Bolivia

1894 Scott 46 100c brown rose "Coat of Arms"

Quick History
The Republic of Bolivia was established in 1825, and named for Simon Bolivar, the leader of the Spanish American wars of Independence. Located in central South America, the country became landlocked after losing the Port of Antofagasta to Chile during the War of the Pacific (1879-81). La Paz is the "de facto" highest capital in the world  at 11,942 feet in elevation. The population was about 3.5  million in the 1940's. Bolivianos are mostly descended from the indigenous native people, which greatly influences Bolivia's cultural folk art and music. The major languages are Spanish(60%), Quechua (20%), and Aymara (15%).

1939 Scott 251 & 252 2c green & 4c fawn "Llamas"

Big Blue Picture
Spread out over 8 pages, Big Blue (1997) has spaces for 164 stamps. The same coverage is on 5 pages for the 1969 Big Blue. The 2011 Scott Classic specialized catalogue has 361 major stamp descriptions. Coverage is 45% by Big Blue.

Unfortunately, with little additional financial outlay for the collector of Bolivia, Big Blue could have been "great", rather than "good".

Why?

 Well, I found an additional 111 stamps ( many <$1,- a few up to $5), that are not in Big Blue. That would add another 31% to the coverage (76% total).

Additional stamps that the Big Blue collector could ( and should) consider....

Classic stamps (Note: I love classic stamps, so hence the tolerance for higher, but reasonable catalogue prices)
1867-68 Imperf "Condor"
1,2,5,7,($20+-$40+)

1868-69 "Coat of Arms"
10,11,15,16,17, ($10+-$30+)

1878
23($30+)

1890-93
33,34,($5+-$20+)

1899
57($10+)

1899-1901
68($2+)

1901-02
76($2+)

1904
77($1+)

1901-1913 various issues
76,77,79,80,81,87,88,89,99,100,101,108,109,110, (<$1-$2+)

1919-27 "Coat of Arms"
25 stamps (<$1-$5+) See discussion in Big Blue Bottom Line

1924-1940 various issues- 69 stamps for <$1-$2+ !
138,139,140,142,143,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,162,178,179,180,184,190,193,194,195,196,200,202,203,204,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,225,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,268,C1,C2,C3,C5,C29,C30,C31,C32,C33,C34,C40,C41,C49,C50,C51,C52,C53,C54,C55,C56,C71,RA2 (<$1-$2+)

1866-68 Scott 2 5c green "Condor"

Big Blue checklist
1878 Arms and "The Law"
20,21,22,($5+)

1866
1 or 2 ($20+)

1887
24,25,26,($2+-$5+)

1890-93
28 or 35 ($2+)
29 or 36 ($2+)
30 or 37 ($2+)
31 or 38 ($2+-$5+)
Blank space: suggest 32 or 39 ($5+-$40+)
Note: 1890 Scott 28-32 is Perf 12; 1893 Scott 35-39 is Perf 11.

1894 thin paper
40($20+)
41,42,43,($1+-$2+)
44,45,($5+-$20+)
46($40+)
Note: thick paper stamps cancelled in Paris with oval heavy bars-value of set: $5

1897
47,48,49,50,($2+)
51,52,53,($5+-$10+)

1899-1901
62,63,64,69,65,66, ($2+)
Blank space: suggest 67($2+)

1901-02
70,71,73,74,(<$1)
75($1)

1909
82,83,(<$1)
84,85,86,(<$1)

1910
92,93,94,(<$1)

1911
95(<$1)

1912
98(<$1)

1913
103,104,105,106,107(<$1)

1916-17
111,112,113,114 *,116 (<$1)
*Note: Big Blue's illustration for stamp shows 114, a  type 1; rather than 115, which is type 2.

1919-27 "Coat of Arms"
118 or 128 (<$1)
165,166,167(<$1)
120(<$1)
121 or 131 (<$1-$10+)
168(<$1)
Note: see discussion about this series in Big Blue Bottom Line

1928
189,191,199,201,(<$1-$1+)

1931
197,198,205,(<$1)

1933
213,214,215,216,217,(<$1)

1935
218(<$1)

1935-37
219,220,221,222,223,224,226,(<$1)
227,228,229,230,231,232,(<$1-$1+)

(1937)
241(<$1)

1938
242,246,247,249,250,(<$1-$1+)
243,244,245,248,(<$1-$1+)

1939
251,252,253,254,255,,256,(<$1-$1+)
257,258,259,260,261,262,263,(<$1-$1+)
264,265,266,267,($1+)

1940
269($2+)

Postage Due
1931
J1,J2,J3,J4,($1+-$2+)
J5,J6,($5+-$10+)

1938
J7,J8,J9,($1+)

Air Post stamps
1928
C8,C9,C10,($1+-$2+)

1930
C27,C28,(<$1)

1932
C35,C36,C37,C38,C39,(<$1)

1935
C42,C43,C44,C45,C46,C47,C48, (<$1)

1938
C66,C67,(<$1)
C63,C64,C65,C68,C70,C69,(<$1)
C73,C74,C76,C77,C79,(<$1-$1+)
C80,C78,C75,(<$1)
C72,C81,(<$1-$1+)

Postal Tax stamp
1937
RA1 (<$1)

Kinds of Blue
The 1997,1969,1947 and 1941 editions are identical for content.

Living happily together in Big Blue?

5c dark green 1919-20 perf 12 engraved American Bank Note Co. Scott 120

10c vermilion Scott 121 or 1923-27 perf 13 1/2 re-engraved Perkins,Bacon & Co. Ltd. Scott 131

20c light olive green 1927 perf 13 1/2 lithographed Waterlow & Sons Scott 168

Big Blue Bottom Line
A common witticism is one needs a strong stomach to witness either the making of sausage or the "making" of laws. Well, how about certain stamp series in Big Blue that are all thrown together "mishmash"? :-)

Take a look at the seven stamp spaces for Bolivia's "Coat of Arms" 1919-27 series.

Big Blue throws together FOUR issues  consisting of different year of issues (1919-20,1923-27,1925,1927), three different printers ( American Bank Note Co.(ABNC), Perkins,Bacon & Co.(PBC), Ltd, Waterlow & Sons (WS)), different perforations (12 & 13 1/2), different colors for the same denomination, and an engraved, a re-engraved, a second re-engraved, and a lithographed version!

Specifically:
1c (illustrated) carmine Scott 118 (1919-20) engraved perf 12 ABNC or Scott 1923-27 re-engraved perf 13 1/2 PBC (<$1)

2c (illustrated) Scott 165 yellow(<$1)-the lithographed version by WS!:different enough from the 2c engraved versions, that Scott gives a separate illustration (A55 rather than A54), and Big Blue shows the lithographed version. This rules out the engraved Scott 119 2c dark violet($2+) by  ABNC, and the re-engraved Scott 129 2c deep violet(<$1) by PBC

3c "pink"- lithographed Scott 166
4c "red brown" lithographed Scott 167

5c "dark green" engraved Scott 120(<$1). The color specification by Big Blue eliminates for consideration PBC's re-engraved Scott 130 deep green(<$1), or the second re-engraving 1925 version by WS Scott 144 deep green(<$1).

10c "vermilion" engraved Scott 121(<$1) or re-engraved Scott 131($10+)!

20c "light olive green" Scott 168.  Because of color, Big Blue specifies the lithographed version. Gone for consideration are the engraved Scott 122 dark blue, or the re-engraved Scott 132 slate blue. All the versions are <$1.

What an arbitrary mess. Twenty-five stamps in the"Coat of arms" were not picked up by Big Blue ( Scott 119,122,123,124,125,126,127,129,130,132,135,136,137,144,145,146,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,). Twelve of these stamps are <$1, while the remainder vary from $1+-$5+.

I'm feeling a little queasy.  ;-)

Links
Bolivia - Bud's Big Blue
Bolivia 1867-1916 - a closer look