Helgoland
Issues of 1869-1873
Helgoland (in German) or Heligoland (in English) began issuing perforated postage stamps in August 1869.
As described in the Philatelic Overview article, all of the 1869-1873 issues described on this page will have the following attributes in common.
- Originals - Michel #6-7 - Group "x" is printed on thick, grayish white to yellowish paper without quadrilling / cross-hatching. Group "y" is printed on thick, yellowish quadrilled / crosshatched paper. The gum is usually yellowish. Originals of Michel #6 and #7 are perforated 13-1/2 x 14-1/4 with large perforation holes.
- Originals - Michel #8-10 - This group is printed on thick, yellowish quadrilled / cross-hatched paper. The gum is usually yellowish. Originals of Michel #8-10 are perforated 13-1/2 x 14-1/4 with large perforation holes.
- Berlin Reprints - Can be difficult to discern. Paper is smooth and white with crackly gum. The colors are slightly different than those of the originals. The stamps have large perforation holes.
- Leipzig Reprints - Paper is bright and ivory colored (glossy looking) with smooth gum. The colors are different from those of the originals. The stamps have small perforation holes.
- Hamburg Reprints - Paper is off-white with smooth gum. The colors are different from those of the originals. The stamps are always perforated 14 x 14.
 1869 - 1/2 Schilling - Mi. #6xa
|
 1869 - 1/2 Schilling - Mi. #6xa
|
The 1/2 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 2, was again issued August 15, 1869. These new stamps were printed on medium-thick grayish white to yellowish paper, and they were perforated 13-1/2 x 14-1/4. Between 1869 and 1872, there were six different printings of this stamp. They are as follows:
- Aug. 1869 (Mi. #6xa, Sc. #5a) - Blue Green & Dark Carmine.
- Aug. 1870 (Mi. #6xb, Sc. #5a) - Medium Blue Green ("fuzzy" frame lines) & Carmine.
- Jul. 1871 (Mi. #6xc, Sc. #5) - Green Olive & Carmine Red (porous printing).
- Jan. 1872 (Mi. #6xd, Sc. #5b) - Light Yellow Green ("fuzzy" frame lines) & Rose Red.
- Sep. 1872 (Mi. #6xe, Sc. #5) - Light Olive Green ("fuzzy" frame lines) & Carmine.
- Sep. 1872 (Mi. #6xf, Sc. #5b) - Light Yellowish Green ("fuzzy" frame lines) & Carmine.
Total quantity printed (for all printings): 100,000
1871 - 1 Schilling - Mi. #7xb
Original - Used
Auth. - Richter
 1871 - 1 Schilling - Mi. #7x
|
 1871 - 1 Schilling - Mi. #7x
|
The 1 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 3, was issued in July 1871. These new stamps were printed on medium-thick grayish white to yellowish paper, and they were perforated 13-1/2 x 14-1/4. Between 1871 and 1872, there were two different printings of this stamp. They are as follows:
- Jul. 1871 (Mi. #7xa, Sc. #6) - Carmine & Vivid Yellow Green.
- Jul. 1872 (Mi. #7xb, Sc. N/L) - Deep Rose Carmine & Dark Green.
Total quantity printed (for all printings): 30,000
Quadrilled / Cross-hatched Paper
GOOD NEWS!
The following Helgoland issues are ALL printed on Yellowish Quadrilled Paper and with yellowish gum. THIS TYPE OF PAPER WAS NEVER UTILIZED FOR THE PRIVATE REPRINTS OF JULIUS GOLDNER. So, if your example is on this type of paper, there is an excellent probability that it is AUTHENTIC.
Berlin, Leipzig, and Hamburg private reprints, of course, do exist for all the following Helgoland issues, but they are printed on thinner, white paper with transparent gum.
1873 - 1/2 Schilling - Mi. #6yh
Original - Mint
Scan from - L. Mead
The 1/2 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 2, was issued on quadrilled paper in July 1873. They were perforated 13-1/2 x 14-1/4. There were two different printings of this stamp. They are as follows:
- Jul. 1873 (Mi. #6yg, Sc. #9) - Bluish Green & Dark Carmine.
- Sep. 1873 (Mi. #6yh, Sc. N/L) - Medium Bluish Green & Carmine.
