1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball

Issued beginning on July 15, 1949, this large Nicaraguan stamp issue commemorates two closely linked national initiatives: the 10th Amateur Baseball World Series (Décima Serie Mundial de Base-Ball Amateur), held in Managua from November 20 to December 12, 1948, and the construction of the Moderno Estadio Nacional, Nicaragua’s new national stadium. The stamps were authorized as a joint commemoration of the international tournament and the stadium project, which explains the unusually broad scope of subjects included in the issue.

Although the Amateur World Series was the central event being honored, the designs extend beyond baseball to reflect a wider national sports program. Approved subjects include baseball, basketball, boxing, cycling, swimming, football (soccer), tennis, table tennis, sailing (regattas), pole vault, softball, scouting, and views of the National Stadium. The Dominican Republic won the 1948 tournament with an 8–1 record, capturing the nation’s only Amateur World Series title. Pitcher Ramón del Monte was named Most Valuable Player after finishing 4–0 with a 0.34 ERA, while Manuel Cáceres, B. Arias, and Elías Farías led major offensive categories.

Sports in the series were issued in multiple denominations and formats. Air stamps were issued in square format, while ordinary postage stamps were issued in rectangular format. Baseball was issued as a 30¢ air stamp (200,000 printed) and a 15¢ ordinary stamp (200,000 printed). Softball was issued as a 5 córdobas air stamp (40,000 printed) and a 1¢ ordinary stamp (3,000,000 printed).

The “X Serie De Base-Ball Amateur, 1948” Stamp Collection

All 26 stamps in the main edition carry the inscription “X Serie Mundial de Base-Ball Amateur 1948.” Because this wording appears on every stamp, all designs in the set, including those depicting non-baseball sports and stadium imagery, are formally classified as part of the Amateur Baseball World Series issue.

The set is evenly divided by subject and format, with 13 subjects, each issued in both rectangular and square stamp formats, resulting in a total of 26 stamps.

1949 Nicaragua – Amateur World Series of Baseball, airmail square stamps
1949 Nicaragua – Amateur World Series of Baseball, airmail square stamps
1949 Nicaragua – Amateur World Series of Baseball, rectangle ordinary seal stamps
1949 Nicaragua – Amateur World Series of Baseball, rectangle ordinary seal stamps

Proofs

Before final printing, the Nicaraguan government required Waterlow & Sons Ltd. of London to produce complete proof sets of the stamps for review and approval. These proofs were printed using the same photogravure process planned for the issued stamps and were submitted bearing the word “Specimen” or “Sample.” Color standards were not arbitrary. The contract specified that all colors be matched to numbered references from the Dictionary of Color by Maerz and Paul, an authoritative color system of the period. Proofs were reviewed by Nicaraguan officials, including oversight by the Consul of Nicaragua in London, before authorization was granted to proceed with the full production run of 29.7 million stamps.

The proof stamps often appear in colors that differ from the final issued versions because they represent trial color selections rather than the approved production palette. Adjustments were routinely made after visual evaluation under printing conditions and paper stock, resulting in changes between proof and final stamps. Each proof stamp was also intentionally defaced with a small circular hole, a standard security practice used by printers to prevent unauthorized postal use and to clearly distinguish proofs from valid postage. Once approval was complete, remaining proofs, plates, and materials were formally accounted for and destroyed under government supervision, making surviving proofs rare records of the stamp-making process.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Airmail Baseball – 30¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Airmail Baseball – 30¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Ordinary Baseball – 15¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Ordinary Baseball – 15¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Airmail Softball – 5¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Airmail Softball – 5¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Ordinary Softball – 1¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Proof of Ordinary Softball – 1¢

First Day Issue

This First Day Issue envelope is distinctive because it combines both adhesive stamps and an imprinted stamp design. In addition to the applied square airmail stamps from the 1948 Amateur World Series of Baseball series, the envelope itself bears a 4¢ Modern National Stadium design printed directly onto the airmail cover. This imprinted stadium vignette matches one of the issued stamp designs but is noticeably smaller than the corresponding adhesive square stamp.

This printed stadium image functioned as part of the officially prepared first day envelope, integrating the stadium motif into the postal stationery itself. Its reduced size reflects envelope printing requirements rather than stamp production standards. The result is a hybrid First Day Issue that visually documents both the full square stamp set and the Modern National Stadium design in a format not found on standard sheets, making it an uncommon and informative artifact of the issue’s original postal presentation.

1949 Nicaragua – Amateur World Series of Baseball, First Day Issue of Square Stamps
1949 Nicaragua – Amateur World Series of Baseball, First Day Issue of Square Stamps

Souvenir & Print Sheets

Each stamp design in the 10th Amateur Baseball World Series issue was also produced as a souvenir sheet in a block of four. These commemorative sheets were issued in limited quantities: 2,500 square airmail souvenir sheets and 10,000 rectangular ordinary postage souvenir sheets were produced for each design.

