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

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I have brought these prices up to date and added currency selection. I have also made additions.   Some of those have 'RH' numbers (Revised Hiscocks). CheckList         Setup

 

Shortcuts to other sections
Correios e telégrafos	Cancels	Telegraphic use of postage stamps	Azores	Macao / Timor	Portuguese Africa	Mozambique	Angola	Portuguese India	Portuguese Telegrams	Telegram Seals

 

Portugal

In 1982, for Portugal and Colonies, Steve Hiscocks wrote:
The telegraph stamps of Portugal, the Azores for which they were overprinted, and the Portuguese Colonies fall just within the scope of this
catalogue in that they were essentially compulsory charity stamps which had to be used if one wished to send a telegram on certain days of the year.
They are thus analogous to those of Iran and some of those of Spain, Puerto Rico, etc. There is in fact much uncertainty and disagreement over which,
especially among the more recent issues, were intended for telegraphic use as distinct from postal, parcel and fiscal uses. A fairly conservative view has
been taken and most of the more recent charity stamps, whose telegraphic status is in some doubt, have been excluded. I am however, open to correction.

---

My note:
Not being a printed book, my scope can be less restrictive. I have started to include postage stamps used telegraphically, but there are probably more to add.
I have also added stamps of India used in Portuguese India.
I am also always open to correction, additional information/images, suggestions and criticism, etc.

 

1911 (4 October) Postage stamp of 1910 overprinted 'REPUBLICA' in green and 'ASSISTENTIA' in black. White wove paper.
No watermark. Perf. 14 x 15. (Steve Hiscocks actually illustrated the Açores H1 in place of this.)

H1.

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H1	20r carmine	8.00	6.00

 

 

1912 (4 October). Postage stamp of 1912 overprinted diagonally with 'ASSISTENTIA' in black.
Chalk surfaced white wove paper (variable thickness) without watermark. Perf. 15 x 14.

H2.

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H2	2c carmine	6.00	3.00

 

 

1913 (8 June). Lisbon Festival stamp. Lithographed on white wove paper without watermark. Perf. 12 x 11½.

H3.

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H3	2c reddish brown	6.00	5.00

 

 

1915 (4 October). Typographed on white wove paper without watermark. Perf. 12.

H4 and H4a. (to raise money for the poor)

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H4	2c brown-lilac	4.00	1.35
H4a	dull brown-rose	1.75	2.75

 

 

1922 (4 October). New design. Slightly yellowish wove paper without watermark. Perf. 11½ x 12.

H5.	Converted for postal use and perfined BES. Courtesy of Jeff Turnbull.	Banco Espirito Santo E Commercial de Lisboa.

Anyone have this, or another perfin on the Telegraph version?

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H5	5c red-brown	4.00	0.50

 

1924 (4 October). As No. 4a but surcharged 30c in black.

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H6	30c on 2c dull brown-rose	6.00	5.50

 

1925 (4 October). As No. 4 but new value. Perf. 12½.

Two shades of H7 (30c to raise money for the poor)

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H7	30c brown-rose (shades)	6.25	5.50

 

 

1882 - Correios e telégrafos

Type CT1 - 2R	Type CT2 - 5R	Type CT2 - 5R grey-black	Type CT3 - 10R
These, with the ones below, are all part of the same series, first issued 1882-87 and reprinted in 1885, 1893 and 1905 Paper: plain, ribbed or enamel surfaced, Perforated 11½, 12½ or 13½.

The 5R grey-black  issued 1891? is courtesy Bram Leeflang. I couldn't find this in the Scott Catalogue. It is their type A21, but they have it only in black or in grey black with "Provisorio overprints".

Type CT4 - 25R	Type CT5 -50R	Type CT6 - 500R black	Type CT6 - 500R violet-blue Courtesy Bram Leeflang.
These, with the ones above are all part of the same series, first issued 1882-87 and reprinted in 1885, 1893 and 1905 Paper: plain, ribbed or enamel surfaced, Perforated 11½, 12½ or 13½.

