Postal Rates During the Spanish Period

1854 - 1898


INTERIOR POSTAL RATES

Effective Date

Single-Weight Rate

Double-Weight Rate

Registration Fee

February 1, 1854

5-cuartos

10-cuartos

2-reales

January 1, 1864

3-1/8 centimos
5-cuartos (Habilitado)

6-2/8 centimos
10-cuartos (Habilitado)

25 centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

March 1, 1871
(Note 1)

5 centimos de escudo
4-cuartos (Habilitado)

10 centimos de escudo
8-cuartos (Habilitado)

50 centimos de escudo
2-reales (Habilitado)

May 8, 1872
(Note 1)

16 centimos de peseta
4-cuartos (Habilitado)

25 centimos de peseta
8-cuartos (Habilitado)

1 peseta 25-centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

October 15, 1872
(Note 1)

12 centimos de peseta
4-cuartos (Habilitado)

25 centimos de peseta
8-cuartos (Habilitado)

1 peseta 25-centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

August 1875

2-centavos de peso

4-centavos de peso

10-centavos de peso

January 1878

25-milesimas de peso

50-milesimas de peso

100-milesimas de peso

September 1, 1879

2-1/2 centavos de peso

5-centavos de peso

15-centavos de peso

January 1, 1890

2-centavos de peso

4-centavos de peso

15-centavos de peso

January 1, 1898
Within Same Town
Between Towns


2-centavos de peso
3-centavos de peso


4-centavos de peso
6-centavos de peso


15-centavos de peso
15-centavos de peso

 

Note 1) A Royal Decree stated that the 5-cuartos stamps overprinted ‘Habilitado por la Nacion’ and issued on January 24, 1872 were to be used for the Interior postal rate of 4-cuartos, without change in designation of value, (with the conversion rate of 5-centimos de Escudo equating to 4-cuartos).


OVERSEAS POSTAL RATES

Effective Date

Single-Weight Rate

Double-Weight Rate

Registration Fee

February 1, 1854

(Note 2)

(Note 2)

(Note 2)

January 1, 1856

1-real

2-reales

2-reales

January 1, 1864

12-4/8 centimos
1-real (Habilitado)

25 centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

25 centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

March 1, 1871

25 centimos de escudo
1-real (Habilitado)

50 centimos de escudo
2-reales (Habilitado)

50 centimos de escudo
2-reales (Habilitado)

May 8, 1872

62 centimos de peseta
1-reales (Habilitado)

1 peseta 25-centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

1 peseta 25-centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

October 15, 1872

62 centimos de peseta
1-reales (Habilitado)

1 peseta 25-centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

1 peseta 25-centimos
2-reales (Habilitado)

August 1875
To Spain
To Other


12-centavos de peso
10-centavos de peso

(Note 3)
24-centavos de peso
20-centavos de peso


25-centavos de peso
25-centavos de peso

January 1878
To Spain
To Other


125-milesimas de peso
100-milesimas de peso


250-milesimas de peso
200-milesimas de peso


250-milesimas de peso
250-milesimas de peso

September 1, 1879
To Spain
Other UPU Members

(Note 4)
12-4/8 c de peso
8-centavos de peso

(Note 4)
25-centavos de peso
16-centavos de peso

(Note 4)
15-centavos de peso
8-centavos de peso

January 1, 1890
To Spain
Other UPU Members


10-centavos de peso
8-centavos de peso


20-centavos de peso
16-centavos de peso


15-centavos de peso
8-centavos de peso

January 1, 1898
To Spain
Other UPU Members


6-centavos de peso
8-centavos de peso


12-centavos de peso
16-centavos de peso


15-centavos de peso
8-centavos de peso

 

Note 2) No overseas postal rates were indicated in the authorizing documents. The previous overseas stampless mail rates applied until January 1, 1856.

Note 3) When the rate was first established in 1875, the charge for double rate overseas postage to Spain was set at 24-centavos de peso. However, by the late 1870s the rate was almost always 25-centavos de peso. Presumably this was because the postal authorities had issued a 25-centavos de peso stamp in 1876, rather than a 24-centavos de peso stamp. Likewise, the registered double-weight letter rate to Spain became 50-centavos de peso instead of 49-centavos de peso.

