Denmark Stamp Perforations

Hello all Danish experts.

I have come across this stamp while sorting between the perf. 14x13.5 and the perf 13 variety. I have check numerous times and even though the image doesn't do justice, this one is definitely perf. 13.5 on both sides. Not specializing in Denmark, I was hoping someone could tell me if this stamp is listed elsewhere, since Scott does not recognize this variety. Thanks.

I am not certain on this, but, I think that your variety is listed in the Michel Catalogue for North & North-Western Europe as #23 II Y A / a or b as grey-ultramarine or grey-blue (?) My catalogue is an old version for 2002 and is priced in German Marks, not Euros. It is .50 Mark for the grey blue, but, 400 Marks for the grey-ultramarine.

Maybe someone with a more current catalogue can help out?

Scandinavia is not me area of expertise :(

Chimo

Bujutsu

This is a hard one to research. Is this the 1895 issue?

I am not sure if it's the 1895 or 1875 issue. I thought the only distinct was by the perforation differences. Are there other ways to tell?

According to the 2004/2005 Michel Nord und Nordwest Europa
there only are two types of perforations A = 14 x 13 1/2
B = 12 3/4 and two types of watermarks and finally
normal and inverted frame.

All I can tell you is that yours has the normal frame
going by were the small branch comes off the main branch.

The Michel 23II Y A a that Bujutsu quoted would be for the
inverted frame which in my catalogue is now listed
at 400 Euros for used.

Stanley Gibbons lists 52, 52a, 53, 54, 54a, 55, 55a, 55b, 81, and 81a for this stamp. Each 'a' variety is the inverted frame. The one 'b' variety is on carton paper. The 81s are on thick paper and the listing I found gives the perf for the 81s as 12.5!

It's maddening.

P.S. The earliest printing of this stamp used a die from 1870 that was modified as the die for 1875 was not yet ready.

Hahaha! I found one dealer who has apparently given up on discerning what's what. He lists all the stamps of this type as 81 (and gives the incorrect year of 1875!)

There are listings of 12.5 Line perforations for the 1870/71 skilling issue but not for the 1875/1903 øre
issues.

Anyway,getting back to the OP's original question, I do not see
any 13.5 perf both sides/all sides/horizontal-vertical as he claims
his is, only compound 14 x 13.5.

Wow, thanks for all the responses. I realized that the frame was "normal" but it's still a mystery as to the 13.5 perforation. I've even measured with several gauges in case there was a flaw with my usual gauge. The furthest I could push it to maximum perf. was 13.7 but that was quite a stretch. Anymore responses would be greatly appreciated and thank you to those that have already done so. Surfing the net has provided no answers either.

Vanchester, I am by no means a Danish expert, but try www.stampworld.com and you will find several printings of these listed. I believe all of these were indeed 13.5 although there are two printings that were 12.75!

Peter

Thanks Peter. All I could find on that site was the 14x13.5 issue and the 12.75 issue which is often listed elsewhere as 13. There is no mention of a 13.5x13.5 issue....the mystery continues...

here is an altered image that has enhanced the brightness to show a better background

It is of the 14x13.5 issue. There is enough variation in those to allow for slightly less than 14 by slightly more than 13.5 giving stamps like yours. I've seen 13.8x13.7 at least.

Thanks all for everyone's contributions. I went back and check several other stamps from this issue and indeed as billsey says, the variation in perforation can vary widely, both vertically and horizontally. Again thanks all.

although a little late

maybe this will clear it up for the people interested in danish bicolored stamps.

there are printed more than around 700million copies of 4 and 8øres in more than 120 printings.

for all bicolored danish and danish westindies alike they can only be perforated 12.5, 14 and 12,75 on the vertical..

the 12.5 will have very ugly and uneven perforation, and between 11-13 perfs on the horizontal and are often subject to reperforation. only 2, 4 and 48skilling will be this perforation.
the 14 would be the most common, and can maybe appear as 13.7 or 13.8 I don't know and it doesn't matter. it will always have 14 perfs on the horizontal lines, unless it has been reperforated. the reason it may appear slightly different is that at least 3 different machines were used to perforate them.. referred to as combperforated KI, KII and KIII. KI will also often have poor perforation, and wide perfs.. KII will have a mix of thin and wide perfs.... KIII will always have a short perf as the 1st and 4th horizontal and the 4th from the top on the vertical.

the vertical rows are indentical, so when you've trained long enough you can tell the vertical rows apart and determine if the stamp was in the 1st or 8th row (100stamps pr sheet = 10 by 10) making potioning it easier.

as for inverted frames, these are uncommon up until print 49 (4øre) and print 54 (8øre)... if you find a number cancel and inverted you've found something nice. from those prints and onwards inverted is just as common as normal frames.

this exact stamp is a frametype 5, probably around print 60 or so.. inverted frame would be just as normal as normal.
it has 14 perfs horizontally, perf 1 and 4 are thin so KIII perforation

Sorsh - This is very good information - thanks Really cool to have a heavyweight on Danish stamps onboard!