Chihuahua

Chihuahua, medio real. Fourth period, consignment 169-1865. Image courtesy J. Kordich.	Chihuahua, dos reales. Fourth period, consignment 169-1865. Image courtesy Doug Stout.

The medio real shown here is possibly the only known medio real stamp used anywhere in the Chihuahua district. It is possible that another copy exists with a Durango cancel, but this has not been verified.

The district name overprints were applied to the stamps after they were placed on the letters. The only exception is at least one sheet of dos reales stamps from invoice 169-1865, which was overprinted with the Chihuahua name almost vertically on the stamps. All other Chihuahua overprints were applied like the other names, horizontally on the stamps, tying them to the cover in most cases.

Mint remainders are plentiful - the technical term is "wall paper" - and a few were outfitted with fake cancels. However, those fakes are usually not a big problem, since they don't resemble any of the genuinely used cancels. The only problems are with stamps without name, cancelled with the normal Allende cancel. If the stamp has no name overprint and the cancel is a neat, indeterminable corner cancel, you should probably avoid the stamp. A MEPSI or similar certificate is strongly recommended for all cancelled Chihuahua Eagles.

At least one, and possibly two or even more whole sheets of the 2R exist. A block of 50 (half a sheet), as well as some singles, exist of the 2R with vertical Chihuahua overprints.

The towns which became district offices were occupied on the following dates:

• July 22, 1865 - Rio Florido (Villa Coronado)
• July 23, 1865 - Allende
• July 25, 1865 - Parral
• July 29, 1865 - Santa Rosalia
• August 9, 1865 - Rosales
• August 15, 1865 - Chihuahua

Parral was briefly ocupied by Republican forces on and about August 8, 1865.

Note: there are several stamps off cover known, which were not included in Corbett's survey. While they are not plentiful, they are at least much more available than the survey below would suggest. I'd guess there would be on the order of about 10 copies from each office, give or take a few.