GERMAN POST OFFICES ABROAD
TURKEY
STAMPS
1889
Forerunners are stamps of the German Empire that were in circulation in foreign countries and the colonies without any special identification (i.e. not overprinted "Turkey"), until issue of their own stamps. 'Proper' forerunners were officially delivered to post offices and were sold from postal counters, stamps that were not used or not officially issued are non-proper forerunners (e.g. Michel 1 and V43). All forerunners and interim stamps can only be recognised by the cancellation and as such there is no such thing as an unused forerunner.
The first German Post Office in Turkey was opened in Constantinople on 1st Mar 1870. The stamps of the North German Confederation were the first to be used in Turkey. The Constantinople Office was opened as the "North German Postal Agency" and was renamed the "German Empire Post Office" on 6th May 1871 and served the so-called European Quarter of the city. A second branch post office was opened in the city district of Stambul in the Turkish Quarter.
MICHEL 10
REGULAR ISSUE GERMAN EMPIRE
CROWN / EAGLE
(with Overprint)
Issued 1st Oct 1889 Regular Issue German Empire stamps. So-called "Crown/Eagle" with black overprint.
Mi 10
2½ PIASTER on 50Pf
brown
(variations)
2½ PIASTER on 50Pf
brown
(variations)
VARIATIONS
Mi 10 a
bright brownish red (end 1889)
bright brownish red (end 1889)
Mi 10 aa
brownish carmine.
brownish carmine.
Mi 10 b
(bright) brown red
(bright) brown red
Mi 10 ba
(bright) lilac brown
(bright) lilac brown
Mi 10 c
medium brown red.
medium brown red.
Mi 10 d
bright reddish brown.
bright reddish brown.
OVERPRINT FLAWS
Mi10 PF I
"1" of right "½" shortened
"1" of right "½" shortened
Mi10 PF II
notch in right "½" shortened
notch in right "½" shortened
Mi10 PF III
"A" in "PIASTER" broken
"A" in "PIASTER" broken
PLATE FLAWS
Mi10 PF IV
wedge-shaped white area at upper right band
wedge-shaped white area at upper right band
Mi10 PF V
"T" of "REICHSPOST" horizontally broken
"T" of "REICHSPOST" horizontally broken
Mi10 PF VI
two vertical and/or diagonal scratches on the left half of stamp (so-called "broken plate")
two vertical and/or diagonal scratches on the left half of stamp (so-called "broken plate")
STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION
(1)
Mi 10
Cancelled
Mi 10
Cancelled
(2)
Mi 10
Cancelled
Mi 10
Cancelled
(3)
Mi 10
Cancelled
Mi 10
Cancelled
(4)
Mi 10
Mint, Unused
Mi 10
Mint, Unused
