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Telegraph stamps of the World Click here for a site-map.

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Contributors: ISGC - International Society of Guatemala Collectors RL - Rolf Lamprecht.

I have brought these prices up to date and added currency selection.    The International Society of Guatemala Collectors (ISGC) published in 1993 a 24 page booklet entitled 'Guatemalan Telegraph Stamps & Stationery'. This contains valuable additional information that I have incorporated. ISBN 1-880721-01-5 - (may be available from here). CheckList         Setup

 

Guatemala.

Steve Hiscocks wrote:
Only three issues of telegraph stamps are known for Guatemala. The first and by far the most extensive was produced in 1898 by overprinting the
postage stamps commemorating the Central American Exhibition of 1897 (SG63–73) with the word 'Telegrafos' in two different types — one in black
and one in red. Those in black lack an acute accent over the second 'e' (with one exception) and a stop while those in red, although of the same general
type, have both and also show varieties in the sheet not shown in the black overprints. Numbers of stamps overprinted in red are known and given
below but the proportions of varieties in the sheet are not known. Since mint blocks are not too uncommon in the lower values, complete sheets,
from which this information might be obtained, may well exist.
A single value telegraph issue was produced in 1919 and a further issue was prepared at some unknown later date but not immediately issued. In 1938
three of these were surcharged and issued and it has been suggested that other values may exist. These stamps are not known without surcharge.

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My note:
H13a is actually the Type 3 (red) overprint applied in black. It can therefore exist with the two varieties associated with the red overprints.
These proportions are now known, 70% normal, 24% 'splayed T' and 6% splayed and raised accent.
The change in currency in 1925 is probably why the last issue were all surcharged.
Fake overprints are also known. Details below.

A US Wireless-Telegraph station list for 1906 showed nothing for Guatemala.
The similar list for 1910 showed a commercial station at Porto Barrios on the Caribbean coast.
This was probably operated by the United Fruit Company. To move fruit and coffee to the coast, a railway
was planned between Porto Barrios and Iztapa on the Pacific coast. By 1896 it was opened between Porto Barrios and Guatemala City.

The economy crashed in early 1897 due to a drop in coffee and silver prices.
This prevented completion of the railway. It is likely that the railway was accompanied by a telegraph line.

---

 

1898 Postage stamps of 1897 (SG63-73) overprinted and in some cases surcharged in black or red (Types 2 and 3 respectively).
Postage stamps printed by the American Bank Note Co. N.Y. in black on thick wove paper,
surface coloured in highly variable shades. Sheets of 10 x 10. No watermark. Perf. 12

H1	H2c	H3

H4a	H5	H6

H7	H8	H9

H10b	H11	H12a

H13	H14 - from RL	H14b - from RL

 

The first issue is all about overprints. Here are the types.

Black overprints - Type 2.	Red overprints - Type 3.

The distance between '25' and 'cts.' on the black overprint is variable. this may have some bearing on type H7b.

'T' top serifs slanted out on type 3a.	'T' top serifs slanted out and raised accent on 'é' (type 3b).

For Type 3, each sheet of a 100 contained 70 normal, 24 of type 3a and 6 of type 3b.

 

This interesting triple shown at Wikimedia Commons illustrates: Type 1 The basic stamp. Type 3 The basic Red overprint on the bottom stamp, Type 5 The type of '25c' overprint on H9. 'T' top serifs slanted out is shown on the top two stamps. The raised accent on 'é' is shown on the top stamp. On the red overprints, the slanted 'T' occurs on 30% of the stamps. One fifth of those additionally have the raised accent on 'é' The red overprints can vary in shade as can be seen on this strip of stamps.

Hisc. Type. Description Mint Used H1 1, 2 2c black/greenish to yellowish grey (Black) 2.00 4.50 H1a           overprint inverted 50.00 75.00 H1b           overprint double — one Black, one Red 125.00 100.00 H2 1, 3 2c black/greenish to yellowish grey (Red) (120,000) 2.00 4.00 H2a           'T' top serifs slanted out 4.00 8.00 H2b           as No.2a but with raised accent on 'é' 6.00 12.00 H2c           overprint in bright orange-red 17.50 20.00 H3 1, 2 6c black/brownish orange (Black) 2.50 5.00 H4 1, 3 6c black/brownish orange (Red) (30,000) 2.50 5.00 H4a           'T' top serifs slanted out 5.00 10.00 H4b           as No.4a but with raised accent on 'é' 7.50 15.00 H5 1, 2 10c black/greyish blue (Black) 5.00 2.00 H5a           overprint inverted 50.00 75.00 H6 1, 3 10c black/greyish blue (Red) (50, 000) 2.00 4.00 H6a           'T' top serifs slanted out 4.00 8.00 H6b           as No.6a but with raised accent on 'é' 6.00 12.00 H7 1, 4 25c on 12c black/dull rose (Black) 2.00 4.00 H7a           overprint inverted 75.00 100.00 H7b           value inverted in overprint - - H8 1, 5 25c on 18c black/pale grey (Red) (81,800) 3.00 3.00 H8a           'T' top serifs slanted out 6.00 6.00 H8b           as No.8a but with raised accent on 'é' 9.00 9.00 H9 1, 5 25c on 75c black/grey (Red) (96,700) 1.50 3.00 H9a           'T' top serifs slanted out 3.00 6.00 H9b           as No.9a but with raised accent on 'é' 4.50 9.00 H9c           overprint in bright orange-red 15.00 17.50 H10 1, 5 25c on 150c black/brownish pink (Red) (97,600) 1.50 2.50 H10a           'T' top serifs slanted out 3.00 5.00 H10b           as No.10a but with raised accent on 'é' 4.50 7.50 H10c           overprint inverted 125.00 150.00 H11 1, 2 50c black/reddish brown (Black) 12.00 8.00 H12 1, 3 50c black/reddish brown (Red) (6,000) 12.00 12.00 H12a           'T' top serifs slanted out 24.00 24.00 H12b           as No.12a but with raised accent on 'é' 36.00 36.00 H13 1, 2 100c black/sage green (Black) 20.00 40.00 H13a           with accent on second 'é' (Type 3) 40.00 50.00 H14 1, 3 100c black/sage green (Red) (1,000) 50.00 60.00 H14a           'T' top serifs slanted out 100.00 120.00 H14b           as No.14a but with raised accent on 'é' 150.00 160.00

 

The overprints are always a bit variable in position, but this H8a has a bigger shift than usual. - From RL

Hiscocks added the following 5 notes: Note 1. As stated above the surface colouring of these stamps is highly variable                 with many gradations of shade which can in some cases be seen to be                 due to fading. Marginal edges are sometimes imperforate. Note 2. I have not seen a copy of No. 1(b) and do not know whether the red                 overprint is of type 2 or 3. If it is of type 3 then the usual varieties                 should also occur. Note 3. The raised accent in No. 2(b) etc. is quite marked being about 1.5mm                 above the 'e' compared with about 0.25mm on the normal. Note 4. There is considerable and gradual variation in the shades of the normal                 red overprints but the bright orange-red of Nos. 2(c) and 9(c) is quite                 distinct. The 'T' and 'é' variants presumably occur. Note 5. Again, I have not seen a copy of No. 13(a) and do not know whether                 it is an accidental use of type 3 in black (in which case the 'T' and                 accent variants will occur) or an error of type 2 in which case it is not                 apparent why it is not found on other values.

 

My notes:

Note 1. The ISGC indicate that forged overprints are known, these have been                 used to fake inverted overprints and bogus stamps when applied                 to values that were not normally overprinted.   The type reported is                 type 2, seemingly with the value separate to allow inversion.                 it is known in black, red and other colours, as well as on values that                 were not normally overprinted.                 The cross-bar of the 'T' is very thick.   Buyer beware.

Note 2. H13a is actually the Type 3 (red) overprint applied in black.                 It can therefore exist with the two varieties associated with the red                 overprints.

Note 3. The 18c, 75c and 150c are catalogued much more highly as postage                 stamps without the overprint. Some examples of H8, H9 and H10                 have subsequently had the overprint removed (or partially removed)                 a result. My thanks to docnik for bringing this to my attention.

