2018-08-27 Mon

The 150th anniversary of Germany’s first unified postal system will be celebrated with the release of a new €0.70 postage stamp on 13th September. The stamps feature stamp designs of four North German Confederation stamps.

After the Second Schleswig War of 1864, the confederation was established in 1867 by King Wilhelm I and Prussian minister Otto von Bismarck, to unify the 22 German states above the Main River.

On 1st January 1868, new postal laws were introduced. However, a unified currency was not set up due to which, typographed stamps with three different currencies were issued.

Thaler was the currency of Northern District. 30 groschen was worth 1 thaler. ¼gr, ?gr, ½gr, 1gr, 2gr and 5gr stamps were issued. A text on the stamp reads “Norddeutscher Postbezirk” (North German Postal District) within a double circle. Fulden was the currency of Southern District. 60 kreuzer was worth 1 gulden. 1kr, 2kr, 3kr, 7kr and 18kr stamps were issued. The text read “Norddeutscher Postbezirk”, within an oval.

A 1gr rose, 7kr ultramarine, 1kr green, and ½gr orange stamps are depicted on the new German Stamp Day stamp. The third currency type was a single non-denominated (½-schilling) lilac brown stamp issued in 1868 for Hamburg. However, this one is not depicted on the new stamp. Rouletted imperforate stamps were issued for all three regions. Perforated stamps were introduced in 1869, and Official stamps for government were issued in 1870.

A €3.20 stamp was issued on 13th July 2017 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the 1867 North German Confederation. It features a red seal with the arms of the confederation’s members.

Image Courtesy: German Post