Postage stamps and postal history of Puerto Rico facts for kids
Have you ever thought about how letters and packages travel around the world? That's part of postal history! It's the story of how mail services developed over time. For Puerto Rico, this story began a long time ago, around 1518. That's when Spain, which ruled Puerto Rico, started setting up rules for official mail.
The very first postage stamps used in Puerto Rico came out in 1856. These stamps were also used in Cuba. Later, Puerto Rico got its own special stamps. Over time, other types of mail items like postal cards and telegraph stamps also appeared.
When the United States took over Puerto Rico in 1899, the way mail worked changed. The last stamps made just for Puerto Rico were issued in 1900. After that, people in Puerto Rico started using U.S. stamps. Even today, Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., so the United States Postal Service (USPS) handles all the mail.
Puerto Rican stamps often show things important to the island. They feature famous places, big events, special artworks, and important people from Puerto Rico's history.
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First Stamps and Mail Items
The first stamps used in Puerto Rico were actually shared with Cuba. But they weren't widely used in Puerto Rico until 1856. The very first stamps that actually said "Puerto Rico" on them were released in 1873.
Postal cards for Puerto Rico were printed in Spain. They were sent to its colonies, including Puerto Rico, starting in 1878.
A big change happened after the Spanish–American War. The United States took control of Puerto Rico from Spain. After this, for the first time, people in Puerto Rico could buy stamped envelopes.
Spain also made a special stamp in 1893. It celebrated 400 years since Christopher Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico in 1493. This stamp is unique because it's the only one from the time Spain ruled Puerto Rico that doesn't show the face of the King of Spain!
Telegraph Stamps in Puerto Rico
From 1871 to 1881, Puerto Rico used different telegraph stamps. These stamps paid for sending telegrams, which were messages sent over long distances using electrical signals.
After 1882, regular postage stamps were sometimes used to pay for telegraph fees. These stamps usually had a hole punched in them to show they had been used.
Between 1886 and 1889, many towns in Puerto Rico started getting their own telegraph stamps. These stamps were marked "TELEGRAFOS" (which means "Telegraphs" in Spanish). This happened as the telegraph network grew to reach more places. We don't know for sure if these stamps were for a tax on telegrams or to pay the fee to send a message. But we do know that at least twenty different areas had their own telegraph stamps!
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Telegraph stamps from Puerto Rico, issued in 1872.
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A group of four revenue stamps from Puerto Rico, issued in 1894-95.
United States Stamps Arrive
On March 15, 1899, a new postal service started in Puerto Rico. It was run by the U.S. government. But this didn't last long as a separate service.
In 1900, the Foraker Act was passed. This law made Puerto Rico's postal service part of the larger United States postal system. At first, U.S. stamps were printed with "PORTO RICO" on them. This was an older, English way of spelling the island's name. Later in 1900, the stamps were overprinted with "PUERTO RICO," which is the correct Spanish spelling.
The same thing happened with postal cards and stamped envelopes. They were first overprinted "PORTO RICO" and then "PUERTO RICO." Today, only U.S. stamps are used on the island.
Images for kids
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This is a postage due stamp issued in 1899.