All remaining stamps intended for everyday postal use were printed in standard sheets of 25 stamps arranged in a 5×5 layout. These larger sheets were produced in much greater quantities and were meant for circulation, while the smaller four-stamp sheets were created specifically for collectors and commemorative purposes.

Softball

Softball was issued in 118,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets, making it the most common ordinary mail issue, and 1,200 airmail 25-stamp sheets, along with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Softball for C$5
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Softball for C$5
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Softball for 1¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Softball for 1¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ Sheet – Softball
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ Sheet – Softball
949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ First Day Issue – Softball
949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ First Day Issue – Softball
1949 Nicaragua – First Day Issue – Softball $5
1949 Nicaragua – First Day Issue – Softball $5

Boy Scouts

Scouting (Escultismo) was issued in 78,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 1,400 airmail 25-stamp sheets, with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boy Scouts for C$2
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boy Scouts for C$2
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boy Scouts for 2¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boy Scouts for 2¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – C$2 Sheet – Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – C$2 Sheet – Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – C$2 First Day Issue – Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – C$2 First Day Issue – Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 2¢ Sheet – Boy Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 2¢ Sheet – Boy Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 2¢ First Day Issue – Boy Scouts
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 2¢ First Day Issue – Boy Scouts

Pole Vault

Pole vault (Garrocha) was issued in 38,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 1,400 airmail 25-stamp sheets, and also appeared in 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Pole Vault for C$1
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Pole Vault for C$1
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Pole Vault for 3¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Pole Vault for 3¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ Sheet – Pole Vault
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ Sheet – Pole Vault
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 3¢ Sheet – Pole Vault
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 3¢ Sheet – Pole Vault

Swimming

Swimming was issued in 38,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 400 airmail 25-stamp sheets, making it the least common airmail issue, and was also produced in 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Swimming for 75¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Swimming for 75¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Swimming for 4¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Swimming for 4¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 75¢ First Day Issue – Diving
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 75¢ First Day Issue – Diving
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 4¢ Sheet – Diving
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 4¢ Sheet – Diving

Cycling

Cycling was issued in 38,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 9,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for 40¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for 40¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for 5¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for 5¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for 40¢ Sheet
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for 40¢ Sheet
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for C$5
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Cycling for C$5

Modern National Stadium

The National Stadium was issued in 78,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 39,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Modern National Stadium for 4¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Modern National Stadium for 4¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Modern National Stadium for 10¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Modern National Stadium for 10¢
1949 Nicaragua – National Stadium Under Construction for the Amateur Baseball World Series
1949 Nicaragua – National Stadium Under Construction for the Amateur Baseball World Series
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 4¢ Sheet – Stadium
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 4¢ Sheet – Stadium
1949 Nicaragua – First Day Issue – Modern Stadium 4¢
1949 Nicaragua – First Day Issue – Modern Stadium 4¢

Baseball

Baseball was issued in 6,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 7,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, along with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Baseball for 30¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Baseball for 30¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Baseball for 15¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Baseball for 15¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 30¢ Sheet – Baseball
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 30¢ Sheet – Baseball
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 15¢ Sheet – Baseball
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 15¢ Sheet – Baseball
1949 Nicaragua – First Day Issue – Baseball 30¢
1949 Nicaragua – First Day Issue – Baseball 30¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 15¢ First Day Issue – Baseball
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 15¢ First Day Issue – Baseball

Boxing

Boxing was issued in 6,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 7,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, plus 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boxing for 25¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boxing for 25¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boxing for 25¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Boxing for 25¢

Basketball

Basketball was issued in 6,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 7,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Basketball for 15¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Basketball for 15¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Basketball for 35¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Basketball for 35¢

Sailing

Sailing (Regatas) was issued in 6,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 39,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Sailing for 5¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Sailing for 5¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Sailing for 40¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Sailing for 40¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 5¢ Sheet – Sailing
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 5¢ Sheet – Sailing

Ping-Pong

Table tennis (Ping Pong) was issued in 2,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets, making it the least common ordinary mail issue, and 39,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, along with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Ping-pong for 3¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Ping-pong for 3¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Ping-pong for 60¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Ping-pong for 60¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 3¢ Sheet – Ping-pong
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 3¢ Sheet – Ping-pong

Football

Football (Soccer) was issued in 4,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 79,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, with 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Football for 2¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Football for 2¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Football for C$1
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Football for C$1
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 2¢ Sheet – Football
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 2¢ Sheet – Football

Tennis

Tennis was issued in 4,400 ordinary mail 25-stamp sheets and 119,600 airmail 25-stamp sheets, making it the most common airmail issue, and was also issued in 10,000 ordinary 4-stamp souvenir sheets and 2,500 airmail 4-stamp souvenir sheets.

1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Tennis for 1¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Tennis for 1¢
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Tennis for C$2
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Baseball: Tennis for C$2
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ Sheet – Tennis
1949 Nicaragua – 10th World Series of Amateur Baseball – 1¢ Sheet – Tennis
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