Postal Cancellations
1854 - 1898

TYPE 1

BAEZA CIRULAR DATE STAMPS

In 1842 the Spanish General Director of Posts, Juan Baeza Medina, reformed the postal system in Spain and its possessions. The Kingdom was divided into 31 postal demarcations and the first Spanish uniform circular date stamps were created to be applied at the place of origin, transit and destination of every letter. Each of the provinces of Spain was assigned a number, from 1 to 26, which appeared in the postmark of every town in that province. The Spanish possessions in Africa was numbered '27', the Balearic Islands received '28', the Canary Islands were assigned '29', Cuba and Puerto Rico received '30' and the main post office in the Philippines (Manila) was numbered '31'.

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TYPE 1A

SMALL BAEZA CIRULAR DATE STAMP

28mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'MANILA - 31 - ISs. FILIPs.'
Date in centre in three lines

Months appear abbreviated as follows:

ENo

FEB.

MAR

ABR

MAY.

JUN.

JUL.

AGo

SET.

OCT.

NOV.

DIC.

Cancel was in use on Pre-Stamped Covers prior to 1854

Applied in Blue from 1854 to 1859
Applied in Black from 1854 to 1863

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TYPE 1B

LARGE BAEZA CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

30mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'MANILA - 31 - ISLs. FILIPIs.'
Date in centre in three lines

Months appear abbreviated as follows:

ENo

FEB.

MAR

ABR

MAY.

JUN.

JUL.

AGo

SET.

OCT.

NOV.

DIC.

Cancel was in use on Pre-Stamped Covers prior to 1854

Applied in Blue from 1854 to 1859
Applied in Black from 1854 to 1861

TYPE 2

CIRCULAR DOTTED CANCEL

24mm diameter circular dotted cancellation without outer frame line
Cancellation comprises square dots of about 1mm, though size varies
Applied in Black and Blue

Used throughout the Spanish Era (1854 to 1898)

TYPE 3

PARILLA CANCEL

31 x 19 mm oval network cancellation
Varies slightly in shape, some being quite pointed at the end, others appearing well rounded
Applied in Black (common) or Blue (scarce)

Used from 1856 to 1898

TYPE 4

TOWN AND FILIPINAS CIRCULAR CANCELS

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TYPE 4A

MANILA - FILIPINAS CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

21mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'MANILA' above, 'FILIPINAS' below and '31' on each side
Date in the centre in three lines
Applied in Black

Day and Year appear with or without full stop after each entry. Months appear abbreviated as follows:

ENo

FEB.

MAR.

ABR.

MAY.

JUN.

JUL.

AGo

SET.

OCT.

NOV.

DIC.

Used from 1859 to 1863

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TYPE 4B

BALABAC (PALAWAN) - FILIPINAS CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

20mm outer diameter and 11mm inner diameter circular date stamp
'BALABAC' above and 'FILIPINAS' below
Date in the centre in three lines
Applied in Black

Used in 1874
Known on Scott #s 50 and 56

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TYPE 4C

FILIPINAS - CORREOS - MINDORO DATELESS CIRCULAR CANCEL

Double Outer Lined Cancel, 27mm outer diameter
'FILIPINAS' above, 'CORREOS' in the centre, and 'MINDORO' below
Known in Red

Used in mid-1890s
Known on Scott # 147 (one single stamp and one cover)

TYPE 5

TOWN AND CITY CIRCULAR CANCELS

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TYPE 5A

DATED TOWN AND CITY CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

21mm outer diameter circular date stamp with Town name above and City name below
Date in the centre (Day, Month and Year) in three lines
Applied in Black

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Known on the following Scott Numbers

Bacolod - Negros

46, 50

Cavite - Luzon

Earliest Known Usage on Scott #5

Cottabato - Mindanao

43, 46, 60

Misamis - Mindanao

144, 146, 153, 192

Princesa - Paragua *

50, 147

Surigao - Mindanao

Known on 1877 Cover from Surigao to Manila

Zamboanga - Mindanao

48, 78

* Paragua was the Former name for Palawan

Used from 1858 to late 1890s

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TYPE 5B

DATED TOWN AND CITY CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

xxxxxx

21mm outer diameter circular date stamp with Town name above and City name below
Date in the centre (Day and Month only, no Year) in two lines
Applied in Black