RH #	Type	Description	Mint	Postally used	Telegraphically used
CTS1	CT1	2r black (1884)	24.00	17.50	?
CTS2	CT2	5r black (1883)	32.50	3.50	?
CTS2a	CT2	5r grey-black (1891?)	-	?	?
CTS3	CT3	10r green (1884)	35.00	4.00	?
CTS4	CT4	25r brown	29.00	2.40	?
CTS5	CT5	50r blue	45.00	3.00	?
CTS6	CT6	500r black (1884)	500.00	300.00	?
CTS7	CT6	500r violet-blue (1887)	275.00	52.50	?

 

1887 - The 20R issued at this time was not marked as Correios e telégrafos. See below for these.	1887 - Type CT7 (I have seen one punched)
These, with the ones above are all part of the same series, first issued 1882-87 and reprinted in 1905 Paper: plain, ribbed or enamel surfaced, Perforated 11½.

RH #	Type	Description	Mint	Postally used	Telegraphically used
CTS8	CT7	25r violet	27.00	3.00	?
CTS9	CT7	25r lilac-rose	27.00	3.00	?

 

In 1892 and 1893 'PROVISORIO' overprints were applied to the stamps above.

Overprint A.	Overprint B.	Overprint C.	Overprint D.	Overprint E.

 

RH #	Type	Overprint	Description	Mint	Postally used	Telegraphically used
CTS10	CT2	A	5r black	16.00	8.75	?
CTS11	CT2	C	5r black	13.50	6.75	?
CTS12	CT2	D	5r black	26.00	22.50	?
CTS13	CT3	B	10r green	16.00	8.75	?
CTS14	CT3	C	10r green	16.00	7.25	?
CTS15	CT3	D	10r green	24.00	20.00	?
CTS16	CT7	C	25r lilac-rose	14.50	5.25	?
CTS17	CT7	E	20r on 25r lilac-rose	52.00	47.00	?
CTS18	CT7	D	25r lilac-rose	110.00	100.00	?
CTS19	CT5	C	50r blue	77.00	62.00	?
CTS20	CT5	D	50r blue	110.00	110.00	?

After these, they stopped marking stamps as being valid for telegraphic use, though no doubt used them as such anyway.

 

Cancels

There is a detailed article by Paolo Sequeira, that can be found in a PDF document (page 14), currently available at cfportugal.pt
Both before and after the Correios e telégrafos stamps above, normal postage stamps were used to pay for sending telegrams.
Telegraphically used stamps generally have some variant of a circular, oval or hexagonal cancel with CORREIOS E TELEGRAFOS abbreviated or in full.
Early ones were worded "TELEGRAPHIA ELECTRICA" or "ESTAÇÃO TELEGRAPHICA" though there were a few individualistic ones.



ELECTRICA TELEGRAPHICA
VILLA VIÇOZA
(S. JULIAO is also known)
This type is referred to as "Primitivo", or Primitive.
on an 1881 issue stamp, courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.
It should be noted that this series was reprinted in 1885 and 1905, as were the later issues.

Three similar "Primitivo" examples courtesy of Les Bottomley.

Similar, later type on 50 R in purple. Image courtesy of Gabriel Coutinho de Gusmão.

As with other countries, the telegraph operator generally defaced the stamp with a simple line when transmitting.
However, unusually, this was often done with a kind of roller cancel with 3 red lines made up of short diagonal lines. These are referred to as "roulettes", though no puncturing was involved.
The star punch was added later (or not).

"Primitivo" cancel of Lapa - 20R	1884 Lisbon cancel and star - 50R	1884 Lisbon cancel, star and roller - 500R	Star and roller - 20R	Roller and cancel - 80R
Images courtesy of Bram Leeflang.

Roller used 1885 - 20R	Doubled roller used 1885 - 15R	Red line used 1886 - 15R	Double red line 1891? - 5R	Star punch only - 100R
Images courtesy of Bram Leeflang.

