Ecuador 10c Telegraph Stamp, Specimen Overprint, Corner Block of 8

Ecuador · 1894 · 10c (Centavos)

This is a 10 centavos telegraph stamp from Ecuador, featuring the national coat of arms at its center. The stamp was printed by the American Bank Note Company (ABNCo.) and is overprinted with the word 'SPECIMEN' in red, indicating it was intended for archival or presentation purposes rather than for postal use. This particular item is a corner block of eight stamps.

Telegraph stamps were used to prepay for sending telegrams, a critical form of long-distance communication in the late 19th century. 'SPECIMEN' overprints were distributed by the Universal Postal Union to member countries to identify valid postage and prevent forgery.