Philippine Postage Due Stamps
What are Postage Due Stamps
Postage dues can be an interesting collectible for the stamp enthusiast. Partly, due to the fact that most countries have discontinued their usage altogether. Postage due stamps were used whenever a mailed item was underpaid by the sender. The receiver would be asked to make up the difference and the postage due stamp was attached as evidence that the difference was actually paid. Postage due stamps had all of the features of regular issue postage stamps but with the words “Postage Due” incorporated into their design.
Philippine Postage Dues
The first postage due stamps used in the Philippines date back to 1899. As with most stamps from 1899 through the early 1900’s, US stamps were overprinted for use in the Philippines. All except the 3 and 30c stamps are from 1899 as the 3c and 30c stamps were added in 1901. Similar overprints exist for use in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
| Value | Year | Scott # | Print Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cent | 1899 | PH J1 | |
| 2 cents | 1899 | PH J2 | |
| 3 cents | 1901 | PH J6 | |
| 5 cents | 1899 | PH J3 | |
| 10 cents | 1899 | PH J4 | |
| 30 cents | 1901 | PH J7 | 2,140 |
| 50 cents | 1899 | PH J5 | 3,216 |
In August 1928 the following set of postage dues depicting an image of a post office clerk was launched. The corresponding Scott catalog #’s are PH J8 to PH J14.
The 1937 3 centavos overprint (PH J15) was actually used as a postage reply paid stamp – not a postage due stamp. Used by mail order businesses, these would be affixed by the post office when reply paid cards were returned by customers. Businesses wanting to use this service needed to be registered and would be charged the postage costs for returned cards.
During the Japanese Occupation the abovementioned 3c overprint stamp had the words “United States of America” blacked out. This was typical of all US era stamps during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines. The 1942 postage due Scott catalog # is PH NJ1.
4 new postage due stamps were issued in October 1947 in 3, 4, 6 and 10c values. This set has fewer stamps than all previous series of stamps but by combining these values there was more flexibility in the fees that could be collected. The Scott catalog #’s are PH J23 to PH J26. This was the last series of postage due stamps issued in the Philippines.
With the exception of the 1899-1901 set at the top of this article, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to collect these Philippine postage due stamps. While my examples are all MNH many collectors prefer to find used examples on cachets that have been through the postal system. Either way, these are great little pieces of postal history.