SERBIA 1901-1919

Serbie - Serbien

Return To Catalogue - Serbia 1866-1900 - Miscellaneous -Yugoslavia - Austrian military post in Serbia - Serbian occupation of Baranya and Temesvar (Hungary).

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

Click here for Serbia 1866-1900 issues.

1901 King Alexander I, new type

  5 p green
  10 p red
  15 p lilac
  20 p orange
  25 p blue
  50 p yellow
 
Larger size

  1 D brown
  3 D red
  5 D violet

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2. Imperforated stamps exist, but are probably printers waste.

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

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

Forgeries of the 'para' values were made by Lucian (Lucien) Smeets (1912?). A description can be found in 'Focus on Forgeries' by Varro E. Tyler. In the forgeries, the 'C' has the open ends at the right hand side farther apart. I'm not sure if the next forgeries are those described in this book:

Sheet with imperforate forgeries of the 5 pa value

Zoom-in of one of these forgeries.

Forgeries of the 'Dinar' values also exist, made by Lucian Smeets (all three values). I do not know the distinguishing characteristics of these forgeries.

Fournier forgery, as found in the 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' (reduced size).

The forger Fournier made forgeries of the 3 D and 5 D values only, pictures can be found in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries', he offers these two values as 'first choice' forgeries for 1 Swiss Franc in his 1914 pricelist. The upper part of the 'A' of the word 'CPBNJA' is pointed in the Fournier forgeries, while it clearly has a flat part in the genuine stamps. See http://home.no.net/bhb1/stamps.htm for pictures of these forgeries.

Some forged Fournier cancels, the first cancel ('BELGRADE') was used on the above Fournier forgeries, according to the Serrane guide.

Forgery with one of the above cancels.

1903 King Alexander I, overprinted with arms of Serbia

  1 p lilac and black (arms blue)
  5 p green and black (arms blue)
  10 p red and black 
  15 p grey and black
  20 p yellow and black
  25 p blue and black
  50 p grey and black (arms red)
  1 D green and black (arms brown or black)
  3 D violet and black (arms brown)
  5 D brown and black (arms blue)

Surcharged

  '1 napa 1' (red) on 5 D brown

The first overprints were issued on stamps with perforation 13 1/2 for the values 1 p to 1 D and 11 1/2 for the 3 D and 5 D value (Paris printing). In 1904 a local printing was made (values 5 p, 50 p and 1 D, perforation 11 1/2). The two overprints are also slightly different.

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

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

1904 100 years of liberation of Serbia, inscription '1804 1904'

  5 p green
  10 p red
  15 p lilac
  25 p blue
  50 p brown

Other design
  1 D yellow
  3 D green
  5 D violet

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2. Imperforate stamps are printers waste.

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

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

Forgeries:

First set of forgeries (Fournier)

Distinguishing characteristic of a Fournier forgery, the 'P' has a horizontal middle section.

Fournier forgeries taken from the 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries', here printed in blue.

Some forged Fournier cancels, obtained from a 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries', the first cancel was used for Serbia, the others for Greece.

Fournier forgeries exist of these stamps (in the values 5 p to 50 p). I've only seen them with the forged cancel 'bEOGPAD 3 4 04 3 4 8 BELGRADE'. Fournier offeres the 5 stamps for 0.50 Swiss Francs in his 1914 pricelist. The 'P' of the upper left word has a horizontal middle section where it joins the vertical part. In the genuine stamps, this part joins slanting. See http://home.no.net/bhb1/stamps.htm for an example.

Fournier forgery with the first forged cancel shown above.

Page from a Fournier Album

Second set of forgeries (Smeets)

Forgeries of the whole set were made by Lucian Smeets (1914?). A description can be found in 'Focus on Forgeries' by Varro E. Tyler. The 'N' and 'J' of the word 'CPbNJA' overlap each other slightly in these forgeries. The Smeets forgeries are more common than the Fournier forgeries.

Left Smeets forgery and right genuine 5 p stamp, images obtained from Bill Claghorn's forgery identification site (http://members.tripod.com/claghorn1p/Serbia/Serb79x.htm)

Smeets forgery of the 5 D value, image obtained from Bill Claghorn's forgery site : http://members.tripod.com/claghorn1p/Serbia/Serb86x.htm

The stamp dealer Louis Pasche from Lausanne also offered these Smeets forgeries (all 8 values, see http://www.filatelia.fi/forglinks/exhibit/paschestamps.jpg). This was done in 1928 in a pricelist he send to several clients. He offers 10 sets of all values for 50 Swiss Francs and 100 set for 400 Swiss Francs. On this list he also offers forgeries of Surinam (1892 set, 6 values), Haiti (1904, 4 values) and Transvaal (No. 86, 104, 105; according to the Yvert&Tellier catalogue, the 5 Pounds 1885 stamp and the 5 Sh and 10 Sh 1895 stamps). On Bill Claghorn's forgery site, http://members.tripod.com/claghorn1p/Surinam/Sur25_30.htm, they are referred to as 'Maison Pasche' forgeries.

