Philately of Austria, 1945 Coat of Arms Issue: Varieties
3 July 1945 – 21 November 1945. Coat of arms of the Republic of Austria. In use in the Soviet occupied areas.
Stamps in Reichmark denominations were printed in line engraving while the pfennig values were printed in several techniques:
- letterpress, using rubber plates: 5, 6, 8 and 12 pfennig
- letterpress, using metal plates: 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 25, 30, 38, 40, 42, 50, 60 and 80 pfennig
- offset printing: 20, 24, 30, 38, 42 and 80 pfennig.
Perforation comb 14½ : 13¾.
A. Types
| TYPES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pf., dark green | Field number | ||
| I
699II |
 |
A comet. | 4, 9, 54, 59 |
| 6 pf., deep violet | Field number | ||
| I
700I |
 |
A comet. | 32, 37, 82, 87 |
| 8 pf., orange brown | Field number | ||
| I
701II |
 |
Top of the handle of the sickle deformed. | 24, 29, 74, 79 |
| II
701III |
 |
White line in letter C in ÖSTERREICH. | 22, 27, 72, 77 |
| 10 pf., deep brown | Field number | ||
| I
702I |
 |
Hammer broken at top. | 24, 29, 74, 79 |
| 12 pf., rose carmine | Field number | ||
| I
703II |
 |
Feathers below beak damaged. | 5, 10, 55, 60 |
| 15 pf., orange red (3.8.1945) | Field number | ||
| I
704I |
 |
Top vertical lines in the shield shorter on the right. | 5, 10, 55, 60 |
| 16 pf., dull blue green | Field number | ||
| I
705I |
 |
Letter R between 1 and 6. | 31, 36, 81, 86 |
| 40 pf., bright red violet (9.8.1945) | Field number | ||
| I
711I |
 |
Blade of the sickle worn out. | 14, 18 |
| 50 pf., blue green | Field number | ||
| I
713I |
 |
Zero open at bottom. | 35, 40 |
| 2 rm., dark purple (21.11.1945) | Field number | ||
| I
717I |
 |
Dark spot in the lower left corner near the sickle. | 13, 18 |
B. Constant varieties
| CONSTANT VARIETIES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 pf., brown | Field number | ||
| I |  |
The 6th feather on the right deformed. | ? |
| II |  |
The second inner half-circle from the top on the right frame damaged. | ? |
| 4 pf., slate | Field number | ||
| I |  |
White spot in numeral 4. | ? |
| II |  |
White triangle between letters I and K in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| 5 pf., dark green | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Spot on the second letter R in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| II |  |
A horn on the crown. | ? |
| III |  |
Colored triangle below letter H in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| IV |  |
Blade of the sickle broken. | ? |
| V |  |
Lower end of the beak filled with color. | ? |
| VI 699V |
 |
Lines in shield damaged. (Also noted: white letters.) |
60 |
| VII 699VI |
 |
Thick numeral 5. (Also noted: deformed inscriptions) |
1 |
| VIII 699I |
 Another example |
Double inscription. | 76, 87 |
| 6 pf., deep violet | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Sickle deformed. | ? |
| II |  |
Outline of the hammer handle missing at top. | ? |
| 8 pf., orange brown | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Letter C in ÖSTERREICH deformed. | ? |
| 10 pf., deep brown | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Bottom frame below letters EICH in ÖSTERREICH split. | ? |
| II |  |
Indentation in bottom frame below the first letter R in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| III |  |
Indentation in top frame above numeral 1. | ? |
| IV |  |
Bottom frame below letters EIC in ÖSTERREICH split. | ? |
| 12 pf., rose carmine | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Top loop of the letter B in REPUBLIK white. | ? |
| II |  |
Thick inscriptions. | ? |
| III |  |
Red dot in network above letter R in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| IV 703IV |
 |
Big white circle on the left wing (the egg flaw). | 67 |
| V |  |
Colored line on the crown. | ? |
| VI |  |
The right cliche positioned lower. | ? |
| 15 pf., orange red | Field number | ||
| I |  |
The 3rd and the 4th feather on the left connected by a dot. | ? |
| II |  |
Top loop of the letter B in REPUBLIK smaller. | ? |
| III |  |
Network above letter K in REPUBLIK broken. | ? |
| 16 pf., dull blue green | Field number | ||
| I |  |
The right frame broken. | ? |
| II |  |
Colored spot on the feather above the sickle. | ? |
| III |  |
Top frame above the crown broken. | ? |
| IV |  |
Letters E and I in ÖSTERREICH connected by a dot. | ? |
| V |  |
Feathers at bottom right connected by a dot. | 1 |
| 20 pf., light blue | Field number | ||
| I |  |
White spot on the right side of the letter I in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| 24 pf., orange | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Middle feather on the right foot plucked. | ? |
| II |  |
Big white spot on the right side of the tail. | ? |
| III |  |
