Big Blue 1840-1940: Bolivia

1960 Scott 450 5000b on 5b gold

"Gate of the Sun"

Bud's Big Blue
Bud's Observations

An extended visit with Bolivia’s stamps has been on my bucket list for quite a while. So far I’ve only identified some of the things I’d like Bolivia’s stamps to tell me. What do I want to know? to do?

· * Sort out which early 19^th century revolutionaries did what in which South American nations, particularly Bolivar and Sucre.

· * Find out the flight and nesting habits of condors and why they’re on Bolivia’s first stamps.

· Get the full story behind the decision not to release the “Gate of the Sun” series until 1960 when it was made for the 1926 centennial celebration. (See above).

· * Speculate about Tiwanaku iconography in the “Gate of the Sun” series.

· * See what traces of Bolivia’s early, relatively primitive postal routes can be found in pre 1895 cancellations (foot-paths, railway, horseback riders and river boats).

· * Identify the effects of being a land-locked country on Bolivia’s postal history and, more generally, the effects of hostilities between Chile and Bolivia.

· * Collect more early fancy cancels.

· * Track the effects of rampaging inflation on their stamps, as evidenced by the many overprints. The “Gate of the Sun” stamp above was to be issued in 1926 at 5 Bolivanos but, when it was finally released in 1960, it had to be overprinted 5000 Bs, an increase of 99,900 percent.

I’d better set aside several months. Maybe some of you already have some of this information, or even better questions to ask of Bolivia’s stamps. If you do, please make a comment.

Census: 164 in BB spaces, seven tip-ins, 114 on supplement pages.

Jim's Observations
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%).

Our family has felt a close kinship with Bolivia for a long time. Our two daughters have been there. We hosted an AFS (American Field Service) high school student from Bolivia. That was nigh 24 years ago, and we are still close to her and her family.

There is a collection of Bolivia in the other room waiting to be broken down. I am looking forward to that with pleasure.

Bolivia Blog Post and Checklist

Page 1 (Click to enlarge for examination.)