Michel Plate Flaws German Reich 1872–1945 (4th edition)

Issues of the German Reich (1872–1945) with recorded plate flaws, including official and telegraph stamps as well as semi-official airmail stamps based on the 2025 MICHEL Germany Specialized (Volume 1).

Description: This fourth edition of the MICHEL handbook “Plate Flaws of the German Reich 1872-1945” is a compact and well-structured extract from the 2025 MICHEL Germany Special, Volume 1. Due to the comprehensive optimization of the layout we were able to compile all pertinent information about plate flaws of the German Reich in fewer pages than in the previous edition.

Collecting plate flaws has been popular for a long time. Plate flaws not only cause a potentially curious change in the way a postage stamp looks but also provide information about the printing quality. The flaw may occur as early as during the manufacturing of a printing plate for postage stamps, but more often it will occur during the printing process itself. The reasons are wear and tear or any damage to the printing plate. Therefore, a concentration of plate flaws in a particular production period might also let you draw conclusions about the general economic conditions under which these issues were printed.

With this in mind, it is not surprising that plate flaws are more prevalent in certain periods while being rare at other times. The stamps of the German Reich reveal these conditions very well, which is why collecting plate flaws is particularly popular in this collection area.

The MICHEL handbook “Plate Flaws of the German Reich 1872–1945”, an extract from the 2025 MICHEL Germany Special Volume 1, is a handy helper, providing a concise compilation of the fundamental stamp descriptions and the plate flaws known to date.

Since the last edition, philatelic research has revealed further plate flaws, which have been included in this catalogue. We are also pleased to present additional detailed colour photos of plate flaws. This volume thus offers collectors a clear overview of the latest information regarding plate flaws of the German Reich.

Information:

Edition: 4th
Pages: 96
Format: Softcover
Publishing House: Schwaneberger Verlag
First Day of Sale: 5 December 2025

Published in German