German Postcard 1908.

Need help guys.The stationery stamp on the right, is it cancelled to null and void or pre cancel or is it some kind of postal cancellation? Thanks.

I don't know anything about it, but it is not a postal cancellation, it looks too perfect for that. I would say pre cancel, as I don't see why they would make the card null and void for postal value, I ould think they would just surcharge it.

This card is Michel #P84 or #P85 in the Ganzsachen (postal stationery) catalog, both valued in 1989 around 10 Deutsche marks, about $5. They are worth somewhat less in mint condition.

I can't explain why they didn't simply surcharge, unless they felt the new 3pf imprint would discourage counterfeiting. But at 1pf "profit" per card, who cares?

Isn't this just an 'up-rated' card to reflect a postal increase??

Chimo

Bujutsu

After making my last post, I dug out an old Michel catalogue of mine, and, it appears that there are a number of these cards with 'new values'. It would appear that my first assumption in my previous post was correct.

The Michel numbers are from #P83 to P88. My old catalogue still had prices in Marks, not Euros, but ranged from 00.40 marks to 12.50 marks in unused / used conditions.

Hold the card up to the light as well and check for watermarks. They were issued both with and w/o watermarks. Both types did not vary that much in CV though.

Chimo

Bujutsu

To answer your "uprating" question, the answer is yes and no. If you have the Michel handy, you will note that some of the cards with four bars were also overprinted "Drucksache," so a new type of usage as opposed to a straight postal card.

Doug222

That may be true but the item in question, and scanned here, is NOT over printed ``Drucksache`` and is an up-rated postal card.

Regards

Chimo

Bujutsu

Thanks Doug222 and Bujutsu for the help.Bujutsu,could you tell me the year of the Michel you are refering from.By the way mine has watermarks.Thanks guys.