GERMAN EMPIRE
OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
Please note the following for this website. Official Postcards are defined as:
1. Postcards of the German Empire issued by the Official German postal Authority, from 1873 until 1945.
2. Postcards that were generally available throughout the entire country and have a pre-printed (Indicia) stamp to cover the cost of postage.
The vast majority of official postcards have no printing on the reverse side so no image of the reverse side is provided, except in the few instances where there was something printed on the reverse of the card.
P21, P23, P25, P27, P35, P37 and P39
10Pf LARGE EAGLE
"REICHSPOST"
P21
(POSTCARD)
Issued 1889. P21 exists in 3 variations: P21-I - with a gap in the 4th dotted address line, P21-II - without a gap in the 4th dotted address line and P21-III - without a gap in the 4th dotted address line and the remarks are higher up the card than normal (25.5mm instead of 17 or 18mm) from the inner edge of the border. P21 has the same border Type 'a' on both the question (F) and answer (A) side of the card. P23 is identical except it has two different border types (see below).
A P21 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date: No. And
3. Watermark: No And
4. Gap: P21-I - yes in 4th dotted line. P21-II - No. And
5. Border Type 'a'.
P21-I - POSTCARD
Valid Control Date Data:
P21-I: Gaps can only occur in the 4th dotted address line at positions L5, L10, L15, L20, L30 and R15.
P23
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1889. The same as P21 above but without a gap in the 4th dotted address line and with different border types (Type "a" on the question or 'F' side and Type "c" on the reply or "A" side).
A P23 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date: No. And
3. Watermark: No And
4. Gap in dotted line: No. And
5. Border Type 'a' and 'c'.
P23 - REPLY CARD
P25
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1890: Changed printing mark, numerals and lower case now on all cards. Address line spacing (10:11:11mm). P25 exists in two variants: P25/01 which has a border type 'a' and P25/02 which has a border type 'b'.
A P25 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date and letter: Yes. And
3. Watermark: No And
4. Gap: 4th dotted line. And
5. Border: P25/01 - Type 'a', P25/02 - Type 'b'.
P25/01 (493 a)
P25/02 (397 f)
Valid Control Date Data:
P25/01: 1290i, 191(g,i), 291(c,f), 491(a,l), 791(a,b,f,g,k), 891(b,c), 1091(c,f,i,m), 1191(d,m), 192(a,b,f), 292b, 592(a,f,g), 692a, 892(a,g), 992(b,m), 1192(f,g,i), 1292(a,c,f), 493a, 593(a,c), 693(a,c), 993(f,m), 1093a, 1293(b,k), 194i, 794(b,c), 894c, 1094(a,m), 1294a, 195(a,m), 395g, 495(g,i,m) and 595i.
P25/02: 1094(a,m), 1294a, 195(a,m), 395g, 495(g,i,m), 595i, 895(a,f), 1095f, 1195f, 396f, 596f, 696f, 1196f, 397f, 797f, 1197f, 198f, 598f, 698f, 798f, 898f and 998f.
P27
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1890. Changed printing mark, numerals and lower case now on all cards. Address line spacing (10:11:11mm). P27 exists in three variants: P27/01 has border types 'a' and 'c', P27/02 has border type 'b' and 'd' and P27/03 has border type 'b' and 'c'.
A P27 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date and Letter: Yes. And
3. Watermark: No And
4. Gap in dotted line: gap in 4th dotted line. And
5. Border: P27/01 - Type 'a' and 'c', P27/02 - Type 'b' and 'd', P27/03 - Type 'b' and 'c'.
P27 - REPLY CARD
Valid Control Date Data:
P27/01: 990f, 1290f, 291f, 991f. 1192f, 494f, 794f and 1194f.
P27/02: 395f, 1295f, 596f, 1096f, 897f, 1294f and 995f.
P27/03: 1096f, 698f and 596f.
P35
(POSTCARD)
Issued 1894 and 1895. New design with watermark Type 2 and with print control data consisting of both a number and letter. P35 also has a gap in the 4th dotted address line.
A P35 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date and letter: Yes. And
3. Watermark: Yes And
4. Gap: 4th dotted line. And
5. Border: Type 'b'.
P35 - POSTCARD
Valid Control Date Data:
P35: 895a with '94 D' or '95 D'
P37
(POSTCARD)
Issued 1898. Cards still produced by plate printing with changed imprint, now only digits without letter in the print control code. Only the question part has the print date control code.
A P37 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date: Yes (No letter). And
3. Watermark: No. And
4. Gap: 4th dotted line. And
5. Border: Type 'b'.
P37 - POSTCARD
P37 PF III: Plate fault, the "P" of the right "Pf" has a shorter foot.
Valid Control Date Data:
P37: 299, 399, 799 or 899
P39
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1898. Cards still produced by plate printing with changed imprint, now only digits without letter in the print control code. Only the question part has the print date control code.
A P39 must have the following characteristics:
1. Stamp: 10Pf carmine, large eagle in circle stamp with "REICHSPOST" inscription. And:
2. Control Date: Yes (no letter). And
3. Watermark: No. And
4. Gap in dotted line: No. And
5. Border Type 'b' and 'c'.
P39 - REPLY CARD
Valid Control Date Data:
P37: 399
MAIN REFERENCE SOURCES
1. MICHEL GANZSACHEN DEUTSCHLAND 2018. ISBN: 978-3-95402-225-02. BOREK GANZSACHEN-SPEZIAL-KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND ab 1933. ISBN: 3-87091-060-7
3. MICHEL BILDPOSTKARTEN- UND MOTIVGANSACHEN KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND 1997. ISBN: 3-87858-631-0
4. GANZSACHEN-HANDBUCH DES "DITTEN REICHES" 1933-1945 by FRECH. ISBN: UNKNOWN
