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The GermanStamps.net Collection

Germany & Related Areas, 1872 – 1945

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Kiautschou

1st Tsingtau Provisionals

On 1 May 1900, the postage rates in Kiautschou changed to the German domestic rates, reducing the postage required to send a postcard to Germany to 5 Pfennig. This change quickly caused a shortage of 5 Pfennig stamps, forcing Tsingtau postal authorities to resort to provisional measures until they could be resupplied. The first provisional issues were overprints of 10-Pfennig values from the German Post Offices in China. The stamps are overprinted with a new denomination and a blue line to obscure the original denomination.

The stamps were overprinted at the Missiondruckerei Tsingtau (Tsingtau Missionary Printers), and due to a lack of typesetting pieces, each half-sheet of 50 (10×5) was assembled using multiple type styles. Twelve different printing types occur on each half-sheet of 50, three main types — Type 1 (x17), Type 2 (x20), & Type 3 (x4) — and nine subtypes (x1 each).

  • Type 1 a — Like Type 1, but with period like Type 2
  • Type 1 b — Like Type 1, but with contracted “g” like Type 2
  • Type 3 a — Like Type 3, but with open, broken “f”
  • Type 3 b — Like Type 3, but with open, broken “5” & “P”, lower period
  • Type 3 c — Like Type 3, but with bigger, rounder, lower period
  • Type 4 — Like Type 1, but with “f” of Type 2
  • Type 5 — Like Type 2, but with “P” of Type 1
  • Type 5 a — Like Type 5, but with damaged “g”
  • Type 6 — “5” & “g” of Type 1, with “Pf” of Type 2

Copies also exist with a violet instead of blue line.

Copies can also be found without the blue line (Michel “F II” suffix, formerly “a” suffix).  These were only sold on 9 May 1900.

A variation of MiNr. 1 I also exists with overprint shifted heavily downward (“F I” suffix, formerly “d” suffix).

Both MiNr. 1 I and 1 II can be found with double overprints — in the case of MiNr. 1 I, without the blue line (“DD F” suffix, formerly “c” suffix), and in the case of MiNr. 1 II, with the double overprint inverted (“DK” suffix, formerly “c” suffix).

Finally, a copy exists with a shorter blue line attempting to obscure only the “10” portion of the underlying stamp.  This variety was the first attempt to obscure the old denomination, and can only be confirmed as authentic in used condition where the date of use can be observed.

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 containg stamps from the bottom row of the top sheet and the top row of the bottom sheet.

Set Date(s)

1 May 1900

Watermark(s)

None

Album Page(s)

Certificate(s)

1st Tsingtau Provisionals

On 1 May 1900, the postage rates in Kiautschou changed to the German domestic rates, reducing the postage required to send a postcard to Germany to 5 Pfennig. This change quickly caused a shortage of 5 Pfennig stamps, forcing Tsingtau postal authorities to resort to provisional measures until they could be resupplied. The first provisional issues were overprints of 10-Pfennig values from the German Post Offices in China. The stamps are overprinted with a new denomination and a blue line to obscure the original denomination.

The stamps were overprinted at the Missiondruckerei Tsingtau (Tsingtau Missionary Printers), and due to a lack of typesetting pieces, each half-sheet of 50 (10×5) was assembled using multiple type styles. Twelve different printing types occur on each half-sheet of 50, three main types — Type 1 (x17), Type 2 (x20), & Type 3 (x4) — and nine subtypes (x1 each).

  • Type 1 a — Like Type 1, but with period like Type 2
  • Type 1 b — Like Type 1, but with contracted “g” like Type 2
  • Type 3 a — Like Type 3, but with open, broken “f”
  • Type 3 b — Like Type 3, but with open, broken “5” & “P”, lower period
  • Type 3 c — Like Type 3, but with bigger, rounder, lower period
  • Type 4 — Like Type 1, but with “f” of Type 2
  • Type 5 — Like Type 2, but with “P” of Type 1
  • Type 5 a — Like Type 5, but with damaged “g”
  • Type 6 — “5” & “g” of Type 1, with “Pf” of Type 2

Copies also exist with a violet instead of blue line.

Copies can also be found without the blue line (Michel “F II” suffix, formerly “a” suffix).  These were only sold on 9 May 1900.

A variation of MiNr. 1 I also exists with overprint shifted heavily downward (“F I” suffix, formerly “d” suffix).

Both MiNr. 1 I and 1 II can be found with double overprints — in the case of MiNr. 1 I, without the blue line (“DD F” suffix, formerly “c” suffix), and in the case of MiNr. 1 II, with the double overprint inverted (“DK” suffix, formerly “c” suffix).

Finally, a copy exists with a shorter blue line attempting to obscure only the “10” portion of the underlying stamp.  This variety was the first attempt to obscure the old denomination, and can only be confirmed as authentic in used condition where the date of use can be observed.

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 containg stamps from the bottom row of the top sheet and the top row of the bottom sheet.

Set Date(s)

1 May 1900

Watermark(s)

None

Album Page(s)

Certificate(s)