Germany Weimar Republic 1923 25m mark with HAN
In 1923, Germany’s hyperinflation move so fast that denominations changed weekly. There is a slight trick to the “25m” label: depending on whether the “m” stands for Mark or Million, you likely have one of two very different stamps.
1. The 25 Mark Stamp (Early 1923)
If the stamp physically says 25 Mark, it was issued in the early part of 1923 before the currency completely collapsed.
- Design: Part of the “Workers” series, it depicts a Farmer (Ackerbauer) sowing seeds.
- Color: Dark ochre-brown.
- Michel #: Mi. 242.
- Rhein-Ruhr Overprint: You may have a version of this stamp with a black overprint saying “500 M / Rhein=Ruhr=Hilfe”. This was a semi-postal issued in February 1923 to support Germans in the occupied Ruhr region.
2. The 25 Million Mark Stamp (Late 1923)
If your stamp is a high-value inflation issue, it is more likely to be 25 Million or 25 Milliarden (Billion). However, there is no single stamp with a printed “25 Million” value; instead, it exists as an overprint.
- The Overprint: Look for a stamp (often the brown 25 Mark farmer or the orange 12 Mark) with a thick black surcharge that reads “25 Tausend” (25 Thousand) or “25 Milliarden”.
- The “Milliard” Confusion: Many collectors misread “Milliard” as “Million.” A 25 Milliarden stamp (25 Billion) was issued in November 1923. It is part of the “Basket Lid” or “Circle with Rosette” series.
- Color: Typically black-blue or dark violet.
- Michel #: Mi. 330.
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