Note 4. An example of H10 with white(ish) paper instead of 'salmon', without                 gum, is shown below. Possibly an attempt to remove the overprint                 using bleach.

 

The sheet of a hundred consisted of two panes of 50 with the same pattern of RED overprint types.

Of the 100 stamps, there are 70 examples of A (the normal Type 3), 24 examples of B (Type 3a), and 6 examples of C (Type 3b).
Multiples can have various combinations. Multiples that span the two panes are unusually scarce, suggesting that the panes were usually separated.
Used multiples are very scarce, large mint multiples are quite scarce. Complete sheets are known only for the 25c on 18c, 25c on 150c and the 50c.

 

A used example of H8 with a special Telegraphic cancel.	A bleached example of H10 ?	A normal example of H10b

 

An example of H10c. Image from RL	Rotating 180° and splitting out the magenta channel shows the overprint much more clearly. It certainly looks genuine.	The ISGC point out that attempted removal of the red overprint also softens the black ink used to print the stamp so that it can be smeared or stick to things. That seems to be the case here.

 

An example of H7a. Image from RL	Rotating 180° and splitting out the black channel shows the overprint a little more clearly. Again it looks like it is probably genuine, but why would someone scribble over it like that. The ISGC suggest that this may indicate that it was accepted for postal use, but say that no such stamps have been reported on cover.

 

 

1919 New design. Recess engraved by Waterlow & Sons (London) on white wove paper. Sheets of 10 x 10. No watermark. Perf. 14
The "Timbre de Reconstruccion" on the stamp, reflects the fact that this was for a tax on telegrams and cablegrams to help pay for
the reconstruction of the main Post Office in Guatemala City damaged by earthquake in 1917.
A similar tax on mail used a similar 12½c carmine stamp in a horizontal format. In 1920 and 1921 the 25c was overprinted for normal postal use.

Hiscocks Type 6

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H15	6	25c green	7.50	10.00

 

Waterlow needed samples of their work to show potential customers.
In 1969 Robson Lowe sold a number of such sample stamps including miniature sheets of 9 as shown below:



These are perforated 12.4 and have a 2mm hole at the bottom-left. There are also imperforate examples on paper or card without the hole.
Image from RL.

 

 

1930? Unissued telegraph stamps of 1924, printed by Waterlow & Sons (London) on white wove paper.
and subsequently surcharged in new currency as indicated in black. Sheets of 10 x 10. No watermark. Perf. 12.4

Hiscocks Type 7 , H16 and H17.		Hiscocks Type 7 , H18 - from RL.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H16	7	5c on 5p green	10.00	20.00
H17	7	10c on 1p carmine	10.00	50.00
H18	7	50c on 10p orange	50.00	60.00

 

Hiscocks Type 7 , H16 used. The date of this issue is uncertain due to lack of documentation and legibly dated used examples.	In 1922 the National Treasury was direct to make funds available for 5 denominations of a new telegraph issue. They were not issued without overprint.
Images from RL.

 

The planned denominations were: 1 Peso in blue 2 Peso in yellow 5 Peso in green 20 Peso in red 50 Peso in brown Only the 1 Peso blue is known as specimens. The change of currency in 1925 is probably the reason why they were not issued without overprint.		The ISGC lists the following Specimens: Code value Perfs. Description Price T17SA 1p blue Perf. 12.4 Black overprint at 15° 7.50 T17SB 1p blue Imperf. Red overprint at 15° 25.00 T17SC 1p blue Imperf. Red overprint at 25° 25.00 T17SD 1p blue Imperf. Black overprint at 25° 30.00 Prices in US$ as of 1993. TS17SA has a 2mm punch-hole near the lower-left corner.
In addition to the specimens, there are also some die proofs known in black. This includes blank value, 1 Pesos, 5 Pesos and rather strangely, a 10 Pesos !

 

Stationery.

I have seen these with values of 2c, 6c, 10c and 12c.


2c value from RL


6c value from RL


Half-size 10 Cent value.


A similar 12c value, courtesy of Auktionshaus Christoph Gärtner.


A similar one with no franking - from RL