Memel Territory - Issues of 1920-1921

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Memel Territory

(Memelgebiet, Memelland, Klaipeda)

Issues of 1920-1921

The Memel Territory, Memelland or Memelgebiet in German, or Klaipedia in Lithuanian, was established by the Treaty of Versailles in 1920 and placed under the administration of the Council of Ambassadors. A French military administration was established to rule the new territory.

The period of the French Administration was largely peaceful. But, from the time of the Napoleonic Wars, the French were not popular with the ethnic Germanic and Slavic populations of Eastern Europe, and the presence of the French military in their territories was greatly resented.

All of the postage stamps of Memel from 1920 through early 1923 are overprinted contemporary German and French definitive postage stamps. As such, forgeries of some of the overprints do exist. When shopping for the more expensive varieties, it may be wise to buy only those that have been properly authenticated.

These overprinted definitive postage stamps are presented in Michel (Deutschland Katalog - Memelgebiet) catalog number order. Color names are from the Scott catalog. Both Michel and Scott catalog numbers are used in the description tables, where possible.

The seventeen contemporary Germania and Representative Subject stamps shown above were overprinted for the Memel Territory during August 1920.

Their catalog attributes are as follows:

05 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #1, Sc. #1) - Green.
10 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #2, Sc. #2) - Carmine Rose.
15 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #3, Sc. #4) - Violet Brown.
20 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #4, Sc. #5) - Blue Violet.
30 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #5, Sc. #6) - Orange & Black on Buff.
40 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #6, Sc. #8) - Lake & Black.
50 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #7, Sc. #9) - Purple & Black on Buff.
75 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #8, Sc. #11) - Green & Black.
01.00 Mk. (1920 - Mi. #9, Sc. #13) - Carmine Rose.
01.25 Mk. (1920 - Mi. #10, Sc. #14) - Green.
01.50 Mk. (1920 - Mi. #11, Sc. #15) - Yellow Brown.
02.00 Mk. (1920 - Mi. #12, Sc. #16) - Blue.
02.50 Mk. (1920 - Mi. #13, Sc. #17) - Red Lilac.

10 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #14, Sc. #3) - Orange.
30 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #15, Sc. #7) - Dull Blue.
60 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #16, Sc. #10) - Olive Green.
80 Pf. (1920 - Mi. #17, Sc. #12) - Blue Violet.

Shade and gum varieties exist for some of these stamps. See the Michel Deutschland-Spezial-Katalog for details.

The 60 Pf. in Magenta and the 80 Pf. in Lake & Black on Rose also exist with this overprint, but they were never issued. They are very rare!

The sixteen contemporary Sower and Merson type French stamps shown above were overprinted and re-valued for the Memel Territory, beginning in July 1920 and continuing through April 1922.

These Memel Territory overprints feature the country name and new denomination, with the first letter of the denomination being a lower-case letter.

Their catalog attributes are as follows:

05 Pf. on 05 C. (1920 - Mi. #18, Sc. #18) - Green.
10 Pf. on 10 C. (1920 - Mi. #19, Sc. #19) - Red.
20 Pf. on 25 C. (1920 - Mi. #20, Sc. #20) - Blue.
30 Pf. on 30 C. (1920 - Mi. #21, Sc. #21) - Orange.
40 Pf. on 20 C. (1920 - Mi. #22, Sc. #22) - Red Brown.
50 Pf. on 35 C. (1920 - Mi. #23, Sc. #23) - Violet.
60 Pf. on 40 C. (1920 - Mi. #24, Sc. #24) - Red & Pale Blue.
80 Pf. on 45 C. (1920 - Mi. #25, Sc. #25) - Green & Blue.
01.00 Mk. on 50 C. (1920 - Mi. #26, Sc. #26) - Brown & Lavender.
01.25 Mk. on 60 C. (1920 - Mi. #27, Sc. #27) - Violet & Ultramarine.
02.00 Mk. on 01 Fr. (1920 - Mi. #28, Sc. #28) - Claret & Olive Green.
03.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1921 - Mi. #29, Sc. #30) - Orange & Pale Blue.
03.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1920 - Mi. #30, Sc. #29) - Blue & Buff.
04.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1920 - Type I - Mi. #31 I, Sc. #31) - Orange & Pale Blue.
04.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1922 - Type II - Mi. #31 II, Sc. #31a) - Orange & Pale Blue.
10.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1920 - Mi. #32, Sc. #32) - Blue & Buff.
20.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1921 - Mi. #33, Sc. #33) - Blue & Buff.

There are two types on the 04.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. denomination.

Type I - Distance between "mark" and bar is 1.9 mm. The crossbar of the "4" is very thin.
Type II - Distance between "mark" and bar is 1.4 mm. The crossbar of the "4" is thick.

Printing varieties and various types of gutter pairs exist for some of these Memel Territory stamps. See the Michel Deutschland-Spezial-Katalog for details.

The two Sower type Memel Territory stamps from the 1920 issue, shown above, were re-valued in April 1921.

Their catalog attributes are as follows:

15 on 10 Pf. on 10 C. (1921 - Mi. #34, Sc. #43) - Red.
60 on 40 Pf. on 20 C. (1921 - Mi. #35, Sc. #46) - Red Brown.

The four Merson type stamps shown above were overprinted and re-valued for the Memel Territory, beginning in May 1921 and continuing through September 1922.

These Memel Territory overprints are similar to those used for the 1920 issues, but the first letter of the denomination is now an upper-case letter.

Their catalog attributes are as follows:

60 Pf. on 40 C. (1921 - Mi. #36, Sc. #39) - Red & Pale Blue.
03.00 Mk. on 60 C. (1921 - Mi. #37, Sc. #40) - Violet & Ultramarine.
10.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1921 - Type I - Mi. #38 I, Sc. #41) - Blue & Buff.
10.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1922 - Type II - Mi. #38 II, Sc. N/L) - Blue & Buff.
20.00 Mk. on 45 C. (1921 - Type I - Mi. #39 I, Sc. #42) - Green & Blue.
20.00 Mk. on 45 C. (1922 - Type II - Mi. #39 II, Sc. N/L) - Green & Blue.

The two types indicated above are as follows:

Type I - Distance between "mark" and bar is 1.9 mm.
Type II - Distance between "mark" and bar is 1.4 mm.

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