Content of Deutschland-Spezial 2023 catalog Volume I: 1849-04/1945

Old Germany; Northern German Confederation and German Reich; local issues 1923; foreign post offices; colonies and maritime mail abroad; occupation issues of World Wars I and II; plebiscite areas, Belgian military mail in Rhineland, Eupen and Malmédy; Gdansk, Memel, Sudetenland; field post stamps; official mail, war and propaganda forgeries; international reply coupons.

• Many editorial improvements, such as the systematic new recording of plate numbers for the market values of the occupation issues from 1914–1918, the distinction between the plate numbers from Bohemia and Moravia for Mi Numbers 1–19, new listings of special postmarks from the German Reich, Bohemia as well as Moravia and the general government, additional background information about the Witu Protectorate collection area as well as about several engravers and designers complement this Germany Specialized.
• Numerous new discoveries: horizontal gutter pairs of Bavarian stamps, rare watermark variations of the German Ozean-Reederei (shipping company), new printer’s imprints in the Memel collection area and an international reply coupon from Samoa have been found!
• 115 new colour photos contribute to the illustrations of the Old Germany collection areas.
• A review of price appraisals has led to numerous modifications, in particular in the areas of Old Germany, stamp booklets issued by the German Reich, the occupation issues from World War One, Sudetenland and the general government.
• Over 6250 high-resolution colour photos and approx. 96,200 price quotations

The Michel Catalog Deutschland-Spezial has contained in-depth special information for experienced philatelists and collectors of specialties and type variations since its very first edition. In particular the first book, which contained only 436 pages, published in 1935, catalogued one of the most famous and expensive type variations of Old Germany.

The Baden misprint MiNo. 4F started with an appraised value of Marks 25,000 and has been very much sought after ever since. Its value culminated in 2019 when it was sold for more than one million Euros while launching the high-profile auction sale series of the collection of Erivan Haubs.

This first type variation of the Germany Special is considered to be the most precious German stamp there is, yet even in 2020 the last type variation of German collection areas prior to 1945 has not been sighted yet by far. New discoveries are constantly made and are included in our new reference books after they have been thoroughly examined and approved by experts. A particularly large number of formerly unknown specimens celebrate their philatelic debut since the 50th Anniversary edition of our Michel Catalog Deutschland-Spezial.

The catalog is organized according to collection areas. Cataloging within these sections is chronological, based on issue date. Special stamp types, like official stamps, are located at the end of a collection area section. In order to assist collectors organize their stamps, numerous illustrations are provided, as well as information on similar stamps to help avoid possible mix-ups.

Attentive collectors will immediately spot a significant improvement found in this new edition of the Michel Catalog Deutschland-Spezial 2023: It presents itself in a much more colourful way than its predecessor, boasting 115 new high-resolution colour scans of stamps alone from Baden and Oldenburg. This makes it much easier to identify special features in your own collection in view of the wealth of cataloguing of the classic issues up to 1945. Despite this indisputable practical advantage, colour photos of outstanding pieces of the Germany philately are more than just a means to an end for any true philatelist. In 2022 the famous misprint from Baden – only three known specimens and an appraisal of a whopping 1.8 million Euros for one specimen on a letter making it one of the greatest special issues of Old Germany – was acknowledged by the German Postal System with a new issue on the occasion of the “Day of the Stamp”. Specially in the case of the “9 Kreuzer blue-green”, the new colour illustrations are an enrichment to the Michel Catalog Deutschland-Spezial. Photos: Baden MiNo. 4 F and FRG MiNo. 3719

Press Release Volume 1

On October 6th, 2022, the German Postal System erected a monument to a philatelic legend by issuing a block on the occasion of the Day of the Stamp: the Baden misprint MiNo. 4 F, a black 9-Kreuzer issue on blue-green instead of purple-pink paper. In this edition of the Michel Catalog Deutschland-Spezial 2023 the misprint on a letter is listed at the value of Euros 1,800,000. However, the Grand Duchy of Baden in the Southwest of Old Germany has even more to offer, such as the imperforate Stockach Provisorium, rare gutter pairs and attractive bisects. Yet the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg in the Northwest, with its rare units and special postage stamps, hardly ranks behind Baden. Both collection areas have been generously illustrated with a total of 115 new high-resolution scans in colour for the 2023 edition of the Germany Specialized.

The post-World-War-One local issues have also been expanded in detail, featuring 21 newly discovered fee vouchers as well as the folded letters and pre-printed cards of the East Prussian field post in their many attractive colour variations.

Now specialized collectors will also find a systematic new recording of the plate numbers concerning the commercial values of the occupation issues 1914–1918 as well as the distinction between the plate numbers from Bohemia and Moravia for Mi Numbers 1–19. The special issue listings of the German Reich, Bohemia and Moravia as well as the general government have been complemented. This edition also provides new background information regarding the collection area of the Witu Protectorate as well as several engravers and designers.

Of course many new special features, type variations and plate flaws found their way into this edition of 2023, such as horizontal gutter pairs in Bavaria, rare watermark variations of the German Ozean-Reederei (shipping company), new printer’s imprints in the Memel collection area as well as an international reply coupon from Samoa.

Particularly striking price changes were found not only in the Old German collection areas of Baden, Bavaria, Bergedorf, Bremen, Hanover, Prussia, Schleswig-Holstein and Lauenburg, Thurn and Taxis as well as Württemberg, but also in those of the pre-Germania times and the stamp booklets of the German Reich, the occupation issues of World War One, Sudetenland and the general government, which has seen the addition of numerous new corner copy appraisals.

