2016-07-16 Sat

The 300th anniversary of the establishment of Spain’s postal service will be celebrated in a special way with the issue of a new 10 Euro collector silver coin. The Spanish Postal Service was established on 13th July, 1716 by King Philip V for political dispatches, personal correspondences as well as government payments and monies. The service was earlier run privately by noble or titled personalities in Spain.

The service became operational in 1743 with the establishment of a network of post offices and a Postmaster General. A postage stamp was introduced similar to that which was started by the British Royal Mail in 1840.

On January 1st, the first Spanish postage stamp was introduced in denominations like six quartos, or 1 ½ centimos, for a simple letter, and 10 reales for more complex and heavier dispatches. The stamps featured a portrait of Queen Isabella II which appeared on coins introduced in 1851.

Telegraphy services exclusively for the state were introduced from 1844 to 1855. Over 1,500 telegraph stations were established by the end of the 19th century for public use.

Today the Spanish Postal Service is one of the largest one in the world with head offices based in Madrid and over 10,000 postal centres and offices all over Spain.

The reverse features a coloured crowned post horn which represents 300 years of Correos along with other allegorical elements pertaining to the postal service.

The obverse depicts a portrait of H. M. King Felipe VI and the inscriptions ‘FELIPE VI REY DE ESPANA’ and ‘2016’.

The coin comes in a special packaging and a certificate of authenticity.