Postage Stamps used in the German Marshall Islands
Postal Stationery -- Card P 5
by Dirk H.R. Spennemann

Description Examples of Cancelled Items Modern Reprints and Forgeries

 

Description

5Pfg green on cream watermark 9D with gaps l+k.[1]

P 5

P 5
(November 1899)

P 5
(September 1899)

Gap combinations of the 5Pf Marshall-Inseln Postcard P 5[2]
WatermarkMonthsgap at leftgap at rightMonth Printed
99 Bl + k25 + 20October 1899
99 Ca + b5 + 10February 1899
99 Cc15March 1899
99 Cf + i + h3015 + 10September 1899
99 Cf + i + h + g3015 + 10 + 5September 1899
99 Ci15September 1899
99 Cno gaps???
99 Ci plus first row gap at 1 3 and second row gap at 1 20 September 1899
99 Ci + h + g15 + 10 + 5September 1899
99 Dh + g10 + 5August 1899
99 Dl + k25 + 20November 1899
9 D *)l + k25 + 20November 1899
99 Eh + g10 + 5August 1899
99 Km + i30 + 15December 1899
99 Km + i plus first row gap at 29 30 + 15December 1899
99 Km + l + k30 + 25 + 20December 1899
*) Error in Watermark

 

Angle of Overprint

As the postcards were not overprinted while they were still part of complete and uncut sheets of 25 post cards, but were overprinted as already cut, single cards. The cards were printed on a small press, where the overprint cliché was repositioned every time a new colonial stock was to be printed. Between the alignment errors introduced there and the variation caused by the single-feed of the card stock, the angle and position of the overprint can vary. On record (for all colonies) are angle variations between 42 degrees to 58 degrees. In addition double prints as well as missing overprints on one side of the reply card are known.[3]

 

Quantities sent

3,200 cards of this type were delivered to Jaluit, 500 of which in September 1899.[4]

 

Validity

The last run of Eagle series card was printed on 23 July 1900. Thereafter all postcards bore the Yacht motif.[7] Like the Eagle series stamps, the Eagle series cards of both the Marschall-Inseln and the Marshall-Inseln issues remained valid until 30 September 1901, after which only Yacht series cards were legal postage.[8]

 

Examples of Cancelled Items

 

Modern Reprints and Forgeries

Like other post card forgeries were made of this series in the 1970s. These items are printed in better quality, more glossy card stock.. These reprints can also be identified by details in the drawing of the scroll and leaves.


[Contents]    [Eagle Series Stationery]    [Stationery, general]


Bibliographic citation for this document

Spennemann, Dirk H.R. (2002). Postage Stamps used in the German Marshall Islands. Postal Stationery -- Card P 5
URL: http:/marshall.csu.edu.au/Marshalls/html/Stamps/Stationery/Stationery_P05.html

CONTACT:
Dirk H.R. Spennemann, Institute of Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, P.O.Box 789, Albury NSW 2640, Australia.
e-mail: dspennemann@csu.edu.au



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