GERMAN COLONIES
MARIANEN
OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
MICHEL P1 to P6
(CROWN / EAGLE)
Issued 1899. These postcards have a print date except for P1 which does not have a print date but does have a watermark. P2 to P6 have a print date but do not have a watermark. All cards have a diagonal overprint 'Marianen' from the bottom left-hand to the upper right-hand side of the stamp.
MICHEL P1
Printed 1899. This postcard has a watermark but does not have any print date data in the bottom right-hand corner.
Michel P1
5Pf, green stamp
5Pf, green stamp
MICHEL P2
Printed 1899. This postcard does not have a watermark but it does have print date data in the bottom right-hand corner.
Michel P2
10Pf, carmine stamp
10Pf, carmine stamp
MICHEL P3
(REPLY CARD)
Printed 1899. This postcard does not have a watermark but it does have print date data in the bottom right-hand corner.
Michel P3
Reply Card
2x 5Pf, green stamps
Reply Card
2x 5Pf, green stamps
MICHEL P4
(REPLY CARD)
Printed 1899. This postcard does not have a watermark but it does have print date data in the bottom right-hand corner.
Michel P4
Reply Card
2x 10Pf, carmine stamp
Reply Card
2x 10Pf, carmine stamp
MICHEL P5
Printed 1900. This postcard does not have a watermark or print date data in the bottom right-hand corner.Michel P5
5Pf, green stamp
5Pf, green stamp
MICHEL P6
Printed 1900. This postcard does not have a watermark or print date data in the bottom right-hand corner.Michel P6
10Pf, carmine stamp
10Pf, carmine stamp
MICHEL P7 to P10
REGULAR ISSUE IMPERIAL YACHT
P7 to P10 were issued from 1900 and depict the Kaiser's yacht with the inscription 'MARIANEN' in an arc across the top. The postcards were issued to coincide with the new Marianen stamps which have the same design as the pre-printed stamps on these postcards. Unfortunately there are a lot of fake versions of these postcards available on the internet. Not only have the postcards inscribed Marianen been forged, but also all other colonial issues of these postcards as well. However the forgeries and the real versions can be differentiated by looking closely at the pre-printed stamps. Below are two close up views, one of the forged postcard and one of a genuine example (the genuine one is the Marianen image and the forged is the Togo image).
Genuine
Forged
The genuine stamp has clearly defined white lines running up the two smoke stacks (chimneys), two parallel lines on each chimney. The fake versions are much less visible and almost disappear on the second smoke stack. The horizontal shading lines each side of the denomination are also much clearer on the genuine stamp. Finally the smoke emitting from the genuine chimneys is much sharper than the blurred smoke of the fake version.
If you are looking to buy any of these postcards on the internet and the image posted is too small for you to make a positive identification, then it should be noted that the fake postcards look much newer and fresher than the genuine items. These postcards are over 100 years old and should not look like they are fresh of the printing press.
MICHEL P7
Issued 1900 without a watermark.
Michel P7
5Pf green
5Pf green
MICHEL P8
Issued 1900, without a watermark.
Michel P8
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
MICHEL P9
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1900, without a watermark. P9 comes in two types, Type 1 with a closed 'K' and Type II with an open 'K' in the word 'Karte' from the inscription on the lower left "Die angebogene Karte ist fur die Antwort bestimmt" meaning "the card indicated is intended for the answer".
Michel P9
Reply Card
2x 5Pf, green stamps
Reply Card
2x 5Pf, green stamps
MICHEL P10
REPLY CARD
Michel P10
Reply Card
2x 10Pf, carmine stamps
Reply Card
2x 10Pf, carmine stamps
MICHEL P11 to P13
REGULAR ISSUE IMPERIAL YACHT
MICHEL P11
Issued 1919. The same P7 to P10 design however, now with a divided address page. Michel P11
5Pf, green
5Pf, green
MICHEL P12
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1919. The same P7 to P10 design however, now with a divided address page.
Michel P12
Reply Card
2x 5Pf, green stamp
Reply Card
2x 5Pf, green stamp
MICHEL P13
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1919. The same P7 to P10 design however, now with a divided address page and without a border
Michel P13
FROM MY COLLECTION