Postage stamps and postal history of Brazil

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The first 1843 "Bull's Eye" issue

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. It was a colony of Portugal from 1500 until 1815.

Brazil was the second country in the world, after Great Britain, to issue postage stamps valid within the entire country (as opposed to a local issue). Like Great Britain's first stamps, the design does not include the country name.

First stamps[edit]

An 1844 slanted numeral stamp of Brazil.

The first stamps of Brazil were issued on 1 August 1843 and are known as "Bull's Eyes" due to their distinctive appearance.[1] On 1 July 1844 a new series was issued which is known as the slanted numeral series. Subsequent stamps were in a similar format until the first pictorial stamps were issued in 1866 depicting Emperor Dom Pedro II[1]

Pedro II issues[edit]

Pedro II with the black beard

In 1866 the emperor was represented on all issues until 1884, first with a black beard.

Recent issues[edit]

For many years stamps from Brazil had Brasil Correio displayed on them. However, starting from 1973 stamps show the country name and year, e.g. Brasil 2000.

Telegraph stamps[edit]

1871 telegraph stamps of Brazil.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue: Part 20 South America. 4th edition. London: Stanley Gibbons, 2008, p. 95. ISBN 978-0-85259-693-7

Further reading[edit]

  • Barata, Paulo Rui. Brazil revenues: Federal, state, and municipal. PUBLIFIL, 1985.
  • Brookman, Lester G. The 100th anniversary of the "Bulls Eyes" stamps of Brazil. State College, PA: American Philatelic Society, 1943.
  • Ferreira, Henrique Bunselmeyer. Catalogo Ilustrado Dos Carimbos Sobre os Olhos-de-boi. 2011.
  • Mayer, Peter. Encyclopaedic catalogue of the stamps and postal history of Brazil: from the origins to 1890. 1999.
  • Studart, Marcelo Gladio da Costa. Catálogo Histórico dos Selos do Império do Brasil (1843-1889). 1991.
  • Studart, Marcelo Gladio da Costa. Falsificações e Fraudações na Filatelia Brasileira. 1991. Awarded the Alvaro Bonilla Lara Medal in 1995 by the FIAF.
  • Taveira, Walter Gonçalves. Brasil 1844–1846: "Inclinados": selos do império do Brasol (segunda estampa). Editora O Lutador. Belo Horizonte, MG. Brasil: Fundação Belgo-Mineira, 2001.

External links[edit]

Media related to Stamps of Brazil at Wikimedia Commons