COLOMBIA (Provinces): ANTIOQUIA

Return To Catalogue - Colombia overview

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

Colombia consisted of: Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyaca, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Santander, Tolima. Every province, except Cauca and Magdalena issued its own stamps. The city of Bogota issued stamps also.

ANTIOQUIA

Most early stamps of Antioquia were cancelled by hand (these are not fiscal cancels).

1868 Eagle with straight inscription 'CORREOS', (except for 10 c and 1 P)

  2 1/2 c blue
  5 c green
  10 c violet
  1 P red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

With pencancel

Reprints exist, they were made in 1879 on bluish white paper. All the reprints (except 10 c) show diagonal scratches (since the plates were partly destroyed, information obtained from 'An illustrated catalog of all known reprints of officially issued postage stamps and postal stationery, 1840 to 1892' by Kalckhoff, Hilckes and Evans). Value of all the reprints: **. Furthermore, the reprint of the 5 c value was made from the plates of the 2 1/2 c.

(Reprints)

Forgeries, example:

A proof, made by Oswald Schröder (Schoeder). I don't know the distinguishing characteristics of this forgery. Schroeder made forgeries of all four values.

Schoeder also made a forgery of the 2 1/2 c value (sorry, no images available yet).

Sperati forgeries:

Sperati forgery of a 5 c stamp (front and backside).

This Sperati forgery has a diagonal line through the first 'O' of 'CORREOS'. Sperati made 'cancelled' stamps by applying a manual cancellation. Note the weaknesses in the bottom left and right area of the design. A Sperati 'blackprint' forgery of the 5 c value (taken by tehe British Philatelic Association from the negatives from wich Sperati made the cliches for his imitations, with 'SPERATI REPRODUCTION' printed on the backside):

1869 Eagle with curved inscription 'CORREOS'

  2 1/2 c blue
  5 c green
  10 c violet
  20 c brown
  1 P red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1 P with pencancel.

Reprints:

Reprints exist, for more information see: 'An illustrated catalog of all known reprints of officially issued postage stamps and postal stationery, 1840 to 1892' by Kalckhoff, Hilckes and Evans.

This is a reprint of 1879, there are traces of scratches in the upper left corner, which seem to be identical for every reprint. The colour of the second reprint is wrong; blue instead of violet (phantasy "error").

The 1 P was also reprinted in 1879 on bluish paper aswell as one type of the 5 c (also on bluish paper). Another reprint was made on white paper in 1881 of the values 2 1/2 c, 10 c and 1 P; the design has been changed slightly because of the retouching of damaged plates. There is also a 'phantasy' reprint of the 10 c value, in the non-existant colour blue (see image above).

Forgeries:

Forgeries, reduced sizes. The 10 c has the design of the genuine 20 c.

Another forgery of the 5 c value

Forgery of the 1 P value.

This forgery exists in different shades of brown.

5 c forgeries. Note the slanting left top '5'. The last two images show this forgery in blue color. I've seen it cancelled with a pattern of dots forming a square. I've also seen this forgery in the color lilac.

Bogus colors and values. The 2 c was made by the same forger as the 10 c. I've seen the 10 c also in the color green (same forger).

1874 Various designs

  1 c green
  5 c green
  10 c violet
  20 c brown
  50 c blue
  1 P red
  2 P black on yellow
  5 P black on red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've been told that this is a forgery of the 10 c value, I have no further information.

1875 Arms

(Reduced size)

  1 c black on green
  1 c black (1877)
  1 c lilac (1885)
  1 c green (1885)
  2 1/2 c blue
  10 c violet (1879)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1875 Head of freedom

Plane and lined background

  5 c green (plane background, value green)
  5 c green (lined background, value white, 1876)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1875 Head of Berrios

  10 c violet

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

(Forgery of this stamp)

Other forgery of this stamp:

(Forgery, reduced size)

1880 Eagle in circle

  2 1/2 c blue
  2 1/2 c green
  2 1/2 c black on yellow

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1880 Head of freedom, inscription 'EE UU DE COLOMBIA' or 'ESTADOS UU DE COLOMBIA'

  5 c green
  5 c violet
  10 c violet
  10 c red
  20 c brown

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1884 Head of freedom, simplified inscription

  5 c brown
  5 c yellow
  5 c green
  10 c green
  10 c blue on blue
  10 c lilac
  20 c blue

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've been told that the next stamp is a forgery:

