postage stamp history - thestampweb · 1 cuba postage stamp history the united states intervened in...
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1
Cuba
Postage Stamp History
The United States intervened in Cuba in 1898. One of the interesting and rare series of stamps occurred as a result. This was the provisional issues known as 'Puerto Príncipe', now Camagüey named after the town where they were printed. The supplies of stamps in the town included stamps imprinted with the likeness of Alfonso XIII of Spain, but the United States in December, 1898, was now in control. A peace protocol had been entered into between U.S. and Spain on August 12, 1898, and the Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898, ceded control to the United States. On December 19, 1898 the U.S. supplied stamps were still a month away from delivery. The local authorities solved that problem by obtaining permission from the provisional U.S. military government to contract a local printer to surcharge existing supplies of Spanish Cuban stamps with a surcharge of initially four different denominations. Eventually a total of five different printings were made that resulted in a total of five different denominations. These surcharged issues are scarce. As a result, forgeries are numerous. A Puerto Príncipe stamp should be authenticated to have maximum value to a collector. By using vertical verification lines, one can get a good idea of whether on not a surcharge is original or forged.
The provisional stamp overprints on U.S. stamps initially consisted of a 1 centavo on a 1¢ Franklin, 2½c on a 2¢ Washington, 3c on a 3¢ Jackson, 5c on a 5¢ Grant, 10c on a 10¢ Webster and a 10c overprint on a U.S. special delivery stamp. It turned out that the 2½¢ stamp was in error as the postage rates had recently changed. They continued to use the 2½¢ stamps anyway and sold them for and valued them at 2¢ so as not to waste the large printing. Later a 2¢ overprint appeared.
Later in 1899, the United States printed a series of six stamps for Cuba. They are known as the 'Alegorías Cubana' or Cuban allegory stamps. Regular postage rates of 1¢, 2¢, 3¢, 5¢ and 10¢ and a special delivery 10¢ stamp comprised this series.
As with the adhesive stamps, the first provisional stamped envelopes were also overprints on U.S. stock. There were eight different U.S. envelopes that were overprinted 'CUBA.' and '1c. (or 2c.) DE PESO.'. By the late summer of 1899, the U.S. had furnished Cuba with its own Columbus design to replace the overprints. Likewise the first (and only) postal cards of the U.S. administration were a 1¢ U.S. Jefferson card overprinted with 'CUBA.-1c. de Peso.' and a 2¢ U.S. Liberty card overprinted with 'CUBA.-2c. de Peso.' U.S. rule of Cuba ended on May 20, 1902 when Cuba became an independent Republic.
This album is organized with the 'Puerto Principe' issues displayed at the end of this album for those who wish to only print the more common and reasonalby priced issues of this USA Possession.
2
Cuba
Issued Under United States AdministrationPuerto Principe Issue
In December 1898, Puerto Principe, a provincial capital now called Camaguey, ran short of 1c, 2c, 3c, 5c, and 10c stamps.The Postmaster ordered Cuban stamps to be surcharged on December 19, 1898
The surcharging was done to horizontal strips of five stamps, so vertical pairs and blocks do not exist.Five types are found in each setting, and five printings were made.
Refer to the Identifier on the last page for help in properly identifying this issueExamples of Surcharges used and other information can be found in the CUBA section of the Scott US Specialized Stamp Catalogue
Regular Issues of Cuba of 1896 and 1898 Surcharged1898-99, Black Surcharge on Nos. 156-158, 160
1cent on 1m (a)
orange brown pos1
176
1cents on 1m (b)
orange brown pos4
177
2c on 2m (c)
orange brown pos1
178
2c on 2m
inverted surcharge
178a
2c on 2m (d)
orange brown pos1
179
2c on 2m
inverted surcharge
179a
3c on 1m (k)
orange brown pos4
179B
3c on 1m (l)
orange brown pos4
179D
3c on 2m (e)
orange brown pos2
179F
3c on 2m (f)
orange brown pos2
179G
3c on 3m (e)
orange brown pos1
