The ATMs in COSTA RICA.  KLÜSSENDORF issue | EPELSA issues

Related article (only Spanish version): Correos cambia estampillas por etiquetas adhesivas ( Costa Rica Post swaps stamps for adhesive labels) (Newspaper La Nacion, Costa Rica - April 11th 2005)

	Subject :		2002 - Playa Manzanillo (Manzanillo's beach) - ICT-Bruno J.M.
	Date of issue :		July 16, 2002
	Size :		47 x 27 mm.
	Paper :		Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured
	Printing value :		Thermal on black
	Possible values :		1 to 99999 ¢ (in steps of 1 ¢)
	Design :		Correos de Costa Rica, S.A. - ICT-Bruno J.M.
	Printer :		Ovelar, Spain
Click on the image to enlarge	Printing :		1st. print.: 2.280.000 adhesives (1.200 rolls) 2nd. print. (2003): 1.900.000 adhesives (1.000 rolls)

Playa Manzanillo (Manzanillo beach), is a wonderful natural scenic location on the South-east Caribbean coast, used as a subject for the 1st ATM issued from the new EPELSA - model RL-POSTAL franking balances, used in Costa Rica’s post offices.

On July 16th 2002, 9 years after the previous ATM issue in Costa Rica, the first 10 franking balances were installed in the main post office in San Jose. The equipment is only used by the postal clerks and is located at the customer service desk. This dispenser is programmed to issue thermal ATMs and prints the machine number, the name of the city or post office, the date and, of course the face value. Despite the inclusion of the date, users are able to use the ATMs (or sello balanza -balance stamp- as they call them) as normal stamps at any place or date, according to the official information issued by the Gerencia General de Correos de Costa Rica, S.A.

The image shows a mixed franking with both "traditional" stamps and one ATM issued on September 17th 2002. The letter was posted on October 4th.

Ovelar manufactured 1,200 rolls of this first design, with 1,900 adhesives on each roll. In 2003 they did a reprinting of the same design with 1,000 new rolls. The new labels have a variation in shade.

	The new ATM issue benefits from the vast experience gained from the ATM thermal issues in Spain, with the same format in paper and similar characteristics in the printing by the franking balances. Adjust label - Balance 24135
	In the commercial Exhibition held in Madrid on the occasion of the Postal Forum (May 6 to 8th 2002), one could see the prototype of the Epelsa franking balance installed in Costa Rica, and at the same time the first adjust label was issued. In this case it was printed on a blank label because the 1st paper hadn't yet been produced.

The printing errors of the franking balances and the varieties are very similar to those found on Spanish ATM issues.

Adjust label with misplaced printing	Printing of horizontal lines	Printing error cancelled ... maybe to avoid its use as a franking?

	Subject :		2002- Rana calzonuda (Gaudy Leaf Frog), Agalychnis callidryas. ICT-Bruno J.M.
	Date of issue :		September 24th 2003
	Size :		57 x 27 mm.
	Paper :		Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured
	Printing value :		Thermal on black
	Possible values :		1 to 99999 ¢ (in steps of 1 ¢)
	Design :		Correos de Costa Rica - ICT-Bruno J.M.
	Printer :		Ovelar, Spain
Click on the image to enlarge	Printing :		2,850,000 adhesives (1.500 rolls)

The new ATM issue show a beautiful image of the Redeye or Gaudy Leaf Frog, an amphibian living mainly in the rain forests of Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Correos de Costa Rica wanted to take advantage of the large number of options that the new Epelsa scales offer, so that for special postal handling (Registered, Express - EMS, ...) a control label could be printed, on the same self adhesive paper.

As a result the following issues are larger, sized 57 x 27 mm. to allow the printing of a bar code type 39 - the standard recommended by the UPU. (Simulation)

The modifications to both the software and the balances were incorporated between September and November 2003. The first balances to use the new papers (model Calzonuda Frog) were the 12 units installed in the Main Post Office of San Jose, from September 24th.

The third thermal type design is dedicated to one of Costa Rica’s highlights, the National Park of Coco's Island. This is the largest uninhabited island on the planet. A huge nature reserve declared as a Natural Patrimony of the Humanity by UNESCO, in 1997. The island is also well known as one of the best places anywhere in the world for scuba diving.

The rolls of this design were manufactured at the same time as the Calzonuda Frog design, although it was finally decided to use them consecutively, in the balances.

The first ATMs of Coco's Island were issued from the balances of the San Jose Main Post Office in the middle of February 2004.

	Related to this ATM issue, Correos de Costa Rica, in June 2003, issued one set of two stamps dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Coco's Island National Park.

	Subject :		2004 - Volcan Arenal (Arenal Volcano). ICT-Bruno J. / C. Ramirez
	Date of issue :		November 13th 2004 (1st. known date)
	Size :		57 x 27 mm.
	Paper :		Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured
	Printing value :		Thermal on black
	Possible values :		1 to 99999 ¢ (in steps of 1 ¢)
	Design :		Correos de Costa Rica - ICT-Bruno J. / C. Ramirez
	Printer :		Ovelar, Spain
Click on the image to enlarge	Printing :		2,827,200 adhesives (1.488 rolls)

A new ATM issue dedicated, again, to one of Costa Rica natural highlights, - the National Park Arenal Volcano.
Located in the Costa Rican Northwest region, between the Tilaran mount and the San Carlos Plains, the Arenal Volcano (1633 m. high) currently remains active. For many years it was considered inactive and it was known as Arenal Hill until, in 1968, it suddenly and violently erupted and destroyed the two nearby towns of Pueblo Nuevo and Tabacon. After a period of calm, the volcano returned to being active in 1981.

