Date of issue : October 25, 1996 Size : 47 x 27 mm. Paper : Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured  Imprint : Thermal on black Design : FNMT Printer : FNMT. Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre Printing : 250.000.000 of labels

First of the "set" of three models of labels dedicated to the ARTS, the dedicated one to Literature commemorates the figure of Cervantes, without a doubt the most important and well known Spanish writer of all the times. 

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born in Alcalá de Henares the 1574 and died in Madrid the 1616. He participated in the battle of Lepanto, where he was hurt in the left hand, thus he is also know with the nickname of "Manco de Lepanto" ( Lepanto's one-handed ). 
The writer did not acquire certain fame until few years before his death. Author of many other works like Novelas Ejemplares ( Exemplary Novels ), is known anywhere in the world by his capital work El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha. 
 

Two main varieties of this ATM model exist, related to the use or not of fluorescent paper in the their manufacture and the design :
 

The Spanish Philately, and also from many other countries world wide, has used in numerous issues the figure of Miguel de Cervantes and his literary works as a subject for the stamp issues.
 

Edifil 2076 / Yvert 1730 / Michel 1971

In 1972, commemorating the International Year of the book and reading, one stamp shows the cover of the prince edition of "El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha".         In 1983, and from the EUROPE set, the stamp again commemorates the figure of Cervantes and its capital work.

Edifil 2703 / Yvert 2319 / Michel 2585

Edifil 3560-3571 / Yvert .. / Michel ..	Edifil 3572-3583 / Yvert .. / Michel ..
Years later, in 1999 the Spanish Philatelic Service dedicated the 1st. set of Correspondencia Epistolar Escolar ( Scholastic Epistolary Correspondence ) to the novel "El Quijote" with two sheets of 12 stamps each ; one of them with Don Quijote and other with Sancho Panza, representing scenes of the novel magnificently recreated and illustrated by the Spanish artist Antonio MINGOTE.