Ecuador

1901 Scott 151 1s brown & black 

Jose Joaquin Olmedo

Quick History

Update: 1908 Stamp Issue for the Opening of the Guayaquil-Quito Railway

Ecuador, off the northwest coast of South America, was constituted in 1830 after a civil war which split up the original members of the Republic of Gran Columbia. The Presidency of Quito was renamed the Republic of Ecuador ( In English "Equator").
The Capital is Quito, and the population was 3,000,000 in 1942.
Stamp issues of the Republic began in 1865.

Ecological note: The Galapagos Islands are well known, but all of Ecuador has the most biodiversity per square kilometer of any world nation.

1872 Scott 9 1/2r blue

Coat of Arms

Big Blue Picture
Big Blue '97, on 12 pages, has 198 regular, 54 air post, 7 official, and 20 postal tax stamps, for a total of 279 stamp spaces. The 2011 Scott Classic Specialized catalogue has 773 major stamp descriptions. Overall coverage by Big Blue is 37%.
Coverage is actually a reasonable 52% for regular and air post. But BB has no coverage of  postage due stamps (17 descriptions).  More significantly, it provides for only 7 spaces for the 218 official stamps in the Scott catalogue. I counted 120 official stamps in the affordable <$1-$2+ range. There are also an additional 25 postal tax stamps that are inexpensive. Altogether, I found a whopping 304 additional stamps that could be added by the BB collector. See "Additionals" for specifics...

Comments...
1) Ecuador's stamps are generally inexpensive, although Ecuador does contribute to the "Most expensive" list with the 1865 Coat of Arms Scott 5 1r green ($50+).

2) BB at times is up to its old tricks with stopping an issue too early.
(1907 Presidents (2), 1909 National Exposition (3), 1912(2), 1920 Cent. of Independence of Guayaquil (10!))

3) Huge number of affordable regular issue surcharged/overprinted left out of Big Blue.
1896-1897 surcharged/overprinted: 39 stamps!
1925-29 surcharged/overprinted: 23 stamps!
1933-37 surcharged/overprinted: 21 stamps!

4)As mentioned, a huge cache of affordable Official (120!) and Postal tax (25) stamps could be added by the BB collector.

5) Contrary to some other countries, there are not that many Ecuadorian stamps fighting for the same space in Big Blue. That's good. But for many stamps, Big Blue simply leaves them out altogether. :-)

6) The 1894-95 Rocafuerte issues were reprinted with thick paper. Beware: they are only worth minimum catalogue value.

Additionals...( <$1-$2+)
1892 President Juan Flores
30

1893 surcharged
Two stamp choices from checklist not taken from : 31,33,36,34,37,38,

1894 Pres Vicente Rocafuerte  (dated 1894)
45

1895  Pres Vicente Rocafuerte  (dated 1895)
54

1896 Coat of Arms
60,61,62F,

1896 Roca,Noboa,Olmedo,Elizalde
69

1896 surcharge (not in BB)
70,71,72,73,

1897 overprinted "1897-1898" (not in BB)
77,78,79,80,,81,82,86,87,89,

1897 overprinted "1897-1898" (not in BB)
93,94,95,96,97,98,101,102,103,104,105,106,

1897 overprinted "1897 Y 1898" (not in BB)
109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,119,122,123,124,125,

1901 portraits
152

1903-06 surcharged on revenue stamps
154,157,159A,

1907 Presidents
172,173,
Comment: BB left this series too early.

1909 National Exposition
187,188,189,
Comment: BB left this series too early.

1909-10 surcharged (not in BB)
190,191,192,193,194,196,

1912
217,218,
Comment: BB left this series too early.

1915-17
222

1920 Cent. of Independence of Guayaquil
231,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241,
Comment: BB left this series w-a-y too early!

