Postal History of Argentina
The world’s eighth largest country.
Argentina, located in South America, gained independence from Spain in 1816. It issued its first postage stamps in 1858 under the Argentine Confederation. A unified national postal service followed in 1862, but before that, provinces such as Corrientes, Córdoba, and Buenos Aires had their own stamps. These early issues are now highly valued by collectors
Stamps Through the Years
- 1856: Corrientes issues its first stamp, inspired by France’s Ceres stamps.
- 1858: Argentina’s first national stamp is issued, showing the seal of the Confederation.
- 1862: The design changes to the seal of the Argentine Republic.
- 1892: Argentina’s first commemorative stamp is released.
- 1891: Julius Popper creates local stamps for mining camps in Tierra del Fuego, though they were not officially recognised.
Provinces That Issued Stamps
- Corrientes (1856–1880)
- Córdoba (1859–1862)
- Buenos Aires (1858–1859)
Did You Know?
- A baker’s delivery boy, Matias Pipet, designed the first Corrientes stamp because no professional engraver was available.
- Some early stamps were printed on brightly coloured paper to make them stand out.
- In 1946, Argentina’s postal service was nationalised, and British-style red post boxes are still found in Buenos Aires today.
- Argentina’s National Mint, one of the largest in the world, has printed stamps for other Latin American countries.
Issued in 1935 - 5c Mariano Moreno, part of the Famous People Series.
Issued in 1935 - 15c Martin Guemes, part of the Famous People Series.
Issued in 1936 - 20c Bull, part of the Agriculture Series.
Issued in 1936 - 25c Ploughman, part of the Agriculture Series.
Issued in 1946 - 5c Inauguration of President Juan Perón