MANILA
to BARCELONA TELEGRAPH RECEIPT
17 Stamps
paying the 21 pesos and 33 centimos rate, via Suez.
SURCHARGE
ERRORS
TYPE 12: Green
10c on 2c Postage Inverted Surcharge
3 stamps in
strip of 4, Positions 8, 9 and 10.
|
The
10 cuartos surcharge employed a currency which was discontinued in 1864,
the peso duro or peso plata. The currency employed between 1881 and 1888
was the Peso. As such, 10 cuartos equaled 6.5 Centimes de Peso. The telegraph
operator likely confused the 10 cuartos for 10 centimes. If the surcharge
is figured as 10 centimes, the stamps used pay the full rate of the telegram.
However, the actual value of the surcharged stamps resulted in an underpayment
of 14 centimes. Why the surcharges were expressed in outdated currencies
is unknown, although it is theorized, the device prevented forgery by confusing
the potential forger. Unfortunately, the result was confusion for the public
and the telegraph operator, many of whom were not alive when the older
currencies were employed. |