1915-28 Presidents
209,213,214,215,222,

1927-29 overprinted/surcharged (not in BB)
259,266,267,268,273,278,279,280,281,283,
284,285,286,287,289,292,293,294,295,296,297,302,303,

1927
271

1930 Centenary of founding of the Republic
313,314,315,

1933-37 overprinted/surcharged (not in BB)
317,318,319,320,331,332,333,334,335,336,337,338,338A,338B,338C,338D,338E,339,346,358,360,

1934 Landscape
Five additionals would be available from the choices not taken in the checklist.
321,322,323,325,326,327,328,329,

1936
357

Air Post
1929
C13

1929
C16,C17,C18,C19,C20,C21,

1930
C26,C28,

1935
C35,C36,C37,C38,

1935
C38A,C38B,C38C,C38D,C38E,

1938
C64

1940
C90

Air post Official stamps (category not in BB)
1929
CO1,CO2,CO3,CO4,CO5,CO6,

1930
CO9,CO10,

1937
CO13,CO14,CO15,CO16,CO17,

1940
CO18

Official stamps (106!)
1886-1940
O1,O2,O4,O7,O8,O9,O20,O21,O22,O23,O24,O25,O29,O33,O34,O35,O36,O37,
O38,O39,O40,O42,O43,O44,O45,O46,O47,O103,O104,O105,O106,O107,O108,
O109,O110,O111,O115,O116,O117,O118,O119,O120,O121,O122,O123,O124,O125,
O127,O128,O129,O130,O131,O132,O133,O134,O135,O136,O137,O138,O139,O140,
O141,O142,O143,O144,O145,O157,O158,O161,O162,O163,O164,O165,O167,
O169,O170,O171,O172,O173,O174,O175,O176,O177,O178,O179,O180,O181,
O182,O183,O184,O185,O186,O187,O188,O189,O190,O191,O192,O193,O194,O195,
O196,O197,O198,O199,O200,

Postal tax stamps (25!)
1920-40
RA5,RA6,RA8,RA9,RA12,RA13,RA17,RA22,RA23,RA24,RA25,RA26,RA27,
RA30,RA32,RA33,RA34,RA37,RA40,RA42,RA43,RA44,RA45,RA46,RA47,

Postage Due (category not in BB)
1929
J15,J16,J17,

1930 Scott 306 5c deep green & violet brown

Cacao Pod

Big Blue Checklist

1865 Coat of Arms
2,3,4,($10+)
Blank space: suggest Scott 5* 1r green ($50+)
*Note Scott 5: Ecuador's only stamp on the "Most expensive" list ($35 cutoff).

1872 Coat of Arms
9,10,11,($5+)

1881 Coat of Arms
12,13,14,15,16,17($1+),(<$1 eN)
eN=except noted

1887 Coat of Arms
19,20,21,22($5+),(<$1 eN)

1892 President Juan Flores
23,24,25,26,27,28,29,(<$1)

1893 surcharged
35($1+)
31($5+) or 33 or 36,($1+ eN)
32 or 34 or 37,($10+)
Two blank spaces: suggest 38($2+) or above choices not taken.

1894 Pres Vicente Rocafuerte  (dated 1894)
39,40,41,42,43,(<$1)
Blank space: suggest 44($1+)
Note: Thick paper reprints are minimum CV

1895  Pres Vicente Rocafuerte  (dated 1895)
47,48,49,50,51($1+),(<$1 eN)
Note: Thick paper reprints are minimum CV

1896 Coat of Arms
55 or 62A,56 or 62B,57 or 62C,58 or 62D,59($1+) or 62E($10+),(<$1 eN)
Note: 55-59 wmk 117-liberty cap; 62A-62E unwmk
Note: Thick paper reprints are minimum CV

1898 surcharged
135,136,($1+)

1896 Roca,Noboa,Olmedo,Elizalde
63,65,67,64,66,68($1+),(<$1 eN)

1897 Coat of Arms
127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134($1+),(<$1 eN)

1899 portraits
137,138,139,140,141,142,143($1+),(<$1 eN)
Note: these stamps, for control purposes, can be found handstamped by the government provinces.

1901 portraits
145,146,147,148,149,150,151($1+),(<$1 eN)
Note: these stamps, for control purposes, can be found handstamped by the government provinces.

1903-06 surcharged on revenue stamps
155,153,(<$1)

1904 Calderon
160,161,162,163,164($2+),(<$1 eN)

1907 Presidents
166,167,168,169,170,171,(<$1)
Note: "control marks" handstamped often found

1908
174(<$1)

1908 portraits on triangular stamps, and Mt. Chimborazo
175,176,177,($1+)
178,180($2+),179,($1+ eN)

1909 National Exposition
181,182,183,184,185,186,(<$1)

1912
216($1+)

1911-13 Presidents
198,201,204,206,210,(<$1)

1915-17
199,202,(<$1)

1915-17 (continued)
205,220,207,211,221,(<$1)

1920 Cent. of Independence of Guayaquil
223,224,(<$1)

1920 Cent. of Independence of Guayaquil (continued)
225,226,227,228,229,230,232,(<$1)

1925 Presidents (types of 1911-13)
200,203,208,212,(<$1)
Note: 1911-13,1915-17,1925 Presidental issues have different colors: pay attention. :-)

1927
269,270,(<$1)

1930 Centenary of founding of the Republic
304,305,307,308,309,(<$1)
311,306,310,312,(<$1)

1934 Landscape
321* or 322 or 323,324, "three blank spaces",330,(<$1)
Three blank spaces: suggest choices not already taken, or 325,326,327,328,329,
*Note: the 5c denomination also was issued in "slate", Scott 323A, a '45 issue.

1935
341,343,344,345($1+),340,342,(<$1)

1936
347,348,349,350,(<$1)
351(<$1)
352,353,($1+)
354,355,356,($1+)

1937
363,364,361,362,365,(<$1)

1938-39
366,367,368,(<$1)
369,370,371,(<$1)
372,373,374,375,376,(<$1)
377,379,378,380,381,(<$1)
382,383,384,385,386,387,(<$1)
388,389,390,,391,392,393,(<$1)

1940
394,395,396,397,

Air Post
Note:"SCADTA" (See Colombia) handled air post for Ecuador in 1928: all too expensive for BB.

1929
C8,C9,C10,C11,C12,(<$1)

1936 overprinted "aereo"
C39,C40,C41,C42,(<$1)

1936 overprinted "aerea"
C43,C44,C45,($2+)
C46,C47,C48,($2+)

1936
C49,C50,(<$1)

1937
C51,C52,C54,C55,C56,(<$1)

1938-39
C57,C58,C59,(<$1)
C60,C61,C62,(<$1)
C63,C66,C67,C69($1+),(<$1 eN)
C65,C68,C70,C71,C72,(<$1)
C73,C74,C75,C76,C77,(<$1)
C78,C79,C80,C81,C82,C83,(<$1)

1939 (continued)
C84,C85,C86,(<$1)

1940
C87,C88,C89,(<$1)

Official stamps
1892 (carmine overprint)
O11,O12,O13,O14,O15,O16,O17,(<$1)
Comment: The tip of the iceberg; 106 more Official stamps that are affordable could be added.

Postal Tax stamps
1920
RA1(<$1)

1920
RA2,RA3,RA7,(<$1)

1924
RA20,RA21,(<$1)

1924
RA18,RA19,(<$1)

1920-24
RA10,RA11,(<$1)

1937
RA39(<$1)

1934-40
RA31,RA29,RA30,RA35,RA36,(<$1)
RA41,RA38,RA49,RA48,(<$1)

1939 1s dull violet "Wrestlers"

The ringside spectators are smoking?!

Kinds of Blue
The '69 and '97 editions are identical in content.
The '47 and '41 editions are identical in content.

The "47 and '41 editions have a space for the 1892 Scott 30 5s purple ($1+) The '47/'41 editions also have under Officials, 5 blank spaces for the 1886-87 issue. Suggest O1,O2,O4,O7,O8,O9,($2+) as possibilities.

The '69 and '97 editions has three more space for the 1893 issue ( Scott 37 ($10+) & two blank spaces).
For the blank spaces, suggest 38($2+), and choices not taken (31,33,36,34,37,($2+-$10+))

1881 Scott 17 50c blue green

There are five different issues of the "Coat of Arms" design between 1865-1896

Big Blue Bottom Line
Very nice attractive inexpensive issues.  Lots of Coat of Arms, and Portrait (often bi-colored) designs. If you like overprinted/surcharged, Officials, and Postal tax stamps though, there is a large gap in BB's presentation

Note: Map appears to be in the public domain.

Note: prices are roughly binned; consult a Scott catalogue for actual valuations.

Comments are appreciated!

1821 Map of the three Departments that made up the Republica de Gran Colombia

Venezuela, Cundinamarca, & Quito