Types and varieties of Swiss Postage Stamps: Definitive Issues

---

 

1908. Definitive issue, kneeling Helvetia. Printed in sheets of 100 (10X10).

TYPES
	Type I: inscription L’EPLATTENIER in the lower left corner. Type II: initials CL (standing for Charles L’Eplattenier). (both types printed in sheets and in rolls)

 

Possible constant varieties (not mentioned in literature)
40 c., red violet and yellow
1	Broken sword.
50 c., dark green and pale green
1	Circle above numeral 5 in denomination to the right.

 

1909-1911. Definitive issue, William Tell’s son. Printed in sheets of 100 (10X10), rolls and stamp booklets.

TYPES
2 c. bistre Types I, II and III 3 c. dark violet Types I and II (type III doesn’t exist) 5 c. green Types I, II and III 7,5 c. gray Types II and III (type I doesn’t exist) (Also on overprinted stamps of 1921)	Type I: bow-string in front of the stock. Type II: bow-string at the back of the stock, cocking stirrup thin. Type III: bow string at the back of the stock, cocking stirrup thick and even, the height of the second stair lower.

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1	White dot above the right limb, below the second letter E in HELVETIA.

 

1914-1918. Definitive issue, William Tell. Printed in sheets of 100 (10X10) and stamp sheets.

Possible constant varieties (not mentioned in literature)
1	Tell’s eye retouched.
2	Inner frame right from letters JS (above A in HELVETIA) broken.

 

1914 and 1928. Definitive issue, mountainous scenery. Printed in sheets of 25 (5X5).

TYPES
	Type I: engraver’s name A. BURKHARD in the lower right corner (issue of 1914). Type II: engraver’s name J. SPRENGER (issue of 1928).

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1	White slopping line in front of the numeral 3.
2	Retouching in front of the numeral 3.

 

26 January 1915. Definitive issue, Tell’s son, Tell and Helvetia. Letterpress. Printed in sheets of 100 (10X10), rolls and stamp booklets.

CONSTANT VARIETIES ON BASIC STAMPS
13 c. on 12 c., brown			Field number
I		BK instead of RK above letter H in HELVETIA.	?

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1 cent on 2 cents, bistre
1	The second line in overprint broken
2	The first line in overprint damaged to the left.
3	The first line in overprint thin.
4	All three lines in overprint thin.
13 cents on 12 cents, brown
1	The first line in overprint damaged to the left.

 

January 1921. Definitive issue, William Tell, Tell’s son and kneeling Helvetia overprinted with new values. Printed letterpress in sheets of 100 (10X10) and stamp booklets.

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1	White circle below numeral 5 in denomination to the left.

 

1921-1934. Definitive issue, Tell’s son, Tell and kneeling Helvetia. Printed in letterpress in sheets of 100 (10X10), rolls in sheets of 200 (10X20) and stamp booklets.

Possible constant varieties (not mentioned in literature)
20 cents, dark lilac
1	White circle below zero in denomination.
25 cents, vermilion
1	White circle in the upper left corner.
70 cents, violet and buff
1	White circle in the field next to Helvetia’s hand to the left.
2	Heart-like spot next to the right denomination value to the left.

 

1924-1940. Definitive issue, coat of arms. Printed in letterpress in sheets of 100 (10X10).

CONSTANT VARIETIES			Field number
I		The first letter E in HELVETIA damaged at the bottom (HFLVETIA)	?

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1	White circle inside the Swiss cross.

 

1924-1933. Definitive issue, Tell’s son, Tell and kneeling Helvetia. Printed in letterpress in sheets of 100 (10X10), rolls in sheets of 200 (10X20) and stamp booklets.

Possible constant varieties (not mentioned in literature)
10 cents, violet
1	Double lower left frame.
2	Small white dot on numeral 1 in denomination.

 

2 November 1936. Definitive issue, Swiss scenery. Printed in line engraving in sheets of 50 (10X5), rolls and stamp booklets.

