The GermanStamps.net Collection

The GermanStamps.net Collection

Germany & Related Areas, 1872 – 1945

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German New Guinea

British Occupation Overprint Issues

On 17 October 1914, the Commonwealth forces occupying German New Guinea issued their first overprinted stamps. The stamps are German New Guinea MiNr. 7-19 overprinted "G.R.I." (abbreviation of Georgius Rex Imperator) with new values in Shillings and Pence.

The overprints can be found in approximately a dozen typesettings, but Michel lists two major types, Type I (17 October 1914) and Type II (16 December 1914).

Line spacing of the first typesetting (Type I, catalog suffix "I") is 6 mm (MiNr. 1-11) or 3.5-4 mm (MiNr. 12-15). Line spacing of the second typesetting (Type II, catalog suffix "II") is 5 mm (MiNr. 1-11) or 5.5 mm (MiNr. 12-15).

In 1915, two additional provisional overprints appeared, with each having a large ‘1’ over the original overprint value.  The exact circumstances of their printing aren’t certain.  In his master work G.R.I., Gibbs speculated that they were printed in error during the overprinting of provisionals for the British Occupation of the German Marshall-Inseln.

One value (MiNr. A 15) has a Type I typesetting, while the other (MiNr. B15) has a Type II.

Set Date(s)

17 October 1914 / 1915

Watermark(s)

None

Album Page(s)

British Occupation Overprint Issues

On 17 October 1914, the Commonwealth forces occupying German New Guinea issued their first overprinted stamps. The stamps are German New Guinea MiNr. 7-19 overprinted "G.R.I." (abbreviation of Georgius Rex Imperator) with new values in Shillings and Pence.

The overprints can be found in approximately a dozen typesettings, but Michel lists two major types, Type I (17 October 1914) and Type II (16 December 1914).

Line spacing of the first typesetting (Type I, catalog suffix "I") is 6 mm (MiNr. 1-11) or 3.5-4 mm (MiNr. 12-15). Line spacing of the second typesetting (Type II, catalog suffix "II") is 5 mm (MiNr. 1-11) or 5.5 mm (MiNr. 12-15).

In 1915, two additional provisional overprints appeared, with each having a large ‘1’ over the original overprint value.  The exact circumstances of their printing aren’t certain.  In his master work G.R.I., Gibbs speculated that they were printed in error during the overprinting of provisionals for the British Occupation of the German Marshall-Inseln.

One value (MiNr. A 15) has a Type I typesetting, while the other (MiNr. B15) has a Type II.

Set Date(s)

17 October 1914 / 1915

Watermark(s)

None

Album Page(s)