Kingdom of Bavaria: varieties of postage stamps

1849-62. Definitive issues. Denomination in a circle.

TYPES
3 kreuzer
Plate I (1849) Plate II (1850/54) Plate III (1854/58) Plate IV (1856/62)
  • Corners of the blue outer frame pointed,
  • lines of blue outer frame evenly thick,
  • inner white frames straight and evenly thick.
  • Corners of the blue outer frame rounded,
  • thickness of the blue outer frame uneven,
  • fewer white lines below bottom-left sided 3 (blue area below 3).
  • Corners of the blue outer frame pointed,
  • thickness of the blue outer frame uneven,
  • fewer white lines below bottom-left sided 3 (blue area below 3).
  • Corners of the blue outer frame pointed,
  • white lines below bottom-left sided 3 (white line below 3).
3 kreuzer 6 kreuzer
Plate V (1858/62) Plate I (1849) Plate II (1850/57) Plate III (1855/63)
  • Corners of the blue outer frame rounded,
  • thickness of the blue outer frame uneven,
  • white lines in the bottom left denomination box poorly hatched.
  • Circle around numeral 6 not centered (partly covered by banners with inscriptions SECHS and KREUZER).
  • Circle around 6 centered,
  • corners of the outer brown frame rounded, lines unevenly thick.
  • Circle around 6 centered,
  • corners of the outer brown frame blunt, lines evenly thick.
6 kreuzer 9 kreuzer
Plate IV (1858/62) Type I Type II Type III
  • Circle around 6 centered,
  • corners of the outer brown frame pointed, lines evenly thick.
 Outer line of the top left denomination box undamaged. Outer line of the top left denomination box damaged at top left. Outer line of the top left denomination box damaged at top left and bottom left.
CONSTANT VARIETIES
9 kr., yellow green
I Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Thin line above the lower part of the large numeral 9. Thin line above the lower part of the large numeral 9.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 5 PF VII
Notes: –
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES
3 kreuzer
1 Thin line over inscription DREI.

October 1881. Definitive issue. Coat of Arms.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
10 pf., red
1 Bottom left corner broken. Germany Bavaria postage stamp error Lower left corner broken

October 1888. Definitive issue. Coat of Arms.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
3 pf., green
I Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Straight line over numeral 3 in the upper left corner. Straight line over numeral 3 in the upper left corner.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.54 A I
Notes: –
Value €: –

1 January 1890. Coat of arms.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
5 pf.
1 Scratches over top right numeral 5.

1911. Definitive issue. Prince Regent Luitpold.

TYPES
All Pfennig denominations
Bavaria 1911 Luitpold pfennig postage stamp types 1 and 2
Types I and II
Bavaria 1911 Luitpold pfennig postage stamp type 3
Type III		 Type I:

  • inscriptions on top thin,
  • loop of letter R in MAERZ small,
  • horizontal lines of letter E short and thin,
  • serifs of numerals barely visible.

Type II:

  • top inscriptions thick,
  • loop of letter R in MAERZ large,
  • horizontal lines of letter E long and thick,
  • serifs of numerals well visible.

Type III:

  • top inscriptions thick,
  • loop of letter R in MAERZ large,
  • horizontal lines of letter E short and thin,
  • serifs of numerals well visible.

Note: all pfennig denominations can be found in both Type I and Type II. Type I stamps were issued on 10 March 1911 and Type II in October 1911. Type III stamps were issued in May 1911, only 3, 5 and 10 pfennig stamps exist of this type.
All Marks denominations
Bavaria 1911 Luitpold marks postage stamp types 1 and 2
Types I and II		 Type I:

  • first vertical line of letter N of BAYERN touching bottom frame,
  • serifs of numerals 1 in 1911 barely visible.

Type II:

  • first vertical line of letter N of BAYERN separated from bottom frame,
  • numerals thicker serifs of numerals 1 in 1911 well visible.

