Portugal Ceres Issue, Blue

Portugal · 1912 · 2½c

This stamp features an allegorical portrait of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain, and fertility. The design, created by Constantino de Sobral Fernandes, was intended to symbolize the Portuguese Republic as a fertile and nurturing motherland. The portrait is framed by an ornate design with the denomination and country name.

The Ceres issue was the first definitive series of the First Portuguese Republic, replacing stamps bearing the effigy of the deposed King Manuel II. This design became an iconic symbol of the new republic and was used for over three decades.