(Forgery)

1886 New arms type, eagle

  1 c green on red
  1 c red on lilac (1887)
  2 1/2 c black on yellow
  2 1/2 c lilac on red (1887)
  5 c blue on yellow
  5 c red on green (1887)
  5 c red on yellow (1888)
  10 c red on yellow
  10 c brown on green (1887)
  20 c violet on yellow
  50 c brown on yellow
  1 P yellow on green
  2 P green on lilac

A misprint of the 50 c exists; 50 c red on yellow instead of 50 c brown on yellow. In the sheets of the 2 1/2 c black on yellow and 10 c red on yellow also an error exists, but was scratched out, so that one stamps with no inscription exists on these sheets.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1899 New arms type, eagle, inscription 'REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA'

(Reduced sizes)

  1 c black on red
  2 1/2 c black on blue
  5 c black on yellow
  10 c black on green
  10 c brown (1893)
  20 c blue
  50 c green
  50 c brown
  1 P red
  2 P black on red
  5 P black on red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Normally these stamps are perforated 13 1/2, but imperforate stamps of the values 1 to 10 c exist, example:

1890 Provisional issue for Medellin, inscription 'R. de Colombia D de A Provisional'

  2 1/2 c black on yellow
  5 c black on yellow
  10 c black on yellow
  10 c black on red
  20 c black on yellow

For the specialist: there are 20 varieties of the 5 c and 10 varieties of all other values.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Forgeries seem to exist, I have no further information.

1891 Arms type, eagle, value in lower left corner

  1 c brown on brown
  1 c blue (1893)
  2 1/2 c violet on lilac
  2 1/2 c green (1893)
  5 c black on grey
  5 c red (1893)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1896 Arms in a circle, eagle

  2 c grey
  2 c lilac
  2 1/2 c brown
  2 1/2 c grey
  3 c red
  3 c olive
  5 c green
  5 c orange
  10 c violet
  10 c brown
  20 c yellow
  20 c blue
  50 c brown
  50 c red
  1 P blue and black
  1 P red and black
  2 P orange and black
  2 P green and black
  5 P lilac and black
  5 P violet and black

Registration stamp: inscription 'REGISTRO'

(Reduced size)

  2 1/2 c red
  2 1/2 c blue

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1899 General Cordova

  1/2 c blue
  1 c grey
  2 c brown
  3 c orange
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c red
  20 c black
  50 c yellow
  1 P black
  2 P olive

Registration stamp; inscription 'REGISTRO'

Reduced size

  2 1/2 c blue

Too late stamp; inscription 'RETARDO'

  2 1/2 c green

Imperforate stamps are remainders.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

2 1/2 c blue 'Retardo' Fournier forgery as it can be found in the Fournier Album. I don't think this forgery was actually intended to be sold as a forgery, but merely to illustrate his pricelists.

1899 Registration stamp, inscription 'UPU R No'

  10 c lilac

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1901 Value

(Reduced views)

  1 c red
  1 c red ('1' very large)
  1 c brown
  1 c blue
  1 c blue ('CENTAVO' just below '1')
  2 1/2 c lilac (inscription 'RETARDO')

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1902, inscription 'departemento de Antioquia, 1902', various designs, 1-4 c number, 5 c arms, 10-50 c picture of Girardot, 1-5 P picture of Restrepo

(Reduced view)

  1 c red
  1 c blue
  2 c blue
  2 c violet
  3 c green
  4 c violet
  5 c red
  5 c black
  10 c lilac
  20 c green
  30 c red
  40 c blue
  50 c brown on yellow
  1 P violet and black
  2 P red and black
  5 P grey and black

Registration stamp, inscription 'R'

  10 c violet on blue

Too late stamp, inscription 'RETARDO'

  2 1/2 c violet

Inscription 'AR'

  5 c black on red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1903 Stamp of Colombia overprinted with 'Habilitado Medellin AR'

  10 c black on red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1904 Inscription '1903', various designs

  4 c brown
  5 c blue
  10 c yellow
  20 c violet
  30 c brown
  40 c green
  50 c red
  1 P grey
  2 P violet
  3 P blue
  4 P red
  5 P brown
  10 P red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Postal stationary, example:

The inscription on the above card reads: 'HACIENDO Y CORREOS DEL DEPARTAMENTO', 'REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA DEPARTAMENTO DE ANTIONQUIA'

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer