Prussia First Issues

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Prussia

Friday, November 15, 1850

German State


	Prussia Scott #1, issued 1856	Prussia Scott #2, earliest issue, 1850

Imperforate, watermark 162 (Laurel wreath), engraved.
Printed by ???.

Description	# issued	Scott
November 15, 1850
6 pfenning (½ silbergroschen) red orange	9 million	2
12 pfenning (1 silbergroschen) black on rose	26 million	3
24 pfenning (2 silbergroschen) black on blue	9 million	4
36 pfenning (3 silbergroschen) black on yellow	9 million	5
1856
4 pfenning yellow green	?	1

All issue quantities are approximate.

Prussia was a large postal entity. In 1850 there were 1,721 post offices. 1,987 ring number cancels were originally issued, mainly in alphabetical order.

Prussia was the first German State to use watermarks as protection agains counterfeits.

The first issue differs from the second in these traits:

The first issue is on colored paper, except for Scott #1
The first issue is engraved, the second is typographed.
The first issue has a background of crossed lines, the second has a solid background.
The first issue is spaced about 1 mm. apart, the second is spaced about 3.5 mm. apart.

As of January 1, 1868 Prussia used stamps of Norddeutcher Postbezirk (North German Confederation).

Get an overview of Germany and German States 1849 - 1872.

Image of #1 from David Olson.

FI ref: 20

Page credit: JA

Page created 19 Feb 2014

Page updated 18-Jun-2017