Lisbon type - 1891 black	Lisbon type - 1891 blue	Lisbon type - 1891 blue	Lisbon type - 1892 black
A similar one in violet is also reported. Images courtesy of Bram Leeflang.

 

Telegraphic use of postage stamps.

Here is an interesting puzzle:


This appears to be a bisected 5 Reis stamp on a small piece of telegram cancelled with a Post & Telegraph cancel of 2 May 1912.
But if you look closely, there is another cancel on the stamp that is not tied to the piece.
Another telegraph office fraud ? Whilst the cancel is incomplete, the piece carries an advert for
Vidago, a town in the municipality of Chaves. This is presumably paying for delivery after being sealed.

 

I have seen quite a few Portuguese stamps with small star-shaped punch holes. I have also seen different opinions as to the significance of them.
One theory is that these were used on Official stamps, but the Official overprint when it came out in 1938 only needed one denomination.
A search did turn up a comment by Carlos Kullberg, author of Selos de Portugal Álbum 1 (1853/1910) (under 1884):
É interessante notar, que os selos destinados aos portes telegráficos, eram inutilizados com uma perfuração em estrela de cinco bicos,
depois terem levado a marca do dia! Foram assim inutilizados, selos das emissões de 1870 a 1893.
Which translates roughly to:
It is interesting to note that the stamps for telegraphic charges, were devalued with a five-point star punch,
then they got the date stamp! Thus, stamps of the issues of 1870 to 1893 were cancelled.

This seems fairly explicit, and the writer would seem to be reputable enough to believe that this is not simply a guess, though not all examples have the date stamp.
I would be interested to hear from someone that has one of these on piece or with gum though.

Rolf Lamprecht has kindly provided me with scans of a number of examples of punched Portuguese stamps, so I will make a start on listing them.
This is complicated by several factors, many of these were produced with a variety of perforations, some were on normal or glazed paper,
and in 1885 and 1905 reprints were done of earlier issues. I will thus list types I have seen punched,
in order of the first appearance of the basic design and provide notes where I can.

Type 1, issued 1870-84, 1885 and 1905 Paper: plain, ribbed or enamel surfaced. Perforated 11, 12½, 13½ or 14½. Two types of 15r, 20r and 80r differing in the distances between the figures of the value.	Type 2, issued 1880-81, 1885 and 1905 Perforated 12 or 13½. I have not seen any of these punched as yet, but if Carlos Kullberg is correct, then they should exist.

Type 3	Type 3	Type 4 First issued 1892-3 and reprinted in 1905 (Perf. 13½) Paper: two types, Perforated 11½, 12½ or 13½.	Provisionals Overprinted with types C or D as illustrated above.
Type 3 is part of a series first issued 1882-87 and reprinted in 1885, 1893 and 1905 Paper: plain, ribbed or enamel surfaced, Perforated 11½, 12½ or 13½.

I have shown two examples of type 3 here to highlight the fact that there are different star-punches.
That on type 11 is different again. I presume they were used at different locations and/or different times.

 

The table below is adapted from Scott which uses the cheapest price for postally used where several varieties are include in an entry.
I have yet to add values for stamps with star-punch-holes, but they will not be higher than the postally used price.

Compared to the Spanish punched stamps, these have a value that is a significantly higher proportion of the postally used values.
This is because a smaller area of the stamp is lost, the star itself has some aesthetic appeal and they are much scarcer than their Spanish counterpart.

