POSTAGE STAMPS
(1920)

This page was last updated
20-Feb-2023 05:15

MICHEL 138
REGULAR ISSUE BAVARIAN STAMPS WITH OVERPRINT
DEFINITIVE STAMPS

Michel 138 was designed by Friedrich August von Kaulbach and Hengeler and was printed by the Reichsdruckerei in Berlin.



VALIDITY: 6th Apr 1920 until 30th Sep 1923.
VALUE: 20 MARK
COLOUR: olive black
WATERMARK: Horizontal Wavy lines (Type I)
PERF: comb 11¼ x 11¾
SIZE: 34 x 40mm
PRINT TYPE: Photogravure
AVAILABILITY: Sheets
QUANTITY PRINTED: Unknown

OVERPRINT VARIATIONS

There are two variations depending on the style of the 'R' in the word 'Reich' of the overprint.



ABOVE LEFT: 138 I: Overprint Type I
ABOVE RIGHT: 138 II: Overprint Type II

COLOUR VARIATIONS

There are no major colour variations

OTHER VARIATIONS

UPPER EDGE PIECES: (Flat Plate Printing Upper Margin Copies - P OR). There is only one type of upper edge piece.

138 I P OR Type VI

OVERPRINT VARIATIONS: Michel 138 exists with several overprint variations

138 AF XII: Imprint only ‘Reichs’ or only ‘Deutsches’

ADDITIONAL VARIATIONS:

138 I z: on cardboard paper
138 II z: on cardboard paper

PLATE FLAWS

The Michel catalogue lists 3 major plate flaws:



ABOVE LEFT: 138 PF III: white wedge to the right of the upper lion in the coat of arms
ABOVE RIGHT: 138 PF IV: frame interrupted below the first "e" of "Deutsches"



ABOVE RIGHT: 138 PF XVII: white wedge on the edge of the coat of arms under the paw of the left lion

STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION

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

Mi 138 Type I and II

ABOVE LEFT: Mi 138 Type I
ABOVE RIGHT: Mi 138 Type II with BPP Expertisation

REFERENCES:

1. MICHEL Deutschland-Spezial 2022 Band 1: 1849 bis April 1945. ISBN: 978-95402-401-8.
2. www.colnect.com
3. Plattenfehler Katalog Deutsches Reich 1872-1945 inkl. Dienstmarken, 4th Edition 2003. Thomas Schantl Verlag. ISBN: 3-932769-25-2