Independent State of Croatia: Official Stamps
Official stamps were used in communication among governmental institutions and between these institutions and citizens. The stamps were designed by State office for propaganda, which was headed by the prominent artist Vladimir Kirin.
In the beginning of 1943 it was declared that, due to the shortage of franco stamps, official stamps could be used also for private correspondence (Ercegović, 1995: 411). Letters with privately used official stamps are of great interest to specialized collectors.
Characteristics
The stamps were printed in offset by Državna tiskara in Zagreb. The postal sheet consisted of 100 stamps (10 x 10). it is unknown of how many panes a print sheet was consisted of nor how many printing plates were made for each value. Circulation also can’t be exactly determined.
There are indications that official stamps were printed in three runs between 1942 and 1944 and that the runs are distinguishable by types of paper. Consequently, a classification by paper types is the most common in philatelic literature. This notion is, however, disputed by some specialists.
| Denomination | Paper and perforation | Circulation and date of issue | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular white | Pelure | Offset | 1st run Regular white paper |
2nd run Pelure paper |
3rd run Offset paper |
||
| 10½ | 11½ | 11½ | 11½ | ||||
| 25 ban, rose lake | + | + | + | – | 1.000.000 (by mid May 1942) |
2.000.000 (15.7.1943) |
– |
| 50 ban, gray | + | + | + | – | 1.000.000 (5.2.1942) |
6.000.000 (March 1943) |
– |
| 75 ban, dark green | + | + | + | – | 500.000 (5.2.1942) |
3.000.000 (11.11.1943) |
– |
| 1 kn, orange brown | + | + | + | + | 1.000.000 (by mid May 1942) |
2.000.000 (March 1943) |
2.000.000 (4.6.1944) |
| 2 kn, turquoise blue | + | + | + | – | 500.000 (by mid May 1942) |
2.000.000 (11.11.1943) |
– |
| 3 kn, red | + | + | – | – | 8.000.000 (5.2.1942) |
– | – |
| 3.50 kn, carmine rose | – | + | – | + | – | 9.000.000 (June 1943) |
5.000.000 (?) |
| 4 kn, brown violet | + | + | – | – | 1.000.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 5 kn, blue | + | + | + | – | 500.000 (5.2.1942) |
– | – |
| 6 kn, violet | + | + | + | – | 500.000 (5.2.1942) |
500.000 (December 1943) |
– |
| 10 kn, light green | + | + | – | – | 2.500.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 12 kn, brown rose | + | + | – | – | 500.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 12.50 kn, deep orange | – | + | + | + | – | 2.500.000 (15.7.1943) |
2.500.000 (?) |
| 20 kn, dark blue | + | + | – | – | 500.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 30 kn, dark violet and gray | + | + | – | – | 500.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 40 kn, dark blue and gray | + | + | – | – | 100.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 50 kn, brown lake and gray | + | + | – | – | 100.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
| 100 kn, black and pink | + | + | – | – | 100.000 (by mid May 1942) |
– | – |
Data in table taken by Ercegović and Novak (Ercegović, 1995: 405-414).
Note: the stamp of 5 kn on pelure paper was not in circulation and become available only after the war.
