Baden 9 Kreuzer error
Encyclopedia
The Baden 9 Kreuzer Error was a postage stamp error
produced by the historical German state of Baden
in 1851.
On May 1 of that year, Baden's first postage stamp
s were issued. The "9 Kreuzer
Green" stamp was a color misprint of the 9 Kreuzer denomination that was printed in green instead of pink. The green color was intended for the 6 Kreuzer value, but apparently the paper sheets were mismatched. Only three cancelled copies and one unused copy of this error are known, but more sheets of paper may have been printed. The cancellations recorded have the numbers "4" for Achern
, "41" for Ettenheim
, and "106" for Orschweier (today Mahlberg)
. Two of the known copies are on letters
.
rarities in the world. The 9 Kreuzer error was not discovered until 44 years after the stamp was issued. Two letters initially were in the collection of Baron von Türckheim.
The usual explanation for the occurrence of this error is that the printing plate was used invertedly. However, this theory cannot be correct because the stamp was produced in a single printing. It must be assumed that the printer had unintentionally used the wrong plate for the green paper: instead of a "9" he had read a "6".
Postage stamp error
A postage stamp error is any of several types of failure in the stamp printing process that results in stamps not having the intended appearance. Errors include use of the wrong colors, wrong denominations, missing parts of the design, misplaced or inverted design elements, etc...
produced by the historical German state of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
in 1851.
On May 1 of that year, Baden's first postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s were issued. The "9 Kreuzer
Kreuzer
The Kreuzer, in English usually kreutzer, was a silver coin and unit of currency existing in the southern German states prior to the unification of Germany, and in Austria.-Early history:...
Green" stamp was a color misprint of the 9 Kreuzer denomination that was printed in green instead of pink. The green color was intended for the 6 Kreuzer value, but apparently the paper sheets were mismatched. Only three cancelled copies and one unused copy of this error are known, but more sheets of paper may have been printed. The cancellations recorded have the numbers "4" for Achern
Achern
Achern is a city in Western Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located approximately 18 km southwest of Baden-Baden and 19 km northeast of Offenburg...
, "41" for Ettenheim
Ettenheim
Ettenheim is a town in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.In the Middle Ages, Ettenheim belonged to the Archbishop of Strasbourg. It gained its Charter in 1302.In 1973 it was incorporated into the Ortenaukreis.-Districts:...
, and "106" for Orschweier (today Mahlberg)
Mahlberg
Mahlberg is a town in the Ortenaukreis, in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 8 km southwest of Lahr....
. Two of the known copies are on letters
Cover (philately)
In philately, the term cover pertains to the outside of an envelope or package with an address, typically with postage stamps that have been cancelled and is a term generally used among stamp and postal history collectors. The term does not include the contents of the letter or package, although...
.
Four copies
The error is one of the greatest philatelicPhilately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
rarities in the world. The 9 Kreuzer error was not discovered until 44 years after the stamp was issued. Two letters initially were in the collection of Baron von Türckheim.
- The first copy was cancelled on July 20, 1851 in Orschweier; von Türckheim sold this letter to the German Reichspostmuseum. Today, it is one of the key items on display in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
's Museum of Post and Communication. - The second copy was cancelled on August 25, 1851 in Ettenheim. This letter found its way into the collection of Philipp von FerraryPhilipp von FerraryPhilip Ferrari de La Renotière, Duke of Gallièra was a legendary stamp collector, assembling probably the most complete worldwide collection that ever existed, or is likely to exist...
, whose collection was auctioned off in the 1920s. It was bought by Alfred Maier and afterwards it was sold through Edward Stern of Economist Stamp Company to Alfred Caspary. In 1956, it was bought by John R. Boker, who sold it in 1985 for the enormous price of 2,645,000 DM, which at that time was the highest price ever paid for a single stamp. - The third copy is on a piece and was cancelled in Aachern. In 1908 it was auctioned by Gilbert & Koch; in 1919 it was sold to Theodore Champion, a Parisian stamp dealer.
- The only unused copy, with nearly full original gum, appeared in 1919 for the first time, when it was sold in Berlin to Carl Julius Trübsbach from ChemnitzChemnitzChemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
. It is believed that the colour was lightened as the result of heat damage during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war Trübsbach sold it to a German dealer. In 1991 it was first auctioned by David FeldmanDavid Feldman (philatelist)David Feldman is a professional philatelist, author and auctioneer, chairman of David Feldman SA, a Geneva based philatelic auction company that has attained record prices for some of the most famous postage stamps of the world...
and in 1997 it was auctioned again and was sold for 603,750 US$United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
. On April 3, 2008 it was again auctioned by David Feldman for €EuroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
1,314,500.
The usual explanation for the occurrence of this error is that the printing plate was used invertedly. However, this theory cannot be correct because the stamp was produced in a single printing. It must be assumed that the printer had unintentionally used the wrong plate for the green paper: instead of a "9" he had read a "6".
External links
- Fragwürdiger Baden-Fehldruck (In German) link from (original source: Wolfgang Maassen: Echt oder falsch?, Schwalmtal 2003, pp. 198–206)