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>> DANZIG: Postal History until 1920  -  J. L. Whiteside

the date slugs. it first the day, month and year slugs were all in 1 Antique type, but through the next two years first the day and the month and then finally the year were changed to Grotesque type. From the examples the author has seen it would appear that these changes do not occur in a strictly chronological order , and they probably do not represent different date stamps but rather a restocking of’ the type racks used for changing these slugs.

At the station office the old Prussian boxed marks continued to be used. The old Prussian double-circle datestamp of 1863 also remained in occasional use and can be found cancelling stamps through 1872. In 1873 it had been modified by the substitution of Grotesque type for the day and month slugs. In this form it appears to have continued in use largely as an arrival marking and has been seen so used as late as 1877.

Two other types of marking that were used at many of the larger German cities were employed at Danzig. The first was the “F” -type single - circle mark for use on mail prepaid in cash over the post office counter. After an experimental period of use in Berlin only from 1864, these were introduced in many cities from 15 December 1866. Danzig used two of these marks, which were single-circle date stamps with the letter F placed above the date. The two stamps were identified by the N1 or N2 which was situated at either side of the date. These marks were used up to 1872, struck at first in violet and later in red, but they are not often met with since Danzig does not seem to have used the system as extensively as other places.

The other type of marking was the “horseshoe” datestamp. Danzig used three of these containing the distinguishing codes N1, N2 and N3. They were used intermittently from 1873 through to about 1880.

 

Danzig Report  Nr. 30 - January - February - March - 1981, Page 6.