 

Type 1 - 1871 -10R	Type 1 - 1875 - 15R	Type 1 - 1870 - 80R	Type 1 - 1870 - 80R

Type 1 - 1880 - 150R	Type 1 - 1876 - 300R	Type 1 - 1884 - 1000R

RH# Type Description Postally Used Telegraphically Used S1 1 5r black 5.25 ? S2 1 10r yellow (1871) 27.50 ? S3 1 10r blue-green (1879) 175.00 ? S4 1 10r yellow-green (1880) 24.00 ? S5 1 15r lilac-brown 29.00 ? S6 1 20r bistre 25.00 ? S7 1 20r rose (1884) 55.00 ? S8 1 25r rose 3.75 ? S9 1 50r pale green 37.50 ? S10 1 50r blue (1879) 50.00 ? S11 1 80r orange 19.00 ? S12 1 100r pale-lilac (1871) 12.00 ? S13 1 120r blue, perf. 12½ (1871) 62.50 ? S14 1 150r pale blue (1876) 110.00 ? S15 1 150r yellow (1880) 13.50 ? S16 1 240r pale violet (1873) 1050.00 ? S17 1 300r dull violet (1876) 27.50 ? S18 1 1000r black (1884) 77.50 ?

RH# Type Description Postally Used Telegraphically Used S19 2 5r black 4.00 ? S20 2 25r bluish grey 29.00 ? S21 2 25r grey 3.50 ? S22 2 25r brown-violet (1881) 3.50 ? S23 2 50r blue (1881) 15.00 ? S24 3 20r rose 17.00 ? S25 3,C 20r rose overprinted type C 22.50 ? S26 3,D 20r rose overprinted type D 32.50 ? RH# Type Description Postally Used Telegraphically Used S27 4 5r orange 2.00 ? S28 4 10r reddish violet 5.25 ? S29 4 15r chocolate 6.00 ? S30 4 20r lavender 8.75 ? S31 4 25r dark green 2.00 ? S32 4 50r blue 9.25 ? S33 4 75r carmine (1893) 8.00 ? S34 4 80r yellow-green 42.50 ? S35 4 100r brown on buff (1893) 6.25 ? S36 4 150r carmine on rose (1893) 42.50 ? S37 4 200r dark blue on blue (1893) 35.00 ? S38 4 300r dark blue on salmon (1893) 57.50 ?

 

 

Portuguese Colonies

Azores

Some of these have a design specific to the Azores, but most are Portuguese stamps overprinted with 'AÇORES'.
The Correios e telégrafos, CT1 to CT9 above for example.

 

Azores H1 and H2.

1911 (4 October). Postage stamp of 1910 (SG194) overprinted 'ASSISTENCIA' in black.
White wove paper without watermark. Perf. 14 x 15.

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H1	20r carmine	10.00	6.00

 

1912 (4 October). As No. 2 of Portugal but further overprinted 'AÇORES' in black.

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H2	2c carmine	7.50	4.00

 

1915 (4 October). As No. 4 of Portugal but further overprinted 'AÇORES' in black.

H3 (to raise money for the poor)     and *H3a.

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H3	2c brown-lilac	5.00	1.50
*H3a	dull brown-rose	2.00	3.00

* Added due to example shown.

 

1922 (4 October). As No. 5 of Portugal but overprinted 'AÇORES' in black.

H4.

 

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H4	5c red-brown	5.00	3.00

 

1925 (4 October). As No. *H6 of Portugal but overprinted 'AÇORES' in black.

Hisc.	Description	Mint	Used
H5	*30c on 2c brown-lilac	7.50	6.00

* Steve Hiscocks said H7 of Portugal overprinted with 'AÇORES', but that appears to be wrong
I have corrected it.

 

Note that Ponta Delgada, consisting of the islands of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria in the Azores had their own stamps issued 1892 to 1905 which may conceivably seen telegraphic use.
They were superseded by stamps of the Azores.

 

Macao & Timor

100 Avos (a) = 1 Pataca

1919 (1 July). Revenue stamp overprinted 'TAXA DE GUERRA' in red.
White wove paper without watermark. Perf. 15 x 14.

Type 10 Courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.

Hisc.	Type	Description	Mint	Used
H1	10	9a deep blue-green	5.00	5.00

 

10 July 1944 receipt for ??? Telegrafico das Colónias Portuguesas Telegram to Shanghai.
Scott gives 1945 for the issue date of these Postal Tax stamps!


