History of the First Argentine Postage Stamp

The first stamp of our country, began to circulate on August 21, 1856, in the province of Corrientes. The stamp was designed by a French immigrant, Matías Pipet, who was also the engraver of the only plate on which the seventeen issues were printed, released until 1880, the year in which the postal services were nationalized.

With the Pipet plate, the first stamps were printed, on tissue paper, printed in black ink and with a smooth outline. The stamp had the effigy of the goddess Ceres, Latin name of the deity of agriculture. The Seal had been entrusted to Pipet, by Dr Juan Pujol, then Governor of Corrientes, who brought the idea of the postal stamping, from a trip he had made through Europe.

Upon returning from his trip, Dr. Juan Pujol, established the postal stamp in Corrientes. In 1956, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first Argentine stamp, the Post Office made a commemorative issue in tribute to Dr Juan Pujol, who was the creator and promoter of the idea of postal stamping in Argentina.

In homage to the printing of this first stamp, in 1953, the first Argentine Congress of Philately, instituted August 21 as the Day of the Argentine Philatelist. In 2006, when commemorating the 150th anniversary of the postage stamp of the goddess Ceres, the official courier of the Argentine Republic issued a block sheet.