ALFONSO XIII - BABY HEAD stamps of the PHILIPPINES
Catalogue
5c surcharges
1897 5c blue surcharge on 1894 5c pale green
Cliché Type I, Gum Type B.
Sheets of 100 (10 x10) inscribed UNION GENERAL POSTAL 53,385 from ~533 sheets issued 1897
(earliest known postal usage 7 June 1897)
In 1897, surcharges were applied to some of the babyhead issues for official postal usage to make available the remainders of obsolete issues which had previously been withdrawn from use. For this reason, the new value surcharged is generally the same as that of the original stamp itself.
The surcharged postal issues were produced in Manila. The surcharge reads: HABILITADO CORREOS PARA 1897 (Authorised for postage 1897).
Forgeries of this issue are known, but are rare. Most examples seen are of the genuine issue.
#201 5c blue surcharge on 1894 5c pale green issue
It is common for the ink of this surcharge be smudged or exhibit bleed.
minor variations in the shade of ink colour
with Correos-Manila Circular Date Stamps 11 Oct 1897 and 21(?) Nov 1897
Sheet inscription - UNION GENERAL POSTAL
Edifil: #130B 5c blue surcharge on 5c light green (1898), Edifl does not differentiate the 1892 and 1894 printings
Scott: #181 5c blue surcharge on 5c green (1897), Scott does not differentiate the 1892 and 1894 printings
SG: #212 5c blue surcharge on 1894 5c pale green (1897), SG does not differentiate the two 1894 printings
1897 5c red surcharge on 1892 5c sage green
Cliché Type I, Gum Type A.
Sheets of 100 (10 x10) inscribed COMUNICACIONES - Union General Postal 20,000 from 200 sheets issued 1897
(earliest known postal usage September 1897)
This surcharge is found on the 1892 sage green issue. Some authors in the past have reported examples on the 1892 light chrome green issue and also on the 1894 issues. However, these have yet to be verified and the earlier listing may well have confused colour descriptions or be confused by the non-differentiation between the 1892 and 1894 printings.
Forgeries are know of this issue but are rare. Most examples seen are of the genuine issue.
#202 5c red surcharge on 1892 5c sage green, the surcharge is commonly found smudged or blurred
with sheet inscription - COMUNICACIONES - 100 sellos de la Union General Postal
with Correos-Manila Circular Date Stamps 10 Sept 1897
Edifil: #130C 5c red surcharge on 5c light green (1898), Edifl does not differentiate the 1892 and 1894 printings
Scott: #185 5c red surcharge on 5c green (1897), Scott does not differentiate the 1892 and 1894 printings
SG: #216 5c red surcharge on 1892 5c sage green (1897), SG does not differentiate the two 1892 printings
1897 5c black surcharge on 1894 5c pale green
Cliché Type I, Gum Type B.
Sheets of 100 (10 x10) inscribed UNION GENERAL POSTAL unknown quantity, issued 1897
Bartels et al (1904) indicated this 5c black surcharge was applied to the 1894 5c pale green issue. Later Palmer (1912) indicated it to be found on the 1896 blue green issue although placed a question mark against this record and the 1894 5c emerald green issue. Palmer also noted black ink always seems to have a red or magenta tinge and is therefore sometimes considered as an oxidized red surcharge.
It is questionable as whether this stamp exsits as a genuine postal issue. At best the stamp is extremely scarce. However, there are many forgeries (to date at least 18 types). I have yet to see a stamp that can be confidently described as genuine and all stamps offered for sale appear to be forgeries. The uncertainty in the base stamp may be also caused by the presence of forgeries.
#203 black surcharge on 1894 5c pale green, to date all examples inspected have been forgeries
Edifil: #130D 5c black surcharge on 5c light green (1898), Edifl does not differentiate the 1892 and 1894 printings
Scott: #187 5c black surcharge on 5c green (1897), Scott does not differentiate the 1892 and 1894 printings
SG: #207 5c black surcharge on 1894 5c pale green (1897), SG does not differentiate the two 1894 printings
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