Issue date: 27 Feb, 2012
Since the proclamation of King Juan Carlos I as King of Spain on November 22nd 1975, the effigy of the Spanish King, the Queen and members of the Royal Family have been depicted in a number of stamps issues. The portrait of the King has appeared the most, since every year his effigy is depicted in the definitive stamp series. This year four of these postage stamps featuring his portrait are being issued with four different face values to meet the postal needs.
The first stamp ever to be issued in Spain in 1850 depicted the image of Queen Elizabeth II. Since then and up till this day several monarchs have featured on Spanish stamps alongside the country's historical moment. If we take a look at the extensive catalogue of Spanish stamps we will see that those with the aforementioned Queen Elizabeth II were followed by ones with the effigies of Amadeo I in 1872, Charles VII, whose stamps were used for postage of Carlist mail between 1873 and 1875 in the Basque country, Navarra, Catalonia and Valencia, Alfonso XII from 1875 till the last stamp issued in 1882 and king Alfonso XIII in 1889 and 1899 portraying the image of the monarch when he was a child. Until the early 30's the definitive stamps feature the evolution and maturity of King Alfonso XVIII’s through his face. In 1926 stamps were issued in favour of the Spanish Red Cross depicting king Alfonso XIII, Queen Victoria Eugenia, the Prince of Asturias, the Infantas Cristina and Beatriz and even the entire Royal Family. After a hiatus marked by the Second Spanish Republic and the long period of dictatorship of General Franco, the image of the monarchy came to be depicted again on Spanish stamps at the dictator's death in 1975. The first issue featuring Don Juan Carlos I and Doña Sofia, King and Queen of Spain, was printed in December 1975. From this moment on until today the monarch’s activities and the landmarks of his reign such as state visits, the appointment of Felipe de Borbón as Prince of Asturias, the King's intervention in international organizations such as the United Nations, the 25th anniversary of the reign of Don Juan Carlos and of the Spanish Constitution and the wedding of the Prince of Asturias have featured in postage stamps.
Rate A - €0.75. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, up to 20 g.
Rate A2 - €0.85. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, between 20 g and 50 g.
Rate B - €1.65. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to Europe (including Greenland), up to 20 g.
Rate C - €1.75. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the rest of the world (except USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), up to 20 g.
Rate D - €2.10. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, up to 20 g.