Spanish Philippines Revenues 1860-1898

Blog Update November 10. 2025

Derecho Judicial, Court Fee revenues 1865.

In 1865, a new design of Derecho Judicial stamp was issued showing a Lady of Justice with scales and sword. This stamp was jointly issued for the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico. The six values issued are imperforate and the paper exist in 3 different tints, white, light pink and light yellow.

the half, 1, 2 and 5 reales was a joint issue, while the 10 and 100 reales was only issued and used in Cuba and Puerto Rico

Derecho Judicial, Court Fee revenues 1866.

In 1866, the currency in the Philippines was changed from the Real de Plata or silver Real, to the silver Peso or Peso Fuerte. Fuerte in Spanish means strong, suggesting a strong and stable currency. The 1- and 5-pesos imperforate stamps shown above is the first Judicial revenue issue, specifically designed for the Philippines.

Derecho Judicial, Court Fee revenues 1866 issued for Cuba and Puerto Rico only.

First in 1966. the 100 reales issues from 1856 and 1865 were overprinted with Vaiga para el ano de 1866. maybe vaiga is a mistranscription [of valida, or valid in the year 1866.

Cuba and Puerto Rico continued till 1881 to issue stamps similar looking as the joint Philippines 1865 issue, first imperforate, later perforated. all these stamps are easy to recognize because of the date printed just below the Lady of Justice. Also, the currency indication changed from reales to centimos (cents) and Escudos/

Blog Update November 3, 2025.

Derecho Judicial or Court Fee revenues.

The very first revenue stamps issued in the Philippines were the Derecho Judicial or Court Fee stamps. This was in 1860, some 23 years before the first revenue stamps were issued in Thailand.

Four years earlier similar stamps also with values in reales, were issued in Cuba and Porto Rico. The 6 different values of medio (1/2), un (1), dos (2), cinco (5), diez (10) and cien (100) were issued in 6 different colors with each 2 years, the colors of the stamps changing. a total of 5 sets, so 10 years were issued. The Philippines only started this same stamp series in 1860, so only 3 different colors can be found for each value in the Philippines. Also, the maximum court fee payment in the Philippines was only 5 reales, so any 10 and 100 reales stamp originated in Cuba or Porto Rico. From the stamps itself, it is nearly impossible to know which stamps were used in the Philippines and which h in Porto Rico or Cuba. In my own collection, I collect every value and every color, mixing Philippines with Cuba and Porto Rico.

These stamps can be found in Nigel Gooding's collection by clicking HERE.

Forgeries of Derecho Judicial revenue stamps.

The forgeries above are believed to be made in Cuba. Some have the manuscript 58 or 59 standing for 1858 and 1859. They also exist on document.

Derecho Judicial on document.

Above document issued in Manilla 1863 contains 1 dos and 6 medio Court Fee stamps for a total of 5 reales, the maximum what could be charged for a court case.

Blog Updated October 30, 2025.

I started to collect the Spanish period Philippines revenues, 1856-1898 some 5 years ago.

I have now collected enough stamps to start a serious study. This period revenues is very interesting. All revenue stamps are at least 125 years old. they are reasonably easy to find and the price for most of the stamps is quite modest. The Philippines as a Spanish period is quite unknown, but their revenue stamps give an interesting glimpse in the history and the social and economic activities of the 19th century Philippines.

The Spanish period ended in 1898 when the Spanish-American war ended, and the USA became the new colonial power in the Philippines.

The Warren Revenue Stamp catalog for Spanish Philippines.

The "Warren" Philippines revenue stamp catalog refers to Arnold H. Warren's comprehensive works, most notably "Fiscal Stamps of the Philippines: Handbook-Catalogue, 1856 to 1941" which was serialized in The American Philatelist, starting in 1967. This catalog is used by collectors to identify and reference Philippine revenue stamps, with "W" numbers assigned by Warren. The Warren catalog can be found by clicking HERE.

The Nigel Gooding collection of Spanish Philippines period 1856-1898.

Because the Warren catalog is in black and white, it is sometimes quite difficult to identify stamps. The Nigel Gooding collection, which is posted on his website, https://nigelgooding.co.uk/ is nearly complete and all the stamps are referenced by the Warren number. To View Nigel Gooding's collection, click HERE.