Costa Rica 1883 Official Stamp

Costa Rica · 1883 · 1 Centavo

This is the first official stamp issued by Costa Rica, featuring the national coat of arms at its center. The design is simple, with the denomination 'UN CENTAVO' inscribed below the arms and 'CORREOS DE COSTA RICA' above. The word 'OFICIAL' is prominently overprinted in black, designating its use for government mail.

Issued in 1883, these stamps were created to control and track postage used by government departments, a common practice in many countries during this period to prevent misuse of postal privileges.