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China

Set Date(s)

7 July / 7 November 1900

Album Page(s)

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Certificate(s)
Futschau Provisionals

During the Boxer Rebellion, there was a great shortage of postage at the German post offices in China. To remedy this shortage, German and Kiautschou postage was used in a variety of provisional forms. Among these were the Futschau Provisionals.

Soon after opening the Futschau post office on 19 June 1900, the post office ran out of 5-Pfennig stamps. To remedy the shortage, the postmaster ordered wood type from a Chinese print shop, which was made into a handstamp.

The first printing, on 7 July 1900, consisted of 1,400 overprints of MiNr. 3 II (56° “China” Overprint) and 100 overprints of MiNr. 3 I (45° “China” Overprint).

To satisfy the heavy demand by collectors, a second printing of 2,500 overprints of MiNr. 3 I (45° “China” Overprint) was made on 7 November 1900. The MiNr. 7 I printings can be distinguished only by their cancel dates. All unused copies of MiNr. 7 I are presumed to be from the second printing.

Double overprints can be found on all three varieties.

These stamps were printed in 10×10 sheets, with two sheets per printing pane, arranged vertically.  As a result, gutter pairs (in German, Zwischtenstegpaare) exist containing stamps from the bottom row of the top sheet and the top row of the bottom sheet.

Futschau Provisionals

During the Boxer Rebellion, there was a great shortage of postage at the German post offices in China. To remedy this shortage, German and Kiautschou postage was used in a variety of provisional forms. Among these were the Futschau Provisionals.

Soon after opening the Futschau post office on 19 June 1900, the post office ran out of 5-Pfennig stamps. To remedy the shortage, the postmaster ordered wood type from a Chinese print shop, which was made into a handstamp.

The first printing, on 7 July 1900, consisted of 1,400 overprints of MiNr. 3 II (56° “China” Overprint) and 100 overprints of MiNr. 3 I (45° “China” Overprint).

To satisfy the heavy demand by collectors, a second printing of 2,500 overprints of MiNr. 3 I (45° “China” Overprint) was made on 7 November 1900. The MiNr. 7 I printings can be distinguished only by their cancel dates. All unused copies of MiNr. 7 I are presumed to be from the second printing.

Double overprints can be found on all three varieties.

These stamps were printed in 10×10 sheets, with two sheets per printing pane, arranged vertically.  As a result, gutter pairs (in German, Zwischtenstegpaare) exist containing stamps from the bottom row of the top sheet and the top row of the bottom sheet.

Set Date(s)

7 July / 7 November 1900

Album Page(s)
Certificate(s)