Watermarked Mexico 1977 Nuclear Power stamp: Tip of the Week

By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

On Feb. 14, 1977, Mexico issued a 1.60-peso Mankind Destroyed by Nuclear Power airmail stamp (Scott C533). The stamp commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Agreement of Tlatelolco banning nuclear weapons in Latin America.

The striking stamp design features Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man shown as a skeleton against the background of a nuclear explosion. The stamp is very popular with topical collectors of nuclear power/nuclear weapons and human skeletons.

The stamp is quite common, with a 2016 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue value of 25¢ (minimum catalog value). While most topical collectors are satisfied with the common stamp on unwatermarked paper, collectors who specialize in Mexico are looking for a scarce variety on paper watermarked “MEX - MEX” with letters 6 millimeters high and eagle in circle multiples (Scott C533a).

The Scott Standard catalog values the watermarked paper variety at $50 in mint never-hinged condition and at $40 in used condition. This variety is seldom offered and it is a good buy at up to full Scott catalog value.

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