Types and varieties of Swiss postage stamps: Commemorative Issues.

 

2 February 1932. Commemorative issue: Disarmament Conference in Geneva. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 50 (5X10).

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
10 cents, orange
1 Beak thick, olive branch appears to be broken. Switzerland: postage stamp error, Disarmament Conference, thick beak
20 cents, cerise
1 Beak thick, olive branch appears to be broken. Switzerland: postage stamp error, Disarmament Conference, thick beak
2 The end of the broken sword different. Switzerland: postage stamp error, Disarmament Conference, broken sword
1 franc, olive gray and blue
1 Print phases blue and black shifted. Switzerland philately postage stamp oddity misregistration

 

2 May 1938. International organizations: League of Nations and International Labor Organization. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
60 c., brown and buff Field number
I Switzerland 1938 ILO postage stamp plate flaw broken frame Frame line below the second letter E in HELVETIA broken. 15 (partially)

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
20 cents, orange
1 Inscription H. FISCHER below denomination partially missing. Switzerland: postage stamp error, International Labor Organization, FISCHER missing
30 cents, blue
1 Long blue vertical line on building’s first column. Switzerland: postage stamp error, League of Nations
2 Long thin blue line crossing the whole stamp. Switzerland: postage stamp error, League of Nations

 

1 February 1939. Commemorative issue, Swiss national exhibition in Zürich. Printed in combined line engraving and photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
Inscription in German
10 cents, purple and red Field number
I Switzerland: postage stamp plate error, Exhibition White dot in Swiss coat of arms. 16
II Switzerland: postage stamp error, pale impression Pale impression. –
30 cents, deep blue and red Field number
I Switzerland 1939 postage stamp plate flaw LANDESAUSSTELLUNG The second letter N in LANDESAUSSTELLUNG broken. 20 (partially)

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
Inscription in German
10 cents, purple and red
1 White dot below coat of arms. Switzerland National Exhibition 1939 postage stamp error

 

21 March 1941. National agriculture development plan. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1 Long thin line crossing the stamp. Switzerland: postage stamp error, agriculture, thin line
2 Colored dot below the second thug. Switzerland: postage stamp error, agriculture, colored dot
3 White spot between the horse and denomination. Switzerland: postage stamp error, agriculture, white spot

 

6 September 1941. 750th Anniversary of Bern. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland: postage stamp plate error, 750 years of Bern Scratch-like lines above the hammer. 5
II Scratches to the right from duke’s left foot. 6 (partially)
III White line in lower red area of coat of arms, below bear’s third paw. 11

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1 Black borderline of zero broken to the right. Switzerland 1941 Berne postage stamp error
2 Pale spot in the center of the lower red area of the coat of arms. Switzerland 1941 Berne postage stamp error white spot in coat of arms
3 Top left part of numeral 1 colorless. Switzerland 1941 stamp error Berne

 

26 February 1943. 100 years of Swiss post stamps. Printed in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
10 c., (4 / 6), black Field number
I Thin horizontal line at the bottom of the numeral 6. 4 (partially)

 

21 March 1944. Olympic jubilee: 50 years of Olympic games. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 50 (10X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
10 cents, orange and black Field number
I Switzerland: postage stamp error, Olympic jubilee, plate error Black spot next to Apollo’s left eye. 36

 

12 January 1946. Bicentenary from birth of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. Printed in line engraving in sheets of 50 (10X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland: postage stamp plate error, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Additional hairline at the back of the head. 40

 

9 August 1947. 100 years of Swiss railways. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
5 c., dark green, black and yellow Field number
I Switzerland 1947 railway anniversary postage stamp plate flaw missing spoke Spoke in train’s wheel missing. 6 (partially)
II Switzerland 1947 railway anniversary postage stamp retouching Retouching left from letter T in HELVETIA. ?
20 c., dark red and red Field number
I Switzerland 1947 train postage stamp
Switzerland 1947 train postage stamp cables partially missing
Switzerland 1947 train postage stamp cables missing
Various stages.		 Line mast and crossbeams partially missing (various stages) or missing altogether. 6 (partially)
30 c., dark blue and blue gray Field number
I Switzerland 1947 railway anniversary postage stamp plate flaw spot on coach Gray spot on the first coach of the right train. 9 (partially)

 

16 May 1949. Centenary of Federal Post in Switzerland. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland: postage stamp error, posthorn White spot above the mouthpiece of the horn. ?
II Switzerland: postage stamp retouching Retouching in area above the mouthpiece. ?

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
3 Short horizontal line between the mouthpiece and denomination. Switzerland: postage stamp error, retouching

 

15 March 1954. Swiss garden exhibition. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature) Field number
1 Lower line on wheat damaged. Switzerland: postage stamp error, garden exhibition 6

 

15 March 1954. 50 years of navigation on the Rhine. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1954 Rhine postage stamp plate flaw Dot at the bottom of the letter C in RHEINSCHIFFAHRT. ?

 

15 March 1954. The official stamp of the world football championships taking place in Switzerland. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1954 football postage stamp plate flaw Thin line between Africa and South America. ?

