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Heligoland

A Brief Postal History

While Heligoland was a British possession about 20 postage stamps were issued between 1867 and 1890. They have the distinction of being the first multi-colored stamps and are still considered attractive.

There were up to eight printings of a single denomination and a large volume of reprints which are known as the Berlin, Leipzig and Hamburg Reprints, respectively. The Berlin reprints are sometimes better quality than the originals. The reprints were done between 1875 and 1890. Consequently many "old" collections contain reprints rather than originals.

Some believe there were seven million reprints as compared to the known 1½ million originals, of which perhaps half were sold through the post office and the remainder sold to dealers when withdrawn from use. A few printings were never postally sold but nevertheless found their way into the hands of dealers. The stamps were printed by the Prussian State Printing Office in Berlin. They were denominated in the Hamburg Schilling until 1875, when both German Reich and English values appeared on each stamp issue (the Farthing/Pfennig issues). All are embossed with a silhouette of Queen Victoria excepting the four highest values which represent Heligoland escutcheons.

Mint stamps of Heligoland are moderate to medium priced but with some running to $1,300.00. Some used stamps have brought $6,245.00 at auction and some covers have brought $13,000.00 or $15,600.00. This is an inducement for forgery. Because used stamps are often more valuable than mint stamps, forged postal cancellations are plentiful and are the rule on purported high-value items.

Because of the many forged cancellations and many reprints collectors of Heligoland stamps are advised to either become expert or rely on specialists; most reputable dealers will not handle them because of the prevalence of reprints and forgeries. The collector who wishes to become expert is advised to acquaint himself with the Michel Deutschland Spezial Katalog and acquire, at least, Helmuth Lemberger's HELGOLAND PHILATELIE. Most of the philatelic literature is in German.

One that is in English is "Heligoland ORIGINALS AND REPRINTS"   By D.J. Gadsby

An image of the island of Heligoland

Picture taken about 1990 ?

Heligoland is in the North Sea off the coast of Germany.

The following image is from "The War Illustrated Magazine" dated November 30, 1918.

I hope you can read the captions.

A few of the stamp reprints

Following is a full sheet of the reprints of Scott number 7

The last two stamps issued  in 1879 represent Heligoland escutcheons. A One Mark and Five Mark value.

All you find are genuine as there were no reprints. Most cancellations are forgeries.

In 1878 three different newspaper wrappers were issued. They are about 13 &1/2 inches long with gum at one end. Most of what you see offered have been cut down to about two inches long. They came in three donominations; 3p,5p and 10p.

This one is folded in haft to fit your screen.

Several envelopes were issued.

This one was issued in 1875

Also several postcards.

This one from 1876

  Front

 Back

An international reply coupon (IRC) is a coupon that can be exchanged for one or more postage stamps representing the minimum postage for an unregistered priority airmail letter sent to another Universal Postal Union (UPU) member country. IRCs are accepted by all UPU member countries.

UPU member postal services are obliged to exchange an IRC for postage, but are not obliged to sell them.

The purpose of the IRC is to be able to send someone in another country a letter, along with the cost of postage for them to reply. If the addressee is within the same country, there is no need for an IRC because a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) will suffice; but if the addressee is in another country an IRC removes the necessity of acquiring foreign postage or sending appropriate currency.

There is  a German motto applied to the Island which might be translated---

Green is the Land
Red is the Strand
White is the Sand
And these are the colors of Heligoland

The flag of Heligoland