Centro de hoja
Encyclopedia
Centro de hoja or Center of the sheet is a term used to describe certain Cuba
n postage stamp
s where there are intersecting gutters
between four panes of stamps. The horizontal and vertical blank gutters divide the sheet into quadrants of 25 stamps each. The center four or sixteen stamps on a sheet of 100 stamps are collected similar to how plate block
s of four stamps are collected in the United States. The first centro de hoja were the imperforate Cuban patriots issues of 1926. These had the unique distinctions of being from sheets of 400 rather than 100 and the "gutters" consisted of nothing more than two intersecting lines drawn through the center of the sheet. The last was produced with the three bicentennial of coffee issues of 1952. Some people classify the Christmas issues of 1960 as centros de hoja, but since they have no gutters others call them special format stamps.
A bit over half of the regular issues, special delivery and airmail stamps issued between the years 1926 and 1952 were produced with intersecting gutters, giving rise to the collection of centros de hoja. Some issues can be quite rare. There were only 200 imperforate sheets issued in 1936 for each of the fourteen stamps issued to celebrate the opening of the free port of Matanzas
. Some of the "writers and artists" series of 1937 sold fewer that 180 sheets. There were only 250 sheets printed of the one peso "death of Maceo" stamp in 1948 and the one peso Fernando Figueredo overprint
of 1952. Other issues can be plentiful and readily available to collectors.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s where there are intersecting gutters
Gutter (philately)
The philatelic use of the word gutter is the space left between postage stamps which allows them to be separated or perforated. When stamps are printed on large sheets of paper that will be guillotined into smaller sheets along the gutter it will not exist on the finished sheet of stamps...
between four panes of stamps. The horizontal and vertical blank gutters divide the sheet into quadrants of 25 stamps each. The center four or sixteen stamps on a sheet of 100 stamps are collected similar to how plate block
Plate block
A plate block is a block of stamps from the edge of the sheet which shows the plate or cylinder from which the stamps were printed.-Background:The numbering of printing plates has long been a part of quality control in the printing process...
s of four stamps are collected in the United States. The first centro de hoja were the imperforate Cuban patriots issues of 1926. These had the unique distinctions of being from sheets of 400 rather than 100 and the "gutters" consisted of nothing more than two intersecting lines drawn through the center of the sheet. The last was produced with the three bicentennial of coffee issues of 1952. Some people classify the Christmas issues of 1960 as centros de hoja, but since they have no gutters others call them special format stamps.
A bit over half of the regular issues, special delivery and airmail stamps issued between the years 1926 and 1952 were produced with intersecting gutters, giving rise to the collection of centros de hoja. Some issues can be quite rare. There were only 200 imperforate sheets issued in 1936 for each of the fourteen stamps issued to celebrate the opening of the free port of Matanzas
Matanzas
Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. It is famed for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore.It is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas , east of the capital Havana and west of the resort town of Varadero.Matanzas is called the...
. Some of the "writers and artists" series of 1937 sold fewer that 180 sheets. There were only 250 sheets printed of the one peso "death of Maceo" stamp in 1948 and the one peso Fernando Figueredo overprint
Overprint
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...
of 1952. Other issues can be plentiful and readily available to collectors.