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Seite 1

The
Stamp Catalogue
An Introduction for English-speaking readers

Schwaneberger Verlag · München

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Seite 2

Contents
3

Introduction

3

The MICHEL Stamp Catalogues

4

Basic German

5

Typical Set Listing

6

The Catalogue Listings

8

The Front and Back of the Catalogue

8

Glossary of Colours

10

Glossary of Country Names

11

Glossary of Philatelic Terms,
Symbols and Abbreviations

Compiled: Martyn Yeo, Printed in Germany© 2003, Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, Muthmannstr. 4, 80939 München
Phone (0 89) 3 23 93-02, Fax (0 89) 3 23 24-02
E-mailsales department:
editorial department:

vertrieb@michel.de
deutschland@michel.derundschau@michel.de

Internet:or

http://www.michel.de
http://www.briefmarken.de

The use of the MICHEL numbering system in catalogues, albums and other systematic listings of postage
stamps is only allowed with the express permission of the publishing company.

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Seite 3

MICHELIntroduction
Hugo Michel’s first stamp catalogue was published in
Apolda, a town some 10 miles north-east of Weimar,in 1910. By today’s standards it was a slim volume –its 112 pages listed the stamps of European countries
and their post offices abroad.
The MICHEL catalogue rapidly became a standard
work of reference, used by dealers to identify theirstock, by philatelists to check their collections and asa reference for buying and exchanging stamps. Hugo
Michel subsequently sold the rights to his catalogue
to the stamp album publishers Schwaneberger Verlag, who still retain them.

3

States, colonies, mandated territories, protectorates,
post offices abroad, occupation issues, Danzig, Saar,and the former postal adminstrations of West Berlin
and East Germany. Published with colour illustrations
throughout.
WEST- AND CENTRAL EUROPE (MICHEL-EuropaKatalog, Band 1) contains Austria, Liechtenstein,
Switzerland, France, Monaco, countries of the Iberian
Peninsula and UNO Geneva and Vienna .
SOUTHERN EUROPE (MICHEL-Europa-Katalog,
Band 2) contains Italy with San Marino and Vatican,
the countries of the Balcan Peninsula, Bulgaria,
Turkey and Cyprus.

The basic catalogue now occupies 13 volumes covering the stamps of all countries – despite its vast
increase in size its basic structure has never beenaltered. Over the years it has won more than 200
medals at national and international stamp exhibitions, including 20 gold medals. More than 400,000
MICHEL catalogues are printed every year, and theyfind their way to collectors all over the world.

NORTH AN NORTHWEST EUROPE (MICHELEuropa-Katalog, Band 3) contains Scandinavia, theBaltic States, Great Britain, Ireland and the Benelux
States.
EASTERN EUROPE (MICHEL-Europa-Katalog,
Band 4) contains Moldavia, Poland, Rumania, Russia, Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary and Belarus.

MICHEL catalogue numbers are used by most collectors in German-speaking countries and in eastern
Europe, and they are the standard reference numbers
for stamps of these countries. Because of the clear
and authoritative listings which they provide, MICHEL
catalogues are gaining in popularity in many othercountries too. New editions appear regularly, andeach one includes detailed editorial changes, embracing new philatelic research, newly listed errors
and varieties, revised catalogue prices and newissues.

NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog Band 1, Nord- und Mittelamerika)
covering continental countries from Panama northwards.
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog
Band 2, Karibische Inseln) covering the islands
round the Caribbean Sea as well as the Bahamas andthe Bermudas.
SOUTH AMERICA (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog
Band 3, Südamerika) does not include the Falkland
Islands and antarctic territories.
NORTH AND EAST AFRICA (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog Band 4, Nord- und Ostafrika) covering Africa
north of the Sahara and the east coast countries from
Egypt to Tansania.
WEST AFRICA (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog Band 5,
Westafrika) covering Africa south of the Sahara from
Cape Verde to the former French Congo.
SOUTHERN AFRICA (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog
Band 6, Südliches Afrika). The remaining countriesof Africa as well as the islands in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea.

The MICHEL catalogue is published in German by
Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, whose offices are at
Muthmannstraße 4, D-80939 München, Germany.
All the volumes and other MICHEL products areavailable from good stamp dealers or, in case ofdifficulty, directly by mail order from the following
MICHEL agents:
United Kingdom Safe Albums (UK) Ltd, 16 Falcon
Business Park, Ivanhoe Road, Hogwood Lane,
Finchampstead, Berkshire.
United States Lighthouse Publications Inc., 274
Washington Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
The MICHEL catalogue is supplemented by themonthly publication MICHEL-Rundschau. It contains useful articles on collecting, but for Englishspeaking catalogue users the more important part is
its listing of new issues, presented in a matching style.

