Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

Lithograving,

I agree that is very strange.

The new English language edition of Michel does state that used prices are for philatelic covers and that "postally used" are worth much more.

That statement is repeated for many of these local issues.

The town of Apolda issued one set of three stamps in July 1945.

There are three types of the 5pfg stamp - this is Type Ib; the distinguishing characteristic being that the right hand "5" is thicker than the left one.

Falkensee, near Berlin, issued a set of six stamps - these were produced without central authorisation, hence are listed as "private creations". However, they were valid for local postal use (although very unusual on cover).

Typically the centring is poor and the corners are "weak", but three of the examples here show guidelines indicating they were from the borders of a pane.

The design is a representation of the town's coat of arms.

The city of Rosswein overprinted and locally-rouletted 12pfg stamps in January 1946 to commemorate the 570th anniversary of the city.

The block of 4 x 12pfg was overprinted and surcharged 48pfg, rouletting is around the block; the original stamps are imperf between. The overprint comes in two colours, silver and brown-red.

This issue was created by the local authority and postal usage was temporarily tolerated, although about 75% of the 5,000 or so blocks overprinted were sold directly to dealers.

These examples are postmarked at Doebeln, presumably cancelled to favour there.

Forgeries are known; these are either perforated or imperf instead of the normal rouletting.

A Postal Courier stamp from Lauterbach. The stamp was valid for Postcards or letters up to 20 grams within the district.

This one is actually slightly off-topic - Lauterbach is in Hessen which was part of the "Bizone", not the Soviet Zone. Local issues were produced throughout Germany, even though they predominated in the Soviet Zone.

Another example of a "Western" local - this one from Runderoth in the Rhineland.

These "private fee labels" were issued perf or imperf, and with or without the grey zigzag background.

Michel states the date of issue as 29 July 1945, two days after this is postmarked, so we have either an early usage or a mis-set date slug here.

I'll try and get back "on topic" next time...

As well as obliterating the Hitler Head stamps, some towns and cities also overprinted stocks of postal stationery.

This postcard is from Bad Gottleuba. The same overprint was used on stamps, and here additional overprints were used to obscure the Nazi propaganda message on the card.

As with the local stamps, generally these postal stationery items are more common (for which read "less uncommon") mint than used.

Another example of an overprint on the same type of card, this one is from Glauchau.

Some of the Glauchau stamps were shown earlier in this thread (on the "stockings" cover...).

Here the slogan on the card is overprinted more thoroughly with four horizontal bars. Compare this to the previous card from Bad Gottleuba where the slogan can still be read through the overprint.

This is an example of a "Saxony Black" overprinted on the same postal stationery at Lichtenstein in Saxony. It is clearly cancelled to favour and not postally used.

No attempt has been made to obliterate the slogan on this one, perhaps as there was no instruction to do so.

This is an unusual example of a Currency Reform HOP (Hand OverPrint) which has clearly been struck after the stamp was affixed to the envelope.

Normally the overprints were applied to full sheets or available blocks of stamps by the postmaster prior to sale.

In this case, the "37 / Greifswald b" overprint would presumably have been applied after the pre-stamped cover was presented and the difference between the Reichsmark rate and the Ostmark rate paid (equivalent to 5.4pfg).

The envelope suggests this was a pseudo-"official" usage.

This technique was a legitimate use of the overprint, albeit an uncommon one.

This is a contrived Soviet Zone mixed-franking cover, slightly overpaying the 84pfg Cross-Zone Registered rate from Jena in the Soviet Zone to Ottobrunn in the US Zone.

The stamps used are from (in order):

(Top row): Thuringia, West Saxony, Thuringia, East Saxony and Mecklenberg-Vorpommern

(Bottom row): West Saxony, East Saxony, "Trizone", Province of Saxony and Mecklenberg-Vorpommern

So that's stamps from six different issuing authorities on one cover.

This was quite legitimate, as all stamps had validity throughout the Soviet Zone.

