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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 2

BOLIVIA 1868-1896

Return To Catalogue - Bolivia 1867 issue - Bolivia 1897-1920

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Bolivia 1867 issue

1868 Arms of Bolivia

With 9 stars in the design

  1 c red
  2 c violet
  5 c green
  5 c blue
  10 c red
  10 c orange
  10 c yellow
  20 c green
  50 c blue
  50 c red
  100 c orange
  100 c yellow
  500 c black

With 11 stars in the design

  1 c red
  2 c violet
  5 c green
  5 c blue
  10 c red
  10 c orange
  50 c blue
  100 c orange
  500 c black

For the specialist: these stamps were first issued with perforation 12. The type with 11 stars was also issued with rouletted perforation in 1887. A few values (1 c red, 2 c violet, 5 c blue, 10 c yellow and 20 c green) were issued lithographed with perforation 11.

Lithographed stamps

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

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

Forgeries, examples:

These forgeries can be recognized by the fact that the background in the circle is plain, instead of consisting of horizontal lines as in the genuine stamps. The 500 c stamps have inscription 'QUINHENTOS' instead of 'QUINIENTOS', the 'Q' of this word is very squeezed.

The forgeries above have typical forgers cancels (this cancel was never used in Bolivia). They were made by Spiro. The inscription of the 50 c forgery reads 'CINCOENTA' instead of 'CINCUENTA'.

Forgery, probably a cut from some kind of souvenir card.

Another forgery of the 1 c value in the wrong color grey.

Forgery of the 10 c red with printed perforation.

A forgery made by the famous forger Sperati, I don't know the distinguishing characteristics of this forgery.

I've also seen another forgery of the 10 c and 50 c with only one mountain peak and the numbers '50' different (sorry, no image available yet).

1878 Arms with book

  5 c blue
  10 c orange
  20 c green
  50 c red

These stamps have perforation 12.

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

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

1894 New arms type, inscription 'Correos de Bolivia' in a circle

(reduced views)

  1 c yellow
  2 c red
  5 c green
  10 c brown
  20 c blue
  50 c lilac
  100 c red

These stamps have perforation 14.

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

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

With "FAUX" overprint

(Reprints with forged cancels)

Many of these stamps are reprints (exists also with cancellation). Among them a 'misprint': 10 c blue. These reprints have other perforations 13 1/2 or 13, while genuine stamps are printed with perforation 14 or 14 1/2. They are also printed on thicker paper (Paris unauthorized reprints?). I've seen whole sheets of 100 stamps (10x10) with forged cancels of these reprints.

Overprinted 'E.F. 1899' in a rectangle (1898)
(used in north Bolivia during the civil war)

(Genuine overprint)

  1 c yellow
  2 c red
  5 c green
  10 c brown
  20 c blue
  50 c lilac (not officially issued!)
  100 c red (not officially issued!)

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

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

The overprint 'EF' stands for 'Estado Federal'.

Many forged overprints exist. Examples:

The forger Fournier offers the values 1 to 20 c (5 stamps) in his 1914 pricelist for 2 Swiss Francs. I don't posess a picture of such a forgery, but the next image shows an imprint of the forged 'E.F.1899' overprint as found in the Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries (which was distributed after Fournier died as a guide to detect Fournier forgeries):

Some forged Fournier cancels of Bolivia (the 'BOLIVIA' in a box cancel was used on forged 2 B 1897 stamps) and the forged 'E.F.1899' overprint as found in the Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries.

The forger Bela Szekula made fraudulent printings of this issue, I have no further information.

Postal stationery in the same design ('TARJETA POSTAL'):

(2 c blue on lilac)

In The Philatelic Record of September 1901, page 210, the following text on forged 'E.F. 1899' overprints can be found:
Forged Bolivia. " We have only recently found out that we have been selling forgeries of the Bolivian stamps of 1894, surcharged 'EF. 1899.' say Messrs - Stanley Gibbons in the Monthly Journal for July. And they forthwith offer to refund the money paid for these forgeries. And as to the history of these forgeries : They had them from " our friend Mr. E. Gainsborg, of Paris, who had them from a party in Bolivia, whom he believed to be quite reliable," and whose name should, we suggest, have been given pro bono publico. The original disseminator of forgeries cannot be too boldly placarded. If we would only put heads together, and in every case hunt up and expose the original source, we should do much to protect all concerned in the uprooting of Philatelic weeds, and the punishment of Philatelicrogues.

For stamps of Bolivia from the period 1897-1920 click here.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer