Gallery

DANZIG  -  -  THE EARLY POSTAGE DUE STAMPS

By BERNARD A. HENNIG   

One of the more neglected areas of Danzig collecting are the violet postage-due issues of the early 1920’s. This may be because they are singu larly unattractive; it may also be because their catalog value is very low. Nevertheless, it remains true that these issues have caused very little comment in the literature, and have been studied only superficially. It is precisely because they are so common and of such little catalog value that they lend themselves more readily to a study in depth. The collector can readily secure the needed material in quantity to enable him to do so.

For our purposes these issues shall be divided into three categories; the first issue, issued October 1st, 1921; the second, issued between January and April of 1923, and the third issue of October 1st, 1923.

The stamps were printed in panes of 50, with two panes to a printing sheet arranged vertically one above the other. There exist uncut vertical gutter pairs showing the printing of the panes of 50, with two values se-tenant. Figure 1.

Depending upon demand, denominations were locked into the printing press in upper or lower positions, as can be determined from the perforation of the sheets. Sheets with bottom margin perforated vertically through are from the top pane, and those not perforated through are from the bottom pane. Some denominations can be found from both upper and lower panes. It has, however, never been determined whether all denominations were printed from both top and bottom panes.

 

Danzig Report   Nr. 2 - April - 1975, Page 4.