Brazil was the second country ever to issue nationwide postage stamps — in 1843, following the British issue of the Penny Black. Through its imperial period and into the modern republic, Brazil would continue to issue a huge range of postage stamps as well as many other types of collectible stamps.
Bull’s Eye stamps (1843)
The first Brazilian postage stamps in 1843 are known as “Bull’s Eyes” by stamp collectors due to their design: in an ornate oval was a large number indicating the value of the stamp in réis, with no country name or any other adornment. There were three different values and they are pretty rare to find these days in mint condition, though there are usually a few for sale on the popular stamp marketplace websites for diligent collectors.
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Dom Pedro II stamps (1866 — 1889)
In 1866, stamps showing the emperor Dom Pedro II were issued; these showed the name of the country, rendered as Brazil. The stamps of Dom Pedro (often mistakenly called “Don” Pedro by sellers) continue to be highly collectible, given their imperial provenance and varying colors, face values, and designs.
Republican stamps (1889 — now)
In 1889 Brazil became a republic, and its new stamps reflected this change. The name of the country as inscribed on postage stamps of this era was, variously, Estados Unidos do Brazil, E.U. do Brazil, or simply (as on the earlier imperial issues) Brazil. In 1918, the modern spelling Brasil was finally used; this is still the name used on the country’s stamps. In 1967, the country’s name changed again, to República Federativa do Brasil.
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Brazilian stamp collectibles
In addition to the large number of regular postage stamps issued over Brazil’s long philatelic history, there are many other special collectible stamps. These include semi-postals, newspaper stamps, different postal tax stamps, airmail stamps, postage due stamps, and a smattering of others. Of course, there have also been maximum cards, souvenir sheets, overprints and surcharged stamps, cinderellas, joint issues, and a vast array of other collectibles. Check the current selection; we update the section daily and add new listings all the time.