Danish Stamps
Definitives of 1870-1904
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A new series of Danish stamps were introduced, beginning in 1870. These were the first definitive postage stamps of Denmark to use the name of the country in the inscriptions. The new stamps issued during the period from 1870 to 1904 are among the most popular with Danish philatelists Worldwide.
 WMK 112
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 WMK 113
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Two paper watermarks were used for Danish stamps between 1870 and 1904, and they are both shown above. They will be referred to by their WMK numbers in the descriptions below.
Only the major denominations and colors will be shown in the images below. The many production varieties of these Danish stamps will be indicated in the catalog detail tables.
The six new definitive Danish stamps shown above were issued between 1870 and 1871, and they are known as the Skilling Bi-Color Issues by Danish philatelists. These stamps are all denominated in Danish Rigsbank Dalers (96 Skilling = 1 Rigsbank Daler).
What makes this new series of definitive postage stamps so interesting is the bi-product of their production methodology.
The
central part of the design of these new Danish stamps consists of a
colored oval, containing inscriptions, a wreath, and a crowned-circle
with the denomination. Around this oval is an ornate outer frame, printed in a
different color. As these bi-colored stamps were produced in two
different printing processes, all of these stamps exist with the outer frames inverted.
The Scott catalog details, for Danish stamps that are perforated 14 x 13 1/2 or perforated 12 1/2, printed on thin to thick paper with WMK 112, and have normal outside frames, are as follows:
- 02 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #16) - Gray & Ultramarine, Gray & Blue.
- 03 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #17) - Gray & Bright Lilac.
- 04 S. (1870 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #18) - Gray & Carmine.
- 08 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #19) - Gray & Brown.
- 16 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #20) - Gray & Green.
- 02 S. (1871 - Perf. 12 1/2 - Sc. #21) - Gray & Blue.
- 04 S. (1870 - Perf. 12 1/2 - Sc. #22) - Gray & Carmine.
- 48 S. (1870 - Perf. 12 1/2 - Sc. #24) - Brown & Lilac.
The Scott catalog details, for Danish stamps that are imperforate, printed on thin to thick paper with WMK 112, and have normal outside frames, are as follows:
- 02 S. (1871 - Imperf. - Sc. #16b) - Gray & Ultramarine, Gray & Blue.
- 03 S. (1871 - Imperf. - Sc. #17a) - Gray & Bright Lilac.
- 04 S. (1870 - Imperf. - Sc. #18a) - Gray & Carmine.
- 08 S. (1871 - Imperf. - Sc. #19a) - Gray & Brown.
- 16 S. (1871 - Imperf. - Sc. #20a) - Gray & Green.
- 48 S. (1870 - Imperf. - Sc. #24a) - Brown & Lilac.
The Scott catalog details, for Danish stamps that are perforated 14 x 13 1/2 or perforated 12 1/2, printed on thin to thick paper with WMK 112, and have inverted outside frames, are as follows:
- 02 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #16c) - Gray & Ultramarine, Gray & Blue.
- 03 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #17b) - Gray & Bright Lilac.
- 04 S. (1870 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #18b) - Gray & Carmine.
- 08 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #19b) - Gray & Brown.
- 16 S. (1871 - Perf. 14 x 13 1/2 - Sc. #20b) - Gray & Green.
- 48 S. (1870 - Perf. 12 1/2 - Sc. #24b) - Brown & Lilac.
The ten new definitive Danish stamps shown above were issued between 1875 and 1904, and they are known as the Øre Bi-Colored Issues by Danish philatelists. These stamps are all denominated in Danish Kroner (100 Øre = 1 Krone).
The inverted frames on some of these Øre denominated stamps occurred with such frequency that on some of the more commonly used
denominations, the stamps with inverted frames have the same catalog values as
those with normal frames!
The Scott catalog details, for Danish stamps that are perforated 14 x 13 1/2, printed on paper with WMK 112, and have normal outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #25) - Gray Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #26) - Slate & Blue, Gray & Blue, Slate & Ultramarine, Gray & Ultramarine.
- 005 Ø. (1879 - Sc. #27) - Rose & Blue.
- 008 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #28) - Slate & Carmine, Gray & Carmine.
- 008 Ø. (1886 - Sc. #28d) - Gray & Analine Red.
- 012 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #29) - Slate & Dull Lake, Gray & Bright Lilac, Gray & Dull Magenta.
- 016 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #30) - Slate & Brown, Gray & Brown.
- 020 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #31) - Rose & Gray, Carmine & Gray.
- 025 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #32) - Gray & Green.
- 050 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #33) - Brown & Violet, Brown & Blue Violet.
- 100 Ø. (1877 - Sc. #34) - Gray & Orange.
- 100 Ø. (1887 - Sc. #34c) - Greenish Gray & Orange Yellow.
- 100 Ø. (1891 - Sc. #34d) - Bluish Gray & Orange Yellow.
The Scott catalog details, for Danish stamps that are imperforate, printed on paper with WMK 112, and have normal outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #25b) - Gray Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #26d) - Slate & Blue, Gray & Blue, Slate & Ultramarine, Gray & Ultramarine.
- 008 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #28b) - Slate & Carmine, Gray & Carmine.
- 008 Ø. (1886 - Sc. #28e) - Gray & Analine Red.
