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Pillar Of The Community

United States
5796 Posts |
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Might Kreiensen have been in the Soviet Zone? That would explain it.
[edit: No, I see that it was not in the Soviet Zone. Back to the drawing board.] |
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Edited by Cjd - 10/06/2012 8:35 pm |
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Pillar Of The Community
USA
9747 Posts |
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Can someone help her out on this one ? I know there are advanced Germany collectors and knowledgeable philatelists who read the forum. |
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APS 070059 Life Member International Society of Guatemala Collectors I.S.G.C. #853 |
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Pillar Of The Community
Japan
2440 Posts |
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I know nothing about Bizone issues other than what I can read from Michel, so take this with a grain of salt...
The postage and markings on that cover don't make much sense. It's almost certainly philatelic in origin.
The 6 and 4 pfenning stamps are from the Bizone (American and British controlled area), and I think 10 pfenning was the proper rate for a local letter (Hannover and Kreinsen are both in Lower Saxony). However, it would be odd for a letter between those two cities to be sent airmail, as they're only 60km apart. There's also no postage to cover the airmail rate, which I think was 5 pf at that time.
The third stamp is from the French Zone, and shouldn't have been used on a letter from Hannover.
The cancel is a commemorative cancel celebrating stamp day, so it's likely this was created at a stamp exhibition for philatelic purposes. |
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Valued Member
United States
78 Posts |
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Thank you, PostmasterGS! Your explanation makes perfectly sense, I had not thought about it being a philatelic cover.  Those stams and covers from that post war era are confusing! Jopie |
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Valued Member
United States
200 Posts |
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Coming late to the party, I have been cataloging a bunch of accumulated stamps and discovered one of what I now know is referred to as the "Blue Flea". Thanks to rod222, who posted an excerpt from the Byrum catalog, I identified this as a Byrum S1, imperforate, wmk. A2 (standing, facing left).
Also, using rod222's link to the German Philatelic Society, I affirmed that the design is the pointed "N", the low-angle "R", the slim and uniform "Berlin" and the "E" extends beyond the "N".
Thanks to the Forum for fantastic information. Donald |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
5114 Posts |
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Stayed up all night sorting and identifying the various types of the BLUE FLEA ,got about two pages of stamps ready to mount .Hoping to show them later today here . |
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Pillar Of The Community

United States
839 Posts |
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I came to this thread only because I wondered what in the heck a Blue Flea was. Now I've read the whole thing, and it was fascinating -- both in regard to the stamp itself and the knowledge of Rod and the other posters. This is why I love stamp collecting.  |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
5114 Posts |
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Finally finished my BLUE FLEA pages,as many of you know I am a worldwide collector and not a German expert ,I used the information that many of you posted here .....so this is what it looks like ....  |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
5114 Posts |
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Here is the second page ,remember this is my first try and if I get a bunch more FLEAS ,then I will re do these pages neater ,but this is the first lay-out.  |
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Pillar Of The Community

United States
839 Posts |
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Well done, floortrader! Question: Were you inspired to collect the Blue Flea by this thread? |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
5114 Posts |
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Thanks for the positive note . I had two or three in my main collection .But did have a few dozen in my German stock books ,never did anything with them until I seen this discussion . |
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Valued Member
United States
14 Posts |
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I have several of these blue fleas. What makes the million dollar one special? The perfs on one of mine is 13 I believe. I'll have to dig out my others. |
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Bedrock Of The Community

Australia
31295 Posts |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
363 Posts |
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I also have a fat envelope and a few bundles of these things, that I plan to sort 'one day'. I wonder if everyone does?
Right now I'm sorting perfs. on Switzerland Standing Helvetias. Quite lucrative (on a cat. value basis, anyway). Rather more so than these fleas! |
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Pillar Of The Community
3358 Posts |
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Replies: 46 / Views: 11,030 |
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