Victoria (Ciudad Victoria)


Victoria, medio real plate 2, pos. 1. Red cancel from Tula de Tamaulipas (Sz 1839)	Victoria, un real plate 1 or 2. Split top frame line.	Victoria, dos reales plate 1, pos 5, emerald.

Victoria is located in the state of Tamaulipas. It was the 31^th largest postal district, based on the number of stamps used, and 29^th by total value of all stamps used. The average cost of the stamps used was 1.49 reales. Ciudad Victoria had about 5,200 inhabitants in 1850.

Victoria had 9 sub-offices: Camargo, Ciudad Guerrero, Escandon, Jaumave, Palmillas, Reynosa, Salinas Hidalgo, Tula de Tamaulipas and Villagran.

The following consignments were made according to Chapman:
	Day	Month	Year	Invoice #	Medio	Un	Dos	Cuatro	Ocho
Sent	30	8	1856	17	5760	4740	2040	300	780
Sent	31	12	1856	99		1500	1500
Sent	3	6	1857	111		3000	1900
Sent	24	7	1857	145			1900	300
Total sent				4	5760	9240	7340	600	780
Returned					-52	-75	-36		-10
Total Used	23547			4	5708	9165	7304	600	770
Distribution					24.24%	38.92%	31.02%	2.55%	3.27%
Distribution vs. all stamps					0.75%	0.66%	0.45%	0.39%	0.82%

No stamps were sent after July 24, 1857, due to the fact that Ciudad Victoria, as well as the rest of Tamaulipas, came under the control of the liberal Benito Juarez. The post office headquarters in Mexico City was under the control of the conservatives, with General Felix Zuloaga as their leader. The War of the Reform from 1858 to 1861 was one of the bloodiest civil wars in Mexican history.

The Victoria overprint is approximately 16 by 2 mm. It's generally nicely struck.

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

In ca. 1900 four sheets (= 240 stamps) of the 8 reales denomination came on the market. They were sold to various dealers and collectors. Both the 4 and the 8 reales stamps are more common unused than cancelled.

Forgeries from Victoria exist. A MEPSI certificate is recommended.

Visit the MEPSI website for more information.

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