Kingdom of Yugoslavia, definitive issues of 1931/35: King Alexander I., facing to the left

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A. Introduction

Stamps of the fourth definitive issue were designed by P. Stojičević and engraved by D. Vagner. The clichés were produced in Vienna and the stamps were printed by the State Printing Works in Belgrade. They were printed in sheets of 100 (10 × 10) on protected paper with white gum and comb perforation 12½. The stamps bear the engraver’s name in Cyrillic below the frame: Д. ВАГНЕР. They were issued on 1 September 1931.

The stamps of the fourth definitive issue were mistakenly printed with the engraver’s signature, which led to a dispute between the designer, Stojičević, and the Ministry of Transport. As a result, later printings, beginning on 1 December 1932, no longer bore the engraver’s signature. These printings are collectively regarded as the fifth definitive issue. After Stojičević won the dispute, the supplementary denominations of 75 para, 1.50 din, 1.75 din, and 3.50 din were printed with the signatures of both the designer and the engraver: Стојичевић – Вагнер.

On 9 October 1934, King Aleksandar I of Yugoslavia was assassinated in Marseille during a state visit to France. The so-called Black Armband stamps (locally known as “Crni flor”) entered circulation on 17 October 1934 as a symbol of mourning following the King’s death. The method used to produce these stamps resulted in numerous distinct types of black frames, making this issue one of the most fascinating and extensively studied fields of Yugoslav philately.

B. Constant varieties

CONSTANT VARIETIES
25 para, black
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod.	3rd prod.
I	Indentation in the left frame next to the numeral 2, white dot between 5 and letter U in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
			Another example
		Value €:-	Value €:-
50 para, green
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod.	3rd prod.
I	White dot above the second letter J in JУГOCЛABИJA. Note also the colored spot above the top left corner.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
		Another example
		Value €:-
II	Extensive damage of letters Г and O in JУГOCЛABИJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.201
		Another example
		Value €:-
III	Dot on letter В in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
				Another example
				Value €:-
1 din, red
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod.	–
I	The ornament below the letter О in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА finishes with a downward bent hook.
	Field №: 41, 52
	Other nomenclatures:–
		Value €:-
II	A white dot inside the first letter A in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА, at the top.
	Field №: 72, 98
	Other nomenclatures:–
		Value €:-
III	Long white scratch above the right numeral 1.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.117, 118.
		Value €:-
IV	Dot below letter O in JУГOCЛABИJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.200
		Another example
		Value €:-
V	Horizontal white scratch between the letters G and O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.200
			Another example
			Value €:-
1.50 din, pink
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Стојичевић – Вагнер		1st prod.	2nd prod.	3rd prod.
I	The first letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA is split.
	Field №: 36, 93
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118; Jugomarka (1991), p.38.
	Value €:-
II	White dot above letter Л of JУГOCЛABИJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Value €:-
III	White dot above letter I in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Another example
	Value €:-
IV	White dot above the second letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Value €:-		Value €:-
V	White dot above the first letter A in JУГOCЛABИJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Value €:-		Value €:-
VI	White dot connecting numeral 1 and the left frame.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Another example
	Value €:-
VII	Dot inside letter U in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
			Another example
			Value €:-
VIII	Dot inside the letter O in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА and a small dot on the first letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
			Another example
			Value €:-
IX	Dot between letters O and S in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
			Another example
			Value €:-
X	One dot below and another right from the letter L in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
			Another example
			Value €:-
XI	White dot above the second letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Value €:-		Value €:-
XII	White line over the last letter A in JУГOCЛABИJA.
	Field №: 6
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118, 201
	Value €:-			Value €:-
XIII	A white dot between letters O and C in JУГOCЛABИJA. (Note also a black dot in the upper left corner.)
	Field №: 56, 86
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118
			Another example
	Value €:-		Value €:-
XIV	A white dot next to the letter И of JУГOCЛABИJA to the right side.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Another example
	Value €:-
XV	A white dot on the left-sided top ornament, below letters Г and О in JУГOCЛABИJA to the right side.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Value €:-			Value €:-
XVI	White dot below letter U in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
				Another example
				Value €:-
XVII	Big white dot above the letters G and O in JUGOSLAVIJA, white dot on the top right ornament below the letters И and Ј in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
	Field №: 70, 88
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118
				Another example
				Value €:-
XVIII	A white dot next to the letter И of JУГOCЛABИJA in the center.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Another example
	Value €:-
XIX	White dot above the first letter А in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Another example.
	Value €:-
3 din, slate blue
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod.	–
I	Grave accent above the letter G in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: 70
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118, 202
		Value €:-	Value €:-
II	Letter Д is damaged at the bottom left.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.202
			Value €:-
3.50 din, ultramarine
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Стојичевић – Вагнер		1st prod.	2nd prod.	–
I	A horizontal line on the second letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118, 203
	Value €:-		Value €:-
II	A white dot on the letter С and inside the letter И in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118, 202
	Value €:-		Value €:-
4 din, orange
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod.	–
I	Shade on the oval ribbon (below letters ГО in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА) shaped as a square.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
		Another example
		Value €:-		Value €:-
5 din, purple
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod.	–
I	A white dot between the letters S and L in JUGOSLAVIJA.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures: Novak (1948), p.118, 203
		Value €:-		Value €:-
30 din, rose
No.	Regular		Black Armband
	Д. ВАГНЕР	none	1st prod.	2nd prod. (none)	2nd prod. Д. ВАГНЕР
I	Horizontal stroke of the letter Д is missing.
	Field №: ?
	Other nomenclatures:–
	Value €:-	Value €:-		Value €:-	Value €:-

