Help Germany Berlin Soviet Zone 1945 30 PFg With Extra

Hi,

I have the following stamp:



I can identify the stamp itself, but I cannot find a reference to what the 21,00 means at the top. Is that the cost of an entire sheet which just happens to be attached to this stamp or is it something else?

I have read that the stamp is relatively rare if used, but this one is clearly not used and it is also definitely not mint. I'm not sure how to value this stamp any help would be appreciated. I'm not looking for an exact amount, I'm trying to figure out the amount I should insure an entire collection and I'm not sure if this stamp has value that should be considered or is essentially worthless (from an insurance point of view).

I am still getting used to scanning and uploading pictures, so I'm sorry this one is skewed. If that is an issue, I will try again and repost the image.

Thank you!

Hello and welcome! The numbers on top of the tab are brilliantly explained here: https://goscf.com/t/48485

As for your stamp, it's part of a series of 8 stamps issued in 1945 under USSR occupation (the Berlin bear set). A complete set unused sells for around $3. The valuable used ones have specific rouletted perforations.

Thank you! What a great explanation on the margins as well, I would never have thought to sum the columns, but it makes complete sense now that I see it.

Can anyone provide more information about the artist/designer behind this stamp? I cannot find anything online and I've been googling for hours now. Here is my guess at what the imagery is:

* The Buildings depict industry, residential, and commercial destruction in the city (Berlin was nearly flattened)
* The Holly Tree (a guess from me about the tree in the center) depicts the Celtic concept of life being present in hard times...maybe even the Celtic image of a stubborn victory won.

I do not know the stamp, but I think you are close to the meanin. The tree, which looks like a sapling or very young tree stands for the city will begin anew and get over the destruction. Just my guess

Peter

Welcome! Per Michel the stamp depicts a small oak tree and the war ruins of Belle-Alliance-Platz.

The designer's name is Godammer.

I think the previous posters nailed the significance of the images.

Dan

The designer's name was Alfred Goldammer
who later designed stamps for West Berlin.

Litho,

Thanks for the correction. I was using the English version of Michel. The German version correctly lists the designer's name as Goldammer.

Dan

Wow! Thank you for the quick response. It is nice to have the story behind the stamp.

Here is another image of rebirth from post world war I Germany. In this case, as with the Soviet Zone Berlin stamp, the oak tree was used.