GERMAN OCCUPATION STAMPS
KURLAND
(1945)

This page was last updated
19-Mar-2023 07:13

MICHEL 4
FELDPOST PACKAGE CONCESSION STAMP
(Apr 1945)

BACKGROUND: in Apr 1945 the existing Michel 2 Feld Post package concession stamp was overprinted for use in KURLAND.

The overprints were applied by the 'Kurzemes vards' (The Word of Kurland) newspaper.

VALIDITY: Apr 1945 until May 1945
VALUE: 12 on -
COLOUR: brownish red to bright brown red
WATERMARK: None
PERF:
AVAILABILITY:
QUANTITY PRINTED: 1,750,000

SPECIAL CANCELLATION: NONE

VARIATIONS

There are two major variations depending on the type of perforations.



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 A - perf 13¾:14
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 B - saw tooth roulette.

OTHER VARIATIONS

There are several sub-variants depending on the gum.



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 A x - smooth gum
ABOVE CENTRE: Mi 4 A y - horizontal gum ribbing
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 A z - vertical gum ribbing



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 B x - smooth gum
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 B y - horizontal gum ribbing

PLATE FLAWS

There are no major plate flaws.

OVERPRINT VARIETIES

There are four major overprint varieties.



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 A DD - double overprint
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: Mi 4 A K - inverted overprint
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: Mi 4 B DD - double overprint
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 B K - inverted overprint.

OVERPRINT ERRORS

There are thirteen major overprint errors on this stamp.



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 I - short foot on '2'
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: Mi 4 II - curved foot on '2'
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: Mi 4 III - '2' of '12' sits lower
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 IV - '2' of '12' sits higher.



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 V- foot upstroke of '2' angled
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: Mi 4 VI - wider space (1mm more) between frame and 'Kurland'
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: Mi 4 VII - spear shaped smear between frame and 'Kurland'
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 VIII - ink dots in the '2'



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 IX - '2' nicked below
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: Mi 4 X - 'D' of 'Kurland' dented on left
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: Mi 4 XI - 'l' of 'Kurland' nicked on left
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 XII - like IV above but with extra ink spear on right next to '12'



ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 XIII - Like 4 VI but with additional ink smear between 'Kurland' and frame.

STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION

All stamps shown from here until the end of the page are from my collection.

POSTALLY UNUSED - MINT

ABOVE LEFT: Mi 4 A y from my collection with BPP certificate
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 4 B y from my collection with BPP certificate