Spud Papers – Pacific Steam Navigation Company

Pacific Steam Navigation Company

As these stamps had a currency of barely three months (from December 1st, 1857, to the 26th of the following February), original copies are extremely rare, but reprints are easily attainable. The only issued stamps seem to have been as follows:

• 1 real, blue, on paper blued by the gum
• 2 real brown, on paper blued by the gum
• 1 real carmine, on white laid paper
• 
2 real blue, on white laid paper

The reprints are always upon wove paper. Most of Spiro’s imitations of the 1 real have a strong and disagreeable odour pervading them, due to the oil in which the sheets were steeped for the purpose of giving them the appearance of age.

1/2 oz. 1 Real.

Genuine

A magnificently-engraved stamp; all the details showing with clearness, s is joined to the dot following it, and the top of the 1 almost touches the oval.

Forged

There is a clear space between s and the dot following it. The engine-turning is very indistinct, and the shading within the central oval is somewhat coarse. Between the top of the figure 1 and the oval frame is a slight space. The tout etsemble is very poor.

1 oz. 2 Reales.

The forgery of this value is instantly detected the left, instead of to the right, as in the original.

From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.