The MICHEL Stamp Catalogues
The 15 volumes of the main MICHEL stamp catalogue are as follows:
GERMANY (MICHEL-Deutschland-Katalog) covering all German stamp issues. These include German

AUSTRALIA, OCEANIA, ANTARCTIC TERRITORIES(MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog Band 7, Australien,
Ozeanien, Antarktis).
SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA (MICHEL-ÜberseeKatalog Band 8 Süd- und Südost-Asien) additionally covering Indonesia and the Philippines.
CENTRAL AND EAST ASIA (MICHEL-ÜberseeKatalog Band 9, Mittel- und Ostasien) covering
Asia north of the Himalaya, also including Iran, Afghanistan and Japan.
MIDDLE EAST (MICHEL-Übersee-Katalog Band
10, Naher Osten).

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Seite 4www.michel.de

Other MICHEL Catalogues
Apart from the main catalogue, MICHEL publishes
almost thirty other philatelic titles. There is a range of
specialized catalogues and other books covering
specific subjects, ranging from postal stationery tominiature sheets. They include the following collecting areas:
Austria Specialized
CEPT
United Nations Specialized
Germany Junior Catalogue (simplified and in colour)
Germany Specialized
Great Britain Specialized
Croatia Specialized
Postal Stationery – Germany
Postal Stationery – Western Europe/Eastern Europe
Scandinavia/The Baltic States
Switzerland and Liechtenstein Specialized
United States Specialized
A full colour brochure showing the complete rangeof MICHEL publications is available from your local
dealer or MICHEL agent.

How to Find the Country You Want
As you see from the list above, the arrangement of thevolumes is on a straightforward geographical basis.
Thus you will find Belgium in the North and Northwest
Europe volume, Chile in the South America volume,
Japan in the East Asia volume and so on. You should,
however, keep the following in mind:1 ) German spellings of country names result in an alphabetical order which differs from the English order, so for example in the Eastern Europe volume
you will find Czechoslovakia under T (for Tschechoslowakei) and Hungary under U (for Ungarn).
For more German country names look in the glossary.

collectors use the catalogue to the fullest extent, eventhose who have no knowledge of the German language.
lf you do not read and understand German fluently,
you will of course not be able to decipher every lastpiece of information presented in the MICHEL catalogues, which are the result of decades of editorial
work and philatelic research. Yet they are much easierto understand than most German publications, because of their clear layout, the widespread use ofsymbols and the frequent repetition of many common
words, phrases and philatelic terms. Much of the text
is devoted to stamp listings in a standard format.
Persevere – do not be put off! Look up unfamiliar
words as you find them, and you will soon build up a
useful vocabulary. Look first of all in the glossaries atthe end of this booklet, then in a German/English dictionary (just a pocket sized one will do).
A dictionary is necessary if, for example, you need totranslate the description of a stamp design. Use it forordinary German words and phrases not included in
the glossaries. Use a notebook to record those which
often occur, to save you looking them up each time.
You will be surprised how quickly you begin to makesense of the German text. lf you collect German orAustrian stamps the words and phrases you learn will
also be a great aid to deciphering stamp inscriptions.
The following clues will also help you:
1) All German nouns (not just proper names) startwith a capital letter. Other parts of speech – adjectives, pronouns, verbs and so on – start with asmall letter unless they begin a sentence. Words
ending in -ich or -ig are most likely adjectives.

3) The Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira are regarded as part of Western Europe and grouped
after Portugal or Spain as appropriate.

2) Many words are inflected, that is they change theirending or add an ending depending on theircontext within a sentence. For example you may
see the word braun (brown) printed as braunen or
braunes, but the meaning is the same. Plurals areusually formed by adding -e or -en and sometimes with the addition of an accent: the plural ofSatz (set) is Sätze (sets).

4) German colonies (for example Cameroon) and issues for territories occupied by Germany (such as
Bohemia and Moravia) are in the Germany volume, irrespective of their geographical location.

3) Ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th ... ) are indicated merely by a full stop (or period) after thenumber, so 1. means “1st”. In sentences containing a lot of punctuation this is quite easy to miss.

5) Issues for “post offices abroad” follow the country which ran the post offices, so that the section
for Spanish Post Offices in Morocco follows Spainin the Western Europe volume.

4) Remember that long words are often made up
from combinations of shorter words that you willrecognize more easily, for example Briefmarkenausstellung (stamp exhibition), or Fußballweltmeisterschaft (World Cup). Watch for abbreviations, which in German are always punctuated.
Commonly used abbreviations are MiNr. (MICHEL
catalogue number), usw. (and so on) and z. B. (forexample).

2) Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia are in theSouthern Europe volume.

