PORTO RICO (Puerto Rico), part 2

Return To Catalogue - Puerto Rico, part 1 - Puerto Rico, part 3 - Coamo

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Puerto Rico, part 1

1877-1879 King Alfonso XII

Inscription 'Pto-RICO 1877'

  5 c brown
  10 c red
  15 c green
  25 c blue
  50 c brown

These stamps are perforated 14.

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

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

Inscription 'Pto-RICO 1878'

  5 c olive
  10 c brown
  25 c green
  50 c blue
  1 P olive

These stamps are perforated 14.

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

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

Inscription 'Pto-RICO 1879'

  5 c red
  10 c brown
  15 c green
  25 c blue
  50 c green
  1 P grey

These stamps are perforated 14.

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

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

Imperforate printer waste and printer waste of a 50 c stamp, printed together with a Impuesta stamp of Spain.

1880-1884 King Alfonso XII, new design

Inscription 'PUERTO-RICO 1880'

  1/4 c green
  1/2 c red
  1 c lilac
  2 c grey
  3 c brown
  4 c black
  5 c green
  10 c red
  15 c brown
  25 c blue
  40 c grey
  50 c brown
  1 P olive

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

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

Inscription 'PUERTO-RICO 1881'

  1/2 m red
  1 m violet
  2 m red
  4 m green
  6 m grey
  8 m blue
  1 c green
  2 c red
  3 c brown
  5 c blue
  8 c brown
  10 c grey
  20 c olive

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

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

Inscription 'PUERTO-RICO'

  1/2 m red
  1 m red
  2 m lilac
  4 m grey
  6 m brown
  8 m green
  1 c green
  2 c red
  3 c yellow
  5 c blue
  8 c brown
  10 c green
  20 c grey
  40 c bleu
  80 c olive

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

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

Typical cancel:

I've been told that the next imperforate stamp is a forgery, I have no further information (if anybody has more information, please contact me!):

Primitive forgery of the 1880 issue, wrong color: 5 c black on lilac.

1890 Alfonso XIII, 'babyface'

  1/2 m de P black
  1/2 m de P olive
  1/2 m de P red-brown
  1/2 m de P lilac
  1 m de P green
  1 m de P lilac
  1 m de P blue
  1 m de P brown
  2 m de P red
  2 m de P brown
  2 m de P orange
  2 m de P light green
  4 m de P greenish black
  4 m de P blue
  4 m de P light brown
  4 m de P green
  6 m de P brown
  6 m de P red
  8 m de P olive
  8 m de P light green
  1 c de P red-brown
  1 c de P green
  1 c de P lilac brown
  1 c de P red 
  2 c de P red-brown
  2 c de P lilac
  3 c de P blue
  3 c de P orange
  3 c de P olive-green
  3 c de P red-brown
  4 c de P blue
  4 c de P brown
  5 c de P brown
  5 c de P green
  5 c de P blue
  6 c de P orange
  6 c de P violet
  8 c de P blue
  8 c de P brown
  8 c de P violet
  8 c de P red
  10 c de P red
  20 c de P red
  20 c de P violet
  20 c de P olive
  40 c de P orange
  40 c de P blue
  40 c de P red
  80 c de P green
  80 c de P orange
  80 c de P black

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

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

Overprinted 'Habilitado PARA 1898 y 99.'

  1/2 m de P lilac
  1 m de P brown
  2 m de P light green
  4 m de P green
  1 c de P red
  2 c de P red-brown
  3 c de P blue
  3 c de P red-brown
  4 c de P brown
  4 c de P blue
  5 c de P light-green
  5 c de P blue
  6 c de P violet
  8 c de P red
  20 c de P olive
  40 c de P red
  80 c de P black

Double and inverted overprints exist for almost all values.

Double and inverted overprints

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

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

War stamps: overprinted 'IMPUESTO DE GUERRA.' (1898)

Inverted overprint

  1 c brown (overpirnted in violet)
  2 c lilac (overprinted in violet)
  2 c red-brown (overprinted in violet)
  5 c green (overprinted in violet)
  '2 ctvs' on 2 m orange (overprinted in violet or red)
  '2 ctvs' on 5 c green (overprinted in red or black)
  '3 ctvs' on 10 c red 
  '4 ctvs' on 20 c red
  '5 ctvs' on 1/2 m brown (overprinted in red or violet)
  '5 ctvs' on 1 m red-brown (overprinted in violet)
  '5 ctvs' on 1 m lilac (overprinted in red)
  '5 ctvs' on 1 m blue (overprinted in red)
  '5 ctvs' on 5 c green (overprinted in red)

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

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

Typical cancel of this period 'SAN JUAN' in a double circle.

Forgeries:

Sperati reproductions of the 6 m brown and 80 c green values. In the 80 c Sperati forgeries that I have seen there is a green dot just next to the left frameline level with the top of the head of the King.

The following text was found in The Philatelic Record June 1901, page 188, concerning forged 'Habilitado para 1898 y 99' overprints in the Correspondence section:
"Porto Rico: Forgeries. Dear Sir,—As you are no doubt aware, a dangerous forgery of the " Habilitado para 1898 y 1899" Porto Rico surcharge was recently placed on the American market, and a number of United States dealers and collectors were victimized. It is probable that an attempt may be made to play the same trick in this country. At any rate, we have received a consignment of 2,000 stamps from a Mr. Francisco Ramis, of Caguas (Porto Rico) for which he asks " tres libras esterlinas." The bulk of the lot is made up of the two counterfeits, of which we enclose specimens.—Yours faithfully, Alfred Smith & Son. London, 3rd June, 1901."

Puerto Rico, part 3

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer