Issued under local authority of occupying Nazi German forces as fundraising (like semi-postals) stamps for the benefit of Danish Legion forces (Danish volunteers fighting, mostly on the Eastern Front, on the side of the Germans). Such stamps are listed by the Michel Catalog. Great caution must be exercized when purchasing such stamps as some excellent forgeries exist as do modern reproductions and fantasy items. In most cases a certificate from a properly qualified German “verbandsprüfer” expert should be required before purchasing.
Danish Legion Feltpost Stamps: 1944 Famous Landmarks Views. Complete perforated set of three: Green +25 øre Roskilde Domkirke (cathedral), Blue +50 øre Koldingshus (Kolding Castle), and red +1 mk Kronborg castle (which also served as a lighthouse). The plate positions of these particular examples are respectively 2, 3, 2 (per Brunel). These fundraising stamps were issued in Denmark by Nazi German authorities and were intended to act like semi-postal stamps (to benefit Danish Legion soldiers fighting on behalf of the Germans on the Eastern Front) on free military mail; thus there was no base denomination, only the supplementary value. Only known issued in a booklet (extremely rare) with all the stamps perforated on all four sides. Forgeries exist; modern reproductions are plentiful. Mint VF to F-VF, original gum, hinged with small remnants. Typical somewhat rough perforations (not all fully cleaned out). Accompanied by 2018 photo certificate from German verbandsprüfer Robert Brunel, a well-qualified expert in this field. His certificate is in German with English summary which reads “The stamps are genuine and have original gum with hinge remnants. There are no faults.” This extremely scarce set is little-known to most collectors of Danish stamps and even of WWII stamps in general unless one has thoroughly read the Michel Catalog.
Danish Legion Feltpost Stamps: 1944 Famous Landmarks Views. Complete perforated set of three: Green +25 øre Roskilde Domkirke (cathedral), Blue +50 øre Koldingshus (Kolding Castle), and red +1 mk Kronborg castle (which also served as a lighthouse). The plate positions of these particular examples are respectively 3, 3, 2 (per Brunel). These fundraising stamps were issued in Denmark by Nazi German authorities and were intended to act like semi-postal stamps (to benefit Danish Legion soldiers fighting on behalf of the Germans on the Eastern Front) on free military mail; thus there was no base denomination, only the supplementary value. Only known issued in a booklet (extremely rare) with all the stamps perforated on all four sides. Forgeries exist; modern reproductions are plentiful. THESE ARE GENUINE STAMPS WITH FAKE CANCELLATIONS ADDED. “Canceled” with “FELDPOST / d / 20.10.44” FAKE “postmarks”. (In an attempt to create used examples, which would be much more valuable than mint hinged examples, the faker greatly reduced the value of these otherwise genuine stamps.) The centering of these stamps is all VF or better. Typical somewhat rough perforations (not all fully cleaned out). These were examined in July 2018 by the German verbandsprüfer Robert Brunel, a well-qualified expert in this field. He did not issue a certificate for them because the cancellations are fake — apparently that is either his policy or the policy of the accrediting prüfer organization. He declared that the stamps were genuine and without faults, but that the cancellations are fake. This extremely scarce set is little-known to most collectors of Danish stamps and even of WWII stamps in general unless one has thoroughly read the Michel Catalog. (It is my policy not to permanently mark such items as fakes because there have been rare instances when fake-marked items have actually later been determined to be genuine. I have marked these lightly in pencil on the reverse with “fake cancel”.) Since the underlying stamps are genuine, this is a reasonable opportunity to own the stamps at a exceptionally low price; even if unused without gum, this set would sell for around $450!
