A Bankers Cover From Berlin 1923.

Can someone with knowledge of this part of the world help me find out what it this is? from what I can make out from just the covers' markings it is a 1923 Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft (bank) to Deutsche Bank postal cover. I bought this on a whim with a few other little things that grabbed my attention and thought I would ask about it from the World Wide Guru's! Thank you for any information you can provide! -Jeff

Front of cover:



Back of cover:

I can see the BHG perfin on the right stamp. It's also a registered cover. Bank covers are fairly common, but the perfin, the registered mail label and the seal make this cover more attractive. Also poatal rates were subject to hyperinflation during this period so it would be interesting to check out the postal rate for that particular day in 1923. The handwritten Hauptkasse roughly translates to "general fund".

Wow Thank you very much Battlestamps. How would check the postal rates from that day in 1923? Just a Google search?

Some of the German postal history experts will have to speak up. There's probably literature on it, but not sure where. There's a trace of pencil writing underneath the right stamp. It's probably for the value needed for postage. Of course you'll have to determine the shipping weight (in grams) of this letter as well which is more difficult without the original contents. It does look larger than the average letter and you'll have to account for the registered mail costs too. It's a local letter as well which may lower the amount needed for postage, but unsure if the German postal service did that in 1923. There's a whole lot of variables in time period with an uncertain economy.

According to Michel, the rate from March 1 to July 1, 1923, was 40 Marks for local letters (Ortsverkehr) up to 20 grams, plus 80 Marks for Registration, making the 120 Mark franking.

doug: Which of the Michel catalogs is that information from? I have Germany Part I and II, but still learning to use them and I think that sort of information is in another one of the catalogs.

It's from the Michel-Spezial (specialized) of 1997, one of the last editions to put "everything" in one volume. Also, if you have the English-language Michel(s), they contain much less information.

In my copy, the Rate Tables (Postgebühren) follow Michel #104.

I have the Michel Spezial Band 1 and 2 2007 (in German) and I did just found that information! I bought them earlier this year and haven't spent too much time with them, but I just looked and found the information under the bold titles that start with "Postgebuhren vom...". The sections are just in various parts of the book. I just didn't think that information would be included and reserved for the cover catalog.

To those of us who collects perfins, this would make a good 'ident' cover.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Just for a bit of geographical information, Behrenstr is near the Brandenburg Gate...I've probably walked along that road many times.

This is the current building at 8 Behrenstr:

Wow! I love this info! Thank you so much everyone.

The Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft still exists today in a slightly altered form after joining with another bank. BHF Bank is the new name. The "hauptkasse" is the main desk. On the back is the seal with the words "EFFECTEN BUREAU"... (even native German speakers might struggle with the word EFFECTEN as it is slightly archaic)...basically it means they deal with things like stocks, shares and government bonds.

Wow! You guys never cease to amaze me with all the great information! You rock and thank you very much!