On 27 September 2024, Correos issued a miniature sheet to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the proclamation of Felipe VI de España as King of Spain. Correos' "Avance Programa Emisiones 2024" had announced the issue for June, coinciding with the anniversary of 19 June. On 17 July, in response to my enquiry, the philatelic service of Correos informed me the issue had been postponed until October, at the earliest. The resolution to issue the stamps on 27 September (see below) was dated 9 days after this reply.
Serie básica 2024, 10th Anniversary of the Proclamation of H.M. King Felipe VI, Edifil 5782.The miniature sheet was printed in offset lithography. Against a red background appear the arms of King Felipe VI at top left. Below it appears the inscription
'X Aniversario de la
Proclamacion de S.M. El Rey Felipe VI'
in gold. At bottom left is the fragment of a capital printed in claret. This may symbolise the Herculean columns that support the arms of Spain. It also may symbolise the monarchy upholding the state. At bottom right appears the inscription 'serie básica' in gold.
It holds four stamps with the effigy of King Felipe VI. Each stamp covers a different rate for postcards and standard letters up to 20 grammes. The tariffs are indicated by the letters A (€ 0.82; inland), B (€ 1.70; zone 1: Europe and Greenland, excluding Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Cyprus, Georgia, Malta, Moldova, and Russia), C (€ 1.75; zone 2: other countries not in zones 1 and 3), and D (€ 2.10; zone 3: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, and United States of America). Below the "TARIFA C" stamp appears the number of the miniature sheet printed in black.
The four stamps are printed in offset lithography (Corona Real and tariff in gold) and chalcography. Each stamp has the name of the country "ESPAÑA", the issuing entity "Correos", and the printer's logo, the crowned M and letters RCM-FNMT (Real Casa de la Moneda – Fábrica Nacional de Timbre y Moneda), reversed out of the portrait at left and the "ñ" symbol of Spain and year of issue (2024) reversed out of the portrait at right.
The stamps are the first Spanish stamps of a "serie básica" issued since 1 April 2021. The "TARIFA D" stamp is the first such stamp of a "serie básica." The tariff for zone 3 was introduced in 2022. Until 2024, few stamps covering the rate had been issued. This, especially, was the case for the non-value indicated variety. It has been my experience that few post offices hold stamps for the zone-3 rate in stock. Whenever I found a post office that held the "TARIFA D" stamp in stock, I bought some. All basic postage rates have been increased at the beginning of 2025.
At the time of issue, the miniature sheet cost € 6.37. After the 2025 tariff increases, the four stamps represent a postal value of € 7.09. I placed my order for the miniature sheet and other items, including the 2024 yearbook, after the tariff increase. The invoice still shows the original price. However, the postage and packaging fee is unclear from the invoice.
Below is the resolution of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and the Treasury Department regarding the issue and circulation of the stamps. Section one provides that the Fábrica Nacional de Timbre y Moneda - Real Casa de la Moneda Will print the set of stamps. Section two provides that the stamps will be issued on 27 September 2024 in a miniature sheet (block) of four stamps with the effigy of H.M. King Felipe VI and the tariffs A, B, C, and D with the following technical specifications.
Printing methods: offset lithography and chalcography with colours black, sepia, red, and claret.
Carrier (paper): chalk-surfaced, gummed, phosphorescent.
Stamp format: 28.8 mm x 40.9 mm (vertical).
Block format: 150.6 mm x 104.5 mm (horizontal).
Perforation gauge of the stamps: 14¾ (horizontal) and 14¼ (vertical).
Items in sheet: block with 4 stamps.
Postal value of the block: € 6.37.
Number printed: 80,000.
It is of interest to note that the colours used do not appear to be the ones mentioned in the resolution. It raises the question whether the delay had anything to do with the inks used or proposed colour schedule and that the resolution was not updated.
Section three provides that the stamps will go on sale and be put in circulation on 27 September 2024. It, also, provides that the sale of the blocks will cease on 31 December 2029. Notwithstanding this, the stamps will, permanently, retain their postal value until an order to the contrary will be issued. Once the sale of the blocks ends, Correos may request the printers (FNMT-RCM) to invalidate any remaining stamps.
Section four provides for reserving stamps for the purpose of meeting requirements set by the Universal Postal Union and other international organisations and to present to or exchange with other issuing entities. For these purposes a minimum of 2,500 items will be reserved for the Posts and Telegraphs Company (Correos) and 500 for the FNMT-RCM, respectively. Either may add items to the funds of its museum for promotion of philately.
The fifth and final section requires that FNMT-RCM destroys all items relating to the design and production of the stamps after they have been issued. However, items that might be of historic or educational interest may be preserved to be incorporated in the collections of the museums of Correos, FNMT-RCM, or of any other relevant museum.
Serie básica 2025, H.M. King Felipe VI, Tarifa A (basic inland rate). On 30 January 2025, Correos issued a "TARIFA A" stamp in a similar design from self-adhesive sheets of 50. The stamp has a smaller format than the stamps from the miniature sheet. It is printed in offset lithography in a colour that is different from that of the corresponding stamp from the miniature sheet. It would be interesting to see if new stamps for the other three tariffs will be issued soon.
Resolución de 26 de julio de 2024, conjunta de las Subsecretarías de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible y de Hacienda, sobre emisión y puesta en circulación de una serie de sellos de correo denominada «Serie básica.-2024. S.M. El Rey Felipe VI». (Boletín Oficial del Estado, no. 194, 12 de agosto de 2024, páginas 105395 a 105396.)
Posted 07/27/2025 03:05 am