The first rolls of this design were used in the franking balances of the San Jose Main Post Office from November 13th 2004.

	Subject :		2004 - Volcan Irazu (Irazu Volcano). ICT-Bruno J. / C. Ramirez
	Date of issue :		April 8th 2005 (1st. known date)
	Size :		57 x 27 mm.
	Paper :		Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured
	Printing value :		Thermal on black
	Possible values :		1 to 99999 ¢ (in steps of 1 ¢)
	Design :		Correos de Costa Rica - ICT-Bruno J. / C. Ramirez
	Printer :		Ovelar, Spain
Click on the image to enlarge	Printing :		2,872,800 adhesives (1.512 rolls)

As with previous ATM issues, there are no official first day covers, and the postal use of this new design in the franking balances started when the rolls of the previous design were exhausted.
Some printing tests are known at the beginning of April 2005, although their use in balances did not start until July 2005.

The National Park Irazu Volcano is located in the Central Volcanic Chain, closer to Cartago.
At 3432 meters above sea level, the Irazu Volcano is the highest in Costa Rica. The Irazu is still active, and has a long history of eruptions. The last one was in 1963. At the bottom of the crater is a green sulphur lake with steam vents. The name comes from the Indian word Iaratzu, which mean the mountain of trembling and rumbling. The Irazu volcano is a tourist highlight in Costa Rica ... Another great reason to visit the country !

	In June 2004 Correos de Costa Rica issued a set of 3 stamps commemorating the 25th anniversary of the National Park Foundation. One of the stamps is dedicated to the Arenal Volcano National Park, and another one to the Irazu Volcano National Park.

	Subject :		2005 Rana Roja Venenosa (Strawberry Poison Frog). ICT-Bruno J./C. Ramírez
	Date of issue :		November 2005
	Size :		57 x 27 mm.
	Paper :		Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured
	Printing value :		Thermal on black
	Possible values :		1 to 99999 ¢ (in steps of 1 ¢)
	Design :		Correos de Costa Rica - ICT-Bruno J. / C. Ramirez
	Printer :		Ovelar, Spain
Click on the image to enlarge	Printing :		2,827,200 adhesives (1.488 rolls)

The Flaming or Strawberry Poison Frog (Dendrobates pumilio) is another typical amphibian living mainly in the rain forests of Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
These small frogs are characterised by their red colour, (a warning to predators), and their small size, around 20-25 mm. They are known also as blue-jeans, because of the blue or black colour in the lower part of the body.


After some changes in the management in charge of technological developments at Correos de Costa Rica, and more than 2 years after the previous issue, a new ATM design was used, from February 2008, in the franking balances installed in the San José main post office (Correo Central).
Again, there was no 'official' first day of issue, so no commemorative postmark was prepared as these ATMs are considered 'postal' and not 'philatelic' issues.

As with previous issues, the label size is 57 x 27 mm. and is printed on self-adhesive thermal paper with a central security score mark. Some of their features differ from previous issues and the manufacturer is no longer the Spanish company Ovelar, S.A.

The new design (from a picture by the Costa Rica Tourism Board - ICT) shows the picture of a boyero, the traditional Costa Rican farmer with his oxcart. The boyeo (ox herding) and the typical oxcart tradition (depicted in the first Klüssendorf issue) were proclaimed in 2005 by the UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Costa Ricans are very proud of their tradition and history and every year they celebrate the Día del Boyero (Boyero day) in San Antonio de Escazú, with oxcart parades.

The EPELSA franking balances

From the Plan de desarrollo informático 2000-2002 (Computer development plan), Correos de Costa Rica began an ambitious technological plan, in 2001, that tried to set in motion an integrated computer network for the management of all the services of the company.

Between the projects included in this Plan, promoted by the computer management of Correos de Costa Rica, there was the so-called 'Desarrollo del sistema de puntos de venta' (Development of the point of sale system), with the installation of a total of 150 franking scales and the development of a new computer system integrating all the equipment, and covering all the services offered by Correos de Costa Rica.

From 2002 the installation of the EPELSA franking scales began: 83 machines were installed by March 2003, rising to 120 by September 2003, up to the maximum of 148, in all the Correos de Costa Rica postal branches around the country. The machine or serial number of these scales, that is printed on the ATMs, is between 24106 and 24255. These franking balances are the standard RL-POSTAL model, incorporating the special markings (like colours and logos) owned by the Correos de Costa Rica, S.A.

As in Spain, this balance can be used in two ways, but only by postal employees - either to print ATMs or, if attached to the computer system, to allow the postal clerk to issue an ATM according the weight, type and destination of the shipment. The franking balances also print a receipt on thermal paper, which has a pre-printed logo, and complete information of the purchase.
Receipt for the purchase of one ATM with a value of 115 ¢. Size : 60 x 90 mm.

The ATMs in COSTA RICA.  KLÜSSENDORF issue | EPELSA issues