This has a 20 Avos in postal tax stamps (Scott RA7). Image courtesy of Antonio Torres.

 

Portuguese Colonies in Africa

(Mozambique and Angola mostly)

(1919 As for Macao. Perf. 15 x 14.

Type 14  Perf. 15 x 14,  -  H1	Type 14  Perf. 12 x 11½,  -  H1b

The colour of the overprint also seems different on these two.

Hisc.	Type	Description	Mint	Used
H1	14	4c deep blue-green	5.00	4.00
H1a	14	perf. 12 x 11½	5.00	4.00
H1b	14	as H1a but smooth cream paper with less marked 'wove' pattern	6.00	6.00

 

Mozambique

1916 (8 July). War tax stamp. White wove paper without watermark. Rouletted 7.

Type 11  rouletted,  H1	Type 11  imperf.,  H1a

Hisc.	Type	Description	Mint	Used
H1	11	5c carmine (shades)	2.50	1.50
H1a	11	imperf.	5.00	5.00
H1b	11	on horizontally laid paper	50.00	20.00

 

1918 (February). Similar to the above but with frame solid rather than shaded. Perf. 11 or 11½.

Type 12  Perf. 11,  H2 -  courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.	Type 12  Perf. 11,  RH2a -  courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.

RH #	Hisc.	Type	Perf. 11 Description	Mint	Used
RH2	H2	12	5c carmine (shades)	3.75	2.50
RH2a	-	12	overprinted "2½ CENTAVOS"	5.00	4.00

The Scott catalog lists RH2a as a postage stamp, as oppose to RH2 that it lists as a War Tax stamp. Since it is marked "Correios e telégrafos",
it should have been valid for telegraph use, though may not often have been used that way.

 

1918 (1 October). As above. Perf. 11½.

Type 12  Perf. 11½,  H3 -  courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.	Type 12  Perf. 11½,  RH3f -  courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.

RH #	Hisc.	Type	Description	Mint	Used
RH3	H3	12	5c red (marked shades)	3.75	2.50
RH3a	H3a	12	error '1910' for '1916'	15.00	10.00
RH3b	H3b	12	error 'PETRIA' for 'PATRIA'	7.50	5.00
RH3c	H3c	12	error 'PEPUBLICA'	7.50	5.00
RH3d	H3d	12	error 'TELFGRAFO'	7.50	5.00
RH3e	H3e	12	imperf.	15.00	10.00
RH3f	-	12	overprinted "SEIS CENTAVOS" in green	4.00	3.00

The Scott catalog lists RH3f as a postage stamp, as oppose to RH3 that it lists as a War Tax stamp. Since it is marked "Correios e telégrafos",
it should have been valid for telegraph use, though may not often have been used that way.

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. The four errors 3a—3d are also found imperforate as type 3e. About £15 each mint or used. [1982 prices]

 

A Mozambique 1c War-Tax stamp of 1916 marked "CORREIO", used in Lourenço Marques.
This has a typical hexagonal Correios e telégrafos cancel. Image courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.

 

 

1965 White wove paper without watermark. Perf. 14½.

#13 Taken from Hiscocks Book, page 252.

 

Hisc.	Type	Description	Mint	Used
H4	13	2E50 black, salmon and pale blue	5.00	2.00
H4a	13	chalky paper	5.00	2.00

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. While No. 4 was apparently intended for use on telegrams, it has been questioned                 whether this was in practice its major use.

My note: John Barefoot lists type 13 saying this value was specifically intended for telegraph tax.
The (slightly stained) stamp on the right with a face value of 0E50, together with a 1E00 value were used on mail to raise money for telecommunications.
The Scott catalogue says that the 2E50 was for telegrams and do not list it for postal use. They do list a 30c, 50c and 1E00 for postal tax use.
The 2E50 stamp shown has a 1974 CTT ("Correios, Telégrafos e Telefones") cancel, the 50c has a normal postal cancel.

