Having hope for the future gives the ability to get beyond a bad present. Spaniards had been attracted to Peru with legends of a fabulously rich empire in the mountains with much gold. What they found was a weak empire who fell quickly when they couldn’t mount a defense against 200 men. The gold proved scarce enough that the Conquistadors began killing each other over the dregs. Maybe if they just had more faith in those fellows golden sun God Inti. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
This is an old stamp from a Catholic country. Yet here we have a rendering of the Inca sun God Inti. It should be remembered that the Inca Empire lasted a mere 80 years and had fallen 350 years before this stamp. Yet this iconography is still common in Peru and Bolivia. It is clear that what the Peruvians are really praying is that they will finally find that vein of gold in the mountains and strike it rich.
Todays stamp is issue A23 a 1 Sol stamp issued by Peru in 1874. This was just as they were renaming the Peso the Sol (sun) and the currency name as gone back and forth between Sol and Inti since. Poor man’s gold standard? This was a 9 stamp issue in various denominations that had many devaluation overprints later. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $2.40.
The Inca idea was that Inti was the Sun God and married to his sister Mama Killa the moon Goddess. Their children then decended to Earth via rainbows in the mountains and then taught culture and looked out for the people. The Inca Empire rose quickly and did indeed find gold in the mountains panning in tributaries at the beginning of the Amazon River. Hearing the legend Pizzaro landed from existing Spanish outposts in Panama bringing with him a force of 189 men and small pox. The Inca Empire fell in two years and Lima was started on the coast to export the rush of gold that was always right around the corner.
Henry Meiggs was a promoter and builder from the USA that had built piers on the waterfront in San Francisco then borrowed a great deal of money against them and absconded to South America with anywhere from $8000 to $500,000 depending who tells it. His story was that his little bit of money quickly ran out and at a low point had to pawn his fancy watch. I will pause for a moment while you shed a tear….. He did prove able to build railways that the locals had been unable to do themselves even in rough territory. Peru contracted with him to build a railroad from Lima into those old Inca mountains with all the gold. Peru was still praying to Inti and they froze out Meiggs upon the railroads completion in 1874. As with Pizarro. the life changing vein of gold as proven elusive.
Unlicensed gold panning is still a big problem in Peru among the indigenous. They find just enough to keep doing it but not enough to really get ahead. I see all the Uber drivers and stamp dealers out there nodding. In the modern world the environmental impact is especially brought forward. The muddy holes dug and cut down trees are bad for the delicate rain forests. The Indigenous are also putting poisonous mercury in the water that binds with the gold and makes it easier to spot. Waste deep in water now containing much mercury is thought to be slowly killing the prospectors. Inti is not pleased, and neither is the Peru government who is not getting their cut.
Well my drink is empty and you can’t stand in the way of a gold rush fortold by the married brother and sister Gods. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting