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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 2

VENEZUELA Miscellaneous

Return To Catalogue - Venezuela - 'Escuelas' and 'Instruccion' stamps

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OFFICIAL STAMPS

1898 Inscription "OFICIAL"

(Reduced sizes)

  5 c green and black
  10 c red and black
  25 c blue and black
  50 c yellow and black
  1 B lilac and black

These stamps have perforation 12.

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

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

Overprinted and surcharged

(Reduced size)

  '1899 5 cms. 5' (violet or red) on 50 c yellow and black
  '1899 5 cms. 5' on 1 B lilac and black
  '1899 25 cms. 25' on 50 c yellow and black 
  '1899 25 cms. 25' (violet or red) on 1 B lilac and black
  

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

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

Overprinted '1900'

(Reduced size)

  5 c green and black
  10 c red and black
  25 c blue and black
  50 c yellow and black
  1 B lilac and black

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

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

1904 As previous type, but with value also in the two sides of the stamp

(Reduced sizes)

  5 c green and black
  10 c red and black
  25 c blue and black
  50 c red and black
  1 B red and black

These stamps have perforation 12.

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

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

1911 As previous type, but arms slightly changed

  5 c green and black
  10 c red and black
  25 c blue and black
  50 c violet and black
  1 B yellow and black

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

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

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

It seems that some postage stamps of 1915-1928 were perforated with 'GN' (two types of perforation exist).

LOCAL ISSUES

1902 Local issues for the port of Carupano

Six stamps were issued, five of them with inscription "CORREOS DE VENEZUELA Carupano 1902 No hay estampillas PROVISORIO" (5 c violet on red, 25 c violet on green, 50 c green on yellow and 1 B blue on red).
Another stamp with inscription "CORREOS DE VENEZUELA Carpupano: 1902 NO HAY ESTAMPILLAS Sello provisorio" (10 c black on red in a smaller design).
The last stamps of 1 B black on yellow has the text "INSTRUCCION SELLO PROVISIONAL CAPUPANO: 1902".

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

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

1902 Issue for Carupano, inscription "CORREOS VALE B."

(Reduced sizes, genuine I presume)

  0,05 red on yellow
  0,10 green on yellow
  0,25 black on orange
  0,50 blue on red
  1,00 violet on grey
  2,00 red on green
  5,00 violet on blue

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

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

Forgeries, examples:

In the above forgery the 'a' of 'Vale' is perfect, in the genuine stamps, the top part is missing.

(forgeries, reduced sizes)

Another forgery has the 'C' of 'Correos' much lower than the other letters of this word, see pictures above.

More information on forgeries can be found at http://www.mystamps.net/venezuela/identificacion/tiritas.html.

Dubious copies of the 0.50 value. This block of 5 (1/2) stamps was signed as genuine on the back, but it looks very much like a Raoul de Thuin forgery. The distinguishing characteristics for the 0.50 value of the Thuin forgery are: an opening at the right bottom part of the second 'o' of 'Correos'.

1906 Round stamps with manuscript overprint, Tachira issue, inscription "EE UU DE VENEZUELA AGENCIA PRINCIPAL DE ESTAMPILAS", in Spanish language they are known as "AREPITAS DEL TÁCHIRA"

(Reduced sizes)

  (5 c) black on green
  (10 c) black on red
  (25 c) black on blue

These stamps are cut in round shape and they are quite rare. There is considerable doubt about the authenticity of these stamps, they could very well be bogus issues alltogether. It is even believed that they were made years after 1903. More information can be found on: http://www.mystamps.net/venezuela/identificacion/arepitas.html (in Spanish).

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

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

1903 Issues for Guayana and Maturin during a revolt

Arms, inscription "ESTADO GUAYANA"

  5 c black on red
  10 c black on orange
  25 c black on blue
  50 c black on yellow
  1 B black on grey

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

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

The genuine stamps have 9 horizontal ornaments in the design. The forgeries have 10 horizontal ornaments. Examples of forgeries:

(Forgeries!)

All stamps with inscription 'COREOS' (with one 'R') are forgeries. These stamps are very rare on letters. More information can be found on http://www.mystamps.net/venezuela/identificacion/guayana01.html (in Spanish).

Sailship

Inscription "Correos de Venezuela ESTADO GUAYANA"

(Genuine! See the "O" from ESTADO vertically aligned with the "C" of "CORREOS")

All forgeries! Forgeries outnumber genuine stamps by a large number.