Basic German
This introductory guide has been specially written for
MICHEL and is designed to help English-speaking

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Seite 55MICHEL

Typical Set Listing
Description of the issue

Designer

Printing methods

Dates of issue

1979, 14. Nov./1987. Freimarke: Burgen und Schlösser (III). \ Schillinger; I = Bdr., II = Ldr.; Bogen (B)(10}10), Markenheftchen (MH) und Rollen (R); A =vierseitig, C und D = dreiseitig gez. K 14.

Stamp illustration

Illustration code lettersand descriptions
MICHEL catalogue
numberBasic stamp
Varieties of printing
process
Varieties frombooklets(partly imperf)
Face valuealc) Schloß Rheydt

1028

60 (Pf) dunkelrosakarmin a . . . . alc
vierseitig gezähnt
I
Bdr. (14. 11. 1979) (B) (R) . . . .
II
Ldr. (1987) (R). . . . . . . . . . . . .
CIoben geschnitten,
Bdr. (Okt. 1980) (MH) . . . . . . .
DIunten geschnitten,
Bdr. (Okt. 1980) (MH) . . . . . . .
FDC (A I)
ETB 23/1979 (mit MiNr. 1028 A I)

Perforation
Currency unit
Colour

;

H

–,80
1,20

–,20
–,30

Used price

4,50

4,50

Date of issue

4,50

4,50
1,80
–,50

Illustration code letters
Mint priceA

FDC price
ETB price

Unterscheidungsmerkmale Bdr. und Ldr. siehe bei MiNr. 913–920!

Waagerechtes Paar (aus Bogen):1028 A I/1028 A I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

;
1,80

H
1,80

Einzelmarke mit anhängendem Bogenrand 50% vorstehender Paarpreise

Prices for pairs

Senkrechtes Paar (C/D) siehe bei MH 23

Cross-reference tovertical Pair

Rollenmarken (R):Marke mit Nr. 兩;H 兩
1028 A I R . . . .
2,—–,30 兩 1028 A II R . . . .

Marke mit Nr.
;
H
2,50
–,50

Auflagen: MiNr. 1028 A II = 89 500 000 Stück, ETB = 427 000 Stück

Numbers issued
Cross-reference to otherstamps in the same set

Weitere Werte siehe Zusammenfassung nach Blockaufstellung
Bildgleiche Marke mit zusätzlicher Inschrift „BERLIN“ siehe Berlin(West) MiNr. 611

Cross-reference toWest Berlin

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6

Seite 6www.michel.de5) Always keep an eye open for Latin words (such as
bird names) or other non-German words (likeforeign placenames) in the text. Your dictionary
will not be of much help here!
lf you wish to go further, the German-English Philatelic Dictionary is published by the Germany Philatelic Society Inc. and is available at the GPS Service
Center, PO Box 779, Arnold, MD 21012, USA. This
would be invaluable for collectors researching into
German philately in some detail, and is particularly
helpful on abbreviations and technical terms used by
the military and the postal services.

The Catalogue Listings
The Start of Each Country
Each country section starts with certain general information: the country name in German; its location,
historical and political divisions, currency and date ofmembership of the Universal Postal Union (Weltpostverein); an index showing where to find eachminiature sheet or sheetlet (Block); clarification of
how mounted (:) and unmounted (::) mint prices
apply; and illustrations of all relevant watermarks,
which are shown as seen when the stamp is facedown.

The End of Each Country
At the end of a country come price lists for se-tenantcombinations (Zusammendrucke), booklets (Heftchen) and booklet panes (Heftchenblätter).
Then, as in most catalogues, there will be listings ofsubsidiary groups such as official stamps (Dienstmarken), parcel post stamps (Paketmarken), postage due labels (Portomarken); also some local
issues (Lokalausgaben) and occupation issues (Besetzungsausgaben). These are each listed in chronological order and have their own sequences of catalogue numbers and illustration code letters. You may
find that the text refers you back to the main stamp
section (in the case of overprints, for example).

