Memel Territory
(Memelgebiet, Memelland, Klaipeda)
Issues of 1922-1923
The postage stamp issues for the Memel Territory, utilizing overprinted
and / or revalued contemporary French definitive postage stamps,
continued throughout 1922 and into early 1923.
As with the contemporary French Sower and Merson type stamps, these overprinted stamps for Memel exist in various types of gutter pairs. Please refer to the specialized Michel or Yvert Tellier catalogs for details.
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 fourteen contemporary Sower and Merson type French stamps shown above were overprinted and re-valued for the Memel Territory during September 1922.
These Memel Territory overprints continue to feature the country name and new denomination, with the letters and numerals in italics (script).
Their catalog attributes are as follows:
- 35 Pf. on 35 C. (1922 - Mi. #84, Sc. #58) - Violet.
- 75 Pf. on 15 C. (1922 - Mi. #85, Sc. #60) - Green.
- 01.00 Mk. on 25 C. (1922 - Mi. #86, Sc. #69) - Blue.
- 01.25 Mk. on 30 C. (1922 - Mi. #87, Sc. #70) - Red.
- 02.00 Mk. on 45 C. (1922 - Mi. #88, Sc. #72) - Green & Blue.
- 02.25 Mk. on 40 C. (1922 - Mi. #89, Sc. #74) - Red & Pale Blue.
- 02.50 Mk. on 60 C. (1922 - Mi. #90, Sc. #75) - Violet & Ultramarine.
- 04.00 Mk. on 45 C. (1922 - Mi. #91, Sc. #77) - Green & Blue.
- 06.00 Mk. on 60 C. (1922 - Mi. #92, Sc. #79) - Violet & Ultramarine.
- 09.00 Mk. on 01 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #93, Sc. #81) - Claret & Olive Green.
- 12.00 Mk. on 40 C. (1922 - Mi. #94, Sc. #84) - Red & Pale Blue.
- 20.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #95, Sc. #86) - Orange & Pale Blue.
- 30.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #96, Sc. #88) - Dark Blue & Buff.
- 50.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #97, Sc. #90) - Orange & Pale Blue.
There are a LOT of listed varieties of these overprints. See the Michel Deutschland-Spezial-Katalog for details.
The ten overprinted and re-valued Memel Territory stamps of 1922, shown, above were re-issued as airmail stamps during October 1922.
These Memel Territory postage stamps feature an additional "FLUGPOST" overprint, in solid upper-case letters, positioned horizontally across the middle of the stamp.
Their catalog attributes are as follows:
- 40 Pf. on 40 C. (1922 - Mi. #98, Sc. #C20) - Red & Pale Blue.
- 01.00 Mk. on 40 C. (1922 - Mi. #99, Sc. #C21) - Red & Pale Blue.
- 01.25 Mk. on 60 C. (1922 - Mi. #100, Sc. #C22) - Violet & Ultramarine.
- 01.50 Mk. on 45 C. (1922 - Mi. #101, Sc. #C23) - Green & Blue.
- 02.00 Mk. on 01 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #102, Sc. #C24) - Claret & Olive Green.
- 03.00 Mk. on 60 C. (1922 - Mi. #103, Sc. #C25) - Violet & Ultramarine.
- 04.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #104, Sc. #C26) - Orange & Pale Blue.
- 05.00 Mk. on 01 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #105, Sc. #C27) - Claret & Olive Green.
- 06.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #106, Sc. #C28) - Orange & Pale Blue.
- 09.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #107, Sc. #C29) - Blue & Buff.
The two Sower type Memel Territory stamps shown above, were re-valued during October 1922.
Their catalog attributes are as follows:
- Mark on 10 Pf. on 10 C. (1922 - Mi. #108, Sc. #93) - Green.
- Mark on 20 Pf. on 20 C. (1922 - Mi. #109, Sc. #94) - Red Brown.
The nine contemporary Sower and Merson type French stamps shown above were overprinted and re-valued for the Memel Territory during December 1922.
These Memel Territory overprints continue to feature the country name and new denomination, with the letters and numerals in italics (script).
Their catalog attributes are as follows:
- 003.00 Mk. on 05 C. (1922 - Mi. #110, Sc. #64) - Orange.
- 006.00 Mk. on 15 C. (1922 - Mi. #111, Sc. #65) - Green.
- 008.00 Mk. on 30 C. (1922 - Mi. #112, Sc. #66) - Red.
- 010.00 Mk. on 45 C. (1922 - Mi. #113, Sc. #83) - Green & Blue.
- 020.00 Mk. on 40 C. (1922 - Mi. #114, Sc. #85) - Red & Pale Blue.
- 030.00 Mk. on 60 C. (1922 - Mi. #115, Sc. #87) - Violet & Ultramarine.
- 040.00 Mk. on 01 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #116, Sc. #89) - Claret & Olive Green.
- 080.00 Mk. on 02 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #117, Sc. #91) - Orange & Pale Blue.
- 100.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1922 - Mi. #118, Sc. #92) - Dark Blue & Buff.
- 500.00 Mk. on 05 Fr. (1923 - Mi. #I, Sc. N/L) - Blue & Buff.
The 500 Mk. on 05 Fr. Memel Territory stamp, shown above, was prepared at the beginning of 1923, BUT IT WAS NEVER OFFICIALLY ISSUED.
Only 150 of them were originally printed. They are occasionally available in the philatelic marketplace, but they are very scarce and expensive!
The two Merson type Memel Territory stamps shown above, were re-valued during December 1922.
Their catalog attributes are as follows:
- Mark on 40 Pf. on 40 C. (1922 - Mi. #119, Sc. #95) - Red & Pale Blue.
- 80 on 01.25 Mk. on 60 C. (1922 - Mi. #120, Sc. #99) - Violet & Ultramarine.
The three Memel Territory stamps shown above, were re-valued during January 1923.
Their catalog attributes are as follows:
- 10 on 02.00 Mk. on 45 C. (1923 - Mi. #121, Sc. #97) - Green & Blue.
- 25 on 01.00 Mk. on 25 C. (1923 - Mi. #122, Sc. #98) - Blue.
- Mark on 50 Pf. on 50 C. (1923 - Mi. #123, Sc. #96) - Dull Blue.
At the beginning of 1923, Lithuania occupied the territory by force.
The French administration didn't take any significant action to
counteract the occupation, and at the end of January 1923, the territory
was annexed by Lithuania.
The pages for the Lithuanian occupation of Memel (Klaipeda) will be found in the Lithuania category of this website.
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Memel Territory - Issues of 1922-1923