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Period of Usage

Comments

Visayas - Cebu

- 1898

 

Yloylo - Visayas

 

Known on Official (RS) Covers

Used from ??? to late 1898

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TYPE 5C

DATELESS TOWN AND CITY CIRCULAR CANCEL

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21mm outer diameter circular date stamp with Town name above and City name below
No Date in the centre
Applied in Black

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Comments

Cottabato - Mindanao

Sans-Serif Lettering. Scott #149, 167

Misamis - Mindanao

Sans-Serif Lettering. Scott #143, 144, 147, 153

Tacloban - Leyte

Sans-Serif Lettering. Only known on Scott #80

Visayas - Cebu

Serif Lettering. Scott #144, 147, 153, 162, 166

Used from mid-1870s to 1890s

TYPE 6

TOWN AND STAR CIRCULAR CANCELS

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TYPE 6A

DATED TOWN AND STAR CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

xxxxxx

19.5mm outer diameter circular date stamp
Town name above and Star below
Date in the centre in three lines
Applied in Black

Months appear abbreviated as follows:

ENE

FEB

MAR

ABR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AGO

SET

OCT

NOV

DIC

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Comments

Manila

Period after second 'A' of 'MANILA'

Zamboanga

Known on Scott #s 79, 86, 149, 167, 177

Used from 1860 to MID 1890s

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TYPE 6B

DATELESS TOWN AND STAR CIRCULAR CANCEL

xxxxxx

19.5mm outer diameter circular date stamp
Town name above and Star below
No Date in centre
Applied in Black

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Comments

Jolo

 

Zamboanga

149, 167, 177

Used from 1860s to early 1890s

TYPE 7

CORREOS CIRCULAR CANCELS

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TYPE 7A

DATED CORREOS - TOWN CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

xxxxxx


25mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'CORREOS' above and Town name below
Date in one line across the centre (with or without period after day in date)
Applied in Black (common), Blue, Blue-Green or Violet

52 Recorded Towns or Cities:

Albay (Bicol)

Cervantes (Ilocos Sur)

Morong (Bataan)

Alcala (Cagayan or Pangasinan)

Concepcion (Iloilo)

Nueva Caceres (Camarines Sur)

Antique (Western Visayas)

Corregidor (Cavite)

Olongapo (Zambales)

Aparri (Cagayan)

Cottabato (Cotabato)

Ragay (Camarines Sur)

Atimonan (Quezon)

Daet (Camarines Norte)

San Fernando (Pampanga)

Bacolod (Negros Occidental)

Dagupan (Pangasinan)

San Isidro (Leyte)

Baguio (Benguet)

Iba (Zambales)

Santa Cruz (Laguna)

Balanga (Bataan)

Ilagan (Isabela)

Sibulan (Negros Oriental)

Batangas (Batangas)

Iloilo (Iloilo)

Surigao (Mindanao)

Bayombong (Nueva Vizcaya)

La Trinidad (Benguet)

Sual (Pangasinan)

Binangonan (Rizal)

La Union (Ilocos) *

Taal (Batangas)

Bolinao (Pangasinan)

Laoag (Ilocos Norte)

Tarlac (Tarlac)

Bulacan (Bulacan)

Libmanan (Camarines Sur)

Tayabas (Quezon)

Candon (Ilocos Sur)

Lingayen (Pangasinan)

Tuguegarao (Cagayan)

Capiz (Visayas)

Manila (Luzon)

Vigan (Ilocos Sur)

Caramoan (Camarines Sur)

Mariquina (Rizal)

Zamboanga (Mindanao)

Cavite (Luzon)

Mariveles (Bataan)

--

Cebu (Visayas)

Misamis (Mindanao)

--

* La Union only shows 'Union' in Cancel
Cabanatuan (Nueva Ecija) referenced but not verified

