1876 My Covers

GERMAN EMPIRE
OFFICIAL
POSTCARDS
1876

All 1876 Official postcards are now on this page. Official postcards are cards that were issued by the Reich’s post office, had pre-printed (indicia) stamps and were widely available throughout German towns and cities.

Secondly Printed to Private Order postcards are postcards that were generally issued by entities that were advertising an event or commemorating an anniversary, and also had pre-printed stamps, but were not widely available throughout Germany (most were only available at the event they were commemorating).

Thirdly Other postcards are postcards that fall into the same general category as printed to private order however they do not have pre-printed stamps.

Finally, Miscellaneous postcards is where you will find postcards that do not fit into the first three categories (i.e. they are not official, they do not have pre-printed stamps, and they do not commemorate an event).

Quick Links:

OFFICIAL POSTCARDS:
P7

ROHRPOSTBRIEF:
RU1

ROHRPOSTKARTE:
RP1

UMSCHLÄGE (ENVELOPES):
U10, U11 and U12

line

MICHEL P7
OFFICIAL REPLY CARD
5 PFENNIGE

Issued 1876. These reply cards now have revised text when compared to the earlier reply cards. The message (F) and answer/reply (A) inscription now includes the word "Antwort". The value stamp is a 5Pf violet, 'Number in ellipse with small Crown' stamp inscribed "PFENNIGE" (with the trailing 'E').

There are three versions of this postcard:

P7 I/01: Gaps in the fourth address line (message side only)
P7 I/02: Gaps in the fourth address line on both the message (F) and answer (A) sides
P7 II: Without any print control gaps in the fourth dotted line.

Click here for more details.

DEUTSCHE REICHSPOST.
POSTKARTE.
Die angebogene Karte ist für
die Antwort bestimmt

DEUTSCHE REICHSPOST.
POSTKARTE.
(ANTWORT.)

(F) Message Side

(A) Answer/Reply Side

MICHEL RU1
OFFICIAL ROHRPOST UMSCHLÄGE
30 PFENNIG

RU 1
30 PFENNIG, DARK BLUE

FROM MY COLLECTION

MICHEL RP1
OFFICIAL ROHRPOSTKARTE
25 PFENNIG

The public pneumatic tube transport was introduced on 1st Dec 1876 for Berlin with some suburbs. RU 1 and RP 1 were available to the public from the first day onwards. In December 1876 alone, 94,495 different items of mail were transported.

Issued 1st Dec 1876. This Rohrpost Card features a dark brown, 25Pf, 'Small Eagle in Ellipse' pre-printed stamp and measures 140 x 90mm. Items that are reddish brown on lively pink cardboard are, according to Ascher, test prints, but they are also known used. The value stamp for RP1 has strongly saturated colours, even after being produced 100 years ago. Unlike RP4 and RP5 it has only a single variant for the shape of the numbers "25", whereas RP4 and RP5 have three possible variants.

Click here for more details.

RP 1
25 PFENNIG BROWN

MICHEL U10 **
OFFICIAL UMSCHLÄGE
10 PFENNIG

Issued Feb 1876 and featuring a red, 10Pf 'Small Eagle in Ellipse' value stamp on thin paper with a Type 1 watermark. There are two variations of the Watermark: "X" and "Y" and two variations of the size of the envelope: 'A' and 'B'.

Type 'X A': watermark lines downwards right at 135 degrees and envelope measures 146 x 83.5mm
Type 'X B': watermark lines downwards right at 135 degrees and envelope measures 146.5 x 116.5mm

Type 'Y A': watermark lines upwards right at 45 degrees, envelope measures 146 x 83.5mm
Type 'Y B': watermark lines upwards right at 45 degrees and envelope measures 146.5 x 116.5mm.

Click here for more details.

U10
10 PFENNIG, RED

MICHEL U11 **
OFFICIAL UMSCHLÄGE
10 PFENNIG

Issued May 1876. Very similiar to U10, but now strong blue-gray (Type 'A') or pale blue (Type 'B') paper. Also featuring a red, 10Pf "Small Eagle in Ellipse" pre-printed stamp inscribed "PFENNIG" (without the trailing 'E).

Click here for more details.

U11
10 PFENNIG, RED

MICHEL U12 **
OFFICIAL UMSCHLÄGE
10 PFENNIG

Issued Aug 1876 and featuring a red. 10Pf "Small Eagle in Ellipse" pre-printed stamp inscribed "PFENNIG" (without the trailing 'E'). There are two varations: Type 'A' has a flap that measures 146 x 83.5mm and is bluish-white to blue-grey. Type 'B' flap measures 146.5 x 113.5mm and is pale blue. U12 Types 'A' and 'B' also come with a fluorescent stamp that emits fluorescent light under UV light. There is also a used copy of U12 A on white paper, the origin of which is unknown.

Click here for more details.