were printed in sheets of 128, (13 rows of 10 stamps each, except the bottom row which held a blank space at each end with 8 stamps between). This was for the purpose of making the sheet have a value of exactly 32-Reales de Plata Fuerte, (with 20-cuartos equalling 1-Real de Plata Fuerte). They were printed very close together on the stone, leaving practically no margin between the individual stamps.

Note:
Hanciau (1905) indicates the stamps were released for sale on August 8, 1862. He further states that based on a Royal Ordinance dated September 18, 1863 (detailed below), a total of 200,000 stamps were printed. Palmer (1912) also states that 200,000 stamps were printed. Based on the relative scarcity of this issue, it is doubtful that the total amount of 200,000 stamps was actually printed.

ESSAYS

5-cuartos Black. Reported by Hanciau (1905) to exist printed on white, wove paper.

VARIETIES AND ERRORS

Minor varieties exist, which are mainly due to imperfect transfers or to retouching of the stones. Some of the more noticeable varieties are as follows:

Colon instead of Period after "CORREOS"

Colon after "INTERIOR"

Colon after "CORREOS" and after "INTERIOR"

Period after "FRANCO"

Period instead of Colon after "s" of "Cs"

Scratched Plate
(White Line Cutting Across Stamp)

Bottom Left Corner Cutting Through "F"

Diagonally Across Queen’s Head

Comments and Feedback Always Welcome .... Please Email

Return to Home Page