Sometime in 1905 El Salvador again experienced a shortage of certain stamp denomination, i.e., 1 centavo, 2 centavos, 3 centavos and 5 centavos. Quantities of the 1903 issue were running out and a new issue was expected shortly – the 1906 Escalon Issue.

As in the past the country resorted of overprinting less frequently used values of which a plentiful supply existed. This was done to both the 1903 issue (this is outside the scope of my collection and so will be ignored), and the old 1900 Lithographed Issue, which was brought back and revalidated by overprinting them "1905" or "1906."

These issues are, in my opinion, one of the most difficult, if not THE most difficult, of all the issues of El Salvador. My opinion is based on three factors – First, the lack of published information regarding the issues, both official government information as well as philatelic information; Second, the abundance of counterfeits and/or bogus overprints of these issues; and Third, the lack of covers bearing these issues.

Other than Joseph Leavy’s article on El Salvador ⁽¹⁾ ; an article by Steven W. Ross ⁽²⁾ ; the articles by Victor Berthold on the counterfeits ⁽³⁾ and the article by John Luff ⁽⁴⁾ I am not aware of any other significant article on these issues.

Leavy was writing shortly after these issued appeared so he probably has the most accurate information. However, he could have accepted some "made" items and/or not been aware of some legitimate issues. There were contemporary attempts to legitimatize bogus items as the following cover illustrates.

The earliest mention I have found in the philatelic press is in the May 1905 issue of the American Journal of Philately, where it states that it was the 5c blue with black shield of the 1900 series overprinted with "1905."

Leavy shows seven types of "1905" and three types of "1906" based on the size and shape of the numerals. Leavy stated that the overprinting device was a numbering machine used to number the revenue stamps from this period. Based on several sheets and other revenue stamps I have examined, I have not found this to be the case. Although the numerals of the date do appear to be from a numbering machine possibly, it may well have been used for other purposes and not for numbering revenue stamps.

The following listing is based on that given by Leavy. Varieties not mentioned by Leavy but noted by Pierre Cahen in El Faro are given with a PC preceding the number, if known. In some cases it is not known which paper a variety belongs to and so these are listed with an X following the PC. I have placed a red x after those items I have in my collection.

I Printed on thin wove paper – date & shield in purple - "1905" 5 x 14 3/4mm

1. 3 centavos black
2. 5 centavos blue

II Printed on soft porous wove paper – "1905" in purple, shield in black - "1905" 5 x 14 3/4mm

3. 3 centavos black

3a) "1905" inverted at top

3b "1905" inverted at bottom

4. 5 centavos slate blue

4a) "1905" inverted at top

III Printed on soft wove paper – "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 5 x 14½ mm

5. 2 centavos carmine-rose, carmine x

5a shield missing, rose

PC5b) horizontal pair, imperf between

 

IV Printed on thick, hard wove paper – "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 5 ¾ x 13½ mm

6. 2 centavos deep pink

Iva Printed on soft, porous wove paper - "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 5 ¾ x 13½ mm

7. 3 centavos black x

7a) shield missing x

7b imperf pair, shield missing

PC7c imperf pair

7d) imperf strip of 3, shield missing on all, "1905" missing on center stamp x

8. 5 centavos slate-blue, bright blue x

V Printed on thick, hard wove paper – "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 4½ x 13½ mm

9. 3 centavos black

Va Printed on soft, porous wove paper - "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 4½ x 13½ mm

10. 1 centavo yellow-green, Type I

12)3centavos black, gray-black x

1. 5 centavos blue, bright blue, greenish-blue x

13a) 5 centavos, imperf pair

13b) 5 centavos - "1905" inverted at bottom, bright blue x

13c) 5 centavos - "1905" vertical, reading up, at left, bright blue

VI Printed on thick, hard wove paper – "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

2. 1 centavo yellow-green, Type II x
3. 2 centavos pink x

VIa Printed on soft, porous wove paper - "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

4. 1 centavo yellow-green, blue-green, Type I x
5. 1 centavo yellow-green, Type II x
6. 2 centavos carmine-rose, pink x

18a) 2 centavos deep rose, "1905" normal at top, inverted at bottom x

18b) 2 centavos deep rose, pair one with "1905" omitted

18c) 2 centavos carmine-rose, "1905" vertical, reading up at left x

18d) 2 centavos deep rose, imperf pair

18e) 2 centavos deep rose, "1905" vertical, reading down at right x

 

7. 5 centavos slate-blue, dull blue, blue, bright blue x

19a) 5 centavos blue, "1905" inverted at top

19b) 5 centavos, imperf pair

PC19c) 5 centavos, imperf pair, shield inverted

PC19d) 5 centavos, "1905" inverted at bottom x

19e) 5 centavos, bright blue, imperf pair, shield missing x

PCX1 – 1 centavo, horizontal pair, imperf between

PCX2 - 2 centavos, horizontal pair, imperf between

PCX3 - 2 centavos, "`1905" inverted at bottom

VIb Printed on thin, wove paper - "1905" in blue, shield in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