- 100 Ø. (1877 - Sc. #34a) - Gray & Orange.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 14 x 13 1/2, printed on paper with WMK 112, and have inverted outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #25c) - Gray Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #26e) - Slate & Blue, Gray & Blue, Slate & Ultramarine, Gray & Ultramarine.
- 005 Ø. (1879 - Sc. #27b) - Rose & Blue.
- 008 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #28c) - Slate & Carmine, Gray & Carmine.
- 008 Ø. (1886 - Sc. #28f) - Gray & Analine Red.
- 012 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #29c) - Slate & Dull Lake, Gray & Bright Lilac, Gray & Dull Magenta.
- 016 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #30b) - Slate & Brown, Gray & Brown.
- 020 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #31b) - Rose & Gray, Carmine & Gray.
- 025 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #32a) - Gray & Green.
- 050 Ø. (1875 - Sc. #33b) - Brown & Violet, Brown & Blue Violet.
- 100 Ø. (1877 - Sc. #34b) - Gray & Orange.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 13, printed on paper with WMK 112, and have normal outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #41) - Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1896 - Sc. #42) - Slate & Blue.
- 008 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #44) - Slate & Carmine.
- 012 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #46) - Slate & Dull Lake.
- 016 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #47) - Slate & Brown.
- 025 Ø. (1898 - Sc. #50) - Gray & Green.
- 050 Ø. (1897 - Sc. #51) - Brown & Violet.
- 100 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #52) - Slate & Orange.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 13, printed on paper with WMK 112, and have inverted outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #41b) - Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1896 - Sc. #42a) - Slate & Blue.
- 008 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #44a) - Slate & Carmine.
- 012 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #46a) - Slate & Dull Lake.
- 016 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #47a) - Slate & Brown.
- 025 Ø. (1898 - Sc. #50a) - Gray & Green.
- 050 Ø. (1897 - Sc. #51a) - Brown & Violet.
- 100 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #52a) - Slate & Orange.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 13, printed on paper with WMK 113, and have normal outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #41c) - Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #42b) - Slate & Blue.
- 008 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #44d) - Slate & Carmine.
- 025 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #50b) - Gray & Green.
- 050 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #51b) - Brown & Violet.
- 100 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #52b) - Slate & Orange.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 13, printed on paper with WMK 113, and have inverted outside frames, are as follows:
- 003 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #41d) - Blue & Gray.
- 004 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #42c) - Slate & Blue.
- 025 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #50c) - Gray & Green.
- 050 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #51c) - Brown & Violet.
- 100 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #52c) - Slate & Orange.
The eight new definitive Danish stamps shown above were issued between 1882 and 1902. These stamps are all denominated in Danish Kroner (100 Øre = 1 Krone).
These stamps feature
the Danish Coat of Arms, along with two circles containing large denomination
numerals at each side. They also have small denomination numerals in
each of the corners. These stamps were printed in single colors, and
they would eventually become the lowest-denomination definitive postage
stamps, complimenting the higher-denomination bi-color definitive
postage stamp issues.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 14 x 13 1/2, and are printed on paper with WMK 112, are as follows:
- 05 Ø. (1882 - Small Corner Numerals - Sc. #35) - Green.
- 20 Ø. (1882 - Small Corner Numerals - Sc. #37) - Blue.
- 05 Ø. (1884 - Large Corner Numerals - Sc. #38) - Green.
- 10 Ø. (1885 - Large Corner Numerals - Sc. #39) - Carmine.
- 10 Ø. (1888 - Small Corner Numerals - Sc. #39a) - Carmine.
- 20 Ø. (1884 - Large Corner Numerals - Sc. #40) - Blue.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 13, and are printed on paper with WMK 112, are as follows:
- 05 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #43) - Green.
- 10 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #45) - Rose Carmine.
- 20 Ø. (1895 - Sc. #48) - Blue.
- 24 Ø. (1901 - Sc. #40) - Brown.
The Scott catalog details, for stamps that are perforated 13, and are printed on paper with WMK 113, are as follows:
- 01 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #53) - Orange.
- 05 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #43a) - Green.
- 10 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #45a) - Rose Carmine.
- 15 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #54) - Lilac.
- 20 Ø. (1902 - Sc. #48a) - Blue.
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Return to Danish Stamps from
Definitives of 1870-1904
Inverted Frame
Types of
1870 to 1904
The easiest way to determine if a stamp has an inverted frame is to take a look at the upper left corner, as shown in the illustrations below.
Normal Frame
U/L Corner
The arabesque in the upper left corner has a main stem and a branch.
On the stamps with normal frames, the branch leaves the main stem half way between the two little adjacent leaflets, as shown above.
Inverted Frame
U/L Corner
On the stamps with inverted frames, the branch begins at the foot of the lower leaflet, as shown above.
Between 1904 and 1912 some of the 8 Øre denomination stamps were revalued to 4 Øre.
These overprints were applied to two different printings of the 8
Øre stamps, and their details are as follows:
- 004 Ø. (1904 - WMK 113, Normal Frame - Sc. #55)
- 004 Ø. (1912 - WMK 112, Normal Frame - Sc. #55a)
- 004 Ø. (1912 - WMK 112, Inverted Frame - Sc. #55b)
During 1904 some of the 24 Øre denomination stamps of 1902 were revalued to 15 Øre (Sc. #56). An example is shown above.