180
3c on 3m
inverted surcharge
180a
3c on 3m (f)
orange brown pos1
181
3c on 3m
inverted surcharge
181a
5c on 1m (g)
orange brown pos2
182
5c on 1m
inverted surcharge
182a
3
Cuba
5c on 1m (h)
orange brown pos2
183
5c on 1m
inverted surcharge
183a
5c on 2m (g)
orange brown pos2
184
5c on 2m (h)
orange brown pos2
185
5c on 3m (g)
orange brown pos2
186
5c on 3m
inverted surcharge
186a
5c on 3m (h)
orange brown pos2
187
5c on 3m
inverted surcharge
187a
5c on 5m (g)
orange brown pos 1&2
188
5c on 5m
inverted surcharge
188a
5c on 5m (h)
orange brown pos 1&2
189
5c on 5m
inverted surcharge
189a
5c on 5m (i)
orange brown pos4
189C
4
Cuba
Black Surcharge on No. P25
5c on 1/2m (g)
blue green pos2
190
5c on 1/2m
inverted surcharge
190a
5c on 1/2m (h)
blue green pos2
191
5c on 1/2m
inverted surcharge
191a
5c on 1/2m (i)
blue green pos4
192
5c on 1/2m (j)
blue green pos4
193
Red Surcharge on No. 161
3c on 1c (k)
black violet pos3
196
3c on 1c
inverted surcharge
196a
3c on 1c (l)
black violet pos3
197
3c on 1c
inverted surcharge
197a
5c on 1c (i)
black violet pos3
198
5c on 1c
inverted surcharge
198a
5c on 1c (j)
black violet pos3
199
5c on 1c
inverted surcharge
199a
5
Cuba
10c on 1c (m)
black violet pos3
200
10c on 1c
broken figure '1'
200a
The following series lists only the common varieties. Many sub-varieties exist and are catalogued in the Scott United States Specialized.
Black Surcharge on Nos. P26-P30
3c on 1m (k)
blue green pos5
201
3c on 1m (l)
blue green pos5
202
3c on 2m (k)
blue green pos5
203
3c on 2m (l)
blue green pos5
204
3c on 3m (k)
blue green pos5
205
3c on 3m (l)
blue green pos5
206
5c on 1m (i)
blue green pos5
211
5c on 1m (j)
blue green pos5
212
5c on 2m (i)
blue green pos5
213
5c on 2m (j)
blue green pos5
214
5c on 3m (i)
blue green pos5
215
5c on 3m (j)
blue green pos5
216
5c on 4m (i)
blue green pos5
217
5c on 4m (j)
blue green pos5
218
5c on 8m (i)
blue green pos5
219
5c on 8m (j)
blue green pos5
220
6
CubaGeneral Postage
USA Nos. 279, 267, 267b, 279Bf, 279Bh, 268, 281, 282C, and 283Surcharged in Black
1899, Wmk. 191, Perf. 12
221
222
2c on 2c
reddish carmine type IV
222A
2.5c on 2c
reddish carmine type III
223
2.5c on 2c
reddish carmine type IV
223A
224
225
226
10c on 10c
brown type II
226A
Issues of the Republic under US Military Rule Re-engravedThe re-engraved stamps issued by the Republic of Cuba in 1905-07 may be distinguished from the issue of 1899 as follows:
Nos. 227-231 are watermarked U S-C1c : The ends of the label inscribed 'Centavo' are rounded instead of square2c : The foliate ornaments, inside the oval disks bearing the numerals of value, have been removed5c : Two lines forming a right angle have been added in the upper corners of the label bearing the word 'Cuba'10c: A small ball has been added to each of the square ends of the label
Scott 227 Original
Scott 227 Re-Engraved
Scott 228 Original
Scott 228 Re-Engraved
Scott 230 Original
Scott 230 Re-Engraved
Scott 231 Original
Scott 231 Re-Engraved
1899, Wmk. US-C(191C), Perf. 12
227
228
229
230
231
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Cuba
Special Delivery Stamps
Issued under United States AdministrationSpecial Delivery Stamp of the United States No. E5 Surcharged in Red
1899, Wmk. 191, Perf. 12
E1
Issue of the Republic under US Military RuleSpecial Delivery Messenger SD2
Inscribed: Immediata1899, Wmk. US-C(191C), Perf. 12
E2
Postage Due Stamps
Issued under United States AdministrationPostage Due Stamps of the United States Nos. J38
J39, J41, and J42 Surcharged in Black like Nos.221-226A
1899, Wmk. 191, Perf. 12
J1
2c on 2c
deep claret
J2
5c on 5c
deep claret
J3
10c on 10c
deep claret
J4
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Cuba
Puerto Principe Identification Page
The small letters in brackets next to the denomenation represent the overprint variety as above
The numbers next to the colour as in 'pos1, pos2' etc. represent the position of the overprint
For further information regarding this issue, many web sites and the Scott United States Specialized Catalogue provide useful information
As this page is purely optional, it is placed at the end for easy printing.