2018-11-28 Wed

Issued in May 1867, the Volcano Stamp of El Salvador was the first stamps issued by the country.

El Salvador or the Republic of El Salvador (the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America) became independent from Spain in 1821 and has produced its own stamps since 1867. Printed by the American Bank Note Company, the first stamps of El Salvador were known as the Volcano Stamps.

The set consists of 4 values: ½ Real (blue), 1 Real (red), 2 Reales (green) and 4 Reales (bistre). They feature an active volcano with 11 stars making a semi-circle above the volcano; each star represents Salvadorian provinces in those years: San Salvador, La Libertad, Sonsonate, Santa Ana, La Paz, Cuscatlán, Usulután, San Vicente, San Miguel, La Union, & Chalatenango. The stamps were discontinued in the year 1874.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com