Stamp & Coin Mart - April 2016_

http://www.stampandcoin.co.uk APRIL 2016^35

asasas

Stamp sidelines

S

ubmarines are a popular

subject for thematics. But

only one set of submarine

stamps was actually valid for

a submarine postal service.

In 1938, the Spanish civil war was

going badly for the Republican side,

who represented the elected left wing

government. The Nationalists, led by the

fascist General Franco, controlled a large

area of territory and the Republicans were

running out of foreign currency to buy

food, munitions and medical supplies.

Both sides were already making use

of special stamp issues, to raise money,

commemorate victories and demonise

the opposition. But in 1938 the

Republicans set up a postal bureau in

Barcelona specifically to produce stamps

that would be sold for foreign currency.

This was the Agencia Filatelica Oficial

under Don Arturo Fernandez Noguera.

Off the coasts of Spain, the islands of

Majorca and Ibiza had gone over to the

Nationalists, but Menorca had remained

loyal to the Republican cause. The Navy

Philatelic

curiosities

In the first of a new series charting unusual

stamps and postal practices from around the

world, David Bailey ventures under the ocean

was split, most of it stayed Republican,

but the Nationalists had enough ships to

mount a blockade on Menorca.

Don Noguera had the idea of a

submarine mission, which would run

the blockade to Port Mahon, relieve

conditions on the island, score a

propaganda victory and generate a set of

stamps unique in world philately.

A submarine, C4, was nominated

to make the run and a local company,

Oliva de Vilanova, was commissioned to

produce some stamps.

There was one set of six values,

running from 1p (20,000 printed) to

15p (8,000 printed) which were valid for

normal postal use. They were printed by

photogravure in a single colour on an

uncoated paper and showed submarines

of the A, B and D classes.

In addition, there were 12,500

miniature sheets with three stamps

of 4p, 6p, and 15p. These stamps are

in two colours and are printed on a

parchment paper, using a combination

of photogravure and line engraving. The

sheets were sold only at the Bureau, for

twice their face value and only foreign

currency was accepted. This was tough

on the locals, who were forbidden

from holding any. In addition, special

First Day Covers and a postcard, in

‘maximum card’ format, were officially

produced and a number of proofs and

essays have also survived.

The C4 submarine set sail at 8pm on

the 12 August, and arrived at 1pm the

following day. On board was an American

journalist, Werner Kell, who wrote up the

voyage for the Saturday Evening Post.

The C4 carried 400 covers. 300 were

plain covers, 150 carried the set and 150

the miniature sheet; 100 were the special

covers, franked with the stamps only, 25

of these have the full set. There were also

100 postcards; most of these were franked

with the 1p stamp but one has been found

with the 15p. All covers are cancelled with

a distinctive double-ringed oval plus a

similar arrival mark on the reverse.

The C4 remained in Port Mahon

until the 17th and docked at Barcelona

on the 18 August. This was its one and

only postal voyage.

After the war, the stamps were treated

with suspicion by many dealers and

catalogue editors but they are now seen as

proper stamps for a unique, if short-lived,

service and most catalogues list them.

Next month: the underwater

theme continues with the

‘Boules de Moulins’ of Paris.

loyal to the Republican cause. The Navy

The 15p top

value shows a

D Class submarine

The miniature sheet

was re-issued on the

50th anniversary of the

voyage - and is easier

to fi nd than the original

#^1

Spain’s

submarine

stamps

p35 Curious.indd 35 01/03/2016 11:18