ISSN 2979-0921 ISBN 978-1-913015-36-7

This scholarly work represents a definitive advancement in Portuguese philately, born from the recent incorporation of the historical archives of the Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (INCM) into the National Archive Torre do Tombo. By scrutinising previously unexamined primary sources, including original ledger books, consignment notes, and annual balance terms, the author reconstructs the complete production cycle of the D. Maria II, D. Pedro V, and early D. Luís I issues with unprecedented precision.

The study’s unique contribution lies in its empirical methodology. Moving beyond the “accepted” numbers issued for Portugal’s first postage stamps, the author traces the path of paper reams from the warehouse to the finished stamps delivered to the Post Office. Crucially, it accounts for ‘refugo’ (waste) and incinerated stock, providing for the first time the true quantities that reached the public.

Richly documented and rigorously researched, the work is enriched by exclusive high-resolution colour photography of original reproduction punches, matrices, and service dies from the Mint House collection alongside rare philatelic items from the Borja Freire issues. By correcting long-standing data for the numbers of stamps issued, and redefining issue dates through primary evidence, this study provides a new, definitive foundation for the specialised collector.

Luís Rocha is a Portuguese philatelist specialising in the philately and postal history of Portugal during the second half of the 19th century. A member of the Royal Philatelic Society London, the European Academy of Philately, the Clube Filatélico de Portugal, and the Portuguese Philatelic Society, he has published numerous articles in national and international journals and continues to research various themes in philately and postal history.

Preface..

A Note on Translations and Terminology

A Note on the Data in the Primary Tables

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction and Evolution of Philatelic Data

2. Archive Discoveries

3. The Production Cycle and Ledger Books

4. The First Delivery Records of D. Maria II Stamps

5. Transition to the D. Pedro V Stamps

5.1 Transition from D. Pedro V Straight Hair to Curly Hair

6. Transition to the D. Luís I Stamps

7. Official Reprints

8. Quality Control: Rejected Stamps and Paper

9. Final Considerations

Appendix 1: Summary of postage stamps sold since their adoption in Portugal

Primary Sources

References

Preface

The history of the first postage stamps of Portugal engraved by Francisco de Borja Freire and issued from 1853 to 1863, is a subject that has long been defined by “accepted” figures. For decades, the philatelic community has relied upon the pioneering work of scholars such as Oliveira Marques, who provided the first rigorous attempt to quantify these issues based on the records of the Portuguese Royal Mint (Casa da Moeda). However, as any investigator of the 19th century knows, historical “certainty” is often subject to the limitations of the archives available at the time.

This study was born from a simple spark of curiosity: a series of inconsistencies between the published literature and the physical evidence found in surviving records. It became clear that to truly understand the production of the D. Maria II, D. Pedro V, and early D. Luís I issues, one could no longer rely on secondary interpretations. It was necessary to return to the source.

The recent incorporation of the historical archival collection of the Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (INCM) into the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (ANTT) has provided a missing link. This work is the result of years spent scrutinising the original ledger books, consignment notes, and annual balance terms. By tracing the path from blank paper reams in the warehouse to the finished sheets delivered to the Post Office, I have attempted to reconstruct the complete production cycle of these first issues.

My objective was to move beyond the traditional methodology of simply multiplying sheet counts

to determine stamp totals. By examining the ledger books, consignment notes, and records of those

considered “refugo” (waste) and subsequently burned, we gain a much more nuanced, and accurate

view of the true quantities that reached the public.

This study is intended for the specialised philatelist, the postal historian, and the student of 19th-century philately. It is my hope that by providing these revised quantities and archival discoveries, I am offering collectors the tools to re-evaluate their own collections with a new level of precision. Through this study, corroborated by primary sources, it is my intention to provide a definitive foundation that honours the artistic heritage of Francisco de Borja Freire and the institutional history of the Casa da Moeda while advancing the scholarship of Portuguese philately.

It is important to define the scope of this work in relation to the established literature. This study is intended to function as a specialised progression of the foundational research laid down by Oliveira Marques in História do Selo Postal Português and the technical analysis masterpiece done by Armando Vieira in Selos Clássicos de Relevo de Portugal. While those works remain indispensable for a general understanding of Portuguese classic philately and the broad mechanics of the era, my focus here is strictly on new discoveries.

By isolating specific, previously unexamined archival segments, this work avoids repeating known

historical narratives to focus exclusively on correcting issuance data, identifying lost production

links, and presenting exclusive visual evidence of the Mint House’s artefacts. For a broader historical

perspective, I recommend that the reader consult the aforementioned authors alongside this text.