 

15 February 1955. Swiss alphorn blowers. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
20 centimes, multicolored Field number
I Switzerland alphorn blower stamp plate flaw
Another example		 Letter H in BOESCH damaged. 23
(Partially)

 

1 March 1956. 50th anniversary of the opening of Simplon tunnel. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland: postage stamp retouching, Simplon tunnel Big retouching area between the tunnel and the right tower. ?
II Switzerland Simplon tunnel postage stamp retouching Small retouching below the entrance to the tunnel. ?

 

1 March 1956. Swiss post bus. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1956 post bus postage stamp retouching A in HELVETIA Retouching on top of letter A in HELVETIA. ?
II Switzerland 1956 post bus postage stamp retouching bus left border Retouching between the bus and the left border. ?
III Switzerland 1956 post bus postage stamp retouching 1 in 1956 Retouching above numeral 1 in 1956. 25

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature) Field number
1 White spot on the upper screen. Switzerland: postage stamp error, post bus 21

 

27 February 1957. International exhibition of graphic arts Graphic 57, Lausanne. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1957 postage stamp Graphic error Gray spot near the left frame. ?

 

27 February 1957. 75th anniversary of Gotthard railway. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1957 Gotthard railway postage stamp retouching Retouching on the bridge, next to the left frame. ?

 

5 March 1958. 2000th anniversary of castle Nyon. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1 Thin line across the top part of the design. Switzerland 1958 Nyon castle postage stamp error

 

9 March 1959. The opening of the Lucerne Transport House. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1959 postage stamp Transport House Lucerne retouching Retouching below train wheels. ?

 

9 March 1959. The National Philatelic Exhibition in St. Gallen, NABAG 1959. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland philatelic exhibition postage stamp error Letters R and A in COURVOISIER S.A. filled with color. ?

 

22 June 1959. Europa. Printed in line engraving in sheets of 50 (5X10).

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1 White spot in the crossing of the upper circle and upper right rectangle. Switzerland: postage stamp error, Europa

 

20 February 1961. Developing countries. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1961 Developing countries postage stamp error
Another example (2)		 A bubble above letters T and I in HELVETIA. 1
II A bubble between letters T and I in HELVETIA 7

 

20 February 1961. 20 years of the “Hyspa”, exhibition for health, sport and gymnastics. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1961 Hyspa postage stamp retouching Retouching left from denomination. ?

 

20 February 1961. Complete automation of the Swiss telephone network. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1961 telephone network plate flaw Red dot in selection segment. 20 (partially)

 

19 March 1962. World Rowing Championship on Rotsee-Lucerne. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

TYPES
Switzerland 1962 rowing postage stamp type 1
Regular photogravure
Switzerland 1962 rowing postage stamp type 2
Raster fine		 Differences in raster of olive green and pink colors:

  • regular,
  • fine.

 

19 March 1962. The fiftieth anniversary of the Jungfraujoch railway station. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1962 Jungfraujoch railway station postage stamp error Colored spot between 2 and 0. ?

 

17 September 1962. Europa. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES ON BOTH VALUES Field number
I Switzerland 1962 Europa stamp plate flaw short branch
The 30 cents stamp.		 The longest branch short at the end. 8 (partially)

 

21 March 1963. Centenary of the Red Cross. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1963 postage stamp Red Cross error Blue dot to the bottom right from the Red Cross emblem. 1
II Light blue spot right from the numeral 6 in 1963. 6

 

21 March 1963. 100 years from the Paris Post Conference. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1963 Paris Post Conference post stamp plate flaw Blue dot at the bottom left from the clock. 20
II Colored dots above the fourth and the fifth window. 25

 

8 March 1965. 100 years of ITU. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1965 ITU postage stamp plate flaw Retouching to the right from the Philippines. ?

 

14 September 1965. World championship in figure skating. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
5 centimes, multicolored Field number
I Switzerland figure skating postage stamp plate error Upper curve of the first letter S in WELTMEISTERSCHAFTEN short. 2
(Partially)
II Switzerland 1965 figure skating postage stamp plate flaw finger Finger on the right hand of the female skater longer. 4
(Partially)

 

21. February 1966. Nuclear research in CERN. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1966 CERN postage stamp plate flaw White spot in the spiral below the Italian flag. 20 (partially)

 

13 March 1967. Care for blind people crossing the roads. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5)

CONSTANT VARIETIES Field number
I Switzerland 1967 postage stamp retouching Retouching left from letter H of HELVETIA. 20
II Switzerland 1967 blind people in traffic postage stamp retouching Retouching between the wheel and numeral 10. ?

 

3 May 1976. Europa. Printed in combined line engraving and photogravure in sheets of 50 (10 x 5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
80 c., multicolored Field number
I Switzerland 1976 Europa postage stamp plate flaw. Red smudge between 5 and 6. 34-37 (partially)

 

25 August 1992. Circus. Printed in sheets of 10 (5 x 10).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
70 c., multicolored Field number
I Switzerland 1992 Circus postage stamp plate flaw Broken line in the eye of the right clown. 15 (partially)

 

 

Bibliography

  1. Michel Schweiz/Liechtenstein-Spezial 2003/2004, Schwaneberger Verlag, GMBH, München. ISBN 3-87858-365-6