Varieties
| TYPES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 banica, rose lake | Position | ||
| I | 
|
Colored dot on the left outer frame. | All stamps in the 9th column. |
| II | Colored dot after U in the emblem. | All stamps in the 10th column. | |
| 75 banica, dark green | Position | ||
| I |  |
Broken frame above the word SLUŽBENA. | All stamps in the 2nd column (recorded on issues printed on regular paper). |
| 1 kuna, orange brown | Position | ||
| I |  |
Colored dot after U in emblem, colored spot below the last curved ornament on the bottom frame. | Column ? |
| 100 kuna, black and pink | Position | ||
| I |  Another example |
Letter Ž in DRŽAVA broken at bottom. | All stamps in the 10th column. |
| CONSTANT VARIETIES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 banica, slate | Field number | ||
| I |  Another example |
Letter Ž in SLUŽBENA broken. | ? |
| 2 kn, turquoise blue | Field number | ||
| I |  Another example |
Thin line below to bottom frame, below the second ornament on the bottom frame. | ? |
| II |  Another example |
White scratch above letter P in POŠTANSKA. | ? |
| 4 kn, brown violet | Field number | ||
| I |  Another example |
Thin line on the left frame, left from the first ornament on top. | ? |
| 5 kn, ultramarine | Field number | ||
| I |  Another example |
Top outer frame line broken above the sixth ornament. | ? |
| 6 kn, bright violet | Field number | ||
| I |  Another example |
Thick colored line on top frame above letter N in SLUŽBENA. | ? |
| II |  Another example |
White dot above letter P in POŠTANSKA, an apostrophe after K in KUNA, outer right frame broken at bottom. | ? |
| 100 kn, black and pink | Field number | ||
| I |  Another example |
Dot above letter I in NEZAVISNA. | ? |
| UNLISTED VARIETIES | ||
|---|---|---|
| 25 banica, dark green | ||
| 1 | White dot inside numeral 5 to the right. |  |
| 2 | White spot left from the coat of arms. |  |
| 3 | White dot on the lower horizontal stroke of letter Ž in DRŽAVNA. |  |
| 4 | Large scratch over the top left frame. |  |
| 5 | Letter C in BANICA broken. |  |
| 6 | MAPKA instead of MARKA. |  |
| 7 | Letter Š in POŠTANSKA broken in the middle, colored dot on the left-sided numeral 2. |  |
| 50 banica, slate | ||
| 1 | Colored dot to the right, outside the frame. |  |
| 2 | White dot on the lower part of letter Ž in SLUŽBENA. |  |
| 3 | A scratch below letter R and another below letter V in HRVATSKA. |  |
| 4 | White scratches in the field next to the left inner frame. |  |
| 5 | White scratches in the field close to the upper right corner. |  |
| 6 | White dot above numeral 5 to the right. |  |
| 7 | White scratch below letter K in MARKA. |  |
| 8 | White dot above the second letter N in NEZAVISNA. |  |
| 9 | Thick scratch on the lower frame ornament, below letters K and A in HRVATSKA. |  |
| 10 | Two thin outer lines of the top frame, above the 4th ornament from the right, broken. |  |
| 11 | Long scratch below letter N in BAN. |  |
| 12 | The 7th and the 8th ornament of the top frame deformed. |  |
| 13 | Colored dot after letter U in the emblem. |  |
| 14 | Letter B in BAN deformed, bottom left outer line of the border broken. |  |
| 15 | White spot on the inner bottom frame, below letter H in HRVATSKA. |  |
| 75 banica, dark green | ||
| 1 | White dot between letters E and N in SLUŽBENA, example on regular white paper. |  |
| 2 | White dot connecting the third bottom ornament and inner frame. |  |
| 3 | Letter V in HRVATSKA broken. |  |
| 4 | White dot above left numeral 5. |  |
| 5 | White dot below letter R in DRŽAVA. |  |
| 1 kn, orange brown | ||
| 1 | White dot below inner upper frame. |  |
| 2 | White thin line next to the left numeral 1. |  |
| 3 | White dot next to the left numeral 1. |  |
| 4 | Big white dot below letters P and O in POŠTANSKA. |  |
| 5 | Big white spot next to the right frame. |  |
| 6 | Letter Ž in DRŽAVA without the lower horizontal stroke. |  |
| 7 | Big white spot below letters S and L in SLUŽBENA. |  |
| 8 | Horizontal white line on the inner left white frame, next to the letter P in POŠTANSKA |  |
| 9 | Curved line in the 5th white field of the emblem. |  |
| 2 kn, turquoise blue | ||
| 2 | White dot left from the coat of arms. |  |
| 3 | Comma after word DRŽAVA. |  |
| 3 kn, vermilion | ||
| 1 | White scratch below the final letter A in DRŽAVA. |  |
| 2 | White dot on top of the letter E in NEZAVISNA. |  |
