Thurn and Taxis stamps year 1859/61 – Used lot

Thurn and Taxis stamps year 1859/61 – Used lot

The Thurn and Taxis stamps issued between 1859 and 1861 belong to a highly collectible series known as the “Colored Print on White Paper” imperforate issue.

This issue is significant because it marked a shift from the previous stamps, which were printed in black on colored paper, to stamps printed in color on white paper.

A key feature of these stamps is that they were issued for the two distinct postal districts run by the private Thurn and Taxis postal service, which used two different currencies:

🇩🇪 Northern District (Groschen Currency)

The Northern District stamps were valued in Silbergroschen (Sgr.) or Groschen (Gr.).

• Period: 1859–1860
• Perforation: Imperforate (had to be cut with scissors).
• Design: A central numeral of value surrounded by ornate scrollwork and the inscription “Thurn und Taxis” and “Silber Gr.” (or “S. Gr.”).
• Denominations and Colors (Examples):
  • ¼ Sgr. (Red)
  • ½ Sgr. (Green)
  • 1 Sgr. (Light Blue)
  • 2 Sgr. (Rose/Pink)
  • 3 Sgr. (Reddish Brown)

🇧🇪 Southern District (Kreuzer Currency)

The Southern District stamps were valued in Kreuzer (Kr.).

• Period: 1859
• Perforation: Imperforate.
• Design: Similar central numeral design, but with the inscription “Thurn und Taxis” and “Kreuzer”.
• Denominations and Colors (Examples):
  • 1 Kr. (Green)
  • 3 Kr. (Rose)
  • 6 Kr. (Brown/Ochre)
  • 9 Kr. (Yellow)
  • 15 Kr. (Lilac/Purple) – One of the higher value stamps in the set.