CubaFirst Postage Stamp

Spain’s first stamp for the Antilles

Issued on 24 April 1855, this was the first adhesive postage stamp produced for Spain’s Caribbean possessions. Often grouped under the name Spanish West Indies, these stamps were intended primarily for use in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The design is unmistakably mid-19th-century Spain: Queen Isabella II in profile, facing right and framed by a beaded circle. The first issue comprised three denominations: ½ real, 1 real and 2 reales. In 1856, the 1 and 2 reales were temporarily used in the Philippines during a shortage of local stamps, creating a fascinating postal crossover within the Spanish Empire. This issue is widely forged. One useful detail is the pearl count: genuine examples have exactly 73 pearls in the circular frame around Isabella’s head. Many forgeries get the count wrong. Others reveal themselves through a stark white eye or an exaggerated chin that starts to look almost caricatural once you’ve handled a few originals. An elegant first issue with an unusually well-travelled history, and more than its share of forgery traps.