SAAR 1920-1935 and Miscellaneous

Sarre

Return To Catalogue - Saar 1947-1959

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A region between Germany and France. After world war I, it was under french administration. In 1935 Saarland stopped issuing stamps for a while when it became part of the Third Reich. After world war II it became part of the french zone and more stamps were issued in 1947. In 1959 the last stamps of Saarland, as it was called now, were issued. It then became part of Germany definitively. Be careful with the cancels of Saar, some cancelling devices have ended up in wrong hands!

1920 Stamps of Germany (Germania type), overprinted 'Sarre'

  2 p grey
  2 1/2 p grey
  3 p brown
  5 p green
  7 1/2 p orange
  10 p red
  15 p violet
  20 p blue
  25 p orange and black on yellow
  30 p orange and black
  35 p brown
  40 p red and black
  50 p violet and black
  60 p lilac
  75 p green and black
  80 p red and black

Larger size

  1 M red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Be careful, forged overprints exist! I have seen a forged overprints on the values 15 p, 30 p and 80 p stamps. Furthermore forged cancels exist, especially with a cancel that was only introduced in 1924 (with 24 hour indication instead of for example 3-4 Nm).

Clumsy forged 'Sarre' oveprint on a genuine 20 p green Germania stamp

1920 Stamps of Bavaria, overprinted 'Sarre' or 'SARRE'

  5 p green
  10 p red
  15 p red
  20 p blue
  25 p grey
  30 p orange
  40 p olive
  50 p brown
  60 p green
  1 M brown
  2 M violet
  3 M red
  5 M blue
  10 M green

The overprint on the 5 p to 60 p is slightly different from the one on the 1 M to 3 M stamps.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

A similar overprint on stamps with value 2 p, 3 p, 7 1/2 p and 20 M exists. They were prepared for use, but only a few came into use (R to RR). For example, only one cancelled stamp of the 20 m is known to exist.

Be careful, forged overprints exist! I have seen a 1 M brown stamp with forged overprint.

The 5 M was reprinted by Gehringer in 1970 for the SABRIA 70 stamp exhibition together with two other stamps of Saar. I've only seen it unperforated. It has 'SABRIA 70' printed on the back.

1920 Stamps of Germany, overprinted 'SAARGEBIET'

  5 p green
  5 p brown
  10 p red
  10 p orange
  15 p violet
  20 p blue
  20 p green
  30 p orange and black on yellow
  30 p blue
  40 p red and black
  40 p red
  50 p violet and black
  60 p lilac
  75 p green and black
  4 M black and red

Larger size

  1.25 M green
  1.50 M brown
  2.50 M lilac (overprint twice, vertically)

Surcharged (1921)

  '20' and stars on 75 p green and black
  5 M on 15 p lilac
  10 M on 15 p lilac

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

The 1.25 M was reprinted by Gehringer in 1970 for the SABRIA 70 stamp exhibition together with two other stamps of Saar. I've only seen it unperforated. It has 'SABRIA 70' printed on the back.

1921 Various designs, values in 'Pfennig' and 'Marks' (German currency)

  5 p olive and violet (view of Mettlach)
  10 p black and orange (miner) 
  20 p green and grey (mine)
  25 p brown and blue (harbour of Saarbrucken)
  30 p olive and brown (Saar river at Mettlach)
  40 p red (mine waste mountain at Volklingen)
  50 p grey and brown (signaling bridge in Saarbrucken)
  60 p red and brown (chapel in Mettlach)
  80 p blue (bridge)
  1 M red and brown (wire transport system)
  1.25 M brown and green (mine)
  2 M red and black (townhall in Saarbrucken)
  3 M brown and black (factory in Mettlach)
  5 M yellow and violet (church)
  10 M green and brown (palace)
  25 M black, blue and red (industrial complex)

Imperforate esssay of the 80 p stamp

Two tete-beche 40 c stamps

Specialists distinguish two shades of green for the 30 p stamp. The values 5 p, 20 p, 25 p, 35 p, 30 p, 40 p and 80 p exist in tete-beche. The 3 M with inverted center is a forgery.

Surcharged in French currency (1921)

  3 c (red) on 20 p green and grey
  5 c (red) on 25 p brown and blue
  10 c (blue) on 30 olive and brown
  15 c on 40 p red
  20 c (red) on 50 p grey and brown
  25 c (blue) on 60 p red and brown
  30 c on 80 p blue
  40 c (blue) on 1 M red and black
  50 c on 1.25 M brown and green
  75 c (blue) on 2 M red and black
  1 F (blue) on 3 M brown and black
  2 F (blue) on 5 M yellow and violet
  3 F on 10 M green and brown
  5 F (blue) on 25 M black, blue and red 

I've seen the value 15 c on 40 p in tete-beche.

Value in French currency (1922), no overprint

  3 c green 
  5 c orange and black (miner)
  10 c green and yellow
  15 c brown and dark brown
  15 c red (1923)
  20 c blue and green
  20 c blue and yellow (1923)
  25 c red and yellow (two shades were issued)
  30 c red and yellow
  40 c brown and yellow
  50 c blue and green
  75 c green (two shades on one stamp)
  75 c grey and yellow
  1 F brown
  2 F violet
  3 F orange and black
  5 F brown (two shades of brown on one stamp)

Pair of 10 c imperforate stamps

Imperforate stamps are printers waste. These stamps with overprint 'DIENSTMARKE' diagonally in blue or red are official stamps:

1925 Madonna

  45 c red
  10 F olive (larger size)

Overprinted 'VOLSABSTIMMUNG 1935'
  10 F olive

1926 'Volkshilfe' relief fund charity stamps

  20 c + 20 c black (man with red cross dog)
  40 c + 40 c brown (nurse with patient)
  50 c + 50 c orange (children plucking berries)
  1.50 F + 1.50 F blue (nurse with child)

Overprinted '1927-28'
  20 c + 20 c black (man with red cross dog)
  40 c + 40 c brown (nurse with patient)
  50 c + 50 c orange (children plucking berries)
  1.50 F + 1.50 F blue (nurse with child)

1927 Various designs

  10 c brown (St.Johann)
  15 c black (Saartal, Saar valley)
  20 c brown (Saarlouis)
  25 c blue (Tholey)
  30 c green (St.Johann)
  40 c (Saarlouis)
  50 c red (Tholey)
  60 c orange (mine, 1930)
  75 c violet (Saartal, Saar valley)
  80 c orange (mine)
  90 c red (Saarlouis, 1932)
  1 F violet (mine)
  1.50 F blue (industrial complex)
  2 F brown (design as 1.50 F)
  3 F black (design as 1.50 F)
  5 F brown (design as 1.50 F)

Surcharged 
  '40 cent. =' on 50 c red (1934)
  '60 cent. =' on 80 c orange (1930)

Overprinted 'VOLSABSTIMMUNG 1935' in the colour of the stamp

  10 c brown (St.Johann)
  15 c black (Saartal, Saar valley)
  20 c brown (Saarlouis)
  25 c blue (Tholey)
  30 c green (St.Johann)
  40 c brown (Saarlouis)
  50 c red (Tholey)
  60 c orange (mine)
  75 c violet (Saartal, Saar valley)
  90 c red (Saarlouis, 1932)
  1 F violet (mine)
  1.50 F blue (industrial complex)
  2 F brown (design as 1.50 F)
  3 F black (design as 1.50 F)
  5 F brown (design as 1.50 F)

These stamps with overprint 'DIENSTMARKE' diagonally in blue, black or red are official stamps.

A pair of imperforate 25 c stamps.

I've seen imperforate stamps (unoverprinted) of the values 10 c, 15 c, 25 c and 50 c.

1928 Volkshilfe, various scenes from paintings

  40 c brown
  50 c red
  1 F violet
  1.50 F blue
  2 F red
  3 F black
  10 F brown (RRR)

Modern forgery of the 10 F value

I have seen a modern forgery of the 10 F value with inscription 'PARIS FAUX' at the bottom right hand side. This forgery could have been made by Peter Winter. I've seen it on letter addressed to 'Gebr. Senf Briefmarkenhandel LEIPZIG Augustusplatz 8' with cancel 'SAARBRUCKEN 3 3 29 20' (House of Stamps Edition 88 catalogue). Sometimes the word 'FAUX' is scratched out, but usually this forgery can still be recognized by the fact that the perforation does not 'match' in the corners. A.so a 'white spot' appears where the word 'FAUX' has been deleted.

