El Salvador airmail stamp needed by many butterfly topical collectors

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

Latin America is a cultural region in the Western Hemisphere where Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese and French) are predominantly spoken. The market for stamps of most Latin American countries is strong and active.

El Salvador is a Spanish-speaking country on the Pacific coast of Central America between Honduras to the northeast and Guatemala to the northwest.

El Salvador issued its first stamps in 1867. In 1974-75, it overprinted and surcharged eight airmail stamps issued from 1965 to 1969 with new values to meet prevailing airmail rates (Scott C348-C355).

These airmail provisionals are common and inexpensive in mint, never-hinged condition with the exception of the 25-centavo-on-2-colon Papilio Photinus stamp (Scott C353). The basic stamp (C254) was from a set of four Butterfly airmails issued in 1969.

The Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue values the overprinted and surcharged 2c-on-2col Papilio Photinus stamp at $50 in mint, never-hinged condition and 25¢ in used condition.

This provisional stamp was produced to meet a postal need, and most of the stamps were used for postage. It was not widely marketed to stamp dealers or collectors.

This is a stamp that many butterfly topical collectors still need. It is a good buy at up to full Scott catalog value.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter