This lithograph stone had been stored since the 1970s. It was about time for it to see the light again!

After Charles Lindbergh became the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean flying, his fame took him on the “Good Will Tour”. Costa Rica was one of many stops. 

At the end of 1927, the Costa Rican government commissioned Antolín Chinchilla to create the official surcharge’s lithograph stone of 100 positions. At the same time, he used the original die to create a smaller one of 25 positions. 

This 25 positions lithograph stone is known as a private lithograph stone.

I was lucky enough to purchase this RARE item. Maybe because I insisted enough, but definitely because of a great philatelist’s great heart. 

After purchasing this lithograph stone, I started looking for someone who would be able to make reprints using the same methods from that time. 

After almost 2 years I was able to find the right people! 

These prints are made using lithographic techniques in a manual and meticulous way. 

They’re printed in two colors (red and blue), and they’re limited to 50 numbered copies each. 

They’re printed with the best inks and on acid-free paper. 

The price is $65 per sheet (red or blue) or $120 per pair (red + blue). Registered airmail shipping is FREE. 

Please pick your items to buy

Lindbergh Reprints

2 sheets (red + blue) $120.00 USD 1 sheet (red) $65.00 USD 1 sheet (blue) $65.00 USD

The post Costa Rica Scott 147 Lindbergh Surcharge Reprints For Sale! appeared first on Costa Rica Stamps.

With the same decree that authorized the base stamp on June 12th, 1923, the government authorized to overprint the issue for official use. This official stamp with double perforation is truly an awesome piece of Costa Rican philately.

Official stamp with double perforation. So, this might be a hint on why a stamp with double perforation was overprinted without noticing it and was sold to the public…well, there are other reasons, but the most important is that Jesus Jimenez’s was one of the first issues to be fully produced in Costa Rica.

It was printed by Litografía Nacional which had neither a decent quality control nor apparently cared at all for it.

This stamp in particular has a double horizontal perforation at the top.

It is important to state that although this error is somewhat more common in the lower values from this issue, it’s not that common in the 1 colón stamp.

In one of our previous posts, we shared some errors from this issue, but we had no errors to show from the 1 colón.

Make sure to review our tips for stamp collecting in the XXI century.

To keep your stamps and postcards safe from stains and getting damaged we recommend Lighthouse stock books.

Stamp Magnifying Microscope: Celestron 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope 

Stamp Magnifying Lamp Desk Clamp-Mount 90 SMD LED Adjustable Spring-Arm

Make sure to view these amazing full stamp pane protective storage bags.

Manual perforation measurement gauge which has a really low price.

Electronic perforation measurement gauge, which has a higher price but is easier to measure perforations.

The post Jesús Jiménez 1 Colon Official Stamp With Double Perforation appeared first on Costa Rica Stamps.

Cover from San José to Kenya. During 1924 there was a change in the postage rates and therefore the need for new stamps arose.

Registration for non-UPAE countries was one of the rates that was affected. It went from 20 céntimos to 25 céntimos, converting the total amount of postage + registration from 40 céntimos to 45 céntimos.

During this period, there was a lack of stamps to cover this rate. This is when the Costa Rican government ordered an issue of 4 surcharge values (100,000 each) to supply all post offices while the definitive issue arrived.

Covers with these surcharges are not easy to get. And if we add a difficult destination to the equation, the result can be as incredible as follows:

This cover was sent from San José Kenya, specifically Nairobi! It was posted on August 27th, 1926 in San José. There is a registration label attached to the front and written “via London”. What a beauty!

It arrived for transit at London on September 14th and has a received mark in Nairobi on october 4th.

This is the only cover from this surcharge issue sent to an african country reported.

Make sure to review our tips for stamp collecting in the XXI century.

To keep your stamps and postcards safe from stains and getting damaged we recommend Lighthouse stock books.

Stamp Magnifying Microscope: Celestron 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope 

Stamp Magnifying Lamp Desk Clamp-Mount 90 SMD LED Adjustable Spring-Arm

Make sure to view these amazing full stamp pane protective storage bags.

Manual perforation measurement gauge which has a really low price.

Electronic perforation measurement gauge, that has a higher price but is easier to measure perforations.

The post Incredible cover from San José to Kenya in 1926 appeared first on Costa Rica Stamps.

Every single Canalías postal card is difficult to find unused and even more difficult used.

