Genuine and False, Inverted 5 Mk Viking Ship

The stamp above is genuine and its trade mark is: OFF CENTERED. The length of the black frame (outside measure) is 29.50 mm. Source: Pertti Hujala

There are many forgeries about the inverted center Viking 5 Mk. The white paper forgeries - as is this one below - eventually belong to the early production. If you are not careful, you will be deceived easily with this quality forgery.The length of the black frame below is 30.23 mm. That is a forgery, printed on quite white paper and it is "too well centered".

 The pair of 5Mk Vikings below is a total forgery. It is also printed on white paper and it is "too well centered".

The above pair belongs to this letter below. The whole object is the total forgery, including cancellations. Obs: the handbook says: Pääskula post-office was opened 3.9.1925 and this postmark cancellation is from January, 1921.  The name Pääskyla is quite known with this kind of forgeries. 

Viking Ship 25 Mk Forgery

Look at these 25 Mk Viking Ships, they are all forgeries!

As you see, the false printing plate (down) was model of 1 x4 and it was printed to the paper sheet as above. (source: Pertti Hujala, the expert of Estonian stamps)

1923 Provisional Ail Mail Stamps, 15 Mk red OPT

15 Mk. carmine OPT  

Day of Issue: October 1, 1923 Perforation: Imperforate Issued: 45.400

Down: 4-block, positions L77-80 and L87-90

Röömsaid ülestõusmis(e)pühi!

The special postal tariff of this card was same as for printed paper. 2 s is correct.

This is very important to remember

When you buy genuine Provisional Air Mail 45 Mk carmine OPTs, please, notify the big difference in the issued quantities!

45 Mk. carmine OPT  
 Distance between OPT 5 and M = 1,25 mm

Day of (1st printing)-issue: October 1, 1923 Perforation: Imperforate 

Issued: 9.900

 The total length of the OPT = 23 mm

45 Mk. carmine OPT 
 Distance between OPT 5 and M = 2 mm

Day of (2nd printing)-issue: November 9, 1923 Perforation: Imperforate 

Issued: 3.234 only

 The total length of the OPT = 24 mm

Registration for official packet

The letter below from Tallinn 10 V 39 to Tallinn (arrival 11 V 39) has one special feature: that is the registration fee for official packet (erikorras tähitatud, virkalähetyksen kirjaaminen). It has been valid only during 1.4.1936 - 5.12.1940 and the fee has been mentioned to be “recommendation”. This domestic registration fee was 5 senti and by that it was only half of the regular domestic registration fee.  The domestic letter (< 20g.) during 1.1.1928 - 29.2.1940 was 10 senti.

Tallinna Ringkonnakohtule = Tallinnan Käräjäoikeus (Tallinn District Court, Criminal division).

The Viking Ship stamps are exhilarating

Estonian Viking Ship stamps are a very interesting target of collection in itself. Below you see the complete pane of blue 1 Mk Viking Ship. The cancellation is from the date of  4.9.19. Something has been paid but the question is what? This pane belongs to the 1st printings of the Viking Ship:

1 Mk. Black-brown-blue, white paper  

Day of Issue: July 28, 1919 Perforation: Imperforate Issued: 986.800

Taken from the Handbook: “The printer's sheet of 200 was arranged in two panes (100 + 100) placed in the press vertically one above the other so that the design in the upper one was inverse (käänteinen) to the lower pane. The panes were separated by a horizontal gutter of 31 mm. (frame to frame). The printer's sheets were cut into two counter panes horizontally across the gutter. It is believed that all values were printed in the same manner. At the beginning a few complete sheets of 200 of the first printings of the 1 and 5 Mk. values came to counter sale. No gutter pairs are known from of the 15 and 25 Mk. values.

The gutter-pair of 1 Mk

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