The officials of 1903 were issued concurrently with the regular issue on February 28, 1903. There are seven values in this issue – 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, and 60c. All values except the 20c had a printing of 100,000; the 20c had a printing of 50,000.

Either this issue has not been studied closely or it is devoid of varieties, for I show nothing for it. Only the 5c is noted as being in two shades, the normal blue and a bright blue.

This issue was printed by the South American Bank Note Company of Buenos Aires and is finely engraved. The sheet size of the 1c through 60c is 100 (10 x 10) while the 1 Peso values were produced in a sheet of 25 (5 x 5).

Like the regular issue of this date, the values appear in different colors. When supplies of one color ran out, a different color was issued. From all information I have the denominations from 10c were not issued – except for the 10c and 20c in the violet color. Also, it has been stated that one sheet of the 1 Peso Brown-orange and Black was used in error. I have in my collection a copy with what appears to be a genuine cancellation, so this may well be true. The unissued values were used in 1907-08 to make the regular issue Provisionals and it appears that a sheet or two of each value without overprint were leaked to collectors and dealers.

I record the following proofs for this issue: (Colors in parenthesis are those I’ve seen)

1c - Die proof in various colors (carmine)

2c – Die proof in various colors

5c – Die proof in various colors

10c – Die proof in various colors

20c – Die proof in various colors

Plate proof on card in violet-brown

30c – Die proof in various colors (bluegreen)

1 P – Plate proof on card in pale blue & black, olive & black, deep green & black

Two perforation varieties can be found on these issues. For the centavo values it is either 11½ or 11½ x 12. For the Peso value it is either 11½ or 12. However, not all values may exist in both perforation varieties. I shall mention the ones I have seen under the individual values. It is worth noting that the earliest notices of the issuance of these stamps gives the perforation as 11½ x 12 so that may be the standard.

As stated in the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal (IBJ) this value was issued on March 22, 1905 in an unknown quantity. I have seen both the perf 11½ and 11½ x 12 as well as an imperf pair.

In the November 1906 issue of the American Journal of Philately this color in perf 11½ x 12 is mentioned as being issued. Other sources claim it was issued in 1907! I have seen both perforation varieties as well as an Imperf pair.

Issued on October 2, 1906 according to the 1 December 1906 issue of the IBJ. Both perforation varieties are known for this color.

According to the IBJ this color was issued on January 20, 1907. It was sold out on 27 October 1907. Both perforation varieties are known for this color.

Issued on March 22, 1905 and first reported in the April 29, 1905 issue of the American Journal of Philately. In addition to the perf 11½ and 11½ x 12 varieties I have found a copy perforated 12 x 11½. So far, this is the only denomination and color I have found in this perforation.

The November 1906 issue of the American Journal of Philately notes this color as having been issued and in perforation 11½ x 12. It is also known in perf 11½ and perf 12, this latter perforation otherwise only known on the Peso value.

The IBJ notes this color as being issued in February 1907 and like the 1c also sold out on 27 October 1907. Both perforations – 11½ and 11½ x 12 – are known for this color.

According to the January 18, 1908 issue of the IBJ this color was issued in the second half of September 1907 in a quantity of between 15,000 and 25,000. In addition to the two perforation varieties, this color is also known in an Imperf pair.

The best information I have is that this was issued sometime in March 1905 although in some catalogs it is listed as a 1906 issue. Both perforation varieties as well as an Imperf pair are known.

According to the IBJ the 5c regular issue in dark blue was overprinted "Oficial" and issued to supplement the regular officials. Only a small quantity of these was produced and I have not seen a copy.

The earliest reference I have seen for this color is a notice in the September 1907 issue of the Philatelic Record. It did not state an issue date. Both perforation varieties are known of this color.

Issued sometime in May of 1907, little is known about this stamp. The only perforation known to date is the 11½ x 12 and the perf 11½ variety may not exist.

According to Hugo Griebert this stamp was issued in May 1907. However, I have seen a mention of it in the January 1907 issue of the IBJ. It is recorded only in the perf 11½ variety and the 11½ x 12 may not exist.

Issued in December 1907 according to all sources. Although both perforation varieties are known for this color, the perf 11½ x 12 is very scarce.

This color is mentioned in the March 1906 issue of the Philatelic Record. Since all sources agree that this is not an issued color, I suspect that about this time a few were leaked. This is a scarce stamps and has been reported only in perf 11½ x 12. The perf 11½ may not exist.

Another very scarce stamp known only in perf 11½ x 12. It may not exist perf 11½.

Only perf 11½ x 12 is known of this scarce stamp. If it exists perf 11½, it must be rare.

This scarce stamp is known on in perf 11½. It is unknown in the perf 11½ x 12 state.

Another scarce stamp, but known in both perforation varieties.

A scarce stamp known only perf 11½. The other perforation variety may not exist.

Perf 11½ is the only state this scarce stamp is found in. The perf 11½ x 12 may not exist.

Perf 11½ is the only state this scarce stamp is found in. The perf 11½ x 12 may not exist.

This stamp, which is scarce, is known only perf 11½ x 12. The perf 11½ has never been reported.

According to the June 13, 1908 issue of the IBJ one sheet of this color in perf 11½ was known. Thus, the perf 11½ x 12 may not exist.

There is a yellow-brown color not mentioned in most catalogs which does exist in a perf 11½ x 12 state and for which the perf 11½ is not known.

Another scarce stamp known only in perf 11½. The perf 11½ x 12 may not exist, but an imperf pair does.

A scarce stamp known only perf 11½. It is doubtful if the perf 11½ x 12 exists.

This is a very scarce stamp and is known only perf 11½. It may exist in perf 12, but this has not been reported so far. This stamp is first mentioned in the September 1907 issue of the Philatelic Record.

This very scarce stamp is known both perf 11½ and perf 12. It also is known in an Imperf pair, which is extremely scarce.

A very scarce stamp in perf 11½. It is also known in perf 12, but only used and is extremely rare in this variety. As noted before, it is claimed that one sheet of this value was used in error. If this is true then only 25 of the perf 12 stamps exist.

All of the "unissued" values are very scarce. It has been stated that only a sheet or two of each exist. If this were so, then it would explain the two perf varieties and why some values are not known in both perforations.

A group of eight values was produced by the South American Bank Note Company and issued on October 11, 1913. The ninth value in the group, the 2 Pesos was not issued till about July 1914. All values are perf 11½. I have not found the two distinct papers as on the regular issues for these officials. The issue appears not to have many varieties. There is an essay for an unissued 12 centavos on original paper, perf 11½ and this is known in 11 different colors.

The only variety I have on record is an imperf pair.

The only variety I note is an imperf pair.

I do not record any varieties for this value.

This is the only value for which I record any proofs. The proofs are plate proofs on a surfaced card in 8 colors. (I have seen a blue-green, light green, and vermilion.)

As with some other values, the only variety I note is an imperf pair.

Again, the only variety is an imperf pair.

I do not record any varieties for this value.

The only variety, again, is an imperf pair.

An imperf pair is the only variety I record.

In the beginning of January 1935, according to the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal of 16 February 1935 a series of five official stamps was issued. Overprinting other stamps in use with the word "Oficial" did this. The standard perforation is 12.

I record the following varieties: Perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11½; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12, Imperf pair; Imperf pair with double overprint.

Varieties are: Perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11½; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

I know of the following varieties: Perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11½; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair; Imperf pair without overprint; Vertical pair, imperf between

The varieties are: Perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair; Imperf pair without overprint.

I record the following varieties: Perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11½; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

As part of the University of Asuncion issue, a series of six official stamps were issued. The first mention I find of these was in May 1940 and it was claimed that they were issued on April 20^th, 1940. The stamps were printed by the Government Printing Office (Talleres de Valores Oficiales, Asuncion). The standard perforation on all value is 12. I do not record any essays or proofs for this issue.

Printed in a quantity of 250,000, the following varieties are known: perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

The printing of this value was also 250,000 and the varieties are: perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

Printed in a quantity of 150,000 the following are the varieties: perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

100,000 of this value was printed with the following varieties: perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

Only 50,000 of this value was printed and the varieties are: perf 12, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11; perf 11, pair without horizontal perfs, pair without vertical perfs; Perf 11 x 12; Imperf pair

There are no varieties reported for the printing of 10,000.