Gallery

WAS IST?

In the first Danzig Report of March, 1975, we ran an article under the above Katzenjammer Kids caption showing a cover with mixed franking, mixed cancels and other strange goings-on. With a dealer’s note on the protective envelope declaring “This cover used during the only three days airport was open”, the Editor parted with 12 bucks and then tried to decipher the riddle. Two years later, with Bud Hennig’s help, we can offer some (but not all) of the clues in solving the mystery. Even though the evidence is incomplete, we are fearlessly publishing it in hope that you experts out there can add to our knowledge.

 1. The most obvious oversight on the part of those who were inspired to make this cover is the lack of a destination back-stamp that shows that it actually reached New York City. There is nothing on the back except the small initiais shown in Figure 2. How many foreign air covers were received without a back-stamp?

2. The 8 stamps add up to 107.750.000 Mk. According to several charts, the foreign rate on 19 October 1923 was 50 Mill. for the first 20 grains and 25 Mill. for each additional 20 grams. This proves nothing since many philatelic covers loaded up with complete sets, regardless of the required postage.

3. Flown covers with these stamps are scarse because of the limited time of validity as well as the effect of weather problems on the early flights. The validity dates of the 5 Mill. (red) lion stamp is 23 Sept. - 2 Nov.: the 20, 25 and 50 Mill. (blue) lion stamps being 15 Oct. - 2 Nov. ; and the red air mail set is 18 Oct 2 Nov. No slip-up there; all could have been cancelled on 19 October 1923.

 

Danzig Report   Nr. 4 – Summer - 1975, Page 2.