German occupation of Macedonia: types and varieties of postage stamps.

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After Bulgarian retreat from the World War II, Macedonia was occupied by German forces. It was proclaimed independent on the 8th of September 1944 and a Government was formed. The State existed until German retreat on the 13th of November 1944.

The set of overprinted Bulgarian stamps was issued on the 28th of October 1944. To this date no postally used items with these stamps were found. The most of cancellations on original stamps are forged (the original contemporary postal cancel is in private possession), which is also the case with examples presented on this page.

1. Types of overprints

TYPES OF OVERPRINTS
All values
I		There are two types of overprints on all stamps, that differ in numeral 9 in 1944. Type I appears twice in sheets of 1 lev on 10 stotinki and 3 leva on 15 sototinki, on fields 45 and 95. On all other values it appears only once, on 44th field. Type I: lower strike in numeral 9 in 1944 pointing downwards (top stamp of presented example). Type II: lower strike pointing upwards (bottom stamp of presented example). More examples: 15 leva on 4 leva, 30 leva on 14 leva.
II

2. Possible types of overprints

TYPES
6 leva on 10 stotinki, blue
		Possible types of overprint on stamp 6 leva on 10 stotinki: Type I: normal stamp. Type II: the second numeral 4 in 1944 narrow. (Note the position: narrow 4 is above the 14th stamp.) Another example.
Possible Type I	Possible Type II
20 leva on 7 leva, blue
		Possible types of overprint on stamp 20 leva on 7 leva: Type I: vertical canceling lines: thick-thin-thick, Type II: three vertical lines: thick-thin-thin.
Possible Type I	Possible Type II

3. Constant varieties of overprints

CONSTANT VARIETIES
3 leva on 15 stotinki, blue
I		Dot after numeral 8 in date mark shifted upwards.
		Field №: 37, 87	Pane: N/A
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 2IV
		Notes: –
		Value €: 27
6 leva on 10 stotinki, blue
I		The second numeral in 1944 open (the 3rd stamp)
		Field №: 13	Pane: N/A
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 3V
		Notes: –
		Value €: 45
9 leva on 15 stotinki, olive brown
I		Distance between numeral 9 and ЛВ wider (4,5 mm instead of 2 mm).
		Field №: 93	Pane: N/A
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 5VI
		Notes: –
		Value €: 27
20 leva on 7 leva, blue
I		Letter О in МАКЕДОНИЯ open on top.
		Field №: 68	Pane: N/A
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 7IX
		Notes: –
		Value €: 255

4. Possible constant varieties

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1 lev on 10 stotinki, orange
1	The first numeral 4 in 1944 damaged.
2	Damaged numeral 1 in 1944.
3	Damaged numerals 1 and 4 in 1944.
4	The second numeral 4 in 1944 damaged.
5	Leter д in Македония damaged.
6	The first dot in date mark thick, the second thin.
7	The first dot in date mark thin, the second thick.
8	Both dots in year mark thin.
9	Numerals 9 and 4 in 1944 larger (the second stamp).
3 ev on 15 stotinki, blue
1	Dot after IX in date mark missing.
2	The first dot in date mark thin, the second thick.
6 leva on 10 stotinki, blue
1	Damaged letters Н and И in МАКЕДОНИЯ.
2	Numeral I in IX damaged.
3	The first numeral 4 in 1944 narrow, small dot after ЛВ.
9 leva on 15 stotinki, olive brown
1	Broken numeral 1 in 1944.
20 leva on 7 leva, blue
1	Numeral 1 in 1944 damaged.
30 leva on 14 leva, brown
1	The first numeral 4 in 1944 damaged.
2	Numeral 9 in 1944 damaged.
3	Numeral 9 in 1944 damaged (the first stamp).

5. Coincidental varieties

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 lev on 10 stotinki, orange
1	Shifted overprint.
3 leva on 15 stotinki, blue
1	Shifted overprint.
2	Inverted overprint.
3	Underinking and overinking.
9 leva on 15 stotinki, olive brown
1	Shifted overprint.

 

Bibliography

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1. Michel Deutschland-Spezial 2005, Band 1: 1849 bis April 1945. Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN 3-87858-144-0