Note: all marks denominations can be found in both Type I and Type II. Type I stamps were issued on 10 March 1911 and Type II in October 1911.
UNLISTED VARIETIES
10 pf.
1 Thin letter N in BAYERN.
30 pf.
1 Scratches below zero in denomination number. Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Scratches below zero in denomination number
50 pf.
1 White apostrophe after MAERZ.

August 1916 – March 1920. King Ludwig III.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
7½ pf.
I King Ludwig III of Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Scratches on the top frame.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: Another example
Value €: –

1919-20. Definitive issue. King Ludwig III stamps of 1914-18 overprinted Volksstaat Bayern in letterpress.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Gone through paper print.
2 Two horizontal colored lines over the design.

27 June 1919 – 4 March 1920. King Ludwig III.

NOT IN CIRCULATION
35 pf.
1 Overprint omitted.

1919-20. Definitive issue. King Ludwig III stamps of 1914-18 overprinted Freistaat Bayern in letterpress.

TYPES
All Pfennig values
Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Letter B of Bayern shifted to the right.
Types I and II		 Type I: Regular alignment: letter B of Bayern exactly below letter F of Freistaat.
Type II: Letter B of Bayern shifted to the right. Type II appears on 4 fields in a pane: 42, 47, 92, 97 or on 44, 49, 94, 99
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Shifted overprint.
UNLISTED VARIETIES
15 pf.
1 Large curved line and a dot on the underprint on the right side. Germany Bavaria postage stamp error Large curved line and a dot on the underprint on the right side
NOT IN CIRCULATION
75 pf.
1 Overprint omitted.

25 August – 22 December 1919. For wounded war veterans.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
All values
1 Inverted overprint. Germany Bavaria 1919 postage stamp inverted overprint

17 December 1919 – 4 March 1920. King Ludwig III.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
All values
1 Overprint omitted.
1.50 M on 1 M.
1 Shifted overprint.

28 January 1920. Definitive issue. 3 pfennig Coat of Arms stamp overprinted with new value in letterpress.

TYPES
20 pf. on 3 pf., brown
Germany Bavaria 1920 postage stamp types
Types I and II		 Type I: wider distance between left and right denominations 20 (5.8 – 6.8 mm).
Type II: shorter distance (3.5 – 5 mm).

1920. Definitive issue. Workers and Patrons of Bavaria.

VARIETIES AND TYPES OF OVERPRINTS
In 1920/21, these stamps were overprinted Deutsches Reich in black color. For the list of varieties and types of overprints please visit section of the Weimar Republic.
PRINTING TECHNIQUES
2 ½ mark
Lithography:

  • dots on the gray backgroud small and greatly differ in size,
  • outer frame may be unevenly thick, even interrupted.

Type II:

  • dots on the gray background larger and appear to be even in size,
  • outer frame solid and evenly thick.
Lithography Letterpress
Nomenclature: Michel Mi.190; Overprinted Michel Mi.133I Nomenclature: Michel Mi.191; Overprinted Michel Mi.133II
TYPES
5 pf., bright green
I Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw dot in B of BAYERN White dot in letter B in BAYERN.
Field №: 12, 17, 62, 67 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.178VI; Overprinted Michel Mi.119 PF III
Notes: –
Value €: –
20 pf., purple
I Letter R in BAYERN deformed, looks like F.
Field №: 4, 9, 54, 59 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.181III; Overprinted Michel Mi.122I
Notes: –
Value €: –
II Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Vertical indentation in bottom frame below letter N of BAYERN. Vertical indentation in bottom frame below letter N of BAYERN.
Field №: 13, 18, 63, 68 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.181IV; Overprinted Michel Mi.122 PF IV
Notes: Another example
Value €: –
30 pf.
I Blue dot after letter N in BAYERN.
Field №: 35, 40, 85, 90 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.182I; Overprinted Michel Mi.123 PF I
Notes: –
Value €: –
II Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw white triangle White triangle on the rock above letter N of BAYERN.
Field №: 43, 48, 93, 98 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.182III; Overprinted Michel Mi.123 PF II
Notes: –
Value €: –
75 pf.
I Farmer looses a sole.
Field №: 21, 26, 71, 76 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.186I; Overprinted Michel Mi.127 PF I
Notes: –
Value €: –
1 m.
I DAVARIAE instead of BAVARIAE.
Field №: 32, 37 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.188I; Overprinted Michel Mi.130 PF I
Notes: –
Value €: –
CONSTANT VARIETIES
5 pf., yellow green
I Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Dot between farmer’s shoulder and letter P if Pf. Dot between farmer’s shoulder and letter P if Pf.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.178III
Notes: –
Value €: –
20 pf., lilac
I Large “R” in “BAYERN”.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Overprinted stamp Michel Mi.122III
Notes: –
Value €: –
II Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Lower right corner deformed Bottom right corner deformed.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: Another example
Value €: –
30 pf., deep blue
I Damaged left side base.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.123XIII
Notes: –
Value €: –
60 pf., blue green
I Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw White dot above farmer’s left foot. White dot above farmer’s left foot.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: Another example
Value €: –
1 m.
I LAVARIAE Instead of BAVARIAE.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.188IV; Overprinted Michel Mi.130II
Notes: –
Value €: –
3 m., gray blue
I Extra bloom to left of bunch of flowers.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.192I; Overprinted Mi.134III
Notes: –
Value €: –
4 m., orange
I Germany Bavaria 4 marks postage stamp plate flaw leaf Branch with five leaves.
Field №: 7 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Overprinted Michel Mi.135 PF IV
Notes: –
Value €: –
20 m., black
I White line near inner circle above lion’s head.
Field №: 19 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Overprinted Michel Mi.138 PF III
Notes: –
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES
5 pf., bright green
1 Broken letter f in pf on the stamp. Germany, stamp error: Broken letter f in pf on the stamp
15 pf.
1 Big white spot above farmer’s right shoulder.
20 pf., violet
1 Letters E and R of BAYERN touching bottom frame. Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Letters E and R of BAYERN touching lower frame
2 Letter R in BAYERN broken, looks like F, color smear on top frame. Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Letter R in BAYERN broken, looks like F, color smear on top frame
60 pf., blue green
1 White dot in front of farmer’s face and chunk of dirt below his feet. Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw White dot in front of farmer’s face and chunk of dirt below his feet
75 pf., lilac rose
1 White dot below letter N in BAYERN. Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw White dot below letter N in BAYERN
2 White spot in front of farmer’s left knee.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
2 ½ mark
1 Shifted print phases.

Official stamps

1916/20. Official stamps.

TYPES
30 pf.
I White spots over the left 30.
Field №: 42, 47, 92, 97 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.22II
Notes: –
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES
10 pf.
1 Top horizontal stroke of the last letter E in DIENSTMARKE missing.
20 pf.
1 A “horn” on the left numeral 2.
60 pf.
1 Letter D in DIENSTMARKEN broken on top.

1920. Official stamps.

VARIETIES AND TYPES OF OVERPRINTS
In 1920/21, these stamps were overprinted Deutsches Reich in black color. For the list of varieties and types of overprints please visit section of the Weimar Republic.
TYPES
40 pf., brown
I Lion’s jaws whide open.
Field №: 35, 40, 85, 90 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
Value €: –
1 ¼ m., green
I Letter E in DIENSTMARKE damaged.
Field №: 18, 43 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 57I; Overprinted Michel Mi.47I
Notes: –
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES
10 pf., orange
1 Letter Y in BAYERN damaged at the bottom. Germany Bavaria postage stamp plate flaw Letter Y in BAYERN damaged at the bottom

 

Bibliography

  1. Michel Deutschland-Spezial 2007, Band 1: 1849 bis April 1945. Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN 978-3-87858-151-2