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Third Reich

Definitive Issues 1934-1936



The Third Reich continued the use of the President Paul von Hindenburg Medallion definitive stamps, first issued in 1932 under the Weimar Republic.

Beginning in 1934 though, the Third Reich postal service started printing the stamps on swastika watermarked paper. All the denominations were printed in this manner during 1934, except for the 1 Pf. (Dec. 1933) and the 80 Pf. (Feb. 1936). The set of seventeen denominations is shown above.  A couple of the denominations exist with sideways watermarks, and as such, they are very scarce.

The catalog details, for stamps with the swastika watermark, are as follows.


  • 001 Pf.  (1933 - Mi. #512, Sc. #415) - Black.
  • 003 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #513, Sc. #416) - Olive Bister.
  • 004 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #514, Sc. #417) - Dull Blue.
  • 005 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #515, Sc. #418) - Bright Green.
  • 006 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #516, Sc. #419) - Dark Green.
  • 008 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #517, Sc. #420) - Deep Orange.
  • 010 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #518, Sc. #421) - Chocolate.
  • 012 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #519, Sc. #422) - Deep Carmine.
  • 015 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #520, Sc. #423) - Maroon.
  • 020 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #521, Sc. #424) - Bright Blue.
  • 025 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #522, Sc. #425) - Ultramarine.
  • 030 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #523, Sc. #426) - Olive Green.
  • 040 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #524, Sc. #427) - Red Violet.
  • 050 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #525, Sc. #428) - Dark Green & Black.
  • 060 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #526, Sc. #429) - Claret & Black.
  • 080 Pf.  (1936 - Mi. #527, Sc. #430) - Dark Blue & Black.
  • 100 Pf.  (1934 - Mi. #528, Sc. #431) - Orange & Black.


Booklet Pane and
Booklet Sheet Combinations


A selection of various Booklet Pane / Sheet combination multiples are shown in the five scans above.

The Michel catalog lists ten different booklets of the Third Reich Hindenburg design on swastika watermarked paper. There are twenty different pane configurations, utilizing combinations of different denominations of stamps and various advertising labels. Please see the Michel catalog for details.

Some of the booklet and stamp combinations can be very expensive!


1937 Stamp Day
Sheet Overprints


At first sight, the stamps shown above may appear to be a "Reklame" or "Advertising Label" pair from a booklet pane, such as those used in some of the very rare Germania stamp booklets issued by the Imperial Post Office during 1910 and 1911.

This is NOT TRUE.


To celebrate Stamp Day in 1937, sheets of the 1934 3 Pf. denomination Hindenburg definitive postage stamps were "privately overprinted" in a checkered pattern, utilizing two different advertising labels, as shown in the used block above.

These checkered overprinted sheets of stamps yielded the specialized collecting possibility of twenty different pairs and eight different blocks.

Though privately created, the un-overprinted stamps in these sheets were valid for postal use, and combination pairs / blocks did pass through the mails.  Used examples are much scarcer than mint examples.

Though a philatelic creation and not a government issue, these varieties are very collectible and are popular with specialists.  Mint pairs and blocks are inexpensive.  Used pairs and blocks are moderately expensive.  I saw a complete sheet of 100 out on the internet recently, offered by a German eBay seller.  It was priced at 500 Euros!

If the visitor would like to look at some of these stamps out on the Germany eBay site, please follow this LINK.  Make sure the German seller ships to the United States though, before bidding on or buying any of his lots.





eBay Auction and Store Links

Germany - Third Reich

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.












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Hindenburg Definitive Issues - 1934-1936






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