More information on these forgeries can be found at: http://home.no.net/bhb2/sr-f03e.htm.

1905 King Peter

  1 p grey and black
  5 p green and black
  10 p red and black
  15 p lilac and black
  20 p yellow and black
  25 p blue and black
  30 p green and black
  50 p brown and black
  1 D yellow and black
  3 D green and black
  5 D violet and black

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2 or 12 1/2 x 11 1/2. Imperforated stamps and stamps without the center are unfinished stamps or forgeries.

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

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

I have seen a 'Bulletin d'expedition' attached to a 'Mandat de Remboursement' (money transfer form?) in the same design (5 p black on lilac).

Forgeries:

(Mirza Hadi imperforate forgeries)

(Small opening in the upper right hand corner)

The forger Mirza Hadi made forgeries of these stamps (around 1960). A description can be found in 'Focus on Forgeries' by Varro E. Tyler. There is a small opening in the upper frame line near the upper right corner. Often they are offered as rare imperforate 'proofs'. The perforation of these forgeries is 11 1/2 (or imperforate as above). I would like to thank George A. Yarkie for sending me a copy of such a forgery. These forgeries also seem to exist with forged cancels and perforated:

'Misprint' forgery, black center part too far to the left. Inverted center also exist.

1911 King Peter I, new design

  1 p black
  2 p violet
  5 p green
  10 p red
  10 p orange
  15 p lilac
  15 p black
  20 p yellow
  20 p brown
  25 p blue
  30 p green
  50 p brown
  1 D yellow
  1 D blue
  3 D red
  3 D yellow
  5 D violet

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

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

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

Either an unfinished stamp or a forgery made by Mirza Hadi

Imperforated stamps are unfinished stamps or forgeries.

Forgeries exist of these stamps. The ones made by the forger Mirza Hadi are described in 'Focus on Forgeries' by Varro Tyler. They have a 'nick' in the right hand side frameline 6 mm from the top of the stamp.

Unlisted overprint: '40 f.' and 'ooooooooo' on top (all in red) on 15 p black, maybe a fiscal stamp?

Fournier forgery 25 p blue. This forgery was probably only used to illustrate Fournier's pricelists. It can be found in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries'.

1915 War scene King Peter at the battle field

(reduced size)

  5 p green
  10 p red

Prepared, but non issued stamps

  15 p black
  20 p brown
  25 p blue
  30 p grey
  50 p brown

Only the 5 p and 10 p were issued. These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

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

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

1918 King Peter and Prince Alexander

  1 p black
  2 p brown
  5 p green
  10 p red
  15 p brown
  20 p brown
  20 p violet
  25 p blue
  30 p olive
  50 p violet
  1 D brown
  3 D grey
  5 D brown

These stamps have perforation 11 or 11 1/2.

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

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

In 1920, the stamps of Serbia were replaced by those of Yugoslavia.

Serbia occupied the territories of Baranya and Temesvar in Hungary, click here to see the local overprints on Hungarian stamps made during that period.

German Occupation of Serbia

Under the German occupation from 1941 to 1944, Serbia issued once again some stamps. They were replaced by stamps of Yugoslavia.

1941 Stamps of Yugoslavia, overprinted 'SERBIEN' and with additional colored underprint, issued during the German occupation

'SERBIEN' reading downwards  
  0.25 D black
  0.50 D orange
  1 D green
  1.50 D red
  2 D red
  3 D brown
  4 D blue
  5 D blue
  5.50 D brown
  6 D grey
  8 D brown
  12 D violet
  16 D brown
  20 D blue
  30 D lilac

'SERBIEN' reading upwards  
  0.25 D black
  0.50 D orange
  1 D green
  1.50 D red
  2 D red
  3 D brown
  4 D blue
  5 D blue
  5.50 D brown
  6 D grey
  8 D brown
  12 D violet
  16 D brown
  20 D blue
  30 D lilac

1941 Airmail stamps of Yugoslavia, overprinted 'SERBIEN'

Airmail stamp of Yugoslavia, overprinted 'SERBIEN'