  5 c black on grey
  10 c black on red
  25 c black on lilac
  50 c black on blue
  1 B black on yellow

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

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

Inscription "Correos de Venezuela ESTADO MATURIN"

(Genuine! See the "O" from ESTADO vertically aligned with the"C" of "CORREOS")

(Forgery)

(Typical cancellation: "CORREOS MATURIN" on forgery, reduced size)

  5 c black on red
  10 c black on blue
  25 c black on yellow
  50 c black on red
  1 B black on grey

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

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

Inscription "Correos de Venezuela Distrito Marino"

  5 c black on red
  10 c black on yellow
  25 c black on grey
  50 c black on red
  1 B black on blue

Two types seem to exist; type I: 'Distrito' and 'Marino' same size, type 2: 'Distrito' smaller than 'Marino'.

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

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

Forgeries exist (by the way, I'm not sure if the above shown stamps are genuine).

(Reduced size)

Even letters with these stamps turn up, the above letter is probably entirely forged. It has a cancel with a horse facing to the left.

1903 Sun, inscription "INSTRUCCION"

Inscription "ESTADO GUAYANA" 

1 Bolivar and 1 "BOLIVARES" error.

(Reduced size)

  50 c red
  1 B blue
  2 1/2 B green
  5 B black
  10 B violet

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

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

Inscription "ESTADO MATURIN"

Reduced size

  10 B violet

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

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

Inscription "Distrito Marino"

  10 B violet

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

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

Bejuma

1854 - These stamps were issued 5 years before the first official stamp of Venezuela. These stamps can be found with the inscription "Franca" or "Debe". "Franca" was used then the sender paid the post, and "Debe" when the recipient had to pay the letter. Some experts on Venezuela claim that all this stamps are fakes because there never existed a railroad between the cities Bejuma and Valencia, the cities were these stamps were intended to be used. Whatever may be, these stamps were never used. Recent studies have shown that a railroad was indeed planned, but never carried out, so these stamps might be genuine (but non issued) (information thanks to Williams Castillo).

Correo de Coro y La Vela

1867 Inscription 'Correo de Coro a la Vela y viceversa'

These stamps were used to send mail by railroad between the cities 'Coro' and 'La Vela' (and viceversa). In this series are two kind of stamps: Black on white and black on yellow. There are two known varieties: tete-beche and the misprint 'Corrco' instead of 'Correo' (information thanks to Williams Castillo).

(probably a forgery)

The above black on pink is probably a forgery. This stamp was printed very clear and each line is very clear as in the black on yellow stamp above. The lines in the above forgery are different (information given to me by Williams Castillo).

1889 Pigeon carrying mail

These stamps were also used to send mail between those two cities. They are knwon in Venezuela as 'PALOMITAS' (=pidgeon). There are copies with and without the overprint 'Resellada (?) CORREO DEL KOMERCIO'. They can also be found with the word 'OFICIAL' or 'PORTE LIBRE' (free of charge), instead of the value. This series cover seven issues (1/2 Real, 1r, 2r, 3r, 4r, Oficial and Porte Libre) (information thanks to Williams Castillo). He has also shown me stamps with the pigeon inverted (all 7 values), example:

(Official stamp, with inverted pigeon, reduced size)

1895 - Train, inscription "CORO Y LA VELA EXPRESO"

This is a semi-official stamp used for special deliveries between the cities of Coro and La Vela. Only one value was issued: 5 cents in a grayish blue (information thanks to Williams Castillo). Inscription "CORO Y LA VELA EXPRESSO" with an image of a steam train.

1876 Petare

Issued by Sociedad Progresista de Petare to special deliveries between this town and Caracas. Engraved, oval, white on violet. (Text and image thanks to Williams Castillo). The inscription reads "SOCIEDAD PROGRESISTA DE PETARE CORREO entre CARACAS y PETARE".

Merida

I obtained the above image thanks to Williams Castillo, it has the inscription "Centenario Merida" with a star in the center. I had never seen this stamp before. It seems to have been issued in 1882 in Merida. More information concerning these stamps can be found on http://www.mystamps.net/web/estrellamerida.html (in Spanish).

Other

1929 Non issued stamp, inscription 'CORREOS DE VENEZUELA EJERCITO REVOLUCIONARIO':

(Reduced size)

This stamp was intended to serve under a revolutionary movement led by Simon Ubina and was printed in the mountains of the state Falcon in 1929. Ubina tried in vain to take control of Venezuela from La Vela. He was arrested several times and several times he fled (information passed to me by William Castillo). These stamps were never placed in actual use.

1905 Provisional issue for Zulia, inscription 'CORREOS DEL ESTADO SOBERNAO DEL ZULIA'

  5 c violet
  10 c red

These stamps have perforation 13 1/2.

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

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

Telegraph stamps

1897 Inscription 'TELEGRAFOS VENEZUELA'

(Reduced sizes)

  25 c green
  50 c grey
  75 c violet
  1 B yellow
  2 B blue
  3 B red

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer