Mexico (Mexico City)

Mexico, medio real plate 3, pos. 57. Mexico, un real.
Cancel Sz826
Possibly only used in Aug. and Sep. 1856 		Mexico, ocho reales.
From the top row, showing the frame line.

Mexico City is located in Mexico Distrito Federal. It was the largest postal district, based on the number of stamps used, and largest by total value of all stamps used. The average cost of the stamps used was 1.81 reales. Mexico City had about 170,000 inhabitants in 1850.

Mexico City had 2 or 3 sub-offices: Guadalupe Hidalgo, Tlalpam and Tacubaya. It is uncertain wheater Guadalupe Hidalgo was a sub-office.

The following consignments were made according to Chapman:
  Day Month Year Invoice # Medio Un Dos Cuatro Ocho
Sent 1 8 1856 1 600 1200 600 10080 3720
Sent 1 8 1856 2 5400 10800 5400 1800  
Sent 26 8 1856 3 600        
Sent 1 9 1856 40 600        
Sent 4 9 1856 41 600        
Sent 5 9 1856 46   600      
Sent 10 9 1856 50 600 1200      
Sent 27 9 1856 58 600 1830      
Sent 8 10 1856 61 1200 1800      
Sent 18 10 1856 66 1200 1800      
Sent 28 10 1856 69 480 1800      
Sent 31 10 1856 70 1200 1800      
Sent 8 11 1856 76 600 2400      
Sent 15 11 1856 79 600 1200      
Sent 22 11 1856 81 1200 1800      
Sent 29 11 1856 85 600 1800      
Sent 8 12 1856 89 1200 1400      
Sent 15 12 1856 91   1800      
Sent 20 12 1856 94 1800 1800      
Sent 27 12 1856 97 1800 2400      
Sent 3 1 1857 2     1500    
Sent 3 1 1857 3 660 3000 3540   60
Sent 10 1 1857 10     1900    
Sent 17 1 1857 13     3800    
Sent 24 1 1857 16   2000 3800    
Sent 31 1 1857 19 60 2000 3800    
Sent 4 2 1857 22 600   3800    
Sent 11 2 1857 31 600 1000 1900    
Sent 14 2 1857 33     1900    
Sent 18 2 1857 36   2000 1900    
Sent 23 2 1857 43 600 2000 3800    
Sent 5 3 1857 50 540 1000 5320    
Sent 11 3 1857 52 360 1000 3040    
Sent 13 3 1857 54 60 120 120    
Sent 16 3 1857 55 300 1000 3800    
Sent 20 3 1857 56 300        
Sent 24 3 1857 59 600 2000 3800    
Sent 1 4 1857 65 1200   1900    
Sent 4 4 1857 67     760    
Sent 11 4 1857 70   2000 3800    
Sent 18 4 1857 76     2280    
Sent 25 4 1857 81   1000 3800    
Sent 27 4 1857 82 300 1000 3800    
Sent 4 5 1857 83 300 2000 3800    
Sent 11 5 1857 95 600 3000 5700    
Sent 30 5 1857 104   1200 3800    
Sent 1 6 1857 108 600 1000 2930    
Sent 6 6 1857 114     1900    
Sent 12 6 1857 118 600 2000 3800    
Sent 17 6 1857 121     1900    
Sent 27 6 1857 122 600 1000 3800    
Sent 4 7 1857 129   1000 3800   160
Sent 6 7 1857 130 600 1000 3800    
Sent 13 7 1857 138   1000 3800    
Sent 20 7 1857 143 600 1000 3800    
Sent 27 7 1857 147   1000 3800    
Sent * 30 7 1857 151 (64) (36) (50) (11) (3)
Sent 7 8 1857 155 600 1000 2850    
Sent 10 8 1857 157   1000 1900 60  
Sent 14 8 1857 158     1900 180  
Sent 20 8 1857 164   1000 1900 120 120
Sent 24 8 1857 165 300 1000 3800 120  
Sent 1 9 1857 173 300 1000 3800 300 300
Sent 5 9 1857 175 600 1000 3800 240  
Sent 15 9 1857 181 300 1000 1900 120  
Sent 22 9 1857 189 600 1000 2850 120  
Sent 28 9 1857 194 120 1000 3800 300 300
Sent 2 10 1857 197 420 1600   300  
Sent 6 10 1857 199 480 1000 3800 360  
Sent 12 10 1857 204   1000 3800    
Sent 19 10 1857 209 300 1000 2940 240  
Sent 26 10 1857 213 300 2000 3800 300 300
Sent 3 11 1857 219 600   1900 240  
Sent 7 11 1857 221   1000 950    
Sent 9 11 1857 222 300 1000 2850 360 60
Sent 17 11 1857 229   1000 950 300  
Sent 19 11 1857 231   3000 380    
Sent 25 11 1857 237 600 1000 2850 120 60
Sent 29 11 1857 241   1000 3800    
Sent 30 11 1857 242     9500    
Sent 1 12 1857 243 600     600 360
Sent 5 12 1857 249   1000 950    
Sent 9 12 1857 252 600 1000 3800    
Sent 17 12 1857 257 240 1000 1900 240 60
Sent 23 12 1857 263 600 1000 2850 120 60
Sent 31 12 1857 265   1000 3800 180 300
Sent 9 1 1858 3 300 2000 3230 300 60
Sent 14 1 1858 4 300 200 1900    
Sent 23 1 1858 7 120 400 380    
Sent 25 1 1858 9 600 2000 3800 300  
Sent 2 2 1858 19     950 300 300
Sent 4 2 1858 21 180 360 1310    
Sent 11 2 1858 24 660 1140 1640 120 60
Sent 15 2 1858 27   1000 1900 180 120
Sent 23 2 1858 31 360 1000 2850 240  
Sent 3 3 1858 33 300 2000 3800 300 300
Sent 16 3 1858 37 300 1000 2850 180  
Sent 23 3 1858 39 300 1000 1900   120
Sent 29 3 1858 40   1000 2850   60
Sent 4 4 1858 42 480 400 2850   120
Sent 13 4 1858 49   1000 2850 120 120
Sent 19 4 1858 51 1200 4000 3800    
Sent 19 4 1858 52       300  
Sent 1 5 1858 61       120 120
Sent 2 5 1858 62     2660 360 240
Sent 10 5 1858 65 300 2000 1900 60 60
Sent 17 5 1858 67 300 1000 1900 300  
Sent 23 5 1858 69 240 200 1900 60 120
Sent 29 5 1858 74   1000 1900    
Sent 2 6 1858 75 600 2000 3800 300 300
Sent 16 6 1858 82   200 1900 120 60
Sent 19 6 1858 83 120 400 950 120 60
Sent 25 6 1858 86 360 1000 1900 120  
Sent 2 7 1858 90 300 600 3800 60 180
Sent 5 7 1858 93 480       60
Sent 7 7 1858 95 360     180 180
Sent 9 7 1858 96 600   1900    
Sent 12 7 1858 100 600     120 60
Sent 16 7 1858 103 2400   2850    
Sent 23 7 1858 107   800 1140 60 60
Sent 2 8 1858 111 420 1760 2970 360 180
Sent 11 8 1858 120 300 1000 1900 120 60
Sent 17 8 1858 125 480 2000 2280 60 60
Sent 23 8 1858 127     1900 120 60
Sent 28 8 1858 133   800 950    
Sent 1 9 1858 137 360 1000 3800 240 120
Sent 9 9 1858 142 300 1000 2850 120 60
Sent 18 9 1858 147   400   120 60
Sent 23 9 1858 149   800 1900 120 60
Sent 1 10 1858 153 480 1000 3800 360 180
Sent 9 10 1858 158 300 1000 1900    
Sent 18 10 1858 160 300 1000 1140 120 60
Sent 26 10 1858 162   800 1900    
Sent 1 11 1858 165 480 1000 2850 360 180
Sent 9 11 1858 172   1000 1900 300  
Sent 16 11 1858 175 240 800 1330 120 120
Sent 20 11 1858 179     190 60  
Sent 1 12 1858 181   400 1900 120 60
Sent 1 12 1858 182 360 1000 2850 360 180
Sent 9 12 1858 183 300 1000 1900 240 60
Sent 16 12 1858 184 240 1200 1140 120 120
Sent 21 12 1858 188       60  
Sent 25 12 1858 189 240 800 1900 120  
Sent 1 1 1859 1 360 1000 2850 480 240
Sent 10 1 1859 5 300 1000 1900 120 60
Sent 17 1 1859 10 120 800 1140 180 120
Sent 24 1 1859 13   600 1900 120 60
Sent 29 1 1859 17   400 760   60
Sent 1 2 1859 20 360 1000 2850 360 180
Sent 9 2 1859 25 300 1000 1900 120 60
Sent 16 2 1859 27   800 2280 240 240
Sent 19 2 1859 31       60  
Sent 23 2 1859 34 120 800 1900 120  
Sent 2 3 1859 37 360 1000 1900 60 60
Sent 11 3 1859 39   1000 1900    
Sent 26 3 1859 45 120 400 380    
Sent 31 3 1859 46   400 380 120  
Sent 1 4 1859 47 360 1000 2280 120 60
Sent 16 4 1859 49 240 1200 1710 120 180
Sent 26 4 1859 52   800 1900 120 60
Sent 1 5 1859 54 240 800 2280 240 120
Sent 9 5 1859 57 300 1000 950 120  
Sent 17 5 1859 59 240 1000 1710 120 240
Sent 23 5 1859 60   800 760    
Sent 1 6 1859 61 480 1000 1900 360 240
Sent 8 6 1859 63   400 570    
Sent 11 6 1859 64 360 1000 950 120  
Sent 17 6 1859 66   1000 950 60  
Sent 25 6 1859 68   400 570 60 60
Sent 1 7 1859 69   1100 1008 115 261
Sent 9 7 1859 72 120 400 570 120 60
Sent 16 7 1859 74 256 927 822 249 156
Sent 26 7 1859 77     760 60 60
Sent 1 8 1859 79   1000 1900 300 300
Sent 11 8 1859 81 120     120 180
Sent 21 8 1859 86   200 570 60 60
Sent 25 8 1859 89 120 400 380 120  
Sent 1 9 1859 90 180 800 1520 360 240
Sent 13 9 1859 95   400 760 120 60
Sent 17 9 1859 97   400 570 60 60
Sent 24 9 1859 99 120 1000 950 60  
Sent 1 10 1859 100 120 600 950 360 240
Sent 10 10 1859 102     1140 120 60
Sent 18 10 1859 104   2000 950 120 120
Sent 1 11 1859 108 300 1000 1900 480 240
Sent 9 11 1859 113   400 950 120 60
Sent 19 11 1859 115 180 800 190 300 240
Sent 1 12 1859 118 240 2600 1900 480 240
Sent 5 12 1859 120       240  
Sent 10 12 1859 124   400 950 120 60
Sent 19 12 1859 127   200 570 240 120
Sent 23 12 1859 129 120 1000 950 60  
Sent 1 1 1860 1 360 1000 1900 480 240
Sent 10 1 1860 5     950 60 60
Sent 19 1 1860 7       360 120
Sent 19 1 1860 9     380 120 120
Sent 24 1 1860 10 60 400 950 120 60
Sent 1 2 1860 13 360 1000 1900 600 300
Sent 9 2 1860 19   1000      
Sent 17 2 1860 23 120   950   60
Sent 1 3 1860 26 360 1000 1140 240 120
Sent 10 3 1860 31     950 120 120
Sent 27 3 1860 33   600 760 300 180
Sent 29 3 1860 34   1000 380    
Sent 30 3 1860 35     380 120 180
Sent 9 4 1860 38 120 1000 950    
Sent 23 4 1860 39     570 180 180
Sent 28 4 1860 41     380 120 120
Sent 29 4 1860 42   200 190 120 120
Sent 3 5 1860 44 240 400 570    
Sent 10 5 1860 46     570 60 60
Sent 16 5 1860 48   400 380 120 60
Sent 23 5 1860 49   1200 1140 360 360
Sent 6 6 1860 54   200 380 120 60
Sent 7 6 1860 55   200 190 60 60
Sent 9 6 1860 56 120 1000 950    
Sent 16 6 1860 58       240 120
Sent 23 6 1860 62     1900 480 480
Sent 7 7 1860 66 60        
Sent 9 7 1860 68 120 1000 950 120 120
Sent 16 7 1860 70     760 120 60
Sent 23 7 1860 73   200 1510 360 360
Sent 2 8 1860 75 60 400 570 300 60
Sent 4 8 1860 77   320 240    
Sent 11 8 1860 78 120 1000 950 120 120
Sent 23 8 1860 80   80 140 180 120
Sent 28 8 1860 81     380 180 180
Sent 30 8 1860 83     380    
Sent 3 9 1860 84     570 300 180
Sent 15 9 1860 85       120 120
Sent 17 9 1860 86   400 760 120 60
Sent 23 9 1860 87 60 600 950 360 360
Sent 3 10 1860 88   200 570 360 180
Sent 12 10 1860 91 120 1000 950 120 60
Sent 23 10 1860 92   400 950 360 360
Sent 3 11 1860 95   200 380 300 120
Sent 16 11 1860 98 120 200 380 120 120
Sent 17 11 1860 99   150 320 120 60
Sent 23 11 1860 100   400 950 360 420
Sent 3 12 1860 101   200 760 60  
Sent 14 12 1860 102   400      
Sent 16 12 1860 103 120 1000 760 240 240
Sent 21 12 1860 105       120  
Sent 28 12 1860 107 120 1000 2280 360 480
Sent 4 1 1861 1   200 380 60  
Sent 5 1 1861 2 180 400 380 120  
Sent 6 1 1861 3   200 380    
Sent 8 1 1861 4 120 200 190 60 60
Sent 9 1 1861 5 240 600 760    
Sent 12 1 1861 6   400 760    
Sent 14 1 1861 7   400 380    
Sent 15 1 1861 8 120   380    
Sent 16 1 1861 9 60 200 380 60  
Sent 16 1 1861 10   200      
Sent 20 1 1861 11 360 800 1520 240  
Sent 26 1 1861 12     1140   60
Sent 28 1 1861 13 120 1000 2280 360 480
Sent 31 1 1861 14 5500 400     120
Sent 2 2 1861 15   2600 2280    
Sent 4 2 1861 16 240     240  
Sent 8 2 1861 42     570    
Sent 9 2 1861 43     950   120
Sent 12 2 1861 44   400 950    
Sent 16 2 1861 45 180 1200 2660 480 240
Sent 23 2 1861 60 240 1600 2660 360 240
Sent 1 3 1861 63 300 1000 2850    
Sent 9 3 1861 69   200 380    
Sent 14 3 1861 73   400 380    
Sent 14 3 1861 74 720 2000 2048 420 240
Sent 20 3 1861 75 9600 1980 906 120 60
Sent 25 3 1861 76 2400 3000   420 120
Sent 30 3 1861 79 3200        
Sent 1 4 1861 80 4800 2254 9 240 120
Sent 6 4 1861 87 3600        
Sent 10 4 1861 88 9600     240 120
Sent 15 4 1861 89 1600        
Sent 16 4 1861 90 3200        
Sent 17 4 1861 91 3200        
Total sent       278 113736 227421 426293 45124 24037
Returned         -748     -19 -58
Returned         -533 -903 -737 -98 -73
Returned (Calle Ortega)         -60 -66 -50 -11  
Returned (Portillo de San Diego)         -60 -66 -50 -11  
Total Used 833068 278 112335 226386 425456 44985 23906
Distribution         13.48% 27.17% 51.07% 5.40% 2.87%
Distribution vs. all stamps         14.76% 16.34% 26.48% 29.55% 25.54%

[*] Invoice 151 of 1857 is not included in the totals. The stamps had been exchanged for cash, so they are already included in an earlier invoice.

Only 11,040 dos reales stamps from plate I and II were sent. That's only 2.6% of the dos reales stamps sent to Mexico. Plate II stamps are quite scarce and hard to find in the market.

The post office headquarters were located in Mexico City. All stamps were produced and distributed from here. One consequence of this is that most consignments to Mexico City are relatively small. Stamps were issued as needed, while outlying districts may have gotten many more stamps per consignment on average due to time consuming transportation. On average, Mexico City received 3010 new stamps every 6.2 days (836,775 stamps in 278 consignments over the 1720 days between August 1, 1856 and April 17, 1861, or about 485.5 stamps per day. On average, only about one of these stamps sent "daily" were not used!).

Mexico used at least six different overprints:
14 x 2mm solid serif font.
14 x 2mm solid serif font, with leading and trailing dashes .
15½ x 2½mm hollow serif font.
14½ x 2¾mm hollow serif font.
14 x 2mm italicized solid serif font.
13½ x 2mm hollow serif font.

Much more research has to be done to determine the true number of different overprints. It may be much higher than stated here.

On average, the stamps have normal margins for the issue.

Forgeries from Mexico are uncommon.

 

Visit the MEPSI website for more information.

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