| 3 | White dot after the final A in HRVATSKA. |  |
| 4 | White dot after the final A in SLUŽBENA. |  |
| 5 | White scratch below the final A in MARKA. |  |
| 6 | White dot next to the inner left frame. |  |
| 7 | White spot inside right numeral 3. |  |
| 8 | Tiny white dot next to the left frame, at the top. |  |
| 9 | Large thin scratch over letter K in HRVATSKA. |  |
| 3.50 kn, carmine rose | ||
| 1 | White dot connecting letters R and Ž in DRŽAVA, bottom frame broken. |  |
| 2 | Checkered fields inside coat of arms pale. |  Another example |
| 3 | Big white area next to the right frame. |  |
| 4 | Thick white line inside zero in denomination to the right. |  |
| 5 | White dot connecting the third bottom ornament and inner frame. |  |
| 6 | Big white spot above letters A and V in NEZAVISNA. |  |
| 4 kn, brown | ||
| 1 | White dot next to the coat of arms to the left. |  |
| 2 | Second letter A in MARKA deformed and barely visible. |  |
| 3 | Thin white line below the third bottom ornament from the right. |  |
| 4 | Top outer frame above letter K in MARKA broken. |  |
| 5 | White spot on the bottom left ornament (the left stamp). |  |
| 6 | Colored spot on top frame. | |
| 5 kn, ultramarine | ||
| 1 | Outer frame broken on top. |  |
| 6 kn, violet | ||
| 1 | Colored dot on the upper frame in the center right, example on a regular white paper. |  |
| 2 | Colored spot on bottom frame below the third ornament from the left. |  |
| 3 | Whitening on the fourth bottom ornament from the right. |  |
| 10 kn, light green | ||
| 1 | Thin scratch above letters E and N in SLUŽBENA, grave accent on letter K in HRVATSKA and a circle above letters A and V in NEZAVISNA. |  |
| 2 | Thin white vertical line below letter T in POŠTANSKA. |  |
| 12 kn, brown rose | ||
| 1 | Big white spot next to the right inner frame. |  |
| 2 | White dot below left numeral 1. |  |
| 3 | Letter V in HRVATSKA uneven. |  |
| 4 | Right frame broken at the bottom. |  |
| 5 | White dot connecting letters N and A in NEZAVISNA. |  |
| 6 | Two thin outer frame lines on top broken (above the second ornament from the right). |  |
| 12,50 kn, deep orange | ||
| 1 | Middle ornaments on top frame connected by a white line. |  |
| 100 kn, black and pink | ||
| 1 | Bottom frame broken below second and third ornament. |  |
| 2 | Letter Ž in DRŽAVA broken at the bottom, right stroke of first letter A in NEZAVISNA longer. |  |
| COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES | ||
|---|---|---|
| 75 banica, dark green | ||
| 1 | Color error. |  |
| 3 kn, vermilion | ||
| 1 | Printing error, probably scrunched paper. |  |
| 100 kn, black and pink | ||
| 1 | Double impression. |  |
Panes
Please note the files are large and will take time to load.
| Denomination | Paper type | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular white | Pelure | Offset | |
| 25 ban, rose lake | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 50 ban, gray | Not available | Click here | Not available |
| 75 ban, dark green | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 1 kn, orange brown | Not available | Click here | Not available |
| 2 kn, turquoise blue | Not available | Click here | Not available |
| 3 kn, red | Not available | Click here | Not available |
| 3.50 kn, carmine rose | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 4 kn, brown violet | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 5 kn, blue | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 6 kn, violet | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 10 kn, light green | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 12 kn, brown rose | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 12.50 kn, deep orange | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 20 kn, dark blue | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 30 kn, dark violet and gray | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 40 kn, dark blue and gray | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 50 kn, brown lake and gray | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 100 kn, black and pink | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Bibliography
- Ercegović, Velimir (1995): HRVATSKA FILATELIJA – Od predfilatelije do maraka Republike Hrvatske, Agencija za komercijalnu djelatnost, Zagreb ISBN-13: 978-9539641915
- Katalog poštanskih maraka jugoslovenskih zemalja (1991), Jugomarka (Belgrade). YU ISSN 0351-4447