This has turned the Michel Catalog Deutschland-Spezial 2023 into a treasure trove of new and updated philatelic information. We want to express our appreciation for the active commitment all contributors have shown. And we hope you, dear readers, will spend many enjoyable hours with this edition. And in case you can’t wait for the 2024 Specialized Edition – the MICHEL Rundschau is published monthly, featuring fascinating reports about old duchies and modern stamp issues!

SCHWANEBERGER PUBLISHING HOUSE
The Editorial Team

Content of Deutschland-Spezial 2023 catalog Volume II: 05/1945-

German local issues starting with 1945, including official stamps and private products; joint issues; Berlin and Brandenburg; the Soviet Zone; German Democratic Republic; Berlin (West); Saarland as well as Saarland as federal state of F.R.G.; the French Zone, the American Zone and the British Zone; F.R.G., foreign post offices; international reply coupons.

• Fully revised and updated expert knowledge about contemporary German collection areas!
• Numerous novel discoveries: New type variations and plate flaws in the areas of the Federal Republic, the Soviet occupation zone, the territories of the Allied Control Council, Saarland and Berlin as well as new special details regarding the Bizone complement the recordings.
• This edition is packed with many editorial supplements, such as important terminological clarifications, additional details regarding designers, information about the cross comb perforation of stamps issued by the G.D.R and new differences in the raster in the German Federation collection area.
• In all collection areas, the MICHEL price quotations were revised and updated, including modifications and price adjustments of the type variations of the local issues from 1945 and later, the Allied Control Council, the French and Soviet occupation zones, the first-day sheets of Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany as well as several young issues of the Federal Republic.
• Over 10,300 high-resolution colour photos and approx. 117,300 appraisals
• All novelties presented in MICHEL Rundschau up to and including No. 4/2023

What would a special collection be without the precious little details, many of which will reveal themselves as authentic plate flaws after many years? As always, this new edition of the second Volume of the 2023 Germany Special contains several such verifications that may motivate collectors to examine their own issues once again. Even though the plate flaw found on MiNo. 214 of the Federal Republic, which has now been confirmed and catalogued with visual details, is not a small one, it can easily be overlooked – after all, one star too many will only be discovered if you compare the specimen with a flawless regular stamp. We wish all collectors of Germany a successful hunt and lots of fun while searching for MiNo. 214 I or one of the many other newly catalogued special details – stay inquisitive! Illustration: Photo: PF I on MiNo. 214

Press Release Volume 2

On October 6th, 2022, the German Postal System erected a monument to a philatelic curiosity that has become a legend by issuing a block on the occasion of the Day of the Stamp: the misprint MiNo. 4 F issued in Baden in 1851, a black 9-Kreuzer issue on blue-green instead of purple-pink paper. The graphic design of this special block, which is based on inverted design elements, is creative and unique – in a single image it depicts the playful confusion about the numbers “6“ and “9“ and which colour is assigned to them.

But anyone who browses through the new edition of the MICHEL Germany Specialized Volume 2 will discover many more interesting, unique or even curious facts about history, graphics and printing technology. There are, for instance, the corn circles of philately, mysterious symbols on the sheet margins of East German stamps from the 1950s that, however, have never been completely decrypted due to a lack of official documentation. Or the newly discovered specimens of blackened Saxon issues, a method that had to be applied on the stamps of the German Reich that were still used during the Allied occupation in order to disguise Nazi images.

The latest edition of the MICHEL Germany Specialized presents new odd type variations, for instance in the SBZ collection areas, distinct plate flaws in the collection areas of Allied Control Council, Saarland and Berlin, attractive special details of margins in the Bizone collection area, including numerous supplementary definitions – after all, who knows what a “Hohlkopie” is? – and many newly recorded type variations, plate flaws and differences in the raster in the collection area of German Federation. And, last but not least, information regarding the designers of the issues, particularly in the French Zone collection area, has been supplemented, and the cross comb perforation of the stamps issued by the G.D.R. has been specified individually.

The type variations of the local issues as of 1945, of the Allied Control Council, the French and Soviet occupation zones, the first-day sheets of Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany as well as several recent issues of the F.R.G. show particularly numerous and lively price changes and new appraisals.

This makes Volume 2 of the 2023 MICHEL Germany Specialized a source of newly spotted curiosities and updated philatelic background information. We want to express our sincere appreciation to all active supporters for their help. And we wish you, dear readers, lots of fun while reading this edition and discovering fascinating new details. And if you can hardly wait for the 2024 Specialized Edition – the MICHEL Rundschau provides old and new, curious and unique facts every month.

Schwaneberger Verlag
Editors

Target Group:

Stamp collectors specialized in stamps of Germany, experts, dealers, thematic collectors, study groups, teachers

The catalog is organized according to collection areas. Cataloging within these sections is chronological, based on issue date. Special stamp types, like official stamps, are located at the end of a collection area section. In order to assist collectors organize their stamps, numerous illustrations are provided, as well as information on similar stamps to help avoid possible mix-ups.

Title: Deutschland-Spezial 2023
Volumes: I (1848-04/1945), II (05/1945-05/2023)
Edition: 53rd edition, in colour
Pages: Volume I ca 1216, volume II ca. 1472
Format: 155 mm x 230 mm, hardcover with three book markers
Publisher: Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH
Publication Date: 5 May 2023
Language: German

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