NICARAGUA

Return To Catalogue - Nicaragua 1900-1920 - Fiscal stamps and fiscal stamps used for postal purposes - Nicaragua miscellaneous

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1862 Mountains view, perforated or rouletted

  1 c brown
  2 c blue
  5 c black
  10 c red
  25 c green

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

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

Cancels

Cork cancels and star cancel

Mute cancel consisting of concentric rings

I've seen mute cancels consisting of concentric rings (at least two types) and an ellipse made out of horizontal bars.

Cancels consising of a number and a letter:

'1S' in a triangle cancels of San Juan del Sur.

'3G' cancel of Granada

'5 M' cancel from Masaya and '7 L' cancels from León

'8 CH' cancel from Chinandega

A similar '2R' cancel was used in Rivas.
Some '6M' cancels were used in Managua; I've seen two types '6M' in an ellipse and '6M' in a rectangle.
Some '9C' cancels were use in Corinto; I've seen two types '9C' in an ellipse and '9C' in a rectangle.

The cancels are:
'1 S' in a square with cut off upper corners for San Juan del Sur
'2 R' in a rectangle with cut off upper corners for Rivas
'3 G' in a octangonal for Granada
'4 J' in a double rectangle for Jinotepe
'5 M' in a rectangle for Masaya
'6 M' in an ellipse for Managua
'7 L' in a double ellipse for Leon
'8 CH' in a rectangle for Chinandega
'9 C' in a rectangle with half circle on top for Corintho
'10 O' in a half circle for Ocotal
'11 M' in a circle for Matagalpa
'12 J' in a double ellipse for Jinotega
'13 N' in a rectangle with squeezed sided for San Juan del Norte

I've also seen circular date stamps from Managua in the colours lilac and blue.

I've also seen an elliptic cancel with 'GRANADA' written straight in the center (no date).

Forgeries of these stamps:

Forgeries made by Spiro were already described in 'The Stamp Collector's Magazine' in 1864 (1st October, page 156).

Spiro forgery of the 1 c:

The easiest way to recognize this forgery is its cancel (a typical Spiro cancel), which was probably never used in Nicaragua. Furthermore there is a small dark object above the 'ENT' of 'CENTAVO', in this forgery it is triangular and larger than in the genuine stamps (where it is rounded). For the specialist: this forgery is lithographed while the genuine stamps are engraved.

Forgery of the 2 c:

Note the weird perforation on this forgery

Other primitive forgery of the 2 c

Spiro also made a forgery of the 2 c:

Spiro forgery of the 2 c value

Primitive forgery of the 2 c with too small '2's and wrong inscription 'CORREOS' at the left hand side, instead of 'PORTE'.

Forgery of the 2 c with totally different tree on the right upper side. I've also seen it with a pattern consisting of lozenges.

Forgeries of the 5 c:

The inscription should read 'CORREOS' at the left side, in the above forgeries this has been replaced by 'PORTE'. The above forgeries are probably made by Spiro. At least five other forgeries exist of this stamp. Another forgery:

(Image obtained from Bill Claghorn's forgery site)

Other forgeries of the 5 c value

Primitive forgery of the 5 c value in black on yellow, 5 c black on lilac and 5 c brown forgery. I've seen the same forgery in the colors red and blue.

Forgery of the 10 c:

In the above Spiro forgery of the 10 c, the letters are larger than in the genuine stamps (compare for example the shape of the 'O' of 'PORTE').

Other forgery of the 10 c value with the '10's in the corners too small. I've also seen it with a cancel consisting of parallel lines.

Forgeries of the 25 c:

Left image obtained thanks to Bill Claghorn. The above forgeries were made by the forger Spiro.

Another primitive forgery of the 25 c value.

And another forgery type of the 1 c and 2 c value.

1882 Rectangular stamps with mountains in a triangle

Inscription 'UNION POSTAL UNIVERSAL MAYO 1882'

  1 c green
  2 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c grey
  15 c yellow
  20 c grey
  50 c violet

These stamps have perforation 12.

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

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

I've seen mute cancels consisting of concentric circles on this issue.

Violet 'CORINTO' cancel in a circle (no date), I've seen similar cancels with 'LEON', 'MANAGUA', 'MANAGUA' or 'NORTE' in the center (all in violet).

1890 Train and telegraph in a shield

Inscription "U.P.U 1890, CORREOS Y TELEGRAFOS"

  1 c brown
  2 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c grey
  20 c red
  50 c violet
  1 P brown
  2 P green
  5 P red
  10 P orange

These stamps have perforation 12.

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints. Seebeck printed the stamps for free, which were then reprinted after the stamps were no longer valid. Remainders also had to be send back to Seebeck. Under the Seebeck contract, Nicaragua issued 128 postage stamps, 139 Official stamps, 41 postage due stamps and 66 telegraph stamps (source: http://www.linns.com/howto/refresher/seebeck_20050613/refreshercourse.asp?uID= ). These reprints are almost impossible to distinguish from the genuine stamps and also exist with forged cancels.

1891 Woman, inscription "UPU 1891"

  1 c brown
  2 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c grey
  20 c red
  50 c lilac
  1 P brown
  2 P green
  5 P red
  10 P orange

These stamps have perforation 12.

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1892 Columbus discovering America, inscription 'UPU 1892'

  1 c brown
  2 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c grey
  20 c red
  50 c violet
  1 P brown
  2 P green
  5 P red
  10 P orange

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1893 Mountains inscription 'UPU 1893'

  1 c brown
  2 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c grey
  20 c red
  50 c violet
  1 P brown
  2 P green
  5 P red
  10 P orange

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1894 Woman, inscription "UPU 1894"

  1 c brown
  2 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c black
  20 c red
  25 c green
  50 c violet
  1 P brown
  2 P green
  5 P red
  10 P orange

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

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

The first three stamps exist overprinted 'Mosquito Provisional'.

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1895 Arms of Nicaragua inscription "UNION POSTAL UNIVERSAL 1895"

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

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1896-97 Map of Nicaragua

inscription "UPU 1896"

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

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

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

Inscription "UPU 1897"

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

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1898 Arms of Nicaragua, inscription "Republica Mayor de Centro America UPU 1896"

  1 c brown
  2 c black
  4 c brown
  5 c olive
  10 c violet
  15 c blue
  20 c blue
  50 c yellow
  1 P blue
  2 P brown
  5 P orange

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

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

The 4 c has erroneous inscription 'CUARTRO' (this error was never corrected).

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints.

1899 Inscription "Correos Estado de Nicaragua UPU 1899"

  1 c green
  2 c brown
  4 c red
  5 c blue
  10 c orange
  15 c brown
  20 c green
  50 c red
  1 P red
  2 P lilac
  5 P blue

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

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

These stamps were printed by Seebeck, who made a large number of reprints. This set was the last one to be printed by Seebeck in Nicaragua.

For stamps of Nicaragua issued after 1899, click here.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer