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Stamp Desk / Centesimi and reales

Mexico, 1856 (8 reales)

A bald priest with white side hair, in an oval.

A bald priest with white side hair, in an oval; stamp issued by Mexico, 1856
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2

Illustration of a historical stamp for learning, shown at screen size. Not valid for postage.

How to read it

CORREOS MEJICO across the top, the old spelling of Mexico.

  1. CORREOS MEJICO
  2. OCHO REALES
Inscription
CORREOS MEJICO · OCHO REALES
Meaning
CORREOS is Spanish for posts and MEJICO the old spelling of Mexico; the value is in reales.
Issued by
Mexico
Today
Mexico Flag of Mexico
Year
1856. Issued 1856, Mexico’s first stamps.
Made by
José Villegas (designer and engraver); Taller Litográfico del Gobierno (government printing organisation)

One fact

Eight reales, the top value of the 1856 set, made a peso: the old Spanish dollar.

Source and public-domain rule

Mexico, official government work published more than 100 years ago. Made and printed in Mexico’s official government service and published 1856: the 100-year term from publication ended in 1956. Works made in the official service of the Mexican government are protected for 100 years from publication (Federal Copyright Law, LFDA, Art. 29 II; the original 1996 text, Art. 29 II b, names works made in official service). Stamps designed and printed by the government before 1926 are out of copyright. Legal sources: Ley Federal del Derecho de Autor, Arts. 9 and 29 II (current text, Cámara de Diputados), Diario Oficial de la Federación, 24 December 1996.

Scan: Mexico 1856 Sc5.jpg on Wikimedia Commons (revision 890187629), licence templates {{PD-Mexico}}. Downloaded 2026-10-22, sha256 a70a47185f0a…; cropped and cleaned for this site. Facts checked 2026-10-22 against source 1 and source 2. Research record, not legal advice; a second check of these rights by a person is planned, and a stamp that turns out not to be free to use will be removed. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.