Federal President Gustav Heinemann (stamp series)

Edition Berlin	Federal edition
Gustav Heinemann, highest values in this series

Federal President Gustav Heinemann is a Federal German definitive stamp series that appeared from 1970 to 1973 and was in use until around 1975. The stamps were published by the Deutsche Bundespost and Deutsche Bundespost Berlin . The only difference between the Berlin values was the word “Berlin” ; Color and value were the same. The publication dates of the West German and the corresponding Berlin edition were also the same. The Berlin stamps were valid for postage until December 31, 1991 , the German issues until June 30, 2002.

Issue occasion

“A new series of postage stamps, the motif of which is a picture of the head of Federal President Dr. Gustav Heinemann carries, is prepared. It is intended to replace the permanent series of postage stamps German buildings from 12 centuries . On July 23, 1970, the birthday of the Federal President, the first two values appear at 5 Pf and 1 DM. "

- Order No. 393/1970 in the Official Gazette No. 73 of June 5, 1970, p. 818

Motif and printing process

The motif was the same on all values and showed the portrait of the third Federal President Gustav Heinemann - who looked to the left from the viewer's point of view . The design for this came from Professor Karl Hans Walter from Nuremberg.

The series consisted of single-color sheet stamps and comprised 21 (Berlin: 23) values. The stamps were printed exclusively in sheets of 100 stamps on white fluorescent postage stamp paper in intaglio printing at the Bundesdruckerei Berlin. The stamps printed in portrait orientation had an individual size of 23 × 27.32 mm. The engraving was done by Hans-Joachim Fuchs .

particularities

Postcard for shipping within Berlin. Here is the question part of a postcard with a reply card from June 1972 Michel number: Berlin P87

Example of one of the 168 picture postcards (Michel-No .: P112) from April 1, 1974

The 8 and 15 Pfennig stamps were only issued in Berlin, as this postage level was only available there ( postcard within Berlin)
The original plan was to issue a 5-mark value. The Michel numbers Bund 646 and Berlin 371 were kept free for this and were never reassigned in order not to have to change all subsequent numbers.
Since the introduction of roll brands, the Heinemann series has been the first permanent series that only appeared in sheet form. A separate series of accident prevention (stamp series) was issued for roll stamps in a short period of time .

As a definitive stamp series, some stamps were also used as imprinted value stamps for postcards. A total of 14 postcards were published in Berlin and 12 in West Germany.

After the series was used up, the 50-pfennig value of the Bund issue came under the influence of speculation in the early 1980s. Although the value was printed in an edition of over 1.2 billion pieces and was temporarily a common value from April 1, 1974 (as standard letter postage), the catalog value for a mint never hinged copy rose to up to 50 DM in some cases Value to 2 euros.

Heinemann and the consequences

An important rule when issuing Federal German postage stamps was and is not to depict or honor any living persons with the exception of the Federal President.There was an exception for the first time in February 1977 when the French politician and statesman Jean Monnet was made an honorary citizen of Europe . The first postage stamp in reunified Germany to show a person still alive was issued in April 2007 on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Pope Benedict XVI.

Before the Heinemann series, there were two permanent series with the picture of Theodor Heuss (→ Heuss series and Heuss medallion ) and two issues with two stamps each on the occasion of the election or re-election of Heinrich Lübke . With their large number of values - in addition to the value of 5 pfennigs, there were from 10 pfennigs to 2 DM, with the exception of the value of 180 pfennigs, every possible value in 10 pfennig increments, plus the special value grades in Berlin at 8 and 15 pfennigs - and their large circulation of more than 10 billion pieces at the Deutsche Bundespost and an additional half a billion Berlin stamps, the permanent series with the face of Heinemann achieved a very high distribution, although a second only a few years after he took office competing permanent series " Accident Prevention " was issued with also considerable editions. After Heinemann's term of office has expired and his successor has renounced the right to depiction on a permanent series, which has so far been followed by all other successors in office (see also people who were honored on a German postage stamp during their lifetime and people who were honored during their lifetime on a postage stamp of the Federal Republic of Germany ), the Heinemann series was replaced from 1975 by the permanent series " Industry and Technology ".

List of expenses

Image West Germany	Picture Berlin	Value in pennies	Issue date	Edition Federal, Berlin	Mi. -No . Bund, Berlin
		5	July 23, 1970	321,746,000 21,042,000	635 359
-		8th	April 8, 1971	- 12,500,000	- 360
		10	October 23, 1970	1,182,920,000 120,236,000	636 361
-		15th	June 20, 1972	- 36,000,000	- 427
		20th	October 23, 1970	980,136,000 117,530,000	637 362
		25th	August 27, 1971	793,132,000 11,720,000	689 393
		30th	7th January 1971	2,447,943,000 73,466,000	638 363
		40	April 8, 1971	2,128,584,000 39,837,000	639 364
		50	April 8, 1971	1,278,969,000 24,429,000	640 365
		60	June 25, 1971	255,404,000 12,012,000	690 394
		70	April 8, 1971	210,417,000 13,822,000	641 366
		80	April 8, 1971	153,266,000 7,438,000	642 367
		90	7th January 1971	33,600,000 6,400,000	643 368
		1 DM	July 23, 1970	275,675,000 15,359,000	644 369
		110	16th January 1973	33,476,000 5,849,000	727 428
		120	March 8, 1972	46,661,000 6,946,000	691 395
		130	June 20, 1972	21,995,000 4,645,000	728 429
		140	16th January 1973	19,486,000 5,654,000	729 430
		150	5th July 1972	67,705,000 7,154,000	730 431
		160	March 8, 1972	26,628,000 4,342,000	692 396
		170	September 11, 1972	35,738,000 5,139,000	731 432
		190	16th January 1973	32,726,000 4,635,000	732 433
		2 DM	7th January 1971	170,095,000 9,340,000	645 370