Norway Skilling Oscar stamps

Part 27: Destination Germany. The single weight rate for postage by sea to Hamburg and Lubeck was 16sk, for those sent over land via Sweden the rate was 20sk. For letters sent to destinations in Eastern, Southern or Western Germany the rate was 24sk. The example shown here is for the 24sk rate, made up of three 8sk Oscars. This cover was sent to Coln (Cologne) via Denmark and Hamburg. It has a Christiania 24.5.1861 date stamp, Aus Danemark to the front and nice German and Danish backstamps. This is one of thirty recorded covers for this rate, with three 8sk Oscars. Graham

Part 28. Foreign destination Spain. All mail sent during the Oscar period went via France. For the single weight rate it was 26sk and the cover shown below is an example of this, made up of three 8sk and one 2sk Oscar. This is one of 30 recorded covers sent to Spain with this combination of stamps. Again with a lot of cancellations, on the front Bergen CDS, 21.2.1860, French transit postmark, red PP in box and 4R in blue (4 real collected in Spain). On the reverse date stamp for Svinesund 26.2.1860 and nice Bilbao 5 Mar 60, which illustrates the route taken for the letter and time taken. Graham

Part 30. Destination UK, Scotland. Two main routes were used when posting to the UK, more commonly via continental Europe and also by private steamers to Hull. The cover shown sent to Glasgow in Scotland is the single weight rate to the UK at 35sk, consisting of four 8sk + one 3sk Oscars of which 61 covers are recorded. The cover comes full with excellent postmarks, Christiania 12.7.1859; Hamburg 15.7.1859; London paid 18.7.1859 and to the reverse Hamburg 14.7.1859 and finally Glasgow 18.7.1859. Included in the scans are the contents of the letter, I can make some of it out but not all. Still a nice piece of social history. Graham

Part 32. Destination UK, Scotland. Cover number three, sent from Mandal to Leith. The cover is made up with 4 x 8sk, 1 x 3sk and 1 x 2sk Oscars so another 37sk rated letter. Once more chock full of postmarks, starting of with Mandal 11.12.1861; Svinesund 15.12.1861; Hamburg (in black and red) 20.12.1861; London 23.12.1861 and Edinburgh 24.12.1861 so probably delivered in time for Christmas in Leith. There are quite a few different rated covers to the UK, including one with 3 x 3sk + 88 x 8sk, making up an incredible 665sk which is 19 times the standard rate! Next up a couple with mixed franking with 1863 vapen. Graham

One of my rare ones with nice postmark, maybe you can tell me what the city is? You have done a wonderful study, congratulations.

Part 33. Mixed franking covers, those with skilling vapen and Oscars. Only one mixed franking cover with a Norway number 1 is known, made up of 4sk vapen, 3sk + 8sk Oscars (15 skilling) sent to Denmark. The cover and cover front shown below are both sent to Denmark and are at the 15sk rate, made up of 3sk Oscar and 4sk + 8sk vapens (coat of arms). These are quite rare and highly sought after.


This is the last of the covers I will be putting up. Other countries that have skilling Oscar covers include Netherlands, Russia, and most European countries such as Italy and Switzerland. Further afield, single covers exist sent to Canada, China, Egypt, Mauritius and Peru. There also are known two bisected Oscar covers, which after much debate are now certified. 

After a little break I will put up some scans of the pairs, strips and blocks of the Skilling Oscars. Graham

Thanks for your explanation, Graham (thegubman).

Sorry for my misunderstanding--I thought that the bisect covers were part of your collection.  That's what happens when I read too quickly!  Yes, certainly, you can post a link to show us where we can find images of those items if you wish.  I have been really enjoying your posts in any case, and I sincerely admire the collection you have put together.

Cheers, Chris

Part 34. The scan shows a page with 2sk to 8sk Oscars with Christiania (42) postmarks. There are three types of the numeral 42 and indeed seven types for the CDS. Note a few of the cancellations in blue. These are relatively bountiful and not hard to come by as would be expected for the capital. Other towns such as Bergen (25), Drammen (48), Stavanger (282) etc also have a good supply of stamps with these postmarks. This therefore enables the collector to look for pairs, strips and blocks. Something that I particularly like to collect in all areas of the early Norway and GB stamps.


For the skilling Oscars all values can be found as pairs, strips and blocks, however not all to the same extent, as you will see from the pictures that will be put up in the next few weeks. Hence for the 2 and 3 skilling Oscars unused multiples exist more frequently than the 4 and 8 skilling values. Pairs of the unused 4sk are not rare or common, but strips and blocks are rarities. For the 4sk Oscar only seven unused blocks of four are known, larger blocks very scarce indeed. As was said at the beginning the 8sk Oscar is difficult to obtain in unused condition even as a single. Pairs are rare, strips and blocks unused even scarcer. There are only three unused blocks of four of the 8sk and only one block of six, which is the largest unused block for this denomination. For the 2sk unused pairs are not rare, strips can be harder to find. There are fourteen unused blocks of four of the 2sk issue. Larger blocks can be found, with the biggest being a block of thirty. The 3sk Oscar is perhaps the most commonly found of the Oscars in mint condition, with unused pairs are not rare, strips and blocks harder to find. There are sixteen unused blocks of four of the 3sk stamp. The largest block was one of 30, sold in 1942 but sadly believed to have been split up. I do not own any mint multiples of the skilling Oscars in unused condition, which shows how hard they are to obtain on a budget.
I will go into more detail about used, blocks, pairs and strips next time. As you will see the rarities are different almost reversed for the four values. Graham

Part 36. Skilling Oscars used in pairs with Christiania (42) postmarks. A couple more scans of pairs from the capital, this time with a few vertical. Graham

thegubman such lovely multiples. Thank you for showing.

Part 38. Skilling Oscars used in pairs, strips and one block with Christiania (42) postmarks. All 3sk grey, so it is a grey day. The block is one of 27 known in used condition. I will put a few more blocks up in the coming days. Graham

Part 40. Skilling Oscars used in pairs, strips and block of four with Bergen (25) postmarks. Todays offering consists of pairs, strips and a block of four with Bergen postmarks, which are relatively easy to come by. Graham

Part 42. Skilling Oscars used in pairs, strip and block with Christianssund (44) postmarks. Here is the last of my blocks of four and the nicest one. Graham