Bull's Eye (postage stamp)
The bull's eye of Brazil (Portuguese Olho -de -boi ) is among philatelists the name given to the first three stamps of Brazil. The name stems from the somewhat peculiar appearance of the Drawing numbers and was taken from the Portuguese in many languages of the world. Similarly, the successor series are called goats eyes and cat eyes.
The three stamps at 30, 60 and 90 Réis were issued on 1 August 1843. Brazil, making it the third country after the United Kingdom and Switzerland that issued its own postage stamps. The ox eyes are on the second stamp series with a figure drawing.
The bull's eye do not specify the country name and currency. The templates for the brands were stung in the imperial coin into steel and manufactured in security printing in Rio de Janeiro. The stamps were printed on different disks. The so-called combined disk contains all three values on the same page, and that each value in three horizontal rows of six brands, so first three rows of six of the 30 - Réis brand, including three rows of six of the 60 Réis mark, including three rows of six the 90 - Réis brand. The sheet thus comprised a total of 54 marks. The individual value step blocks were each separated only by narrow ridges. Due to the arrangement described, different values can occur contiguously.
There were also plates for arches, which contained only 30 - Réis values , as well as a combination of 30 - and 60 - Réis values ( so-called large disk). The value at 90 Réis is therefore the rarest oxeye.
The sheets were not perforated and therefore had to be cut apart with scissors. Various types of paper were used, among other things, thick yellowish or (more rarely) a little thinner bluish gray paper.
The ox- eye edition was discontinued already almost a year after its release. The reason the high risk of abusive reuse of already used brands due to the slight solubility of the brands from the letter, the high quality paper and the often inadequate cancellation was given. The issued on July 1, 1844 successor stamps were printed on thinner paper and provide you with better adhesive. They were designed graphically similar, but slightly oval, and are referred to as goats eyes. Four years later, in turn, similar third postage stamp issue in Brazil, the so-called cat's eyes. Goats eyes and cat eyes also contribute neither country nor monetary quantity. You have up to 600 Réis higher value levels than the bull's eye on.