  0.50 D brown (red slanting down overprint)
  1 D green (red slanting down overprint)
  2.50 D red (brown slanting upwards overprint)
  2 D grey (red slanting down overprint)
  5 D lilac (red slanting down overprint)
  10 D brown (brown slanting down overprint)
  20 D green (red slanting down overprint)
  30 D blue (red slanting upwards overprint)
  40 D green (red slanting down overprint)
  50 D grey (red slanting upwards overprint)

Surcharged
  1 D (brown) on 10 D brown (brown slanting down overprint)
  3 D (red) on 20 D green (red slanting down overprint)
  6 D (red) on 30 D blue (red slanting upwards overprint)
  8 D (red) on 40 d green (red slanting down overprint)
  12 D (red) on 50 D grey (red slanting upwards overprint)

1941 Castle and people in mountains, inscription 'SERBIEN' on top and 'CPbNJA' below

  0.50 D + 1 D brown (castle)
  1 D + 2 D green (people in mountains)
  1.50 D + 3 D red (people in mountains)
  2 D + 4 D blue (castle)

1941 Religious scene

With 'E' pointing to the right

Without 'E' overprint and without network underprint 
  0.50 D + 1.50 D dark brown
  1 D + 3 D grey 
  2 D + 6 D red
  4 D + 12 D blue

Without 'E' overprint and with network underprint 
  0.50 D + 1.50 D dark brown and red
  1 D + 3 D grey and red
  2 D + 6 D red
  4 D + 12 D blue and red

With large red 'E' pointing to the right, with network underprint
  0.50 D + 1.50 D dark brown and red
  1 D + 3 D grey and red
  2 D + 6 D red
  4 D + 12 D blue and red

With large red 'E' pointing to the left, with network underprint
  0.50 D + 1.50 D dark brown and red
  1 D + 3 D grey and red
  2 D + 6 D red
  4 D + 12 D blue and red

1942 Anti Masonic stamps, various designs, inscription '22 X 1941'

  0.50 D + 0.50 D brown
  1 D + 1 D green
  2 D + 2 D red
  4 D + 4 D grey

1942 Monastries, all different designs

(Reduced size)

  0.50 D violet
  1 D orange
  1.50 D brown
  1.50 D green
  2 D violet
  3 D lilac
  3 D blue
  4 D blue
  7 D black
  12 D brown
  16 D black

Overprint for the victims of a bombardment in Nisch (1944), cyrillic text and
'20-X-l943'
  0.50 D + '2' violet
  1 D + '3' orange
  1.50 D + '4' green
  2 D + '5' violet
  3 D + '7' lilac
  4 D + '9' blue
  7 D + '15' black
  12 D + '25' brown
  16 D + '33' black

1942 Orphans issue, nurse taking care of children

  2 D + 6 D violet
  4 D + 8 D blue
  7 D + 13 D green
  20 D + 40 D red

1942 War invalids

  1.50 D + 1.50 D brown (broken sword)
  2 D + 3 D green (wounded soldier)
  3 D + 5 D red (soldier with flag kneeling down)
  4 D + 10 D blue (woman taking care of wounded soldier)

1942 Airmail stamps, stamps of Yugoslavia, overprinted with an earoplane, 'CPbNJA' and surcharged

  '2' on 2 D brown
  '4' on 4 D blue
  '10' on 12 D violet
  '14' on 20 D blue
  '20' on 30 D lilac

1943 Postal commemoration, various designs, inscription '1843 1943'

  3 D violet and brown (postman on horse)
  8 D grey and red (postcoach)
  9 D brown and green (train)
  30 D grey and brown (bus)
  50 D blue and red (aeroplane)

I've seen these stamps printed in sheets with four stamps of each value and some labels in the center with arms or '15 - X - 1843', '15 - X - 1943' printed on them in blue. The whole sheets has a blue border and a blue text on top.

Official Stamps

1943 Cross

Later issue (1943), during the German occupation.

  3 D red-brown

Postage Due Stamps

1941 Postage due stamps of Yugoslavia, overprinted with slanting 'SERBIEN'

Value in ellipse
  0.50 D violet
  1 D brown
  2 D blue
  3 D red

Eagle
  4 D blue
  5 D orange
  10 D violet
  20 D green

1941 As postage due stamps of Yugoslavia, but with inscription 'CPBNJA' and 'PORTO' (cyrillic and latin letters)

Postage due stamps, issued during World War II

Value in circle
  1 D brown and green
  2 D blue and red
  3 D red and blue

Eagle
  4 D blue and red
  5 D orange and blue
  10 D violet and red
  20 D green and red

1943 Eagle, new design, inscription 'PORTO' in cyrillic letters on top

  0.50 D black
  3 D violet
  4 D blue
  5 D green
  6 D orange
  10 D red
  20 D dark blue

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer