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first issues > countries > angra, funchal, horta and ponta delgada

Angra, Funchal,
Horta and Ponta Delgada

1892

Portuguese colonies 1a-c, 2a  

These issues are related to the Azores and Madiera, the first two Portuguese colonial issues. They are grouped here to allow continuity in the colonial links as they were all made around 1892. The first issue sets were complex, disparate and protracted, making it difficult to cross reference the catalogues and so only the Scott first issue will be listed and shown.

From 1892 until 1905, separate stamps were issued for the three administrative areas of the Azores: Angra, Horta and Ponta Delgada.
Angra - the #1 is a 5 reis yellow perf 12½, with perf and paper variants. Gibbons dates of the set more precisely than Scott, suggesting that Sc1 is not the first issue chronologically, but at least Sc1 = SG1.
Horta - again, the the Sc1 is a 5r yellow, perf uncertain. Gibbons' listing states that this value is available in three perfs and again this is not the earliest issue.
Ponta Delgada - the 5r yellow Sc1 is perf 12½, but here Gibbons begins with perf 11½, so Sc1 = SG6.

Funchal - On Madeira, stamps were issued in that name from 1868 until 1880, but the administrative name was changed to Funchal (the main town) from 1892 to 1905, then back again to Madeira.
The Sc1 is 5r yellow perf 12½ and that equates to SG85. While Scott numbers Funchal separately, Gibons runs contiguously through the name changes.

Angra Horta Ponta Delgada Funchal
Angra
Horta
Ponta Delgada
Funchal
1892 Sc1 SG1 1892 Sc1 SG1 1892 Sc1 SG6 1892 Sc1 SG85