Spanish Puerto Rico year 1898 postage stamps / King Alfonso Complete set

Puerto Rico year 1898 stamps / King Alfonso XII Ed. 130-149 Complete MH set

Spain’s relationship with Puerto Rico dates back to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493, when he claimed the island for Spain during his second voyage to the Americas. Puerto Rico remained a Spanish colony for over four centuries until the Spanish-American War of 1898, when the United States gained control of the island.

During Spain’s colonial rule over Puerto Rico, Spanish postage stamps were used on the island. These stamps featured various designs reflecting Spain’s history, culture, and political figures. Some Spanish stamps were specifically overprinted for use in Puerto Rico, while others were used without modification.

After the Spanish-American War and the transfer of Puerto Rico to the United States, the U.S. Postal Service began administering the island’s postal system. The first U.S. stamps used in Puerto Rico were overprints of existing U.S. stamps with the word “PORTO RICO” added. These overprinted stamps were used until 1900 when the U.S. issued a series of definitive stamps specifically for Puerto Rico.

In summary, Spain’s postal history in Puerto Rico involves the use of Spanish postage stamps during the colonial period, while the U.S. administration introduced its own postal system and stamps after the transfer of the island in 1898.