Mexico 1/2 Real Blue, Hidalgo Issue

Mexico · 1856 · 1/2 Real

This is the first postage stamp issued by Mexico, featuring a portrait of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a key figure in the Mexican War of Independence. The design is simple, with the portrait framed by text indicating the country and denomination. These stamps were issued without perforations and were often handstamped with a district overprint to prevent theft and misuse.

Issued in 1856, this stamp marks Mexico's entry into the global postal system, five years after the end of the Mexican-American War. The choice of Hidalgo for the first stamp honors him as the 'Father of the Nation'.