Used from late 1860s to 1898
Earliest known issue
: Scott #36 (Zamboanga)

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TYPE 7B

DATED CORREOS - MANILA CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

25mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'CORREOS' above and 'MANILA' below
Date in one line across the centre
Often found heavily smudged on top and bottom making words almost illegible
Believed to be a worn Type 7A canceller
Applied in Black

Used from late 1890s

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TYPE 7C

DATELESS CORREOS - BOHOL CIRCULAR CANCEL

21mm outer diameter and 12mm inner diameter
Correos on top and Bohol on bottom, with small solid circle centrally on either end
No Date in the centre
Applied in Black

Used During the mid-1890s
Known on Scott #s 144 and 165 [MR Auction]

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TYPE 7D

DATELESS CORREOS - LAGUNA STA CRUZ CIRCULAR CANCEL

25mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'CORREOS' above and 'LAGUNA Sta Cruz' below
No date in centre
Applied in Black or Purple

Used from 1890 to 1897

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TYPE 7E

DATELESS CORREOS - SAMAR CIRCULAR CANCEL

25mm diameter outer circle and 13mm diameter inner circle
'CORREOS' above and 'SAMAR' below, with stars centrally on either end
Small scroll in centre without date
Applied in Black

Used from mid-1890s to 1898

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TYPE 7F

DATELESS CORREOS - BACALOR CIRCULAR CANCEL

Double Lined Outer and Inner Circles
27mm diameter outer circle and 15mm diameter inner circle
'CORREOS' on top and 'BACOLOR' on bottom
Usually Applied in Black, Less Often in Blue or Red

Used During mid-1890s1890s
Known on Scott # 144

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TYPE 7G

DATELESS CORREOS DE FILIPINAS CIRCULAR CANCEL

25mm diameter outer circle and 13mm diameter inner circle
'CORREOS' on top, 'DE' in centre and 'FILIPINAS' on bottom
Usually Applied in Black, Less Often in Blue or Red

Used During from early 1880s to late 1890s

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TYPE 7H

DATED CORREOS - RAILWAY POST OFFICE CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

xxxxxx

25mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'CORREOS' above and 'AMB xxx' below
Date in one line across the centre
Applied in Black or Violet

Manila - Dagupan Railway Post Office Cancels
amb. l. asc. (Ambulante Linea Ascendente - North Bound Railway Travel) in lower case letters
AMB. L. DESC. (Ambulante Linea Descendente - South Bound Railway Travel) in upper case letters

Cancel

Known on the following Scott Numbers

amb. l. asc.

144 (2 copies), 145 (2 copies)

AMB. L. DESC.

144, 145 (Orwin Austria), 147
One Cover Known with 147

Used From 1892 to 1899

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TYPE 7I

DATELESS CORREO - GANDARA (SAMAR) CIRCULAR CANCEL

27mm diameter outer circle and 14mm diameter inner circle
'CORREO' on top and 'GANDARA.' on bottom
'SAMAR' in one line across the centre with scroll on either side
Applied in Black

Used During the 1890s
Only known on Scott #145 (1892)

TYPE 8

COMUNICACIONES CIRCULAR DATE STAMPS

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TYPE 8A

COMUNICACIONES CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

xxxxxx

24mm outer diameter circular date stamp
'COMUNICACIONES' on top and Town name on bottom
Date in one line across the centre broken by Inner Circle
Applied in Black and Blue

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Known on the following Scott Numbers

Iloilo

Numerous Issues

Sorsogon

151

Used from early 1890s to 1898

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TYPE 8B

COMUNICACIONES CIRCULAR DATE STAMP

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24mm outer diameter circular date stamp with 'COMUNICACIONES' above and Town name on bottom
Date in one line across the centre with no Inner Circle
Applied in Black and Blue

Known Town Cancellations:

Cancel

Known on the following Scott Numbers

Iloilo

Numerous Issues

Sorsogon

144, 146, 157

Tabaco (Albay)