Stamp Listings
Within each country stamps are arranged in sets andthe sets are arranged in chronological order. Includedin this sequence are express letter stamps (Eilmarken), airmail stamps (look for the f symbol), registration stamps (Einschreibemarken) and newspaper
stamps (Zeitungsmarken).
A typical set listing is shown in the illustration on thepage opposite, where its structure is labelled in
English. It starts with a bold heading, giving the dateof issue; the purpose, for example the phrase for de-finitive set (Freimarken) or an indication of the eventor anniversary commemorated; and the printing process, paper, watermark and perforation.
Below this heading the stamp designs are illustrated.
You will notice that these illustrations have code letters which start at the beginning of each country witha), b), c), and so on. When the letters reach z) they
start again with aa), ab). In some cases they reach
three letters: aaa), aab), aac).
Once you get used to this code system you will findit very helpful, because you will not confuse the codeswith the catalogue numbers. Also, you will find thatmany more stamps are illustrated than in most othercatalogues, and generally every design in a set isshown, together with any accompanying printed label(Zierfeld) and the whole of each miniature sheet or
sheetlet. lf you collect by theme or topic you will findthis invaluable.
Next in the set listing comes the classification of
the stamps: from left to right each has the unique MICHEL catalogue number, the face value with the currency unit (in brackets if not actually shown on thestamp), the colour or colours, the illustration code,
the mint price and the used price.
The classification usually ends with prices for complete sets and, for modern issues, a first day cover(FDC). Footnotes may follow, giving additional information such as quantities issued (Auflagen), prices
for stamps with printed labels attached, for imperforate stamps or errors, and cross-references to otherstamps in similar designs (in ähnlichen Zeichnungen . . . ).
lf the issue is accompanied by miniature sheets or
sheetlets the listing of these follows, under the subheading Blockausgabe.

Catalogue Numbers
Each stamp listed has a MICHEL catalogue number
assigned to it. This number is unique and is universally recognised.
Major shade varieties are coded by adding letters to
the number, for example: 79a, 79b, 79c and so on.
Varieties of paper usually start at “x”, thus: 23x, 23y,23z. Perforation varieties have capitel letters: 406A,
406B, 406C would denote the same stamp with threedifferent gauges of perforation. Different types (ofprint, design, etc) have roman numerals: 8 I, 8 II, 8 III.
Sometimes these variety code letters are used asheadings where there are multiple price columns.
In the few cases where new stamps have been inserted into the numercial sequence a capital letter
precedes the number, so the order might be: 305,
A305, B305, 306, 307. The MICHEL catalogue avoids
this practice wherever possible.

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Seite 7MICHEL
Miniature sheets and sheetlets have their own sequences of numbers, beginning at 1. They are indexed in a checklist at the start or the end of eachcountry, where the phrase siehe nach Nr. refers you
to the catalogue number of the stamp each one
follows.
Irregular items, such as stamps prepared for use but
not issued, have their own sequences of Roman
numbers: I, II, III, IV and so on.

Face Value Indication
The face value of a stamp is always given in numerals. Currency designations are abbreviated within thelisting of one collecting field/country in a unified matter regardless how they are written on the stamps
themselves. lf a currency designation is given inbrackets there is no indication on the stamp.

Colours
See the special glossary.

Varieties
Misprintings, flaws, etc. are inevitable also in thestamp printing process. All these varieties are listedin accordance with the MICHEL-Abartenführer in thespecialized catalogues.
These varieties must not be confused with flaws by
chance which appear only on parts of the whole issue
and cannot be listed.
Major errors and varieties are included in the MICHEL
catalogue. They fall into various categories. Printing
errors, cover errors of colour, missing colours, errors
in overprints and surcharges, missing values, errors incontrol numbers and watermark errors. You will alsofind plate flaws and other printing imperfections, offsets and set-offs, double impressions and blurred
printings and printer’s waste.

Forgeries
Two warning Symbols indicate the existence of forgeries: Y indicates forgeries or fakes intended todeceive collectors, whereas [ refers to forgeries intended to deceive the postal authorities.

7

Descriptions of older issues may include the use ofsilk-fibre paper, glossy paper, hand-made paper,
tinted paper, and so on.
Today there are also kinds of paper in use with a fluorescent or phosphorescent additive which flashes under ultraviolet radiation (fluorescent) or which glows
for a short period after the end of the radiation. Bothkinds of paper can easily be detected by use of an
UV-Iamp.
A hint for the kind of paper normally is only given if
one stamp issue exists in different papers.

Perforations
Perforations are given to the nearest quarter.
Examples of the forms in which they are expressed
are as follows:
gez. 13gez. 14:13
gez. K 141/2
gez. L 121/4
gez. 10-12

Perf 13
Perf 14x13
Comb perf 141/2
Line perf 121/4
Perf 10 to 12

Note also the use of Durchstich (4) for roulette andthe â symbol for cut stamps.

Catalogue Prices
Prices in the left-hand column are for mint stamps,
and those in the right-hand column are for usedstamps.
Watch the column headings to check whether themint prices are for unmounted (;) or mounted (:)
stamps. Remember that the prices are quoted
throughout in Euro.
There may be multiple price columns – for example in
the early issues of Austria where various gauges of
perforation exist for each stamp – but the column
headings will make these clear. The symbol –,– isused to denote an item for which a catalogue pricecannot be assessed. Italics indicate a fluctuating
price; a blank indicates that an item does not exist (inthe “mint” column against a first day cover, forexample).

Paper Used for Stamp Printing

Methods of Printing

Normally for the stamp fabrication kinds of paper arechosen, which meet special requirements and which
are often prepared against counterfeiting (e.g. by silkthread or watermark).

