Stamp Community Family of Web Sites
Thousands of stamps, consistently graded, competitively priced and hundreds of in-depth blog posts to read








Stamp Community Forum
 
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.

Welcome Guest! Registering and/or logging in will remove the anchor (bottom) ads. It's Free!

Can Anyone Identify This Costa Rica Stamp With Airmail Opt?

 
To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 9 / Views: 2,515Next Topic  
Valued Member
Malta
156 Posts
Posted 09/15/2018   06:59 am  Show Profile Bookmark this topic Add Halfpenny Yellow to your friends list Get a Link to this Message
I recently acquired this Costa Rica stamp in a mixed lot, but I can't find it in any catalogues. The original stamp is SG 332, the 1c from the 1943-48 set depicting Juan Mora Fernández. I cannot find the "HABILITADA Correo Aéreo Aéreo-Puerto Cristóbal Colón" overprint anywhere, and an online search proved fruitless.

The overprint means "Valid for Air Mail - Christopher Columbus Airport". There doesn't seem to be an airport in Costa Rica by that name - the only airports with that name seem to be in Güiria, Venezuela (unlikely since that airport seems to have opened in 2000) and Genoa, Italy (unlikely since it's on the other side of the world).

Can anyone identify the overprint please?

Send note to Staff

Bedrock Of The Community
Australia
38679 Posts
Posted 09/15/2018   07:19 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add rod222 to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Opinion:
Cannot be Costa Rica, as they do not spell
"HABILATADA", rather, "HABILATADO"
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Valued Member
Malta
156 Posts
Posted 09/15/2018   07:56 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Halfpenny Yellow to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
You're right - this has got me really stumped.

It can't be a revenue, so what is it?
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Moderator
Learn More...
United States
12330 Posts
Posted 09/15/2018   08:20 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add 51studebaker to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I disagree with Rod, I think it is a Costa Rico revenue stamp, perhaps used tor raise money to build a local airport? Local + overprint spelling error?
Don
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Bedrock Of The Community
Australia
38679 Posts
Posted 09/15/2018   7:38 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add rod222 to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
this has got me really stumped.


You are not alone.

Notes: "Stampboards" no one has identified it there
Notes: HABILITADA is used in Peru.

https://produto.mercadolivre.com.br...recarga--_JM

The image for when the link disappears..
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Edited by rod222 - 09/15/2018 7:56 pm
Valued Member
Malta
156 Posts
Posted 09/17/2018   11:39 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Halfpenny Yellow to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
After contacting the Costa Rica Revenue & Postage Society, I finally got an answer. Apparently, it is a private overprint made by philatelists in the early 1950s. It does not refer to any airport at all - it refers to Puerto Cristóbal, a seaport near Colón in Panama: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist...,_Col%C3%B3n

They told me that the stamp's market value would probably be around $5.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Edited by Halfpenny Yellow - 09/17/2018 11:40 am
Bedrock Of The Community
Australia
38679 Posts
Posted 09/17/2018   8:03 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add rod222 to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
After contacting the Costa Rica Revenue & Postage Society,


Again, well done you HPY,
solved what was a real head scratcher.
When googling, I also saw the connection to Panama, but just discounted it as being absurd.

ID saved


Quote:
it is a private overprint made by philatelists


and the philatelists got the spelling wrong
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Edited by rod222 - 09/17/2018 8:06 pm
Pillar Of The Community
United States
1047 Posts
Posted 09/18/2018   07:40 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add DonSellos to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
It does not refer to any airport at all - it refers to Puerto Cristóbal, a seaport near Colón in Panama: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist...,_Col%C3%B3n


Interesting background on this stamp, but the above statement leaves me confused. Colon, Panama, geographically, is not very close to Costa Rica. What would be the connection?

It appears that this being a private overprint, the stamp has no official standing as a Costa Rican postal or revenue stamp and is, perhaps, a fantasy item. Would that be a correct categorization for the item?

Thanks.

Don
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Moderator
Learn More...
United States
12330 Posts
Posted 09/18/2018   07:46 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add 51studebaker to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Cinderella?
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Valued Member
Malta
156 Posts
Posted 09/19/2018   5:46 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Halfpenny Yellow to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Maybe it was supposed to represent some airmail service from Costa Rica to Puerto Cristóbal? This would explain the text of the overprint ("Aéreo" to "Puerto Cristóbal").

I would classify it as a fantasy overprint on a genuine stamp, but I think one could also call it a cinderella.

It was quite interesting trying to find out what this stamp actually is. Well worth the couple of cents that I must have paid for it.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
  Previous TopicReplies: 9 / Views: 2,515Next Topic  
 
To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

Go to Top of Page

Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Stamp Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Stamp Community Family - All rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Stamp Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Privacy Policy / Terms of Use    Advertise Here
Stamp Community Forum © 2007 - 2026 Stamp Community Forums
It took 0.39 seconds to lick this stamp. Powered By: Snitz Forums 2000 Version 3.4.05