CARRIER
PIGEON
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first postage stamp. The
issue was ordered in the beginning of the year 1940 but appeared first
in July 1940, when Soviet Union already had taken over the country.
Design by Karl Tael (Doll), showing a carrier pigeon
over an airplane.
Paper: Greyish chalk-surfaced paper. A very limited
numberof sheets of the 15 senti value were printed on pure white chalk-surfaced
paper. These stamps are rare.
Gum: yellowish, smooth and shiny.
Print: Printed in sheets of 200, arranged in two
panes of 100 each, separated by gutter. Register crosses (two) can
be found on top and bottom of the printing sheet. Printing Order numbers
appear on the two first printings only. Two additional printing orders
were issued to the GPW - August 30 and November 23, 1940. Only part
of the last order was delivered, the rest was cancelled. The last
delivery of the 10 and 15 senti values was made as late as December
4, 1940. The number of stamps printed will be shown individually under
each stamp, whereby the number of stamps destroyed in 1941 has been
deducted. The following table provides information about the number
of stamps sold over the counter and about the remainders, which were
sold to the public during the German occupation:
| |
Sold
over
the counter: |
Remainders: |
| 3
senti |
1.200.147 |
1.357.853 |
| 10
senti |
2.110.164 |
758.336 |
| 15
senti |
3.297.622 |
1.498.378 |
| 30
senti |
288.250 |
158.850 |
Perforation: 14 x 13 1/2. The imperforate 15 senti
value originates from the unperforated remainders in the GPW and was
never sold over the counter.
Proofs exist. Please, read this article
about "Carrier Pigeon proofs" (in German).
Forgeries: After the war a number of so called proofs
in various colours has appeared. These were made with genuine plates,
stolen from the GPW, on different papers. The print is mostly unclear
and poorly executed.
Valid: The issue was supposed to be sold over the
counter until November 30, 1940 and to be valid until January 31,
1941. Both these deadlines seem to have been extended. Genuine covers
are known as late as from June 1941. Mixed franking with Soviet stamps
are in existence.
Literature:
Julius Bleyer: Eesti
postmarkide autodafeid (The destroying of Estonian stamps), Eesti
Filatelist No 22/23, 1978 (in Estonian with summary in English).
| 206 |
Ei
- 196
Mi - 160
Zu - 167
SG - 156
YT - 175
Sc - 150 |
 |
Day
of Issue:
1940-07-30 |
| Perforation:
14 x 13 1/2 |
| Issued:
2.600.000 |
| SI |
DPM
1940-07-30 - 1940-12-06
SI rare |
 |
 |
 |
| 3
S. Orange |
0.15 |
0.20 |
|
|
SI
MU
MI |
|
|
35:-
10:-
5:- |
| |
Block
of four |
5x |
10x |
|
| B:1 |
Dark
orange |
+0.30 |
+0.30 |
|
| E:1 |
Damaged
numerals |
+0.50 |
+0.50 |
|
| E:2 |
Damaged
frame |
+0.50 |
+0.50 |
|
| F: |
Printing
Order Nos: |
|
|
|
| F:1 |
T.103
-22.II 1940 - 600.000 |
+12:- |
|
|
| F:2 |
T.
545 -3l.VlI 1940 - 600.000 |
+12:- |
|
|
| G:1 |
Orange |
20:- |
|
|
| 207 |
Ei
- 197
Mi - 161
Zu - 168
SG - 157
YT - 176
Sc - 151 |
 |
Day
of Issue:
1940-07-30 |
| Perforation:
14 x 13 1/2 |
| Issued:
2.960.000 |
| SI |
DPC,
PC-Finland, Sweden 1940-07-30 - 1940-12-06 |
|
|
|
| 10
S. Violet |
0.15 |
0.10 |
|
|
SI
MU
MI |
|
|
6:-
7:-
4:- |
| |
Block
of four |
5x |
10x |
|
| B:1 |
Dark
violet |
+0.15 |
+0.10 |
|
| E:1 |
Colored
dot in design |
+0.50 |
+0.50 |
|
| F: |
Printing
Order Nos: |
|
|
|
| F:1 |
T.
104 - 22.11 1940 - 1.000.000 |
+10:- |
|
|
| F:2 |
T.
570 - 10.Vlll 1940 - 600.000 |
+12:- |
|
|
| G:1 |
Violet
|
20:- |
|
|
| 208 |
Ei
- 198
Mi - 162
Zu - 169
SG - 158
YT - 177
Sc - 152 |
 |
Day
of Issue:
1940-07-30 |
| Perforation:
14 x 13 1/2 |
| Issued:
4.900.000 |
| SI |
DL,
L-Finland, Sweden 1940-07-30 - 1940-12-06 |
|
|
|
| 15
S. Brownish red |
0.15 |
0.10 |
|
|
SI
MU
MI |
|
|
5:-
6:-
4:- |
| |
Block
of four |
5x |
10x |
|
| A:1 |
Imperforate |
+3:- |
- |
|
| A:2 |
Imperforate
gutter pair |
+8:- |
- |
|
| B:1 |
Dark
brownish red |
+0.15 |
+0.10 |
|
| C:1 |
White
chalk-surfaced paper |
+200:- |
+100:- |
250:- |
| |
Block
of four |
8x |
8x |
|
| E:1 |
Damaged
frame |
+0.75 |
+0.75 |
|
| E:2 |
White
spot in 1(5).Pos. A75 |
+1:- |
+1:- |
|
| E:3 |
White
dot in design |
+0.50 |
+0.50 |
|
| F: |
Printing
Order Nos: |
|
|
|
| F:1 |
T.
105 - 22.11 1940 - 1.200.000 |
+10:- |
|
|
| F:2 |
T.
571 - 10.VIII 1940 - 800.000 |
+12:- |
|
|
| G:1 |
Dark
brownish red |
20:- |
|
|
| G:2 |
Brownish
red |
3:- |
|
|
| 209 |
Ei
- 199
Mi - 163
Zu - 170
SG - 159
YT - 178
Sc - 153 |
 |
Day
of Issue:
1940-07-30 |
| Perforation:
14 x 13 1/2 |
| Issued:
480.000 |
| SI |
IR,
R-L-Finland, Sweden 1940-07-30 - 1940-12-06
SI Scarce |
|
|
|
| 30
S. Blue |
1.50 |
0.75 |
|
|
SI
MU
MI |
|
|
35:-
--
20:- |
| |
Block
of four |
5x |
10x |
|
| B:1 |
Dark
blue |
+1.50 |
+1:- |
|
| E:1 |
Damaged
frame |
+1:- |
+0.50 |
|
| E:2 |
Colored
dot in design |
+0.50 |
+0.50 |
|
| F: |
Printing
Order Nos: |
|
|
|
| F:1 |
T-106
- 22. II 1940 - 120.000 |
+15:- |
|
|
| F:2 |
T-546
- 31. VII 1940 - 200.000 |
+15:- |
|
|
| G:1 |
Blue
|
20:- |
|
|
Please
note that all prices are estimates in USD, based on the average retail
market of 1985, when the original catalogue/handbook
was written. The prices are considerably higher today.
