How Common And Valuable Is This Sheet Of Bavarian Stamps?

Don't know if it's usual for these to survive unused. Were they rendered invalid after the unification? I can't get the images below 200kb despite cropping and reducing quality as low as possible, but the stamps are either the 1870-85 1st july or 1875 5th june issues. I'm new to collecting so i've no idea how to identify the watermark. There are 60 stamps in total, none separated.

Do you have MS Office? Try opening your image there, then resize to something like 600 x 700 before uploading.

Upper row watermarks in this link.
If you indicate the value on the stamp it would help.

https://www.germanstamps.net/german_watermarks/

Hi,

I'm pretty sure you are talking about a 3 KREUZER sheet and if this is the case, it is Michel Nr.33 from 1875 (with long wavy lines as watermark) with gutter separating the two 30 stamps.

Two types of sheet exist: Type 1 and 2. Two panels of 30 stamps identified from left to right A and B separated by a gutter.

If you show it here, I'll tell you the type. Friday only cause I'm always away on weekdays.

Example here (not mine)

Hornet

Yes they are the 3 kreuzer, sorry. Thanks for the link, i've identified the watermark as the WMK 4 type. Strangely my sheet lacks all those borders, only the gutter and the 2 panels. Were they ever issued as such or did the borders get cut off? Would be a real shame if that were the case.

Hi jacko,

It should be Wmk 2. The Mi.Nr.33 had a short time of use.

The 3 Kreuzer design was used on Mi.Nr.15, 23 and 33.

Nr.15 had a silk thread and imperforate.

Nr.23 had Wmk 1 and came in the two types (X and Y) that you can see on the link provided by perf12.

The Wmk 1X as a bit more in the value for the Nr.23

and the Nr.33 with Wmk 2 just before the change in currency (Mark and Pfennig) that came in 1876.

Hornet

Hi jackofalltrades,

So if you have this on your sheet, position A2 (left panel second stamp)
your sheet is a Type 2. Otherwise it is a Type 1.

Hornet

Old Bavarian stamps denominated in Kreuzers were no longer used after German unification; however, Bavaria continued to issue its own stamps in pfennigs and marks for almost a half century later, until 1920. (Wuerttemburg also continued to issue its own stamps to 1920.)

Thanks for the very helpful illustrations and advice, mine doesn't have it. Which type is rarer in this case? The seller had also highlighted on a scan of the stamps the errors wherever they occur. One of those errors is an absence of red dye in a little area. I'm not sure how significant a misprint/error must be before any seasoned collector would be interested.

Apologies but i'm still unable to bring my photo down to within the limits, tried resizing on Office but it doesn't seem to help. Will be trying again this weekend. About the watermark, each wave has a trough and apex, but like type 2 it is not vertical. THe illustration only shows a trough for watermark 2 though.

Hi jackofalltrades,

Lets try this, Position B8 (right panel) A' in BAYERN (only on Type 1 sheet)

hornet

Hi Hornet,


yes mine has this A'. Not sure which issue according to the examples on stampworld this belongs to then. Were these little differences actually intended in order to differentiate the issues?

Hi jackofalltrades,

So you have Michel Nr.33 Type 1 sheet. Issued July 5 1875. The type doesn't apply to the stamp itself.

Type 1 and 2 sheets are the same issue. The full pane had 4 panels of 30. they were divided horizontally in two for distribution.

There are about ten stamps with plate flaws on this type 1 sheet.

Please keep this sheet intact even with missing selvage around. They are not difficult to find but...

Nice work

Hornet

Thousand thanks for the help! Definitely won't be doing anything to this sheet but preserving it. How much do these usually sell for in your opinion?