 

2E50 appears to have been a reduction, for the sake of interest, here is a telegram from 8 August 1963.
Lisbon to Inhambane, Mozambique.

 

That had a 5E Fiscal Stamp affixed.

 

A receipt of The Eastern & South African Telegraph Co., Ltd. dated 2 May 1924 used at Beira for a telegram to Liege, Belgium.
"(Station Books 9/57.)" in the top-right corner.

It has a 1c Colonial fiscal stamp for Mozambique to cover a tax on receipts and has an imprint of "W. & S. Ltd." at bottom left, probably Waterlow & Son.
From RL.

From 1894 to 1917, stamps of Mozambique inscribed "Zambezia" were used in the district of that name, some telegraphically.

Stamps of Mozambique and Lourenço Marques can also be found with Zambezia cancels.

   
3 examples used Telegraphically in Zambezia, courtesy of Bram Leeflang.

 

 

Angola

Posts & Telegraphs Telegram, Modelo No. 804, dated 7 July 1922
This was used at Loanda, later called Luanda. - Size 215 x 252mm.


Details of form number at top-right and imprint lower down.
 
Images courtesy of Bram Leeflang who points out that the "Via" is "Cabo", presumably Capetown.

 

A C.T.T. Radio Telegram, Modelo No. 804, dated 8 September 1955

 

A Registered envelope from Luanda inscribed "Direcção dos Serviços dos Correios, Telégrafos e Telefones da Província de Angola" dated as 10 April 1957.
It is also marked "Mod. 9—A / (AVIÃO)" at the top-right.


Originally addressed to Warminster, Wiltshire, it was redirected to Ely, Cambridgeshire via Godford.


Images courtesy of AlphaOmegaPhilately on eBay (click image for listing).

 

 

Others

Other Portuguese possessions with a telegraph service are likely to have ways to pay for it with stamps.
I will illustrate what I come across. The following are places that may have had such:
Portuguese Congo which was the northern tip of Angola but had its own stamps until they were replaced by stamps of Angola.
Cape Verde Islands, 460 km off the coast of Senegal, Africa.
Lourenço Marques, the southern part of Mozambique, issued its own stamps 1895 to 1921.
São Tomé & Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea, Africa.

   
Other stamps used telegraphically may only be identified by their cancellation.
A 15c Angola on the left used for a Radio Telegram and
a 2 Escudo with a cancel indicating posts & telegraphs, but the high face value suggests the latter. Values went from ½c to 20E.
Cape Verde are a group of islands off the northwest coast of Africa. Telegraphy was probably very important there.
Images courtesy of Les Bottomley.

 

Portuguese India

(Goa and Damaun)

12 Reis = 1 Tanga
16 Tangas = 1 Rupia

1919 As for Macao. Perf. 15 x 14.

As in Hiscocks Book, page 252. Courtesy of Paul & Les Bottomley.

Hisc.	Type	Description	Mint	Used
H1	15	0:01:09,94 deep blue-green	5.00	5.00

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. It is not certain that this stamp was for telegraphic use. Used copies have normal postal cancellations.

As with Ceylon, Indian Telegraph Stamps were extensively used.
two types of 'GOA' in-line cancels are known, a narrow setting (Type 1) with flat sides to 'O' seen on 1 Rupee stamps and
a wider setting with rounded 'O' seen on 8 Anna stamps.

Later normal postage stamps were used with the round 'Bullseye' Telegraphic cancels inscribed 'NOVA GOA'.


This one of 1916 is courtesy of Deepak Jaiswal APS, PTS.


Damaun is also reported to have had a Telegraph Office, but I have not seen evidence of usage,
unless it was perhaps called Damun at the time ?


Folkert (see below) tells me though, that there is a place called Ootacamund
and perhaps others containing this string of letters.

I am indebted to Folkert Bruining of the Netherlands for bringing my attention to these.
Further information and images would be greatly appreciated.