Brazil 1884 – Southern Cross
Here it is – the very first astro
stamp ever, Brazil SG number 84 from 1884. The cross is a
powerful Christian symbol, so it is not surprising that Brazil,
a devoutly Catholic country, should choose to depict the
celestial Southern Cross on a stamp. This is a realistic
depiction of the constellation Crux, including the fifth star,
Epsilon Crucis, distinctively offset from the centre, that is
left out of other, purely symbolic representations. The stamp
was issued in one value and one colour – the Gibbons
catalogue describes it as blue, although this example looks
more like slate grey, evidently due to ageing. Its size is
virtually identical to that of a present-day British Machin.
Top-quality mint copies have a catalogue value up to
£200. Illustrated here is a lightly postmarked used copy.
Note: The date 1884 is as given in the
Gibbons Simplified Catalogue. Some other catalogues give the
issue date as 1887. I have not resolved this inconsistency.
Anyone who knows for sure is invited to contact me.
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