Indications are given for each stamp or set. The vast
majority of modern stamps listed in the catalogue will
have been printed by one of three processes – RaTdr.
(photogravure), Odr. (offset litho) or StTdr. (intaglio) –or perhaps by two of these in combination. Other
processes which have been used for printing stamps
are covered in the glossary.

Provisional or wartime issues may be printed on substandard paper, and this is indicated in the listings.

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Seite 8www.michel.de

The different methods of printing should be looked
after in special manuals.

Watermarks
Most modern stamps are unwatermarked, thoughsome countries still use watermarked paper for security reasons. Watermarks are illustrated at the beginning of each country, and numbered Wz. 1, Wz. 2
and so on. They are always depicted as seen from theback of the stamp.

The Front and Back of the Catalogue
At the front of each catalogue, after the title-page,comes a section headed Preisnotierungen, whichindicates which years unmounted or mounted mint
prices apply to, and how to calculate prices forstamps on cover. Next is the Vorwort (foreword) written by the editor and the Einführung (introduction).
All the important points dealt with in the introduction
are also covered in this booklet. Following the introduction is a page of Abkürzungen und Zeichenerklärungen (abbreviations and symbols). Again, themost important of these are covered in this booklet.
The other item usually appearing at the front of thecatalogue is headed Bitte der Redaktion and tells
you how to contact the catalogue’s editor.
At the back of the catalogue you will find a section
headed Prüfordnung, which explains in some detailthe system of authentication or expertization used inGermany and gives names and addresses for therecognized experts in different fields. There is also anindex (Inhalts- und Stichwortverzeichnis) to help
you to find countries in the catalogue you have or inother volumes. You will need to check the beginningof the index for abbreviations used in it, such as DK
for Deutschland-Katalog (a reference to the Germany volume). Some of the specialized catalogues
contain a stamp design index (Alphabetisches
Register) as well.

Glossary of Colours
Every basic catalogue entry gives the colour or colours of the stamp, immediately following its facevalue (and currency).
Stamps printed in more than one colour have thecolours separated by an oblique stroke, for example
3 Sch. schwarz/blau. Note that this means “blackand blue”, not “black on blue paper” as it might insome catalogues; the German for the latter would be
schwarz a. blau. Stamps printed in three or morecolours may simply be described as mehrfarbig(multicoloured).

You will find that you soon recognize most of thecommonly used colour descriptions. As all colour
names are adjectives, they always start with a small
letter.
Compound colour names are formed in much thesame way as they are in English, but without hyphens. Simple compounds are formed like this: graublau = grey-blue, olivgelb = olive-yellow.
To save space in the catalogue listings, colours areoften abbreviated. These abbreviations will include afull stop or an apostrophe. Abbreviations are also
used for the colours of overprints and surcharges, butnote that these are always assumed to be black if nocolour is specified.

The MICHEL Colour Guide
The MICHEL Colour Guide (MICHEL-Farbenführer)
has been published for many years, and is an essential accessory to the MICHEL catalogues. The 1992
(36th) edition is a much improved and expanded version. This glossary and all references to stamp colours in this booklet are based on this 1992 edition.
The MICHEL Colour Guide is available from good
stamp dealers or directly from your MICHEL agent. It
contains more than 570 square patches of colour,
similar in style to a paint chart. Each patch is captioned with the colour name in German and has a circular hole in it, through which you can view the stamp
to get a good match.
The main list in this appendix shows the basic colours
included in the Colour Guide. In addition, over 370
further colours are shown, and these are formed byadding one of the following four prefixes to a basic
colour:hellmittellebhaftdunkel-

pale
mid
brightdark

So, for example, based on olivbraun (olive brown),
we have the following five colours, ranging from thepalest to the deepest:
hellolivbraun
mittelolivbraun
lebhaftolivbraunolivbraun
dunkelolivbraun

pale olive brown
mid olive brownbright olive brownolive browndark olive brown

Note that hyphens are not used in these compound
colour names. These five colours will be arranged
in a single horizontal row on the Colour Guide (thepalest at the left) so that you can compare themeasily.

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Seite 9MICHEL
List of Colours
The following alphabetical list includes the basic
colours shown in the MICHEL Colour Guide, the abbreviations used for colour names, and the abbreviations used for the colours of overprints and surcharges. All other colour names given in the MICHEL
colour guide may be derived by combination of therespective colour designations given below.
Bl
Bl.
blau
bläulich
Br
Br.
br’n
braun
bräunlichbronzeBz
chrom

Blue overprint or surcharge
Blue (abbreviation of blau)
Blue
Bluish (used in combination withother colours)
Brown overprint or surcharge
Brown (abbreviation of braun)
Brown (abbreviation of braun)
Brown
Brownish (used in combination withother colours)
Bronze (used for an overprint or surcharge and usually shown as Bz)
Bronze overprint or surcharge

cyanblau

Chrome (used in combination withother colours)
Cyan

d’
dkl’
dunkelgrau

Dark/deep (abbreviation of dunkel)
Dark/deep (abbreviation of dunkel)
Dark/deep grey

G
Gb
gelb
gelblichGold overprint or surcharge
Yellow overprint or surcharge
Yellow
Yellowish (used in combination withother colours)
Yellow (abbreviation of gelb)
Gold (used for an overprint or surcharge and usually shownas G)
Green overprint or surcharge
Grey (abbreviation of grau)
Green (abbreviation of grün)
Grey overprint or surcharge
Grey
Green
Greenish (used in combination withother colours)

glb.
gold
Gr
gr.
gr’n
Gra
grau
grün
grünlichh’hell

Pale/light (abbreviation of hell)
Pale/light (used in combination withother colours)

indigoIndigoKkar.
karminkobaltKu
kupferLlebhaftlil.
lila
magentamattmehrfarbig
mfg.
mittel

ocker
ol.
oliv
opalgrünOror.
orange9
Carmine overprint or surcharge
Carmine (abbreviation of karmin)
CarmineCobaltCopper overprint or surcharge
Copper (used for an overprint orsurcharge and usually shown as
Ku)
Lilac overprint or surcharge
Bright (used in combination withcolour names)
Lilac (abbreviation of lila)
Lilac
Magenta
Dull (used in combination withcolour names)
Multicoloured (printed in three ormore colours)
Multicoloured (abbreviation of
mehrfarbig)
Mid (used in combination withcolour names)

Ochre
Olive (abbreviation of oliv)
Olive
Opal-green
Orange overprint or surcharge
Orange (abbreviation of orange)
Orangepreußischblau Prussian blue
purpurPurple

R
ros.
rosa
rot
rötlichS
schw.

Red overprint or surcharge
Pink (abbreviation of rosa)
Pink
Red
Reddish (used in combination withother colours)

Black overprint or surchargeBlack or deep (abbreviation of
schwarz)
schwärzlich Blackish (used in combination withother colours)
schwarz
Black
Si
Silver overprint or surcharge
siena
SiennasilberSilver (used for an overprint or surcharge and usually shown as Si)
smaragdgrün Emerald-greenEnglisch

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www.michel.de

10türkisTurquoise

East Germany

ultram.
ultramarin

Ultramarine (abbreviation of ultramarin)
Ultramarine

Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
EthiopiaV
vio.
violett

Violet overprint or surcharge
Violet (abbreviation of violett)Violet

weiß

White

weißgrau

White-grey

zinnoberVermilion

Glossary of Country Names
The majority of country names in German are very
similar to the English equivalents, for example Libanon (Lebanon), Mexiko (Mexico) and Schweden(Sweden). Because of this, they are easy to find in the
catalogues. First, find the correct geographical volume, then look up the page number using thecontents list on the outside back cover.
There are, however, a few common country names
where the German and English names are significantly different or where they start with a different letter of the alphabet. These are given below. Unlike theother glossaries, the English names are shown first.
Aegean Islands
AustriaÄgäische InselnÖsterreich

Cambodia
Cameroon
CanadaCayman Islands
Cent. African
Republic
Chad
Channel Islands
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Colombia
Comoro Islands
Confederate States

Kambodscha
KamerunKanadaKaiman-Inseln
Zentralafrikanische
Republik
TschadKanalinseln
Weihnachts-Insel
Kokos-Inseln
Kolumbien
Komoren
Konföderierte Staaten
von Amerika
Kongo
Kreta
Kuba
Kroatien
ZypernTschechoslowakei

Congo
Crete
Cuba
Croatia
CyprusCzechoslovakia

Deutsche Demokratische
RepublikÄgyptenÄquatorial-Guinea
EstlandÄthiopien

Fiji
Fidschi-Inseln
FranceFrankreich
French Polynesia
Französisch-Polynesien
French Southern and Französische Gebiete in
Antarctic Territories
der Antarktis
Germany
Great Britain
GreeceDeutschland
Großbritannien
Griechenland

Hungary

UngarnIvory Coast

Elfenbeinküste

Kenya, Uganda
and Tanganyika

Ostafrikanische Gemeinschaft

LatviaLithuania

Lettland
Litauen

New Zealand
Nova Scotia

Neuseeland
Neuschottland

RussiaRußland

Soviet Union
Switzerland

Sowjetunion
Schweiz

United States

Vereinigte Staaten vonAmerika
United Arab Emirates Vereinigte Arabische
EmirateUnited Nations
Vereinte Nationen
Upper Volta
Obervolta
Virgin Islands

