SPAIN, INSCRIPTION 'COMUNICACIONES' 1874-1875

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For other issues of Spain with inscription 'Comunicaciones' (issued from 1870 to 1872) click here, or here for the 1873 issue.

1874 Justice

2 c yellow 40 p violet Telegraphic cancel, hole

  2 c yellow
  5 c lilac
  10 c blue
  25 c brown
  40 c violet
  50 c orange
  1 P green
  4 P red
  10 P black

These stamps have perforation 14.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
2 c	***	**
5 c	***	**
10 c	**	*
20 c	R	R
25 c	***	***
40 c	R	**
50 c	***	**
1 P	***	***	With hole cancel: c
4 P	RR	RR	With hole cancel: **
10 P	RR	RRR	With hole cancel: ***

Stamps with a hole are used for telegraphic purposes (and are of much less value). Two errors exist: the 25 c in the wrong colour violet and the 40 c in the wrong colour brown (both very rare).

Similar stamps with inscription 'DERECHO JUDICIAL' are fiscal stamps of the Spanish Westindies.

Postal forgeries

Postal forgeries of the 10 c and 1 P values

Block of four 10 c postal forgeries.

Postal forgeries exist of the values 10 c, 1 P, 4 P and 10 P (2 types). They are fully described in the book 'Postal Forgeries of the World' by H.F.L. Fletcher.

Philatelic forgeries

I have seen forgeries of these stamps, examples:

Segui forgeries:

Imperforate pair of 20 c Segui forgeries

Zoom-in on the horizontal line in the Segui forgeries.

Probably all Segui forgeries.

The Segui forgeries have a thick horizontal line joining the upper left ornamental triangle with the central circle (just besides the second 'C' of 'COMUNICACIONES'). There is also a white spot in the 'S' of 'ESPANA' (not always visible?). I have also seen a Segui forgery of the 1 P value. I've also seen imperforate Segui forgeries of the 5 c and 20 c values.

Sperati forgeries:

Sperati forgeries of the 4 P and 10 P values.

Sperati made a forgery of the 4 P value (both cancelled and uncancelled). It can be distinguished by the fact that it has a broken second 'I' of 'COMUNICACIONES', it appears as if there is a dot on this 'I'. The 'A' of this same word has a bad right leg. There is a break in the 'S' of 'PESETA' and finally there is a dot to the right side of the leg of the second 'A' of 'ESPANA'.
Sperati also made a forgery of the 10 P value. It has a broken first 'N' in 'COMUNICACIONES', the second 'E' of 'PESETAS' is broken at the top and the '1' of '1874' has a black spot at the left hand side.

Other forgeries:

(Forgeries)

1874 Arms of Spain, Inscription 'COMUNICACIONES'

  10 c brown

This stamp has perforation 14. Similar stamps exists with inscription 'ULTRAMAR 1875', issued for Cuba. Postal stationery in the same design exists: 5 c de peseta violet (issued 1875).

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
10 c	**	c

I've been told that this is a postal forgery of this stamp.

1875 Alfonso XII, Inscription 'COMUNICACIONES'

1 P black

  2 Cs Peseta brown
  5 Cs Peseta lilac
  10 Cs Peseta blue
  20 Cs Peseta orange
  25 Cs Peseta red
  40 Cs Peseta brown
  50 Cs Peseta violet
  1 Peseta black
  4 Peseta green
  10 Peseta blue

The above stamps are printed on paper with a blue security print on the back with a number varying from 1 to 100. Postal stationery in the value 5 c blue exists (issued 1876).

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
2 c	***	**
5 c	***	***
10 c	**	c
20 c	R	R
25 c	***	***
40 c	***	***
50 c	R	***
1 P	R	R
4 P	RR	RR
10 P	RR	RR

These Stamps with inscription 'Ultramar' see Cuba

Telegraphic cancels (a punched hole) can often be found on the higher values (value: * to ***):

Telegraph cancel (hole)

I have seen some of the higher values with forged postal cancel.

Forgeries exist, examples:

Imperforate forgeries, most likely made by Segui?

Some kind of cut from a souvenir card, which was perforated?

Sperati forgeries

I know that Sperati made forgeries of the 4 Peseta and 10 Peseta stamps. The next picture is a Sperati reproduction of the 4-pesetas stamp, it seems to have appeared for the first time in 1942. On this forgery the paper, perforation, and cancel are all genuine. He made this forgery by chemically removing the design of a stamp of low value (leaving the cancel intact). The following forgery was handstamped 'SPERATI REPRODUCTION' on the reverse by the British Philatelic Association in violet:

Front and backside of the 4 P Sperati forgery. Sperati also forged the background pattern (he used the numbers '3', '17', '21', '22', '23', '31', '50' and '80'.

Sperati forgeries of the 4 P and 10 P stamps.

The distinghuishing characteristics of the 4 P Sperati forgery:

1) A triangular flaw appears under the tip of the nose
2) The top right of the first 'O' of 'COMUNICACIONES' is faulty, there is a white dot in the center of the 'M' of this word and a white dot in the lower left part of the first 'N' of the same word
3) There are also some errors in the word 'PESETAS', such as a break in the head of the 'P', a break in the bottom of the first 'S' etc.

The distinghuishing characteristics of the 10 P Sperati forgery:

1) There is a small break in the bottom of the circular outline of the lower left ornament (with the lion).
2) The bottom of the 'P' of 'PESETAS' is broken at the left.
3) There is a break in the ellipse above the 'T' of 'PESETAS'.

Inscription 'Comunicaciones' 1876-1889

Stamps - Briefmarken - Timbres-Poste - Postzegels - Francobolli - Estampillas