SWH
Departed
Rest in Peace
Posts: 43 
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Post by SWH on Nov 19, 2016 10:05:30 GMT
After Germany occupied Lithuania in 1941, Russian stamps overprinted 'Vilnius' were issued. Does anybody know more about this issue? In particular, I would like to know just exactly where these stamps were used. Were they issued for local use in Vilnius or were they also used in other parts of Lithuania?  |
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Post by jaysee on Nov 19, 2016 13:07:10 GMT
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cjd
Member 
Posts: 1,107
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Post by cjd on Nov 19, 2016 16:10:44 GMT
I don't know anything about these issues, but the German Philatelic Society's Reference Manual of Forgeries describes these as issues for southern Lithuania. Their titles are fairly specific; for instance, if it was a local issue for Ponewesch, or Telsiai, they title it as such.
For whatever that's worth.
Also, at a quick glance, the overprint seems to match the genuine overprint they show.
eta: Looking at the cover at jaysee's link, the overprint on the 80k (Michel 17) is different from the others, which is correct according to the Manual. The forged overprint found on Michel 17 and 18 has a more-open "S" while the genuine overprint on those two stamps has a smaller opening in the top curve of the "S" as seen on that cover. Again, to a non-specialist's eyes.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2016 21:02:42 GMT
 Vilnius Series - values are based on the 5 overprint positions some of which are shown above. To see a larger picture right click & "View Image" There is a 1r red and black machine gun with green ovpt. The same stamp with another occupation ovpt. was listed in Michel but was eventually removed as a probable forgery?? Anyway, I do not have much information on the use of these stamps (my Lithuania catalog is out & not available for awhile - so maybe more later) This article in my files describes the Russian occupation of Lithuania that preceded these issues. Not much is said in catalogs about forgeries but they definitely exist (particularly on fake covers) given the values of this issue. |
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doug534
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A new enthusiast leaning to pre-1957 Aden, New Zealand, Switzerland, great designers & engravers
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Post by doug534 on Jul 30, 2024 21:32:17 GMT
I found this mint-hinged set of Soviet Union/Russia-issued "Vilnius" overprints (first image) in one of my dad's Schaubek albums. My understanding is that the stamps were used in the Velnius region of Lithuania for a brief period in 1941 prior to Germany invading and replacing these stamps with German overprinted issues. The stamps are not listed in the Scott online catalogue under Lithuania or Russia but a website states they are listed in the Michel Deutschland Spezial Katalog. The next page of the album contained overprint issues for Estonia and Latvia. The "Pernau 8 VII 1941" stamps are German overprints applied to existing Soviet postage stamps for use in the German-occupied territory. I don't think these are listed in the Scott catalogue either. My dad put his (mid-1950s) selling values in the margin for some stamps but I don't know if that was for each stamp or the whole row. The set of six mint-hinged Estonia semi-postal (occupation) issues without overprints near the bottom (Scott NB1-NB6; 1941) has a value of $5.00; if made up of used stamps the set is worth 8 times as much. The bottom row of stamps are early Eastern Rumelia. The perf annotations are mine.   |
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