What’s the origin of the Canalias postal cards?

According to Enrique Bialikamien’s book “Tarjetas postales de 1923”, in 1920 printers María v. de Lines and Antonio Canalías ordered several postal cards with different designs to a german printer.

During 1921 and 1922 they were sold as souvenirs, but apparently the quantities printed were more than what they projected to sell.

In early 1923, Mr. Canalías decided to negotiate with the Costa Rican government the use of such postcards. To make them an official and legal release, they proceeded to surcharge all postcards. The surcharge consisted of a coffee tree with the legends “Correos de Costa Rica” on top and ” 4 céntimos” at the bottom. Also a coffee promotion legend at the center of the postal card that reads “Drink Costa Rican coffee – The finest in the world”.

About this postcard

This Canalías postal card has a picture depicting workers loading bananas to a ship.

In addition to the coffee plant surcharge, this Canalías postal card has two 4-céntimos 1910’s issue stamps overprinted with coffee bags.

It was sent from Turrialba in June 22nd, 1923 to Germany. It also has a San José transit mark, but the date is not clear.

Make sure to review our tips for stamp collecting in the XXI century.

To keep your stamps and postcards safe from stains and getting damaged we recommend Lighthouse stock books.

Stamp Magnifying Microscope: Celestron 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope 

Stamp Magnifying Lamp Desk Clamp-Mount 90 SMD LED Adjustable Spring-Arm

Make sure to view these amazing full stamp pane protective storage bags.

Manual perforation measurement gauge which has a really low price.

Electronic perforation measurement gauge, that has a higher price but is easier to measure perforations.

The post Canalías postal card – uprated with coffee promotion stamps 1922 appeared first on Costa Rica Stamps.

How come there is a cover with a military censor in a country without an army?

Cover with a military censor…The other day I was watching an interesting presentation by Francisco Pérez on Youtube about covers with military censors in Costa Rica. At the end of the presentation, there was a question that dragged my attention: Why are there covers from post-army abolition with military censor? Well, That’s a very valid question. At that very moment, Mr. Pérez did not have the answer and at that very same moment, I decided to find it out.

Costa Rica’s army is gone!

On December 1st, 1948, after its last civil war that involved parties led by Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia and José Figueres Ferrer (victorious and then president), Costa Rica proclaimed to the world that from now then, there was no army.

So, yes. That question has sense, with no army there can’t be any military censor… or can be?

So, let’s go back again to 1948. In the act were Costa Rica abolished its army, there is a 5-line paragraph clears this question. It establishes that only by continental agreement or for national defense, the government could create military forces.

Question answered…not yet!

Now we now that there are some exceptions (yes, there still are) in Costa Rica’s constitution that authorize the creation of military forces. Now there’s another question: What happened in January 1955 that led to the creation of an entity in charge to examine correspondence? Here’s when Mr. Rodrigo Carreras helped me with his politics and Costa Rican history knowledge.

Attack from the north…

On January 1955, President Jose Figuerres Ferrer, anounces that the government has information on a coming invasion attempt.

First, the information provided includes Nicaragua and Venezuela as the sponsors of an invasion that pretends to put back in power former President Calderón. Later more information see the light of day, other countries that figure are Dominican Republic, Honduras and Guatemala (destination of this cover).

The invasion takes Costa Rica media attention everywhere.

The invaders were gathered in Coyotepe (being said that trained for more than 12 months for this invasion). And started attacking Guanacaste and San Carlos, as you might think, the Costa Rican forces won both battles and was able to repel the attack. On January 29th, 1955 the attack is declared contained by Costa Rica and therefore over.

About this cover with military censor

The cover was sent from Quepos on January 22nd to Guatemala. It has a San José cancel on January 24th. Since the cover was sent to Guatemala (one of the countries involved in the invasion), it was opened by the censor in San José. It arrived at Guatemala on January 25th). According to Mr. Pérez’s presentation the censor mark on this cover is from the third period. It matches Mr. Pérez’s description that was used on both sides of the cover.

By the time the presentation was delivered, there were only 2 covers known, both franked with just one stamp. This cover is the third one reported with the difference from the previous one that has mixed franking.

Make sure to review our tips for stamp collecting in the XXI century.

Buy the best stamp stockbooks.

The post Cover with a military censor… in a country with no army! appeared first on Costa Rica Stamps.