8. 10 centavos deep blue, blue, light blue x

20a) 10 centavos blue, "1905" inverted at bottom x

20b) 10 centavos deep blue, blue, light blue, shield inverted x

PC20c) 10 centavos blue, double overprint, one inverted

 

VIc Printed on thin, wove paper – "1905" and shield both in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

9. 10 centavos blue, light blue x

 

VId Printed on thick, hard wove paper - "1905" and shield both in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

10. 2 centavos pink

VIe Printed on soft, porous, wove paper - "1905" and shield both in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

11. 2 centavos deep rose, pale pink x
12. 5 centavos blue

VII Printed on thin wove paper – "01905" in blue, shield in black - "01905" 4½ x 19mm

13. 1 centavo pale gray-green, Type I
14. 10 centavos blue x

VIIa Printed on thick, hard wove paper - "1905" and shield both in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

15. 1 centavo yellow-green, Type II x

VIIb Printed on soft, porous wove paper - "1905" and shield both in black - "1905" 4½ x 16mm

16. 1 centavo yellow-green, Type I x

28a) 1 centavo yellow-green, Type I, imperf pair

17. 1 centavo yellow-green, Type II x
18. 2 centavos carmine-rose, pale pink x

30a) 2 centavos carmine-rose "01905" vertical, reading down at right x

19. 5 centavos bright blue x

 

PCX4) 1 centavo green, shield double

PCX4a) 1 centavo green, overprint inverted x

PCX4b) 1 centavo green, pair, one with overprint missing

31A) 2 centavos pale pink, both ovpts in black, "01905" inverted at bottom x

VIII Printed on thick, porous wove paper – "1905" in blue "franqueo oficial" in oval in black

20. 3 centavos black

I Printed on soft, porous wove paper – "1906" and shield in black - "1906" 5 ¾ x 14mm

1. 2 centavos deep rose

 

II Printed on thin wove paper – "1906" and shield in black - "1906" 4½ x 14mm

2. 10 centavos blue, bright blue x

2A) 26 centavos chestnut x

IIa Printed on thin wove paper – "1906" and shield in black - "1906" 4½ x 16mm

3. 10 centavos blue, deep blue, light blue x

PCX1) 10 centavos Shield inverted

PCX1a) 10 centavos Shield missing

PCX1b) 10 centavos Pair, left stamp with "1906" double

III Printed on thick, porous wove paper – "1906" in blue, "franqueo oficial" in oval in black

4. 2 centavos rose x
5. 3 centavos black x

5a) 3 centavos black, "1906" and "franqueo oficial" in oval both in black x

IV Printed on thick, hard wove paper = "1906 in blue, shield in black - "1906" 4½ x 16mm

6. 26 centavos chestnut

I Printed on thin, wove paper with shield and surcharge in black – "1906" 4½ x 16mm

1. 3 centavos on 26 centavos deep buff, chestnut x

1a) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut, shield inverted x

Ia Printed on thick, hard wove paper with shield and surcharge in black - "1906" 4½ x 16mm

2. 3 centavos on 26 centavos pale yellow-brown x

2a) 3 centavos on 26 centavos pale yellow-brown, "1906" double

 

PCX1) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, disk and numeral omitted

PCX1a) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, "3" and disks double

PCX1b) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, "1906" omitted

II Printed on thick, hard wove paper - "1906" in blue, shield in black - "1906" 4½ x 16mm

3. 2 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut x

3a) 2 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut, - figure and disk at right omitted

3b) 2 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut, - figure and disk at left double, none at right

3c) 2 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut – "1906" omitted

3d) 2 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut – shield inverted

4. 3 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut

4a) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut – figure and disk at left omitted

PC4b) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut – "3" and disks double

PC4c) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut – shield inverted

PC4d) 3 centavos on 26 centavos, chestnut – "1906" double

 

III Printed on thin, wove paper, - "1906" in blue, shield in black - "1906" 4½ x 16mm

5. 2 centavos on 26 centavos x

5a) 2 centavos on 26 centavos, deep buff, - figure & disk at left double, none at right

5b) 2 centavos on 26 centavos, deep buff, - figure & disk at left double, none at right, shield inverted

6. 3 centavos on 26 centavos, deep buff x

IV Not listed in Leavy 1 1

1 centavo 1

1. Stamps of Salvador, Joseph B. Leavy, Stanley Giggons Monthly Journal, Sept 30, 1907 – June 30, 1908.
2. The 1905-06 Overprints of El Salvador, Steven W. Ross, The Oxcart, June 1974 – Dec 1974
3. Recent Forgeries of the Stamps of El Salvador, Dr.. Victor M. Berthold, The Philatelic Gazette, July 1917 & January 1918.
4. The 1905-06 Provisionals of Salvador, John H. Luff, Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal, June 30, 1906.

The following are some pages from the collection.