Jungferninseln

West Germany

Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Yemen
Yugoslavia

Jemen
Jugoslawien

ZambiaZimbabwe

SambiaSimbabwe

Englisch

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Seite 11

MICHEL

Glossary of Philatelic Terms,
Symbols and Abbreviations
A few abbreviations and symbols which occur very infrequently have been omitted from this list, but these
do all appear in the introduction to each catalogue.
The English translations given are appropriate to thephilatelic usage of the German terms – some of thewords may have different meanings when used in a
non-philatelic context.
Symbols and Abbreviations used with MICHEL-Catalogue
s
a
J
L
t
M
N
O
â
f
!
@

:
::
(:)
H
K
P
R
S
Y
[
Z
t

Colour which appears by use of a
UV-Iampthe stamp picture is used identicallyon postal stationary
Revenue cancellation
Cancellation by punching
Cancellation by pen strokeother cancellation
Cancellation on occasion of a
special event
Cancellation with datestamp(regular cancellation)
Cut
AirmailTête-bêche
Normal overprint or surcharge (ifthis symbol is doubled, inverted
or sideways it refers to a double,
inverted or sideways overprint
or surcharge)
Mounted mint
Unmounted mint
Mint with only part of the original
gum intact
Postally used
Cancelled to order
On coverOn piece
Bisect (the symbol is appropriately
altered for vertical or horizontal
bisects)
Forgery
Postal forgery
Forged postmark/cancellation“The other way around” (forexample, after a stamp described as gez. 14:13 (perf 14x13)
then if the next is given as t it isperf 13x14 – this may occur
where some stamps in a set are
in a horizontal format and others
are vertical)

\
]
_
d
–.–

11
Designer
Engraver
Official reprint
Block of four
No catalogue price quotation
possiblea.
On (abbreviation of auf)
Abart
Varietyabgenutzt
Worn
Abstimmung
Plebiscite
Ah.-Ausg.
Provisional issueähnlichSimilarallgemein
Generalallseitig
On all sides
alphabetisches Design index
RegisterAmt
OfficeamtlichOfficial
Anhängsel
Attached label
Aufdruck
Overprint or surcharge (sometimes
Wertaufdruck is used specifically to indicate “surcharge”)
Aufdruckfarbe Colour of overprint (overprints andsurcharges are understood to be
in black unless otherwise
indicated)
Aufdrucktype Type of overprint
AuflageIssue or edition (used in the senseof “quantity issued”)
Ausführung
Style
AusgabeIssue (set or single)
AushilfsausProvisional issue
gabe
Aushilfsmarke Provisional stamp
AuslandOverseas, abroad
Ausschnitt
Cut square or cut out
Ausstellung
Exhibition
AutomatenVariable rate stamp (“Frama” labels)
markenB
Sheet (abbreviation of Bogen)Bahnpost
Railway post
BalkenBarbalkenförmiger Phosphor bars
PhosphoraufdruckBalkenstempel Bar cancellation
Band
A volume of the MICHEL-catalogue
Bdr.
Letterpress (typography or surfaceprinting)berichtigt
Corrected
beschnitten
Close cut (margins)
BesetzungOccupation (as in military occupation)

Englisch

12

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Seite 12www.michel.deBesetzungsOccupation issue
ausgabebesondereSpecial Title or designation
Bezeichnung
Bild
Image (used to denote the printed
area of a stamp)
Bildgröße
Image size
billigst
Cheapestbl.
Blue (abbreviation of blau)
Bl
Blue overprint or surcharge
BlockThis has two separate meanings,
which will usually be clear fromthe context. The more usual
meaning is miniature sheet, souvenir sheet or sheetlet. However,it sometimes means block (agroup of stamps joined together)
Blockform
Miniature sheet format
Blockausgabe Issue in a miniature sheet or
sheetletBogenplatz
Sheet position
Bogen
Sheet
Bogenrand
Sheet margin
Bogenwasser- Sheet watermark
zeichenbr. or br’n
Brown (abbreviation of braun)
breit
Wide
Brief
Letter, cover
Briefmarke
Postage stamp (adhesive)
Briefstück
Piece (as in “on piece”)
Briefumschlag Envelope / Cover
Buchdruck
Letterpress (typography or surfaceprinting)Buchstabe
Letter (of the alphabet)bzw.
Respectively

d’ or dkl’
Dark (abbreviation of dunkel)
Datum
Date
Datumsstempel Datestamp
DD
Double Print (used as a suffix toa catalogue number)
DeckelCover (as in booklet cover). Not as
in envelope.
dick
Thick
Dienstmarke Official stamp
DGK
The German Postal Stationery
volume of the MICHEL catalogue(MICHEL-Deutschland-Ganzsachen-Katalog)
DKThis abbreviation has two uses.
As a suffix to a catalogue number it indicates printed twice,
one impression inverted. Usedon its own it stands for the Germany volume of the MICHEL catalogue (MICHEL-DeutschlandKatalog)
DM
Deutschmark