Big white spot at the bottom left side of the letter E in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| 25 pf., dark blue | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Small indentation at the top of the left feather. | ? |
| II |  |
PANZONI instead of RANZONI. | ? |
| III |  |
The 6th bottom vertical line in the shield interrupted at top. | ? |
| IV |  |
Small indentation in top frame above numeral 5. | ? |
| V |  |
A hole in the left wing, just above the shield. | ? |
| 30 pf., deep gray green | Field number | ||
| I |  |
White circle below letter H in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| II |  |
Feathers above the handle of the sickle damaged. | ? |
| III |  |
White dot between E and P in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| IV |  |
A curve-shaped scratch between letters U and B in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| V |  |
White dots between letters I and C and above the letter H in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| VI |  |
Big white spot on eagle’s neck. | ? |
| VII |  |
White circle on eagle’s left wing. | ? |
| VIII |  |
Outline of the sickle partially missing. | ? |
| IX |  |
White spot on a feather, left from the hammer. | ? |
| X |  |
White spot on eagle’s left leg, just below the shield. | ? |
| XI |  |
Colored dot on the sickle, just above the handle. | ? |
| XII |  |
White spot below letter H in ÖSTERREICH, outline of the sickle partially missing. | 91 |
| XIII |  |
Vertical line at the top of the hammer broken. | ? |
| XIV |  |
White dot on eagle’s neck, white spot on the right frame, next to the hammer. | ? |
| XV |  |
White dot on letter P in REPUBLIK (RERUBLIK). | ? |
| XVI |  |
A dot on letter I in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| XVII |  |
Horizontal scratch over the top vertical lines on the shield. | ? |
| XVIII |  |
White horizontal scratch on the right wing, just below the numeral 3. | ? |
| XIX |  |
Big white dot on letter H and a dot on the left side of the letter I in ÖSTERREICH. | 91 |
| 38 pf., ultramarine | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Top right corner deformed. | ? |
| II |  |
White spot on the right frame, just above letter H in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| 40 pf., bright red violet | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Frame below letters Ö and S in ÖSTERREICH split. | ? |
| II |  |
Indentation in top frame above the crown. | ? |
| III |  |
Feathers below the beak fuzzy. | ? |
| IV |  |
Frame below letters Ö and S in ÖSTERREICH uneven. | ? |
| 42 pf., sage green (14.7.1945) | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Damaged feathers below numeral 2. | 1 |
| 50 pf., blue green | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Top left frame indented. | ? |
| II |  |
Tiny indentation in top frame above the crown. | ? |
| III |  |
Colored spot on top of the middle bottom vertical line on the shield. | ? |
| 60 pf., maroon | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Indentation on eagle’s right leg. | ? |
| II |  |
Sickle above the handle deformed. | ? |
| III |  |
The third top left feather thicker, merged with the background. | ? |
| IV |  |
Outline of the zero broken at bottom. | ? |
| V |  |
White spot above the letter K in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| VI |  |
Horizontal white scratch on the right frame, just below the zero. | 1 |
| 80 pf., dull lilac (3.8.1945) | Field number | ||
| I
715I |
 |
Damaged top vertical lines on the shield. | 27 |
| II |  |
White spot on letter E in REPUBLIK. | ? |
| 1 rm., dark green | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Color dots on the hammer. | ? |
| II |  |
Short horizontal line on the left frame, next to the letter Ö. | ? |
| III |  |
Vertical thin scratch next to the right frame. | ? |
| IV |  |
Dark spot left from the crown. | ? |
| 2 rm., dark purple | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Colored dot right from the crown. | ? |
| II |  |
Vertical scratch over the hammer head. | ? |
| III |  |
Thin line on the lower part of the letter I in ÖSTERREICH. | ? |
| IV |  |
Thick letter O in RANZONI. | 1 |
| 5 rm., brown red | Field number | ||
| I |  |
Colored dot below the 8th feather of the left wing. | ? |
| II |  |
Vertical colored spot below the neck feathers. | ? |
| III |  |
Left frame uneven. | ? |
C. Unlisted varieties
| UNLISTED VARIETIES | ||
|---|---|---|
| 12 pf., rose carmine | ||
| 1 | Letter Ö in ÖSTERREICH damaged at bottom. |  |
| 15 pf., orange red | ||
| 1 | Top left frame broken, colored spots on the shield. |  |
References
Bibliography
- ANK “AUSTRIA” NETTO-KATALOG, 42. Auflage, 1987/88, ASCAT, Verlag Chr. Steyrer, Wien.
- Michel Österreich-Spezial 2011, Schwaneberger Verlag GMBH, ISBN 978-387858-592-3