1929 Volkshilfe, various scenes from paintings

  40 c olive
  50 c red
  1 F brown
  1.50 F blue
  2 F red
  3 F black
  10 F brown

1931 Volkshilfe, various scenes from paintings

  40 c brown
  60 c red
  1 F red
  1.50 F blue
  2 F brown
  3 F green
  10 F brown

1932 Volkshilfe, various scenes from paintings

  40 c brown
  60 c red
  1 F brown
  1.50 F blue
  2 F red
  3 F olive
  10 F brown

1932 Volkshilfe, various local buildings

  40 c brown
  60 c red
  1 F lilac (Ottweiler)
  1.50 F blue (Saarbrucken St.Michel)
  2 F red (St.Wendel)
  3 F olive (Saarbrucken, St.Johann)
  5 F brown

1933 Charity issue for explosion victims in Neunkirchen

  60 c orange
  3 F green
  5 F brown

1934 Volkshilfe, various scenes from church

  40 c brown
  60 c red
  1 F lilac
  1.50 F blue
  2 F red
  3 F olive
  10 F brown

Overprinted 'VOLKSMABSTIMMUNG 1935' in the colour of the stamp
  40 c brown
  60 c red
  1 F lilac
  1.50 F blue
  2 F red
  3 F olive
  10 F brown

Official Stamps

1922 Postage stamps of 1922, overprinted 'DIENSTMARKE'

  3 c green (overprint in red)
  5 c orange and black (overprint in red)
  10 c green and yellow (overprint in red)
  15 c brown and dark brown (overprint in blue)
  15 c red (1923, overprint in blue)
  20 c blue and green (overprint in red)
  20 c blue and yellow (1923, overprint in red)
  25 c red and yellow (overprint in blue)
  30 c red and yellow (overprint in blue)
  40 c brown and yellow (overprint in blue)
  50 c blue and green (overprint in red)
  75 c green (overprint in red)
  75 c grey and yellow (overprint in red)
  1 F brown (overprint in blue)

Specialists distinguish two types of 'DIENSTMARKE' overprints on the vaues 25 c and 1 F.

1927 Postage stamps of 1927, overprinted 'DIENSTMARKE'

  10 c brown (overprint blue)
  15 c black (overprint blue)
  20 c brown (overprint blue)
  25 c blue (overprint blue)
  30 c green (overprint red)
  40 c brown (overprint red)
  50 c red (overprint blue)
  60 c orange (1930)
  75 c violet (overprint red)
  1 F violet (overprint red)
  2 F brown (overprint blue)

Airmail

1928 Stamp in the design of the 1927 permanent issue, with an image of an earoplane, inscription 'SAARGEBIET LUFT POST'

  50 c red
  60 c orange (1932)
  1 F violet
  5 F brown (1932)

Overprinted 'VOLSABSTIMMUNG 1935' in the colour of the stamp

  50 c red
  60 c orange
  1 F violet
  5 F brown

The 50 c and 1 F are in the same design (aeroplane above Saarbrucken), the 60 c and 5 F also have the same design (aeroplane above village).

Fiscal Stamps

I've seen several fiscal stamps of Prussia, overprinted with 'Saargebiet'.

"SAARGEBIET FRACHTSTEMPEL"

(Fiscal stamp of Germany 'DEUTSCHES REICH FRACHT-STEMPEL' with woman in the center overprinted '1 Fr. Saargebiet' on 2 M blue and yellow)

I have also seen a 3 M fiscal stamp in the same design (olive and grey) with a 'Saargebiet' overprint. Furthermore:
'1 Fr. Saargebiet' on 1 M green and red (two types, '1' and Fr.' very far apart or next to each other)
'1 Fr. Saargebiet' on 1 1/2 M red and lilac
'1 Fr.' (blue) and 'Saargebiet (black) on 3 M olive and grey
'1 Fr. Saargebiet' on 4 M blue and brown

(Reduced size)

Some other Frachtstempel stamps of Germany were also overprinted (woman on the left hand side, see image above) with 'Saargebiet' (at least two types of this overprint exist).

Inscription 'SAARGEBIET FRACHTSTEMPEL':

In the above design (woman facing to the right) I have seen: 5 c red, 10 c red, 20 c green (value red), 25 c brown (value lilac), 50 c orange (value violet), 50 c blue (value yellow) and 70 c green (value yellow). I have also seen '60 cts' (red) on 20 c green (value in red).

In this design (woman facing to the left) I have seen the values 60 c green (value red) and 1 Fr grey. Furthermore the following surcharges: 25 c on 10 c orange (all values in black), 25 c on 1 F green (all values in red).

1947 Inscription 'Urkunden Steuer', value in 'FRANKEN'

 
  50 F red
  100 F red
  200 F green
  500 F grey
  1000 F yellow
  2000 F brown
  5000 F violet
  10000 F orange 

Telegraph Stamp

Inscription 'Telegraphie des Saargebiets':

Arms of Saar and electric bolts, colour green, no value indicated

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer