Big Blue 1840-1940: December 2025

A is for Aden and Z is for Zanzabar

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Spain - Bud's Big Blue

1851-1861 Spain in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Spain, on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, emerged already in the 15th century as a unified country. And, through its global colonial empire, the culture and Castilian language of Spain spread and encompasses some 500 million world citizens today.

Bypassing much history in order to be closer to the philatelic era....

Ferdinand VII (1814-1833) was restored as absolute monarch in 1823 with the help of the French. He returned conservative policies, restored the Jesuits, and reinstated the Spanish Inquisition. As he had only a female heir presumptive, and not wanting to have his reactionary brother Infante Carlos of Spain succeed him, he declared the "Pragmatic Sanction" in 1830, enabling his infant daughter Isabella to become Queen.

With Ferdinand's death in 1833 at age 49, three year old Isabella became "Queen", although her mother Maria Christina was named regent for her daughter. Carlos, however, declared himself the rightful heir, and hence there was some 50 years of unrest and (Carlist) civil war.

Isabella II assumed majority rule in 1843 when she was only thirteen years old.

She held the title Her Majesty Queen Isabella II, The Queen of Spain until 1870.

Spain was not very effectual as a nation during Isabella's reign, and blaming in part the Queen, in 1868 the army defected to the revolutionary generals (Glorious Revolution era, Provisional Government 1868-71). The Queen was forced into exile, retired from Spanish politics, and lived in Paris until her death in 1904.

But she is remembered fondly by philatelists and postal historians, because her visage is on the very first postage stamp of Spain of 1850. And she is literally the "face" of Spanish stamps until 1868, with 22 stamp visage and/or frame different designs.

Recounting the entire turbulent history of Spain during the philatelic era would require an encyclopedic review. I will only give a very brief synopsis here.

In short: The monarchy continued in variable health until 1931, when Spain became a republic. The ultranationalist totalitarian regime of General Francisco Franco was established after the 1936-39 Civil War.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Spain 1850-1940 ( a few issues go to 1947) - 1171 major stamp descriptions. Of those 1,057 are the "usual" categories. Then, there are 114 stamps for 1873-75 Carlist stamps and 1936-37 Revolutionary overprints.

For the 1171 major stamp descriptions, 569 are CV <$1-$1+, or 48%. There are many Spanish stamps during the classical era that are inexpensive for the WW collector. Naturally, earlier issues are more expensive.

Spain's stamps also reflect the reality that there have been changes in government.

Kingdom 1850-1869
Provisional Government 1868-1869
Duke de la Torre Regency 1870
Kingdom 1872-1873
First Republic 1873-1874
Kingdom 1875-1930
Revolutionary Issues 1931
Republic 1931-1938
Spanish State 1936-1947
Also...
Carlist stamps 1873-1875
Revolutionary Overprints 1936-1937

Big Blue "69, on 23 pages, has 567 spaces for the stamps of Spain. BB's coverage is 48%. Categories include regular, semi-postal, air post, semi-postal air post, air post special delivery, official, official air post, special delivery, semi-postal special delivery, postal tax, and delivery tax. Categories not included in BB are war tax, franchise, carlist stamps, and revolutionary overprints. Of interest, Spain never issued postage due stamps.

The BB 1940s editions appear to be identical, except for some minor rearrangement, and the "69 edition has spaces for Special Delivery E4 & E5.

For interest, here is the stamp space count in BB for the top countries.

762 Germany
755 Austria
752 France
644* United States
620 Hungary
617 Italy
582 Salvador
569 Nicaragua
567 Spain

Spain has the ninth slot for stamp space count in BB.
*Note: The U.S. has more than 644 spaces, but I didn't include cut squares.

Big Blue has forty spaces that require a stamp with a CV $10+: seven of which are in the "most expensive" category ($35+). For specifics, see the "comments" section below the checklist. The most costly is the 1938 Scott 613 5p dark brown "Bomb Throwing"($200)!!!, from an issue honoring the militia, and only available from the Philatelic Agency.

Be aware that the "Barcelona Exposition Issue" ....

Postal Tax

1929-31

“RA1”,”RA2”,”RA3”,”RA4”,”RA5”,”RA6”,

“RA7”,”RA8”,”RA9”,”RA10”,”RA11”,”RA12”,

....are dropped (not active) Scott numbers, as this issue is no longer in the catalogue.

Also, there are color descriptive changes for some spaces between today's Scott catalogue and Big Blue. I didn't comment (except for one space), as it should cause no particular confusion.

For more on the stamps themselves with an emphasis on the earlier issues, as well as the extensive checklist, click on the link below.

Spain Blog Post & BB Checklist

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