WEIMAR REPUBLIC
STAMPS
1923
MICHEL 319
DENOMINATION in CIRCLE with ROSETTE
Issued: 27th Oct 1923. Regular Issue 'Denomination in Circle with Rosette', sometimes called basket lid as the rosette somewhat resembles the lid of a wicker-work basket. Printed typography on sheets (10x10) with waffle (network) watermark. There are two types of printing: Type P = Flat Plate printing and Type W = Rotary Press printing. There are also two variations in the perfs: Type 'A' perf 14:14¼ and Type 'B' serrated 13 (approximately).
Mi 319
20 Million Mark
violet-ultramarine (variations)
20 Million Mark
violet-ultramarine (variations)
Quantity Issued: Unknown
Valid until: 31st Dec 1923
VARIATIONS
Mi 319A P Pa
perf 14:14¼
dark green-olive to black-green
flat plate printing
perf 14:14¼
dark green-olive to black-green
flat plate printing
Mi 319W a
perf 14:14¼
dark green-olive to black-green
rotary press printing
perf 14:14¼
dark green-olive to black-green
rotary press printing
Mi 319W b
perf 14:14¼
black-blue to black-grey-ultramarine
rotary press printing
perf 14:14¼
black-blue to black-grey-ultramarine
rotary press printing
Mi 319B P
serrated
dark violet-ultramarine (shades)
serrated
dark violet-ultramarine (shades)
Mi 319A P a Udr
bottom perforate only
bottom perforate only
OPD TOP MARGIN VARIATIONS
In order to resolve the problem of rapidly increasing postal rates the Government Printing Office was tasked with overprinting existing stocks of unused stamps. However the demand was so high that the Reich's Ministry of Post had to authorise the eleven regional post offices to assist with the task. Locally produced sheets can be recognised by the different overprints on the upper margin.(OPD A)
BRESLAU
no overpint in upper margin
or 3 thin lines
BRESLAU
no overpint in upper margin
or 3 thin lines
(OPD B)
ERFURT
4.5mm thick bar
or with additional thinner bar
ERFURT
4.5mm thick bar
or with additional thinner bar
(OPD C)
FRANKFURT
no overpint in upper margin
or 4.5mm thick bar
or a 6mm thick bar
FRANKFURT
no overpint in upper margin
or 4.5mm thick bar
or a 6mm thick bar
(OPD D)
HAMBURG
no overpint in upper margin
HAMBURG
no overpint in upper margin
(OPD E)
HANOVER
no overpint in upper margin
HANOVER
no overpint in upper margin
(OPD F)
KÖNIGSBERG
no overpint in upper margin
or a 4.5mm thick bar
KÖNIGSBERG
no overpint in upper margin
or a 4.5mm thick bar
(OPD G)
LEIPZIG
overprint in small numbers
LEIPZIG
overprint in small numbers
(OPD H)
MUNICH
3 thin overprint lines or 2 thin lines
also bottom margin bar
MUNICH
3 thin overprint lines or 2 thin lines
also bottom margin bar
(OPD I)
MÜNSTER
no overpint in upper margin
or a 4.5mm thick bar
MÜNSTER
no overpint in upper margin
or a 4.5mm thick bar
(OPD K)
STETTIN
overprint with large Antigua font
STETTIN
overprint with large Antigua font
(OPD L)
STUTTGART
no overpint in upper margin
STUTTGART
no overpint in upper margin
PLATE FLAWS
Mi 319 A P HT
crack in the rosette to the left of the denomination
crack in the rosette to the left of the denomination
Mi 319 A P Pe 1
margin frayed under the left posthorn
margin frayed under the left posthorn
Mi 319 B P HT
crack in the rosette to the left of the denomination
crack in the rosette to the left of the denomination
Mi 319 B P Pe 1
margin frayed under the left posthorn
margin frayed under the left posthorn
Mi 319 PF II
large '2' with thick head on denomination '20'
large '2' with thick head on denomination '20'
Mi 319 PF III
lower part of 'R' in 'Reich' closed, looks like 'Beich'
lower part of 'R' in 'Reich' closed, looks like 'Beich'
The are many examples of attempted repairs of the cracked plate flaws, some more successful than others. The differences are too numerous to list here.
There are also a huge number of other flaws including damaged letters, numbers and posthorns, flattened numbers, shading errors, smudges and missaligned printing.
STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION
MINT / UNUSED
Mi 319
Mint, Unused
Mint, Unused