Note 4) With the introduction of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in September 1879, a different rate was applied for member countries. However, mail to non-member countries were usually also conveyed at the UPU rate.

 

INTERIOR CIRCULAR AND NEWSPAPER RATES

Effective Date

Single-Weight Rate

February 1, 1854

5-cuartos

January 1, 1864

3-1/8 centimos

March 1, 1871

5 centimos de escudo

May 8, 1872

12 centimos de peseta

August 1875

2-centavos de peso

January 1878

25-milesimas de peso

September 1, 1879

2-centavos de peso,
2-½ centavos de peso or
2-4/8 centavos de peso

January 1, 1886

1/8 de centavo

January 1, 1890

1-centavo de peso

January 1, 1898
Within Same Town
 Between Towns

Circular Rate:
1-centavo de peso
2-centavos de peso

January 1, 1898
Within Same Town
 Between Towns

Newspaper Rate:
5-milesimas
de peso
1-centavo de peso

 

OVERSEAS CIRCULAR AND NEWSPAPER RATES

Effective Date

Single-Weight Rate
Spain and Colonies

Single-Weight Rate
Other Countries

February 1, 1854

(Note 5)

(Note 6)

January 1, 1856

10-cuartos

(Note 6)

January 1, 1864

3-1/8 centimos

(Note 6)

March 1, 1871

5-centimos de escudo

(Note 6)

May 8, 1872

12-centimos de peseta

(Note 6)

August 1875

2-centavos de peso

(Note 6)

January 1878

25-milesimas de peso

(Note 6)

September 1, 1879

2-centavos de peso,
2-½ centavos de peso or
2-4/8 centavos de peso

2-centavos de peso,
2-½ centavos de peso or
2-4/8 centavos de peso

January 1, 1886

1/8 de centavo

2-centavos de peso

January 1, 1890

1/8 de centavo

2-centavos de peso

January 1, 1898

Circular Rate:
4-milesimas de peso

Circular Rate:
5-milesimas de peso

January 1, 1898

Newspaper Rate:
2-milesimas de peso

Newspaper Rate:
5-milesimas de peso

 

Note 5) No circular or newspaper rates were established. These were mailed at the overseas regular rate of 1-real (20-cuartos).

Note 6) No circular or newspaper rates were established or authorised. These were mailed outside the Philippine postal service using British Asian stamps (at their corresponding rates).


POSTAL CARD RATES

Effective Date

Interior

Spain and Colonies

Other Countries

September 1, 1879

3-centavos de peso
(+ 15c Registration Fee)

3-centavos de peso
(+ 15c Registration Fee)

3-centavos de peso
(+ 8c Registration Fee)

January 1, 1890

2-centavos de peso
(+ 15c Registration Fee)

3-centavos de peso
(+ 15c Registration Fee)

3-centavos de peso
(+ 8c Registration Fee)

January 1, 1898

Within Same Town:
5-milesimas de peso
(+ 5c Registration Fee)
Between Towns:
1-centavo de peso
(+ 5c Registration Fee)

2-centavos de peso
(+ 15c Registration Fee)

3-centavos de peso
(+ 8c Registration Fee)

 


References:

1)            Postal History of the Spanish Philippines 1565-1898. Don Peterson and Geoffrey Lewis, Washington DC, USA 2000. Pages 126, 128, 153 and 155.

2)            Revised Table XIII-1 on Postal Rates in Peterson and Lewis (2000). Don Peterson, IPPS Newsletter, Volume XXIII, No. 3, Whole Number 72, Third Quarter 2003. Pages 12-13.

3)            Circular Newspaper Rates and Procedures of the Spanish Philippines, 1854-1898. Don Peterson, Philippine Philatelic Journal, Volume XXVII, No. 4, Four Quarter 2005. Pages 3-13.

Comments and Feedback Always Welcome .... Please Email

Return to Home Page

 Last Update: 11.03.2018