COSTA RICA

COSTA RICA.

Columbus Day.
16th century map of Costa Rica.
Stamp issued in 26.10.1987.
Face value: 30 Costa Rican colones.
Printed by Casa Gráfica Ltd, San José.
Printing: Offset lithography.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1338.
- Scott No. 392.
- StampWorld No. 1338.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1463.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 491.

Christopher Columbus reached the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica on September 25, 1502, on his fourth voyage. According to his diaries, there was a lot of gold in the territory, which prompted the adventurers to undertake other explorations and served as a pole of attraction for the colonizers. The initial expeditions of Diego de Nicuesa and Alonso de Ojeda on the Atlantic coast were followed by that of Vasco Núñez de Balboa, who reached the Pacific Ocean in 1513 after crossing the Isthmus of Panama. Other conquerors followed. In 1562, Juan Vázquez de Coronado toured the entire Costa Rican territory and was appointed mayor of Costa Rica and Nueva Cartago. Vázquez de Coronado is known as the true conqueror of Costa Rica for the pacifying role that he played alongside the indigenous people, gaining their trust and support. Costa Rica was since 1574 the southernmost dependency of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, a situation in which it remained until its Independence from the Spanish Empire (September 15, 1821).

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Thanks to Dragan Buškulić for his contribution (https://worldofstamp2.wordpress.com/).