Germany Surcharges

I found these while going through some envelopes. I still have a few hundred envelopes to go through. .

Part of the 1953-54 "Five year plan" series of stamps in East Germany. There are eight different overprints listed in Scott (#216-223). All are of minimal value in this state (Cancelled-To-Order). There are many, many varieties listed in Michel and are a specialist's dream/nightmare!

Brian

Thanks, Brian. I believe I have the other two of that set somewhere.

Actually, there's more to these little blighters, every schoolboy packet from the 60's was full of them. They are official reprints aimed solidly at the collectors market. They were printed CTO, without gum, in 1957, & all of the 5-Year-Plan issues were covered (I think it's a total of 51 stamps, but don't quote me on that one).

Telling them apart from the 1st issues is easy, it's the position of the last 'E' in 'DEUTSCHE'.
In the 1st issue the 'E' is mostly above the 'T' of DEMOKRATISCHE'.
In the reprint the 'E' is above the 'A' of DEMOKRATISCHE'.


1st issue left, reprint right. (From the Michel German Specialised Catalogue)

All the reprints are cataloged at minimum handling charge, but the real value would be something like 50cents/hundred

Have a look at Jay Carrigan's page.

Here's a short history of this series from a blog by one of our members, Keijo.

http://www.stampcollectingblog.com/...n-stamps.php

Dan