Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 2

SPAIN, INSCRIPTION 'COMUNICACIONES' 1874-1889

Return To Catalogue - Spain overview - Spain 'Comunicaciones' 1870-1873

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For other issues of Spain with inscription 'Comunicaciones' (issued from 1870 to 1873) click here.

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.

I have seen forgeries of these stamps, examples:

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'. 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 made a forgery of at least the 4 P value (sorry, no picture available yet). 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

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:

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). He also seems to have added the blue-framed number 22 backprint. It was handstamped 'SPERATI REPRODUCTION' on the reverse by the British Philatelic Association in violet.

(Front and backside of the 4 P Sperati forgery)

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'.

1876 Alfonso XII, Inscription 'COMUNICACIONES'

40 c brown Telegraph cancel

  5 c brown
  10 c blue
  20 c green
  25 c brown
  40 c brown
  50 c green
  1 P blue
  4 P lilac
  10 P red

For the specialist: this issue has watermark 'tower' and perforation 14. Stamps with holes are used telegraphically (value * to ***).
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
5 c * *
10 c * c
20 c *** ***
25 c * *
40 c *** ***
50 c ** **
1 P *** ***
4 P *** ***
10 P R RR

1878 King Alfonso XII facing the right

  2 c brown
  5 c orange
  10 c brown
  20 c black
  25 c olive
  40 c brown
  50 c green
  1 P grey
  4 P violet
  10 P blue

These stamps have perforation 14. Stamps with holes are used telegraphically (value * to ***).
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 RR RR
25 c *** *
40 c RR RR
50 c *** ***
1 P *** ***
4 P RR RR
10 P RR RR

Sperati seems to have made forgeries of the 20 c, 40 c, 4 P and the 10 P (two types). Images of these stamps can be found at http://www.graus.com.

1889 Babyface (King Alfonso XIII), Inscription 'COMUNICACIONES'

  2 c green
  2 c black
  5 c blue
  5 c green
  10 c brown
  10 c red
  15 c brown
  15 c yellow (official stamp)
  20 c green
  25 c blue
  30 c grey
  40 c brown
  50 c red
  75 c red
  1 P purple
  4 P red
  10 P red

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 green	*	c
2 c black	*	*
5 c blue	*	c
5 c green	**	*
10 c brown	*	c
10 c red	***	*
15 c brown	*	vc
15 c yellow	*	*	Official stamp
20 c	**	*
25 c	*	c
30 c	**	c
40 c	***	*
50 c	***	c
75 c	***	*
1 P	***	c
4 P	R	**
10 P	RR	***

(This stamp has the 'punched hole cancel' repaired, pretending to be an unused 1 P stamp)

Postal stationery exists in the same design: 5 c green, 10 c brown, 10 c red, 15 c blue, 15 c and brown.

A mystery stamp in the above design, with the portrait of Queen Victoria of Great Britain(?) in the center

For stamps of Spain issued from 1900 to 1920 click here.

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

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer

Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 2