PUERTO RICO, Guanica Provisional, 1898, (5c) Violet Handstamp. Lightly but clearly struck "Correos. Postal Guanica P.R. E.U. of A." handstamp on cover addressed in Spanish to the assistant in charge of the lighthouse in "Capital Pto Rico," "Guanica Puerto Rico 22 Nov. 98" circular datestamp, manuscript "Eu of A." at top (Estados Unidos of America), back with partly clear Nov. 22 transit and receipt datestamps from Military Stations 7 (Yauco) and 4 (San Juan), opened for display, edge faults and small tears

FINE APPEARING AND EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1898 PROVISIONAL HANDSTAMP FROM GUANICA PUERTO RICO, EMPLOYED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR WHEN REGULAR STAMPS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. ONLY TWO EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED.

U.S. troops landed at Guanica on July 25, 1898, and moved swiftly east to Ponce, where the first military mail station was established on August 3. As with the more famous Coamo and Ponce adhesives, the Guanica Provisional was created to prepay the 5c for transmission inside Puerto Rico during the period of transition when stamps were not yet available. There are two types recorded and this is Type 2. Only two examples of this handstamp are known, the other dated Nov. 28. The inscription at top of this cover is an interesting political statement by the postmaster at Guanica, declaring the town to be part of the United States.

Ex Sanborn, Preston, Scalley and Gallagher. Illustrated in Puerto Rico Specialist (First Edition, Oct.-Dec. 1970) and in Stamp Specialist (Chartreuse Book, p. 79)

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