147, 149

Used from 1880s to 1898

TYPE 9

TOWN, CITY AND PROVINCIAL CANCELS

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TYPE 9A

BACOLOR (PAMPANGA) FANCY TOWN CANCEL

Diagonal Lines on Top and bottom, with 'BACOLOR' in Centre
Applied in Black

Used in mid-1890s
Note: Known to exist on Scott #s 144 and 164

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TYPE 9B

BAIS (NEGROS ORIENTAL) BOXED TOWN CANCEL

21mm x 13mm Boxed Cancel, Correos on Top, 'BAIS' on Bottom with emblem on either side
'A' of 'BAIS' is slightly smaller than other letters
Applied in Black and Purple

Used in the 1890s
Known to exist on Scott #s 144, 145 and 147

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TYPE 9C

BANGUED (ABRA) STRAIGHT LINED CANCEL

'CORREOS' 17mm wide and 'BANGUED' 18mm wide
Date in variable length with month spelt in full
Applied in Blue

Used in early 1880s
Known to exist on Scott #s 79 and 86

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TYPE 9D

BURIAS (MASBATE) TWO STRAIGHT LINE CANCEL

Two Straight Line cancel with 'Correos' on top and 'Burias. ' on bottom
Top 12mm wide and Bottom 11mm wide
Applied in Black

Used in the early 1890s
Known to exist on Scott #s 145 and 164

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TYPE 9E

CAPIZ NEGATIVE TOWN CANCEL

Rectangular Cancel (with rounded edges) and scroll line above and below 'CAPIZ'
Round circle above 'I' in 'CAPIZ'
28mm wide by 14mm tall
Applied in Black

Used from late 1850s to 1880s

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TYPE 9F

CEBU OVAL TOWN CANCEL

Double Ring Oval Cancel (Thicker Outer Ring), 25mm Wide, 20mm Tall
Sans-Serif Letters with Fancy Scroll below Cebu
Applied in Black and Blue

Used During early 1870s and 1880s

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TYPE 9G

DUMAGUETE BOXED TOWN CANCEL

Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel, 30mm long (approximately) x 20mm tall
Correos on Top (semi-circular), Fancy Scroll in Centre, Dumaguete on Bottom (straight line)
Applied in Black or Purple

Used During the 1890s

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TYPE 9H

ILOILO OBLONG TOWN CANCEL

TYPE 9G-1
Double Outer Lined Oblong Cancel with Iloilo and scroll in centre
Applied in Black or Purple

TYPE 9G-2
Single-Lined Oblong Cancel with Iloilo and scroll in centre
Applied in Black or Purple

Used from late 1850s to 1898

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TYPE 9I

LEYTE CIRCULAR CROWN TOWN CANCEL

Double-Lined Outer Circle, 30mm diameter
Single-Lined Inner Circle, 20mm diameter
'CORREOS' on top (with mirror-imaged 'S'), 'LEYTE' below, Crown in Centre
Applied in Black

Used During the 1890s

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TYPE 9J

MASBATE RECTANGULAR BOXED TOWN CANCEL

Double-Lined Rectangular Cancel, outer rectangle 30mm x 28mm, inner rectangle 10mm x 8mm
'CORREOS' on top, 'MASBATE' below
Applied in Black

Used from early 1880s to early 1890s
Known on Scott #s 79, 144

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TYPE 9K

NEGROS OBLONG TOWN CANCEL

Single-Lined Oblong Cancel with Negros in the centre
Applied in Black

Used from ??? to ???

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TYPE 9L

ROMBLON OBLONG TOWN CANCEL

Single-Lined Oblong Cancel with Romblon in centre
'M' with Serifs, 'L' with serif on bottom stroke, all other letters sans-serif; 'N' mirror imaged
Applied in Black

Used from late 1880s to mid-1890s
Known on Scott #s 98, 145, 149, 166, 170, 173

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TYPE 9M

DATELESS PANGASINAN CIRCULAR CANCEL

Single-Lined Outer and Inner Circular Cancel with Pangasinan in the centre
Applied in Black