C. Possible constant varieties

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES (not mentioned in the literature)
25 para, black
1	Color disturbance below letter И in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА (possibly retouching).
2	A final stroke of the letter G in JUGOSLAVIJA is prolonged.
3	White dot above the last letter A in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА, a circle above the right-sided denomination.
4	Horizontal scratch above the inner bottom frame, below letters J and U in JUGOSLAVIJA.
5	A white dot (a comma sign) between 2 and 5 in the left-sided denomination.
6	Letter G in JUGOSLAVIJA is connected to the bottom frame.
7	White dot after the last letter A in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
8	White spot on King’s cheek.
9	A white spot below the left-sided numeral 5.
10	Thin scratch below the letter O and a dot between the letters A and V in JUGOSLAVIJA.
50 para, green
2	White dot below the letter C in JУГOCЛABИJA and a white dot inside the letter A of JUGOSLAVIJA.
3	White dot above the letter P next to the denomination value to the right.
4	Vertical scratch on letter П.
5	The fourth shading line on King’s collar is broken.
6	Horizontal shading line leading to the area between King’s chin and collar is broken.
7	White dot above the first letter A in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
8	“Comma sign” between letters О and С in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
9	A colored dot above the last letter А in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
10	White dot inside letter O in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
75 para, slate green
1	White line between letters O and C in JУГOCЛABИJA.
3	White dot to the left of the medallion.
4	White dot above letters A and V in JUGOSLAVIJA.
5	White dot above the last letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
6	The top inner frame above letters У and Г is broken.
7	White circle on King’s chin.
8	A colored dot between letters А and В in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
9	A large vertical scar on King’s cheek.	Enlarged area
10	A small dot on the letter Л in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.	Enlarged area
11	White dot above the right-sided denomination.
12	A white dot between the letters Ј and А in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
1 dinar, red
1	Letter Д next to the left denomination value is broken.
2	Letters J and A in JUGOSLAVIJA are connected by a thin line.
3	Dot on the ornament below the letter O in ЈУГОСЛАBЈА.
1.50 din, pink
1	Broken frame above letter B in JУГOCЛABИJA.
2	A white dot between letters У and Г of JУГOCЛABИJA.
3	White dot above letter И of JУГOCЛABИJA.
5	A white dot inside the zero in the denomination on the right.
6	White dot below letter V in JUGOSLAVIJA.
8	White dot below the last letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
9	White dot right from the first letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
10	White dot inside letter В of ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА, at the top
11	Letters U and G in JUGOSLAVIJA are connected by a thin line.
12	Thin scratch at the top of the second letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
13	A white dot on King’s chin.
14	Letter Д of the left denomination touching the left frame. Note also the disturbance below letters О and С in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА, probably incidental (foreign object on a printing plate)
15	Long thin line stretching from the letter О in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА to the first letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
16	Dot inside letter И in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
17	Dot left from letter V in JUGOSLAVIJA.
18	Colored dot on the last letter А in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
19	A white spot below the right-sided number 5.
20	A white spot below King’s left eye.
21	A white dot on the upper part of the first vertical stroke of the letter И in ЈУГОСЛАВИИЈА.
22	A white spot above the letter U in JUGOSLAVIJA.
23	A thin horizontal line on the inner frame above the letters И and Ј in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
24	A white dot between letters А and В in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА, a pale spot between letters G and O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
26	The bottom frame above the first letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA is broken.
27	Thin crack on the top frame above the letter Л in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
28	Two horizontal background lines inside the medallion are broken.
29	A thin sloping line above the first letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
30	Letters IJA in JUGOSLAVIJA smudged.
31	Thin vertical line between the letters O and S in JUGOSLAVIJA.
32	White hook next to the letter L in JUGOSLAVIJA.
33	A white dot on the letter G in JUGOSLAVIJA.
34	Small white dot below the first letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
36	Thin white hook above letters G and O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
37	White dot after the last letter А in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
38	A white dot at the bottom of the letter У in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
39	A white dot on the letter S in JUGOSLAVIJA.
40	White dot inside letter O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
41	Horizontal background lines inside the oval frame are interrupted at the top right.
42	A short white line on the left side of 1.
43	White dot left from the right denomination value.
1.75 din, deep rose
1	White dot left from the first letter J of JUGOSLAVIJA.
3 din., slate blue
1	White line over letter L in JUGOSLAVIJA.
2	Thin dot between the letters И and Ј in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
3	Pale circle above letters I and J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
4	Pale circle above the first letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
5	Letter O in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА is broken on the left side.
6	Thin line below the bottom frame, a colored triangle near the top left corner.
7	A colored dot above the letter Л in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
8	Shading lines on King’s forehead above his nose were broken. Note: stamp to the left with plate flaw II.
9	Large indentation in the bottom frame below the letter O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
10	The collar line is broken.
3.50 din, ultramarine
1	White behind the second letter A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
2	A white dot at the top of the second vertical stroke of the letter И in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
3	Two white vertical lines on top of the letter И in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.
4	White spot on the letter Д and color disturbance right from it.
4 din, orange
1	Thin horizontal lines above and below the design.
2	Thin horizontal lines below the design.
3	Thin horizontal lines below and left of the design.
4	The bottom frame is broken below the letter G in JUGOSLAVIJA.
15 din, brown
1	White spot at the bottom of the first letter J in JUGOSLAVIJA.
20 din, violet
1	A thin sloping line between letters L and A in JUGOSLAVIJA.
2	White dot inside letter O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
3	White circle above the left-sided denomination.
4	A white dot between the letters G and O in JUGOSLAVIJA.
30 din, rose
1	Horizontal stroke in letter Д is missing; white dot between letters O and S.

D. Incidental varieties

INCIDENTAL VARIETIES
Perforation errors
1	Double perforation.
2	Misaligned perforation (stamps wider than usual).
3	Bent pin in the perforating tool (above letters Г and О in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА).
Color spills
1	Color spills.
A foreign object on a printing plate
1	Foreign objects on printing plates.
Scratches
1	Vertical scratches over the design.
Printing blocks
1	Two lines connecting names СТОЈИЋЕВИЋ-ВАГНЕР.
2	Printing block after ВАГНЕР.
Offsets
1	Offset

E. The Black Armband mourning issues

Stamps with black frames were produced using three different procedures, depending on the production stage at which they were processed.

Changed colors, blurred, spotty and flat print of the stamps of the first production procedure (left stamp). Sheet borders are also significant in determining the procedures as the stamps of the 2nd production don’t have them.

Four frame types in a block of four: III and II in the top row, and VI and VII in the bottom row.

The first production procedure
Newly produced stamps of all denominations were the first to be issued. They were printed using the same clichés as the issues without frames. Lower denominations from 25 para to 4 din were printed in press sheets of 200 and then divided into two sheets of stamps, each containing 100 stamps (10 × 10). Higher denominations were printed in sheets of 100.

Characteristics:

1. Stamps produced by the first procedure were printed on a press that enabled two-colour printing, resulting in the black frame being well centered within the stamp design.
2. The black frame was applied in a single step and therefore has no distinct types.
3. The colours differ slightly from those of the stamps without frames; the impression is slightly blurred and uneven, and the image appears flat.

The 1, 10, and 20 din stamps were printed in two printings. The second printing can be identified by neater perforations, slightly thicker paper, lighter colours, and clearer impressions.

The second production procedure
Large existing stocks of already finalized sheets (printed, gummed, and perforated) without black frames were handed over to the press on 1 January 1935. All values, except the 1.75 din denomination, were overprinted with black frames. The 20 and 30 din stamps exist both with and without the engraver’s signature below the bottom frame.

Overprinting finished sheets proved technically demanding due to their dimensions. The sheet margins had to be removed manually, and the black frames had to be applied in two stages. As a result, some frames remained unprinted, while others were overprinted twice, resulting in dozens of different frame types.

Characteristics:

1. The print quality and colours of the stamps correspond to the issues without frames.
2. The quality of the black frame impression varies greatly. The frame is usually not well centered and was printed with varying amounts of ink.
3. Since the sheets of stamps were already perforated when the black frame was applied, the perforation holes are filled with ink. This is often visible on the reverse of the stamps, especially in the sheet margins (which were removed before printing).
4. The presence of frame types.

The third production procedure
At the same time that the finished sheets were handed over to the press for application of the black frame, a stock of unfinished sheets was delivered as well. Already printed but not yet gummed or perforated, these sheets were passed through the press to receive the black frame and were then finalized. Only three values were produced in this way: 50 and 75 para and 1.50 din.

Characteristics:

1. The print quality and colours of the stamps correspond to the issues without frames.
2. The black frame is identical to that of the newly produced stamps from the first procedure but is mostly not as well centered.
3. Since the sheets were perforated after the black frame was applied, the perforation holes are not covered with ink.

ISSUES AND CIRCULATIONS OF BLACK ARMBAND ISSUES
Denomination	Signature	1st prod.		2nd prod.		3rd prod.
		Date	Circulation	Date	Circulation	Date	Circulation
25 para, black		Oct. 17, 1934	12.062.000	Jan. 5, 1935	7.368.200
50 para, green		Oct. 17, 1934	1.972.400	Jan. 5, 1935	4.826.600	Jan. 5, 1935	7.700.000
75 para, slate green	Стојичевић – Вагнер	Oct. 17, 1934	18.082.900	Jan. 5, 1935	2.102.800	Jan. 5, 1935	2.100.000
1 din, red		Oct. 17, 1934	9.106.600	Jan. 5, 1935	1.398.500
1.50 din, pink	Стојичевић – Вагнер	Oct. 17, 1934	33.099.800	Jan. 5, 1935	1.992.700	Jan. 5, 1935	9.800.000
1.75 din, deep rose	Стојичевић – Вагнер	Oct. 17, 1934	2.311.100
3 din, slate blue		Oct. 17, 1934	2.983.700	Jan. 5, 1935	1.787.500
3.50 din, ultramarine	Стојичевић – Вагнер	Oct. 17, 1934	2.825.100	Jan. 5, 1935	237.500
4 din, deep orange		Oct. 24, 1934	1.396.600	Jan. 5, 1935	1.444.200
5 din, purple		Oct. 24, 1934	434.900	Jan. 5, 1935	895.800
10 din, brown olive		Oct. 24, 1934	1.602.600	Jan. 5, 1935	163.700
15 din, deep brown		Nov. 4, 1934	436.300	Jan. 5, 1935	258.300
20 din, dark violet		Nov. 4, 1934	642.100	Jan. 5, 1935	104.900
20 din, dark violet	Д. ВАГНЕР	Nov. 4, 1934
30 din, rose		Nov. 4, 1934	212.200	Jan. 5, 1935	234.400
30 din, rose	Д. ВАГНЕР	Nov. 4, 1934

F. Black frame analysis of the second production procedure

In the second production procedure, the black frames had to be printed in two phases. Special tools had to be manufactured for this purpose; however, some frames remained unprinted, while others were printed twice. As a result, dozens of different frame types exist.

According to S. Manželej (Priručnik maraka jugoslovenskih zemalja, Vol. 8, pp. 164–209), frame types appear in different layouts within a sheet because different tools were used for printing the black frames. The types of frames according to their different layouts are presented in the table below:

TYPES OF FRAMES OF THE SECOND PRINTING PROCEDURE
Layout A: All values, except 1.75 din. The 20 and 30 din stamps both with and without the engraver’s signature Д. ВАГНЕР below the frame.	Layout B: Only 0.75 para and 1, 5, 10, 15 and 30 din, the latter both with and without engraver’s signature.	Layout C: Is inverted layout A. Only 1, 5 and 10 din were produced in this layout.

TYPES OF FRAMES
	Type III/1: double frame on the right, top and left perforation colored.
	Type II/2: double frame on the left, top perforation colored.
	Type I/s: top perforation is colored.
	Type I/10: top and right perforations are colored.
	Type III: double frame on the right, left perforation colored.
	Type II: double frame on the left.
	Type I/i: right perforation colored.
	Type VI: frame on the left unprinted, double frame on the top right and bottom right corner.
	Type VII: double frame on the top left and bottom left corner.
	Type VIII/82: double frames on the left and the bottom.
	Type IV: double frame on the bottom.
	Type X: double frame on the bottom left corner, right perforation colored.
	Type IX/91: double frame on the top right corner, left and bottom perforation colored.
	Type V: double frame on top, bottom perforation colored.
	Type IV/90: double frame at the bottom, right perforation colored.
	Type V/92-1 (B1): frame split in the lower left corner, bottom perforation colored.
	Type V/c: double frame on top.
	Type V/96: double frame on top, left frame split in the middle.

TYPES THAT CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ANY OVERPRINTING FRAME (not mentioned in the literature)
1	The top part of the frame is missing.
2	According to the literature, type III/61 (B) is not supposed to exist on the 20-dinar stamp: left perforation, double right frame.

POSSIBLE CONSTANT VARIETIES OF THE BLACK FRAME (not mentioned in the literature)
1	A white dot on the black frame above the letter Л in ЈУГОСЛАВИЈА.

INCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1	Parts of the frame appear to be torn. Note: In the literature, it is suggested that such flaws occur on stamps from the second production procedure that had gum spilled on the face of the stamp. When soaked in water, the gum and the black ink came off. This cannot be the case with the presented 75 para stamp from the third production procedure; therefore, other explanations must exist as well.
2	Gone through paper print.
3	Border residues. Note: In the second production procedure, the sheet margins had to be removed manually, as they represented an obstacle to printing the black frame. Since this was done by hand, the process was not always precise. Sometimes parts of the margins remained and were overprinted, as in the case of this Type III stamp. In some cases, stamps were damaged during this process.
4	Black dots (impressions of perforation) on the back of the stamp.
5	Color spills.

 

References

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Bibliography

1. Katalog poštanskih maraka jugoslovenskih zemalja (1991), Jugomarka (Belgrade), YU ISSN 0351-4447
2. Novak, Dragan: Priručnik maraka jugoslovenskih zemalja (1948), Tome 8, Filatelistički savez Hrvatske (Zagreb)

Contributors
Some of the images on this page were contributed by mag. Boštjan Petauer FRPSL.