Spain celebrates 250th anniversary of State Lottery with special stamp

Spain celebrates 250 years of the country's state lottery with a stamp featuring a 250 logo on a lottery ball.

Spain's lottery system is one of the oldest in the world and was created in 1763 during the reign of King Carlos III. Spanish Correos's lottery stamp has a E0.37 value and features a hand holding a lottery ball with the number '250' and the famous lottery drum along with the Spanish words 'Aniversario de la creacion de Loterias Apuestas del Estado' (250th anniversary of the creation of State Lotteries and Betting).

Originally, the Spanish lottery was a means of raising funds for State projects, with surplus funds donated to hospitals and charities. Players were invited to choose one of ninety numbers, in a game of complex rules. From 1812, the country ran both an Original Lottery and a Modern Lottery until 1862, when the Original Lottery was abolished - finally returning in 1985.

For all the latest stamp and coin news and new issues, see each issue of Stamp & Coin Mart magazine.