The overprints were applied for use in the Russian occupation zone. They are considered local in nature. The note regarding these is found in Scott at the beginning to the listings for German Democratic Republic. Forged overprints are common.
Hello WB,
There are thousands of these overprints which follow a common format of a large "OPD" number followed by the postal district name
The large number is typically the OPD (Oberpostdirektion) number identifying the old high-level German postal administration regions. For example, in an earlier posting here we saw examples with "16" referring to OPD Erfurt in Thuringia. Here it is "3" which Michel refers to as "Magistratspost Berlin" rather than an OPD.
My 1999 Michel Germany Specialised catalogue lists all the postal districts that were involved in this overprinting within each OPD.
Here the postal district is "Berlin 4".
Many of these overprints were forged in large quantities and the most common districts to be forged are identified in Michel with a zero price. Unfortunately, "Berlin 4" is one of these.
Thanks guys!
So, when these are refered to as forgeries, are we talking about someone at a post office, picking up an original overprint stamp and stamping the daylights out of any and every stamp they can get their hands on, purely for the purpose of creating a saleable item?
The reason I pursue this, is because I picked these up from an estate sale and the original owner was a collector who was stationed in Europe just prior and until just after WWII. I think he told me once, that he had been collecting since the early 1930's.
Of course, this doesn't prove anything, but it did make me wonder if he actually acquired these first hand while there. I don't know the complete history of his service, but I do know that he was stationed in France at some point during his time in Europe.
As always, I appreciate any input,
WB
The forgeries will refer to forged handstamps used on genuine stamps.
The basic stamps were available in large quantities in the Russian sector (as they had been in general use there until the sudden currency change).
If I understand the catalogue correctly. the Hanover Trade Fair stamps shown in your scan were not genuinely overprinted for any of the districts within the Berlin area.
I expect that the handstamp used on all of the stamps in the scan was fake.
Thanks Nigel, I'll mark them as fakes and put them to rest.
WB
Need a little help with these. I found the stamps listed on Stamp World under Joint Allied Occupation Zone, but without the Berlin overprint. The Berlin section doesn't show them at all. Also, in the Berlin section, none of the overprints had the the "3" and "4". So, are these listed in any of the other catalogs? Were they overprinted long after their 1947 printing? Are they anything special?
Thanks for any help,
WB
re: 1947 Germany-Berlin Overprint
The overprints were applied for use in the Russian occupation zone. They are considered local in nature. The note regarding these is found in Scott at the beginning to the listings for German Democratic Republic. Forged overprints are common.
re: 1947 Germany-Berlin Overprint
Hello WB,
There are thousands of these overprints which follow a common format of a large "OPD" number followed by the postal district name
The large number is typically the OPD (Oberpostdirektion) number identifying the old high-level German postal administration regions. For example, in an earlier posting here we saw examples with "16" referring to OPD Erfurt in Thuringia. Here it is "3" which Michel refers to as "Magistratspost Berlin" rather than an OPD.
My 1999 Michel Germany Specialised catalogue lists all the postal districts that were involved in this overprinting within each OPD.
Here the postal district is "Berlin 4".
Many of these overprints were forged in large quantities and the most common districts to be forged are identified in Michel with a zero price. Unfortunately, "Berlin 4" is one of these.
re: 1947 Germany-Berlin Overprint
Thanks guys!
So, when these are refered to as forgeries, are we talking about someone at a post office, picking up an original overprint stamp and stamping the daylights out of any and every stamp they can get their hands on, purely for the purpose of creating a saleable item?
The reason I pursue this, is because I picked these up from an estate sale and the original owner was a collector who was stationed in Europe just prior and until just after WWII. I think he told me once, that he had been collecting since the early 1930's.
Of course, this doesn't prove anything, but it did make me wonder if he actually acquired these first hand while there. I don't know the complete history of his service, but I do know that he was stationed in France at some point during his time in Europe.
As always, I appreciate any input,
WB
re: 1947 Germany-Berlin Overprint
The forgeries will refer to forged handstamps used on genuine stamps.
The basic stamps were available in large quantities in the Russian sector (as they had been in general use there until the sudden currency change).
If I understand the catalogue correctly. the Hanover Trade Fair stamps shown in your scan were not genuinely overprinted for any of the districts within the Berlin area.
I expect that the handstamp used on all of the stamps in the scan was fake.
re: 1947 Germany-Berlin Overprint
Thanks Nigel, I'll mark them as fakes and put them to rest.
WB