Used from mid-1870s to mid-1880s
Known on Scott #s 52, 79

TYPE 10

RHOMBOID CANCEL

15mm - 17mm by 17mm - 19mm Rhomboid Line Cancellation, consisting of 16 parallel lines
Believed to have been applied at regional post offices
Exists on issues from 1864 to late 1890s, but most common on stamps issued between 1875 and 1879
Applied in Black (common), Blue, Green or Violet

Used from 1864 to late 1890s

TYPE 11

DOTTED STAR CANCEL



29mm diameter Five Pointed Star with dots in the centre
Believed to have been used at regional offices and primarily for interior mail
Exists on issues from the 1880s through 1898
In the 1880s, commonly applied in black, but known infrequently in purple, blue-green and blue
In the 1890s, commonly applied in purple, blue-green and blue, but known infrequently in black

Used from 1880s to 1898

TYPE 12

OCTAGONAL DOTTED CANCEL

24mm wide Octagonal cancel formed of small square dots
Applied in Black

Used from mid-1870s to late 1880s

TYPE 13

SQUARE DOTTED CANCEL

17mm Square Dotted Cancel, 9 horizontally by 8 vertically
Regularly applied sideways, appearing as a diamond shape on the stamp
Applied in Black and Blue

Used During the 1880s
Known on Scott #s 43, 45, 46, 58, 77, 78, 88, 91

TYPE 14

STRAIGHT LINE CANCELS

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TYPE 14A

BOXED CORREOS CANCEL

Double Outer Lined Rectangular Cancel, 30mm x 10mm
'CORREOS' in Centre

Used from mid-1870s to 1898
Also known on Aguinaldo issues

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TYPE 14B

PAGADO CANCEL

TYPE 14B-1
Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel with large Rounded Corners
'PAGADO' (Paid) in centre

Used During the 1880s


TYPE 14B-2
Straight Line 'PAGADO' (Paid) Cancel
Only Known on Fiscal Stamps and Documents

Used During the 1880s


TYPE 14B-3
Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel
'PAGADO' (Paid) in centre
Only Known on Fiscal Stamps and Documents

Used During the 1880s

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TYPE 14C

RECLAMADO CANCEL

Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel
'RECLAMADO' (Reclaimed) in centre
Possibly applied on stamps returned to the main Post Office for refund or replacement,
Perhaps when new stamps were introduced due to a new Reign coming into effect

Used During the 1880s

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TYPE 14D

COMUNICACIONES CANCEL

Straight Line Cancel with no Borders
'Comunicacion' Approximately 30mm long
First C (Capital Letter) 5mm tall, other letters (Lower Case) 4mm tall

Used During mid-1890s
Known to exist on Scott #s 144 and 165

TYPE 15

OTHER RELATED CANCELS

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TYPE 15A

BUZON PARA MANILA

Double Outer Lined Oblong Cancel
'BUZON' on Top, 'PARA' in Centre, 'MANILA' on Bottom
Translated as 'Mailbox for Manila'
Probably Applied by the purser on letters or postal cards mailed on board a ship

Used During the 1890s

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TYPE 15B

CARTERA CENTRAL CANCEL

Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel
Three Lines of Text: 'COMUNICACIONES / ADMIN PRAL MANILA / CARTERA CENTRAL'
Applied by the Letter Sorting Section of the Manila Central Post Office
Usually found on the reverse side of covers

Used During the 1890s

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TYPE 15C

INTENDENCIA CANCEL

Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel with Rounded Edges
'INTENDENCIA' (Administrative or Military Body) in centre
Possible Fiscal cancel, appears on various postal issues

Used from 1860s to 1880s

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TYPE 15D

INUTILIZADO CANCEL

Single-Lined Rectangular Cancel with Rounded Edges, 40mm (approximately) x 7mm
'INUTILIZADO' (Franked or Cancelled) in centre
Possible Fiscal cancel, also appearing on various postal issues

Used During the 1890s
Known to exist on Scott #s 144, 147, 166 and Fiscal Stamps

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Other Possible Additions:

'Batangas' CDS (day and month only - similar to Type 5B

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 Last Update: 19.12.2022