TYPES
	Type I: two vertical lines in zero. Type II: two vertical lines crossed by two sloping lines. Type III (1939-1942 issue): only one sloping line, brown color.
	Type II: heavier shading, roadside stones thicker and larger.

 

CONSTANT VARIETIES			Field number
I		Long thin red line above the railways.	11
II		Missing lines on the bridge and on the river (“white bridge”).	–

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
20 cents, carmine
1	Colored dot below letter V in HELVETIA.
25 cents, light brown
1	Colored smudge below letters ELVE in HELVETIA.
30 cents, ultramarine
1	Colored smudge above the upper frame.

 

5 September 1937 – 6 July 1946. Definitive issue, Post Bus. Printed in line engraving in sheets of 50 (10X5), rolls and stamp booklets.

TYPES
	Type I (1937): mountain peak close to the top border, image height 37,4 X 20,8 mm, inscription BERNH. REBER shorter (4,5 mm long). Type II (1946): greater distance between the mountain peak and top border; image height 38 X 22,6 mm, inscription BERNH. REBER longer (6 mm).

 

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1	Out of register

 

17 September 1938. Swiss scenery. Printed in line engraving in sheets of 50 (10X5).

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
1	Colored spots below the lower frame.

 

21 March 1942. Collect scrap materials. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 25 (5X5).

CONSTANT VARIETIES
Inscription in German			Field number
I		White line below inscription Durchhalten.	9 (partially)
II		Letter m in zum broken on top.	1 (partially)
III		White circle near perforation on the bottom, below letters T and I in HELVETIA.	?
IV		White line below letters tof in Altstoffe.	1 (partially)
Inscription in French			Field number
I		Letter E in PER damaged on top.	4 (partially)
Inscription in Italian			Field number
I		A scratch below letter I in VECCHIA.	6 (partially)

 

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in literature)
Inscription in Italian
1	Two horizontal lines below letters E and C in VECCHIA.
2	Retouching (?) below denomination value.
Inscription in French
1	A cricle at the bottom of the letter R in POUR.

 

1 August 1949. Swiss scenery. Printed in line engraving in sheets of 50 (5 x 10).

TYPES
20 c., brown carmine (Reservoir Grimsel)
Type I	Type II	Type III
Type I: Three lines above curved rock, no diagonal hatching above denomination and H of HELVETIA.	Type II (re-engraving): Two diagonal lines above curved rock, strong hatching above denomination and H of HELVETIA, stamp has darker appearance.	Type III (stamps from rolls): Two diagonal lines above curved rock, light hatching above denomination and H of HELVETIA, horizontal perforation straight cut.

 

CONSTANT VARIETIES
25 c., red			Field number
I		Thin vertical line below the bridge.	?
70 c., purple			Field number
I		Vertical riveting through the center of the triangular area.	?

 

1960 – 1968 Definitive issue: motives from postal history and buildings. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 50 (5X10), rolls and stamp booklets.

TYPES
5 c., light ultramarine
Type I	Type II	Type I (sheets): four vertical lines on lance rod behind messenger’s hand. Type II (rolls): three vertical lines on lance rod behind messenger’s hand.
10 c., blue green
Type I	Type II	Type I (sheets): dot (nail) on lance tip visible. Type II (rolls): nail on lance tip missing.
20 c., rose pink
Type I	Type II	Type I (sheets): ten dots on horizontal harness strip. Type II (rolls): nine dots, the one that is the closest to the tail is missing.
50 c., light violet blue
Type I	Type II	Type I (sheets): three shading lines above arch. Type II (rolls): two shading lines.

 

CONSTANT VARIETIES
10 c., blue green			Field number
I		Colored spot on chin.	?
20 c., rose pink			Field number
I		Additional strong line on horse’s tail, colored smudge over cannons.	(rolls)

 

 

Bibliography

---

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