Germany Danzig year 1923 Dienstmarken set MNH stamps
That’s a very specific and interesting set from the Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) during the hyperinflation period in the early 1920s.
The 1923 Dienstmarken (Official Stamps) set refers to a series of stamps used exclusively for official government mail. These stamps were frequently surcharged or reprinted with new, high denominations to keep pace with the rapidly devaluing German Mark.
⚓ Danzig 1923 Dienstmarken Set
The primary 1923 issue you are referring to is a set of Coat of Arms stamps that were overprinted with denominations up to the millions of marks, or sometimes a long set of stamps used for postage due (Portomarken).
The most commonly collected set of 1923 Official stamps (Dienstmarken) is based on the older Dienstmarken design but with new inflation values. This set generally includes 5 stamps:
| Denomination | Colour | Catalogue Number (Michel) | Notes |
| 50 Tausend Mark | Blue-Grey | Michel D36 | Tausend = Thousand |
| 100 Tausend Mark | Dark Green | Michel D37 | |
| 200 Tausend Mark | Red-Orange | Michel D38 | |
| 500 Tausend Mark | Dark Brown | Michel D39 | |
| 1 Million Mark | Greenish-Blue | Michel D40 | Million = Million |
The set is officially catalogued as Michel D36–D40 (Scott O32-O36).
💰 Collector’s Value
As with many stamps issued during the 1923 German hyperinflation, these stamps were printed in large quantities, and their individual value is low unless they are perfectly centered or have an expert certificate (due to many varieties, paper types, and cancellations to check).
- Complete Set of 5 (Mint Never Hinged / MNH): A complete MNH set of Michel D36–D40 is typically sold by dealers in the range of €8.00 to €15.00 / $9.00 to $18.00.
- One dealer listing shows a similar set of 1923 Dienstmarken (Mi 36/40) for 10.00 € MNH.
- Used (Cancelled): Used or Cancelled-to-Order (CTO) sets are very common. A used set usually sells for less than the MNH price, often around €3.00 to €7.00.
Important Note (Inflation): Because these stamps were issued during a period of rapidly changing currency values, there are many complex varieties, errors, and specialist differences (e.g., various overprints, paper types, and watermarks) that can make some individual stamps highly valuable. For a precise valuation, it is always best to compare your stamps against a current, specialized catalogue (like Michel).
