Swiss Cross and Numeral Issues: Varieties
The demand for postage stamps increased drastically during the 1870s. Between 1877 and 1878, sales figures increased by 30% as using postage stamps for parcels has been made compulsory.
Since the combined typography-relief printing process was expensive and the production time long it was decided to prepare new values that would be printed only in typography.
The new set was designed by professor Hassert from Stuttgart and printed in Bern by Stämpfli & Co. The difficulties in the delivery of granite paper forced the printing company to use the white paper available from the previous issues. Subsequently, from 1882 to 1889, stamps were printed on granite paper with the Type I control mark.
In 1887 the Health Department of Bern informed that the yellow color of the 15 centime stamp was toxic as it contained iron oxide and chromic acid. As no other mixture of yellow color was available, violet was chosen for the 15 cents stamp.
In 1889, the heraldically correct form of the Swiss cross was established by the Federal Decree. As a result, in 1893, the new plates of the control mark Type II were produced.
From 1906 onward, the stamps were printed on granite paper with the “Swiss Cross” watermark.
| Cross and Numerals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Control signs and a watermark   Control signs 1 and 2, watermark 1 |
Control sign 1:
Control sign 2:
Watermark 1: Swiss Cross |
||
| Denomination | Date of issue | Paper type | Control sign / Wmk |
| The first issue | |||
| 2 c., bister | 1 April 1882 | white | Control sign 1 |
| 5 c., maroon | 1 April 1882 | white | |
| 10 c., lively rose | 1 April 1882 | white | |
| 12 c., ultramarine | 1 April 1882 | white | |
| 15 c., yellow | 1 April 1882 | white | |
| The 1882-1900 issues | |||
| 2 c., bister | 1.4.1882-1885 | granite | Control sign 1 |
| May 1894 | Control sign 2 | ||
| 3 c., gray brown | 1.4.1882-1894 | granite | Control sign 1 |
| May 1894-1895 | Control sign 2 | ||
| 5 c., maroon | granite | Control sign 1 | |
| Control sign 2 | |||
| 5 c., green | 1894-1900 | granite | Control sign 2 |
| 10 c., red | 1.4.1882-1885 | granite | Control sign 1 |
| May 1894-1897 | Control sign 2 | ||
| 12 c., ultramarine | 1.4.1882-1890 | granite | Control sign 1 |
| May 1894-1899 | Control sign 2 | ||
| 15 c., yellow | 1.4.1882-1888 | granite | Control sign 1 |
| 15 c., violet | 15.12.1889 | granite | Control sign 1 |
| May 1894 | Control sign 2 | ||
| The 1906 issue | |||
| 2 c., bister | August 1906 | granite | Watermark Swiss Cross |
| 3 c., gray brown | August 1906 | granite | |
| 5 c., deep green | August 1906 | granite | |
| 10 c., red | August 1906 | granite | |
| 12 c., ultramarine | August 1906 | granite | |
| 15 c., violet | August 1906 | granite | |
A. Constant varieties
| CONSTANT VARIETIES Granite paper |
Field number | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| I |    |
Inner frame broken below letter C in the upper inscription FRANCO. Note: the breach can be wide or narrow. In case the breach is wide letter C of FRANCO is damaged. |
? |
| II |   |
Left borderline thin. | ? |
| III |    |
Bottom frame borderline prolonged to the right. | ? |
| IV |   |
Bottom right corner angled. | ? |
B. Possible constant or coincidental varieties
| POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES: A. Granite paper, control sign | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2 cents, bister | ||
| 1 | Letters C and O of the right-sided inscription FRANCO touching the inner frame. |  |
| 2 | Letter C in left-sided inscription FRANCO more enclosed. |  |
| 3 | Incision in the left frame next to the letter N of FRANCO. |  |
| 4 | The fifth vertical line in the upper left ornament missing. |  |
| 5 cents, maroon | ||
| 1 | Letter N in upper inscription FRANCO and inner frame below damaged. |  |
| 5 cents, deep green | ||
| 1 | Vertical lines in the design to the right uneven and wavy. |  |
| 2 | Lower left corner angled. |  |
| 3 | Bottom frame outline broken near to the bottom left corner. |  |
| 4 | Upper left corner angled (1). |  |
| 5 | Upper left corner angled (2). |  |
| 6 | Frame near upper left angle broken (1). |  |
| 7 | Frame near upper left angle broken (2). |  |
| 8 | Bottom frame broken. |  |
| 10 cents, red | ||
| 1 | The first vertical line in top ornament to the right touching upper frame – FRANCOП. |   |
| 2 | ГRANCO instead of FRANCO. |  |
| 3 | Letter R in inscription FRANCO on the left side open on top. |  |
| 4 | Upper frame next to the letter R in FRANCO broken. |  |
| 5 | Colored dot between letters R and A in FRANCO. |  |
| 6 | Left frame prolonged at the top left corner. |  |
| 7 | Indentations in top frame. |  |
| 12 cents, ultramarine | ||
| 1 | The first vertical line in top ornament to the right touching upper frame – FRANCOП, left vertical borderline damaged. |
 |
| 2 | Bottom horizontal borderline damaged, incision in the right corner. |
 |
| 15 cents, violet | ||
| 1 | Broken bottom frame. |  |
| POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES: B. Granite paper, watermark “Swiss Cross” | ||
| 5 cents, deep green | ||
| 1 | Frame near upper left angle broken (3). |  |
| 10 cents, red | ||
| 1 | Incision in the left frame next to the letter N of FRANCO. |  |
| 2 | Lower right frame thinner. |  |
| 3 | Incision in the upper frame above letter R in FRANCO. |  |
| 12 cents, ultramarine | ||
| 1 | The first vertical line in top ornament to the right touching upper frame – FRANCOП. |  |
| 2 | Incision in the right borderline, next to the first horizontal line of the ornament after O in FRANCO. |  |
| 3 | Light indentation in the upper frame above letter A in FRANCO. |  |
| 4 | Lower left corner broken. |  |
C. Coincidental varieties
| COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Color smears. |    |
| 2 | Double frames. |    |
| 3 | Inking varieties: overinking and underinking. |  |
| 4 | Bubbles of ink on the lower left frame. |  |
| 5 | Partial underinking on the left side. |  |
D. Marks appearing on all values
| MARKS APPEARING ON ALL VALUES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional horizontal and vertical lines are probably frame lines of a sheet or traces of printing blocks. | |||
Vertical line left: |
Vertical line right:  |
Horizontal line top: |
Horizontal line bottom:  |
Bibliography
- Michel Schweiz/Liechtenstein-Spezial 2003/2004, Schwaneberger Verlag, GMBH, München. ISBN 3-87858-365-6
- Timbres suisses: Les Types Chiffre http://www.timbressuisses.ch/encapsulation.php?page=tchiffre