In theory, a seventh authority's stamps could have been added - Berlin-Brandenberg stamps were also valid at some locations within the Soviet Zone.

Grossraeschen - "Solidarity" issue on a commemorative postcard. These were sold at a premium, ostensibly to assist with the rebuilding, but more likely as a sort of "political levy".

This is not a first day cover - the earliest known usage dates of the different stamps are between 20th and 28th of January 1946.

Gavin, do stop it - you're keeping me from my proper work

_________________
'First I'll steal all the money, then I'll kill everybody, and then I'll go away', Père Ubu

I know how you feel! I have a Michel catalogue for Germany, but it's sometimes hard trying to find things in it! That's when Babel Fish comes in handy...

_________________
My blog, if you're interested: petitmondemoi.blogspot.com

A couple of philatelic envelopes from Karl Hennig.



Mecklenberg & Strausberg

_________________
Always interested in trading German material especially post war period.

West Saxony 1946 full set

_________________
Always interested in trading German material especially post war period.

1946 Spremberg

_________________
Always interested in trading German material especially post war period.

Spremburg & Mecklenburg

_________________
Always interested in trading German material especially post war period.

I've shown a few of the Currency Reform Hand Overprints (HOPS), or "Bezirksstempelaufdruckmarken" earlier on in this thread. What I intend to do next is to post one piece from each of the District Offices (OPDs):

Bezirk 3 Berlin
Bezirk 14 Dresden
Bezirk 16 Erfurt
Bezirk 20 Halle (Saale)
Bezirk 27 Leipzig
Bezirk 29 Magdeburg
Bezirk 36 Potsdam
Bezirk 37 Schwerin
Bezirk 38 Stettin
Bezirk 41 Chemnitz

Bezirk 3 Berlin

Philateic cover featuring overprints on 15 of the 16 values of the "Worker" issue, and one value of the "Numeral" issue.

I believe this is genuine for a number of reasons:

1. There are two different types of the "3 Berlin 66" overprint used: (i) base of the "3" above the "l" of Berlin, (ii) base of the "3" above the "i" of Berlin.

2. The 15pfg is the only value of the "Numeral" issue known genuinely overprinted with the "3 Berlin 66" overprint

3. The 84pfg value has a different overprint - "3 Berlin 8"

4. The 60pfg is the cheaper colour (forgers normally pick the other colour)

Before even considering the "look and feel" of the stamps, cover, cancel, envelope etc, I don't believe a forger would use 3 different overprints and skillfully (or luckily) choose the only stamp of a different set of 20+ to replace one value of the basic set.

Bezirk 14 Dresden

Overpaid registered philatelic cover with fancy cancel for the Dresden Philatelic show.

The stamps are overprinted at "14 Pulsnitz".

Bezirk 16 Erfurt

Mint blocks of 6 from "16 Sonneberg" - these blocks show the typical variations in alignment of the overprint, and overprints overlapping adjacent stamps.

Bezirk 20 Halle (Saale)

Overseas (Austria) Registered cover (no registered label, but red pencil inscription added).

Probably philatelic (I've got another very similar with different values making up the rate!!!).

Slightly overpaid, with 111pfg of stamps paying 108pfg rate as follows:

HOPS 24pfg + 12 pfg = 36pfg
Machine Overprints 10pfg + 25pfg + 12pfg = 47pfg
Unoverprinted 2DM and 80pfg, rated one-tenth, ie 20pfg + 8pfg = 28pfg.
Total = 111pfg

Late usage of the HOP stamps, after they were "replaced" by the Machine Overprints (nobldy calls those "MOPs", but maybe they should!!!)

Bezirk 27 Leipzig

Perhaps one for the "busy covers" thread - this is a redirected cover from Leipzig to Detroit, Michigan, USA.

The 50pfg oversees rate is paid by 2 x 24pfg "27 Leipzig W" HOPs and a 24pfg unoverprinted numeral Trizone (rated at one-tenth, acting as a 2pfg stamp).

It has a Soviet Zone censor mark on the reverse, along with a Lincoln, Nebraska routing mark, and a further routing mark on the front.

I'm fairly sure this one is "postal", not "philatelic".

Bezirk 29 Magdeburg

One that's difficult to find covers from!!!

These multiples show examples of the two styles of overprints used in the area, the regular "29" and the "2o" seen used at some offices (it's basically a cut-down "9" to look like a "0"

The "2o Raguhn" block is probably from a registered parcel - 3.60Mk was a lot more than letter rates, and the blue-pencil line suggests registered usage.

Bezirk 36 Potsdam

An example of a re-used envelope sent by the Finance Office in Belzig to their counterparts in Potsdam.

Local usage at the 24pfg letter rate.

Bezirk 37 Schwerin

"37 Friedland b" - a different style of overprint, unusual in respect of the script used (the majority of overprints are in Gothic script), and for the control numbers and diamond pattern above the town name.

This type of "Numerator" overprint, with a five-digit number ["xxx47" in the 10pfg example] which increments with each strike, saw only very limited use.

Bezirk 38 Stettin

Another difficult one to find, these are the only three examples (apart from a couple of known forgeries) that I have from the Stettin OPD.

Bezirk 41 Chemnitz

Commercial local usage cover. The Stamp is from "41 Reichenbach", used in the neighbouring Mylau, postmarked with a "fancy" cancel extolling the virtues of a beuatiful town!!!

Bezirk 8 !!!

These are a total fabrication - quite simply, there wasn't a "Bezirk 8" issuing these in the Soviet Zone, so the overprints can't be anything except forgeries.

From where did you acquire all this interesting stuff ? I'm sure it took some searching & lots of cash or was it lots of searching and some cash.

The latter, mainly - it's about asking the right questions and keeping your eyes open.

Lots of dealers will have odds and ends tucked away in their regular "Zones" stock and aren't sure what the "funny postmarks with the big numbers" mean

Nowhere is Glen's motto "Knowledge is Power" more true that in this field.

Check the Chemnitz one - it's still got the (very reasonable) price I paid on it.

June 23rd 1945. Mi 41



Officially Michel says that 14,500 copies were sold the rest (total 1,030,500) were destroyed.

_________________
Always interested in trading German material especially post war period.

Nice one, Darren.

This was discussed earlier in the thread, but I did not have a genuine one to show.

are these stamps of any value?

Tim,

I'm at work now, but will give you a better answer when I get home later...

But, there are several variations of the stamps, different watermarks, perforations etc. Some are more valuable than others. Also, the miniature-sheet format in the scan is worth more than the individual "loose" stamps which were issued separately.

Tim,

Back home now, so I can give you a better answer:

The basic set of stamps comes in five varieties:

Perforated:

AX Watermark steps descend from left to right (2 Euro)
AY Watermark steps ascend from left to right (3 Euro)
AZ No watermark, Grey paper with economy gum (only 3 values; no 84+88pfg) (3.50 Euro)

Imperf:

BX Watermark steps descend from left to right (5 Euro)
BY Watermark steps ascend from left to right (45 Euro)

There are then 6 types of miniature sheet, all Imperf:

Xa Watermark steps descend "gently" from left to right; 12 pfg stamp is dark blue-grey (220 Euro)
Xb Watermark steps descend "gently" from left to right; 12 pfg stamp is grey-blue (1,400 Euro)
XZa Watermark steps descend "steeply" from left to right; 12 pfg stamp is dark blue-grey (700 Euro)

Ya Watermark steps ascend "gently" from left to right; 12 pfg stamp is dark blue-grey (220 Euro)
Yb Watermark steps ascend "gently" from left to right; 12 pfg stamp is grey-blue (900 Euro)
YZa Watermark steps ascend "steeply" from left to right; 12 pfg stamp is dark blue-grey (1,200 Euro)

In each case, I've given the value for unmounted mint in Michel 2009. Mounted mint are worth between a half and a quarter of those figures. Used stamps are worth around five times more than unmounted mint, but used miniature sheets are worth around the same as mint.

Following on from Tim's question, I thought I'd show a few more Leipzig Fair items.

The Leipzig Fair was a large trade fair, held twice yearly:

"Fruhjarmesse" - Spring Fair, normally late Februry or early March.

"Herbstmesse" - Autumn Fair, normally late August or September.

The Fairs have a long and proud tradition, dating back to the 15th Century.

The Soviets saw the Leipzig Fair as a perfect opportunity to showcase the supremacy of socialist engineering and production. Stamps and special cancels were produced for most fairs, and this continued through the DDR period until Reunification in 1990.

Today the fair continues but the stamps don't!!

This first example shows 4 stamps of West Saxony with a commemorative cancel.

The cancel is from the 3rd Reich Period - "Reichsmessestadt" was a Nazi term used for Leipzig. New cancels were produced for subsequent fairs.

This post and the next show postcards franked at the Spring 1947 Fair.

This one shows the Gohliser Castle.

The cards are considerably earlier than the date of usage, possibly dating from the 1920s or even earlier - if anyone can pinpoint their age, please let me know...

Another postcard with a Spring 1947 cancel, this time showing the Central Railway Station.

The "MM" symbol indicates "Muster Messe" and is always associated with the Leipzig Fair.

A commemorative card for the 1947 Autumn Fair.

The illustration is of the Central Station (seen in the earlier postcard).

The stamps are of the first "Trizone" issue (US/UK/Soviet Zones), and the cancel commemorates the 450th Anniversary of the Fair.

A commemorative card for the Leipzig Spring Fair, 1948.

The card sold at 5RM, the premium over the face value of the stamps going to fund the post-war rebuilding.

Stamps of similar designs and formats, showing historic scenes, were issued for a number of fairs under the auspices of various postal authorities:

- "Trizone": Spring 1947, Autumn 1947, Spring 1948
- Soviet Zone: Autumn 1948, Spring 1949, Autumn 1949
- DDR: Spring 1950

Later DDR issues used a variety of different formats and designs.

Finally for now, two different commemorative cards bearing the stamps from the Leipzig Autumn Fair, 1948

The top card could be franked and cancelled with any stamps, the lower one was specifically for the use of this commemorative issue.

Again the stylised "MM" appears in the design of the stamps and in the cancel.

This little booklet has all the Leipziger Messe stamps & postmarks from Spring 1947 Fair to the Spring 1949 Fair.
On the right side (in the booklet) is a copy of the painting by Erich Gruner who was the stamp designer.

Lithograving,

Very neat

I've got a couple of the loose pages with stamps (Autumn 1947 IIRC), but never realised they were from a booklet like that.

Is your booklet complete?

The Province of Saxony issued a set of three "semi-postal" stamps to raise funds for rebuilding (= "Wiederaufbau") in January 1946.

These were widely used on "Donation Cards", where a further premium over face value was charged.

This example is an embossed card from Halle, the city containing the Head Post Office (OPD) for the district.

The card with the cancelled stamps sold for 3.50RM, compared to the face value (with premium) of 1.00RM.

The same set of stamps were overprinted locally at Dessau.

The OPD in Halle did not permit these to be used for postal purposes, so the only way a "used" example can be found is on one of these Donation Cards.

Here, the card was sold for 5.00RM, the premium going to the rebuilding fund.

Similar local overprints were produced at Eilenburg.

Again, authority for postal use was denied by the OPD, so "used" stamps are only from these Donation Cards.

Two types of Eilenburg overprint were produced; the types being printed "se-tenant"

This is a card with the Type a overprint - "Eilenburg" printed diagonally.

Following directly on from the last post, this is the Eilenburg Type b Overprint - "Eilenburg" printed horizontally.