Portugal, Ceres Type Definitive Stamp

Portugal · 1912 · 1c

This definitive stamp features a portrait of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility, and motherly relationships. The design, created by Constantino de Sobral Fernandes, shows Ceres standing with a sickle in one hand and a sheaf of wheat in the other, symbolizing Portugal's agricultural heritage. This iconic design was used for Portuguese definitive stamps for several decades.

Issued in 1912, this stamp was part of the first definitive series of the newly established Portuguese Republic, which replaced the monarchy in 1910. The choice of Ceres represented a break from royal portraits and a focus on the nation's republican values and agricultural economy.