Chile 5 Centavos 'Columbus'

Chile · 1853 · 5c (Centavos)

This is the first postage stamp issued by Chile, featuring a portrait of Christopher Columbus. The design is simple, with the portrait in a central oval, surrounded by the country's name 'CHILE' at the top and the denomination 'CINCO CENTAVOS' at the bottom. It was printed in London by Perkins, Bacon & Co., the same firm that printed the Penny Black.

Issued in 1853, this stamp marks Chile's entry into the global postal system, following the trend of postal reform initiated by Great Britain's Penny Black in 1840.