Total quantity printed (for all printings): 40,000
1873 - 1 Schilling - Mi. #7yc
Original - Mint
Scan from - L. Mead
The 1 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 3, was issued on quadrilled paper in June 1873. They were perforated 13-1/2 x 14-1/4. There were two different printings of this stamp. They are as follows:
- Jun. 1873 (Mi. #7yc, Sc. #11) - Carmine & Medium Yellowish Green.
- Aug. 1873 (Mi. #7yd, Sc. #11) - Dark Reddish Carmine & Medium Yellowish Green.
Total quantity printed (for all printings): 30,000
Three new denominations were added during 1873. They were the 1/4 Schilling, 3/4 Schilling, and the 1-1/2 Schilling denomination. These stamps, described below, were very similar in appearance to the 1867-1873 definitives, but the new designs DO NOT have the colored triangular ornaments at each corner of the vignette.
 1873 - 1/4 Schilling - Mi. #8a
|
 1873 - 1/4 Schilling - Mi. #8F
|
The new 1/4 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 1, was issued August 10, 1873. The stamp is printed on yellowish, quadrilled paper, and it is perforated 13-1/2 x 14 1/2. There were two issued printings of this stamp, which are as follows:
- Aug. 1873 (Michel #8a, Sc. #7a) - Dark Carmine & Yellowish Green.
- Sep. 1873 (Michel #8b, Sc. N/L) - Lilac Rose & Gray Green.
Total quantity printed (for all printings): 65,000
In September 1873, a total of 25,000 of the 1/4 Schilling design were printed in error, with the colors reversed. The error stamps (Mi. #8F, Sc. #8) were printed in Green & Carmine. An example is shown above, at the right. Unused prices are actually relatively inexpensive for authentic examples of these error stamps.
Of course, Goldner made private reprints of these Helgoland error stamps as well. As stated before though, the papers are white and they are easily discernible from the original stamps.
Unissued - 1/4 Schilling - Mi. #8c
Original - Mint
Auth. - W. Engel
The 1/4 Schilling denomination, shown above (Mi. #8c, Sc. #13), was prepared for issue at the end of December 1874, and 100,000 of them were printed. Due to the change-over to the new German Imperial currency the following February though, they were never placed in use.
This stamp is printed on thin, yellowish paper, with the issued colors being Lilac Carmine & Dark Green, and it is perforated 13-1/2 x 14 1/2.
 1873 - 3/4 Schilling - Mi. #9c
|
 1873 - 3/4 Schilling - Mi. #9c
|
1873 - 3/4 Schilling - Mi. #9c
Hamburg Reprint
The new 3/4 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 1, was
issued in December 1873. The stamp was printed in Light Green & Rose (Mi. #9c, Sc. #10).
Total quantity printed: 50,000
 1873 - 1-1/2 Schilling - Mi. #10
|
 1873 - 1-1/2 Schilling - Mi. #10
|
 1873 - 1-1/2 Schilling - Mi. #10
|
 1873 - 1-1/2 Schilling - Mi. #10
|
The new 1-1/2 Schilling denomination, featuring Head Type 1, was
issued in September 1873. The stamp was printed in Light Green & Carmine (Mi. #10, Sc. #12).
Total quantity printed: 50,000
For further details on the colors of the Helgoland 1869-1873 issues, as well as those for all the private reprints, see the Links to Other Sites section below.
Links to Other Helgoland Sites
Heligoland Stamps by Fritz Wagner
The Robert Pollard Study
The authoritative work on Helgoland postage stamps is the German language book, "Helgoland Philatelie" by Hellmuth Lemberger, published in 1970. If copies can be located, they are usually very expensive. The APRL has a couple copies that can be checked-out by APS members.
eBay Auction and Store Links
German States
The following links feature category-focused affiliated seller listings on various eBay sites worldwide. They may enable visitors to shop
for and to buy specific items for the
particular collecting subject they've just read about.
The
affiliated eBay seller auction lots provided by eBay,
Inc. are not the responsibility of the management of this
website. On high priced material, make sure the lots you are buying are properly authenticated.
Remember that the lots on European eBay sites are priced in EUROS. Shipping charges may be more, and the lots may take longer to arrive. Also, make sure the foreign seller ships to your country, before bidding on or buying his lot.
Return to German States Stamps from
Helgoland - Issues of 1869-1873
