In commemorating completion of the harbour works and docks at Port Rosario, the Argentine Republic took the unprecedented step of issuing a special card through the Director General of Posts at Buenos Aires. This card is undoubtedly a collector's piece. Nothing quite like it has ever been issued elsewhere. It is a folding card and appeared on October 10, 1902, the inside left page bearing the text of the Argentine President's decree authorising a special commemorative stamp on the occasion of the opening of Port Rosario.
On the opposite page, an illustration of the stamp, engraved direct on to the card and in the colour in which the actual stamp would appear, blue, is centred in a frame with the inscription "Inauguration of the Works of Port Rosario de Santa Fe, 26 October, 1902."
Presumably the purpose of the card was to publicise the President's decree. If so, it certainly took an unusual form. I imagine these cards were a free issue, circularised to people interested in either the port celebrations or in the forthcoming stamps. They may have been quite common and worthless when issued, or of little value, but I am certain there would be a wide demand for these cards today. I have only seen two of them in the last 30 years, and I am sure they must be very scarce.
Nowadays it is common practice for foreign post office departments to issue sheets showing forthcoming stamps in their correct colours but the stamps are either enlarged or marred in some way by a white line through them, or similar device. Generally speaking they are not printed from the actual stamp-engraved die. The Port Rosario stamp on the card is actually engraved with the same die used for producing the stamps; the only difference is that whereas the stamps were printed on white paper the cards are buff. The stamp printed on the card was not available for postage.
One speculates on the reason for issuing this card. Was it an announcement to prevent the rioting which had occurred when the previous Argentine commemorative stamps were issued? This issue showed the three ships of Columbus. There were two values, 2c. and 5c., both in blue, and, like the Port Rosario stamp, were on sale for one day only. Instructions were given that no more than one sheet of 50 of each value were to be sold to any one purchaser and the authorities calculated that 200,000 of each value that had been printed would be sufficient to meet all demands.
As early as five o'clock in the morning hundreds were waiting outside the Central Post Office in Buenos Aires. These quickly became thousands until by 7.30 a.m. the doors of the office, due to be opened half an hour later, were burst in by the impatient crowd, and pandemonium followed. Matters did not improve when many of those who had been served tried to force their way to another part of the counter to buy more than their allotment. The police had to send for reinforcements before they could clear out the rabble and restore order. The office was temporarily closed and after its re-opening each individual was limited to 10 copies of each value. Possibly the Argentine postal authorities had this in mind when they issued the notice of the new commemorative stamps (incidentally the Columbus stamps which caused the riot are quite easily obtainable anywhere today and are of no value). The translation of the document (printed in Spanish) on the Rosario card is as follows:—
"GENERAL DIRECTION OF POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS, Buenos Aires, September 30, 1902.
"It having been decided on that on October 26 next there shall take place the inauguration of the Port Works of Rosario de Santa Fe, which act the National and Provincial authorities have decided to celebrate by various festivities, and the printing of a commemorative stamp; and in accordance with the request of the General Direction of Posts and Telegraphs, the President of the Republic decrees:—"Article 1. To authorise the said Direction to issue a commemorative postage stamp which shall only be used on the day mentioned. Article 2. The expense incurred in printing the same shall be provided for by sale of the stamps. Article 3. Let it be communicated, published and inserted in the National Registry.
Signed: ROCA.
J. V. GONZALEZ."
The stamps duly appeared, though unfortunately nothing is known about the vessels depicted in the port. Today, like the Columbus stamps, this one-day stamp for Port Rosario is easily obtainable.
SG290 Sea Breezes 4/60