PUERTO RICO, Coamo Provisional, 1898, 5c Black, Ty. I-II-III-IV (201). Complete sheet of ten, tropicalized original gum, violet F. Santiago control mark, full to large margins all around, slight thinning in Pos. 1, two tiny pinholes in Pos. 10

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE COMPLETE SHEET OF THE PUERTO RICO 1898 COAMO PROVISIONAL ISSUE.

The Coamo stamps were created in August 1898 during the Spanish-American War, in response to the lack of a functioning postal service and the absence of stamps in the period between the retreat of Spanish forces and the full establishment of an American military postal system. Fifty sheets of ten stamps were typeset in black on unwatermarked paper, on which was applied a brownish gum. Four different types exist based on differences in the numeral "5". The violet "F Santiago" (mayor of Coamo) handstamp was applied as a control mark to avoid counterfeits. Few of the stamps were ultimately used and only 10 covers survive.

Approximately 30 of the unused sheets were purchased by Mr. Alfred O. Tittmann, a stamp collector, on Oct. 26, 1898. Tittmann brought the sheets to the United States and Charles E. Mekeel cut up and sold many of the stamps as singles. While various writers have estimated that between six and ten sheets survive, Dr. Ronald H. Gonzalez identifies 21 different full sheets in his census, though some are from old photos and may not be genuine or may have been cut apart.

Gonzalez Census No. 12. With 1964 P.F. certificate

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