Bavaria year 1908 Rail Service Used stamps set
Bavaria (Bayern in German) Rail Service stamps are an interesting and specialized area of philately. These stamps were used for official railway mail in the Kingdom of Bavaria before it became part of unified Germany. Here’s an overview:
- Period of use: These stamps were issued from 1908 to 1920.
- Purpose: They were specifically used for parcels and official mail transported by the Bavarian state railways.
- Design:
- The stamps typically featured a locomotive design
- They were larger than regular postage stamps
- Most had the inscription “Bahnhof” (railway station) at the top
- Colors: Various colors were used, often corresponding to different denominations or uses.
- Denominations: Ranged from low values for small parcels to high values for heavy or valuable shipments.
- Overprints: Some issues were overprinted for different purposes or to reflect political changes.
- End of use: The use of these stamps ended when the Bavarian railway system was incorporated into the German national railway after World War I.
- Collectibility: These stamps are popular among collectors of German states, railway thematic stamps, or specialized Bavaria collections.
- Varieties: There are various printing varieties and errors that make some issues particularly sought after by specialists.
- Historical context: These stamps reflect the importance of railways in early 20th century Bavaria and the region’s semi-autonomous status within the German Empire.
