King Alfonso XIII of Spain Tarjeta Postal

King Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941) was the Spanish monarch who was born in 1886. He was immediately proclaimed king under the regency of Maria Cristina ( his mother). In 1902, on his 16th birthday, he assumed full authority as king until his abdication in 1931.

Tarjeta Postal – Postal Card/ Postcard

King Alfonso XIII postcard commercially used dated January 17,1906 by Pototipia de Hauser V Menet Undivided Back (c. 1901-1907) Madrid

He was the ruler of the country, when Cuba gained their independence, Philippine, Guam, Puerto Rico were sold to the United States of the treaty of Paris in 1898. The remaining islands of Caroline islands ( Islas de Carolinas) formerly part of Spanish East Indies were eventually sold to Germany in 1899 for 25 million pesetas or 17 million golds mark. Spain only remaining colonies are the Spanish Sahara in Northern Africa and some enclaves.

Aside from the decline of Spain as a world power, This was also one of the most turbulent episodes in Spanish history.

back portion of the tarjeta postal – the postcard was send from Spain to England with King Alfonso XIII stamp

Popular Myths Behind King Alfonso XIII coins and stamps

There are coins, banknotes, postage stamps, telegraph stamps and tarjeta postal issued during the Spanish regime in the country which bore his portrait – Almost same design were also issued in Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba with few minor differences. When the coins were minted in Madrid and issued in Manila for general use, They were not so popular compared to Queen Isabel 2 and King Alfonso XII.

The XIII or number 13 was sometimes considered “unlucky” to those people collecting them. There are some old time collectors who recounted their stories , that some do not even dared to touch the coins due to the fear of getting “unlucky” (malas).

As years passed by, The coins, stamps and ephemera of King Alfonso XIII became popular because a lot of the items were destroyed during the Spanish civil war during the middle part of 1936 to early 1939. Some of the local collection were lost during the last world war, natural calamities, fires and even neglect by their owners.

Some of the coins were eventually remelted down after the war up to the 1980’s for the use in different local silversmith ateliers, altar pieces or reselling them. Those are just some of the contributing of the scarcity of the coin.

There are still some King Alfonso XIII or King Alphonse XIII stamps and postcards that are still affordable for sale in popular online auction sites or local stamp collecting bourse.

It had been more than 1 year since the last local stamp club held their local bourse due to IATF and enhanced community quarantine restriction.

Bought this postcard in an online auction site, few months ago for a price of a fast food burger meal. It was quite rare to find this in local stamp bourse/ auction club meeting.

King Alfonso XIII Abdication and Death

He left Spain voluntarily after the municipal elections of April 1931, which were taken as a plebiscite on abolishing the monarchy. Alfonso XIII renounced his rights to the defunct Spanish throne on June 15, 1941 in favor of Juan. He died of a heart attack in Rome on 28 February of that year. He was buried in Spanish National Church of Santiago and Montserrat (Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli) in Rome before his body was repatriated in 1980.

He was re interred in El Escorial in Spain.

King Alfonso XIII of Spain stamps

Quezon City , Philippines

Collecting stamps and other collectible items are like collecting  little pieces and bits of history .  Bargain hunting , haggling is always part of the exciting hunt.  Collecting Spanish -Philippines era stamps can be quite expensive as very few items are up for sale and sometimes, there are even forgeries that even experience stamp collectors ( philatelists ) cannot easily distinguished.

different kinds of stamps issued during the Spanish colonial era 

I happen to chance upon a small lot in a local bourse/ auction several weeks ago which contained an array of unused ( without gums)  and some in mint condition King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Most of the 10 piece stamp set were issued  in 1889 , 1890, 1896 , 1897 and 1898 and it is between 107 to 126 years old.  Many stamp collectors would think it was a bit pricey to own this set. Luckily , I was able to get the entire stamp set for just under Php 100 or $ US 2.25 dollars ! It was not really that CHEAP for i know a stamp collector was able to buy a stamp collection for just under Php 250.00 with a lots of Spanish- Philippines issues and comes with a stamp album, Now that is the real bargain hunter.

Biography: Alfonso was born in Madrid, Spain on 17 May 1886. He was the posthumous son of   King Alfonso XII, who had died in November 1885, and became King of Spain upon his birth. The French newspaper Le Figaro described the young king as “the happiest and best-loved of all the rulers of the earth”. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria , served as his regent until his 16th birthday. During the regency, in 1898, Spain lost its colonial rule over Cuba , Puerto Rico , Spanish East Indies which includes Guam, Marianas , Palau and The Philippines . Spanish: Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena; English: Alphonse Leon Ferdinand Mary James Isidor Pascal Anthony of Bourbon

References:

Spanish -Cuban stamps: http://www.stampworld.com/en/stamps/Spanish-Cuba/Postage%20stamps/?year=1880

King Alfonso XIII: http://www.catawiki.com/catalog/stamps/depicted-persons-individuals/1012477-alfonso-xiii-of-spain-1886-1941