Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 2

MEXICO 1856-1863

Mexique - Mexiko

Return To Catalogue - Mexico Overview - Mexico forgeries of the first issue

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase it.

Upto about 1882 a security overprint with the name of the city or a number was applied to most Mexican stamps (stamps without this overprint were not supposed to be valid for use). This security overprint was applied to prevent stolen stamps from being used.

A nice website on the early issues of Mexico can be found at: http://oneof.stampsofmexico.org/.

1856 Head of Hidalgo, inscription "CORREOS MEJICO", inscriptions in white

Coloured stamps on white paper

  1/2 r blue
  1 r yellow
  2 r green
  4 r red
  8 r lilac

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
1/2 r blue	RR	R	About 800000 stamps printed
1 r yellow	R	***	Also exists in orange, 1.4 million stamps printed
2 r green	R	***	1.6 million stamps printed
4 r red	RR	R	About 160000 stamps printed
8 r lilac	RR	RR	About 100000 stamps printed

The number of stamps printed obtained from http://www.regencystamps.com/Mexico.shtml (nice website with plenty of information by the way). The portrait of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was chosen for the design of the first stamps of Mexico.

Black stamps on coloured paper (1861)

  1/2 r black on brown
  1 r black on green
  2 r black on red
  4 r black on yellow
  8 r black on brown

A 2 r black on yellow seems to exist (misprint?).

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
1/2 r	R	R	194000 stamps printed
1 r	R	***	821000 stamps printed
2 r	R	***	925000 stamps printed
4 r	RR	R	103000 stamps printed
8 r	RR	RR	63000 stamps printed

The number of stamps printed obtained from http://www.regencystamps.com/Mexico.shtml.

Coloured stamps on coloured paper (1861)

  4 r red on yellow
  8 r green on brown

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
4 r	RR	R	Number of stamps printed unknown
8 r	RRR	RR	Number of stamps printed unknown

Overprinted 'Mexico' in fancy (gothic) letters (1867)

  1/2 r black on brown
  1/2 r grey
  1 r black on green
  1 r blue
  2 r black on red
  2 r green
  4 r red
  4 r red on yellow
  4 r lilac
  8 r black on brown
  8 r green on brown

This gothic overprint was made after Emperor Maximilian was overthrown in1867. Two slightly different handstamps were issued to make the 'Mexico' overprint. The values 1/2 r grey, 1 r blue, 2 r green and 4 r lilac were printed on bluish paper with sheet watermark 'R.S.P'. I'm not really sure if these last four values were always issued with the 'Mexico' overprint, any information would be welcome on this subject.

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
1/2 r black on brown	RRR	RRR
1/2 r grey	RRR	RRR
1 r black on green	RR	R
1 r blue	RRR	RR
2 r black on red	R	***
2 r green	RR	R
4 r red	RRR	RRR
4 r red on yellow	RR	R
4 r lilac	RRR	RR
8 r black on brown	RRR	RRR
8 r green on brown	RRR	RRR

A nice website on the security overprints can be found at: http://overprints.stampsofmexico.org/Issues/1856_district_overprints.htm.

Reprints:

Illegal reprints seemed to have been made with cleaned original printing plates. They are very difficult to distinguish and differ in paper and color. They also exist with forged district overprints and forged cancels and were made between 1892 and 1906. If my information is correct mainly the 4 r and 8 r values were affected (and the 1/2 r 1861 issue). In 1902 another set of reprints appeared made with stolen printing plates. These second reprints apparently are easier to detect. I have no further information.

I've been told that these are reprints.

Possibly other reprints.

For cancels on the first issue, click here.

Bisected stamps:

The next bisected stamp of a 8 r value with a cancel of Durango is genuine:

Forgeries:

For Mexico forgeries of the first issue, click here

For stamps of Mexico from 1864 to 1865, click here.

Stamps - Timbres-Poste - Estampillas - Sellos