Doppeldruck
doppelt
Druck
Druckabart
Druckerei
Druckprobe
Druckvermerk
DSK

Double print
Double or doubled
Printing
Printing variety
Printing works
Proof
Printer’s imprint
The Germany Specialized volume
MICHEL catalogue (MICHELDeutschland-Spezial-Katalog)
dunkel
Dark
dünn
Thin
durchsichtig
Transparent
Durchstich
Roulette
durchstochen Rouletted

echt
GenuineEckbuchstabe Corner letter
Eckrandstück Corner stamp with sheet margins
attached
EGK
The European Postal Stationery
volumes of the MICHEL catalogue (MICHEL-Europa-Ganzsachen-Katalog)
Eilmarke
Express letter or special delivery
stamp
einfarbig
In one colour (also zweifarbig,
dreifarbig)
EinheitsOmnibus design
zeichnungEinschreibRegistered letter stamp (also used
marke
for a registration label)or Einschr.Markeeinseitig â
Imperf / cut on one side (also zweiseitig â, dreiseitig â )einzeilig
In one line (also zweizeilig, dreizeilig and so on)
EinzelmarkeSingle (stamp)
Eisenbahnmarke Railway postage stamp
EisenbahnRailway parcel stamp
paketmarke
EK
The Europe volumes of the
MICHEL catalogue (MICHELEuropa-Katalog)
Entwerfer
Designer
entwertet
Cancelled
Entwertung
Cancellation
Entwurf
DesignErg. orAdditional value (a new stamp
Ergänzungsadded to a set)
wert
ErsttagFirst day
Ersttagsbrief First day cover (usually abbreviatedto FDC, which avoids confusion
with ETB)ETBFirst day sheet or first day card(abbreviation of Ersttagsblatt)Englisch

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Seite 13MICHELF

Printing or colour error (used as asuffix to a catalogue number)
Fabrikwasser- Papermaker’s watermark
zeichenfalschForgedFalschstempel Forged postmark
Fälschung
Forgery
Falz
Stamp hingefalzlos
Hingeless
Farbampeln
Traffic lights
Farbänderung Change of colour
Farbe
ColourFarbenabart
Colour variety
farbigColoured
Farbwechsel Change of colour
Faserpapier
Paper with silk fibres (“granite
paper”)FDC
First day coverFederstrichPen cancellation
entwertungFehldruck
Printing error
fehlend
Missing or omitted
Fehlfarbe
Error of colour
FeldpostMilitary post stampmarkefiskalischFiscal (adjective)
Flp.-Ausg.
Airmail issue
Flp.-So.-Ausg. Commemorative airmail issue
Flugpost
AirmailFlugpostbrief Airmail letter
FlugpostAirmail stamp
marke
fluoreszierend Fluorescent
FormatSize or format
frankaturValid for postage
gültigFrankierungFranking
Freim.-Ah.-Ausg. Provisional issue
Freim.-Erg.Additional definitive value
Wert
Freimarke
Postage stamp (usually denotes
a definitive)
Freim.-Ausg. Definitive issueG

ganzflächiger
PhosphoraufdruckGanzsachegeänderte
FarbenGebietGeburtstag
gebraucht
gedruckt

13

gefälligkeits- Cancelled to ordergestempelt
gefärbt
TintedGemäldePainting
GeschenkPresentation packpäckchengeschnitten
Cutgestempelt
Postmarked
gestreiftLaidgestreiftes
Laid paper
Papiergestrichen
Coatedgestrichenes Coated paper
PapiergetöntToned
gezähnt or gez. Perforated
gez. K
Comb perforated
gez. Ks
Harrow perforated
Glanzpapier
Glossy paper
glatt
Smooth, shiny
glb.
Yellow (abbreviation of gelb)
gleichSame (in gleicher Zeichnung =in the same design)
gr.
Grey (abbreviation of grau)
Gr
Green overprint or surcharge
graviert
Engraved
gr’nGreen (abbreviation of grün)
Großformat
Large size or format
Grund
Background
GSK
The Great Britain Specialized
volume of the MICHEL
catalogue (MICHEL-Großbritannien-Spezial-Katalog)
gültigValidgültig bis
Valid until
Gummi
Gum
GummiRibbed gum
riffelungh’Halbhalbiert
halbamtlich
HandpapierHandstempel
H-Blatt (Hbl.)
Heftchen
Heftchenblatthell
Hochformat

Light (abbreviation of hell)
Half
Bisected
Semi-official
Hand-made paper
Handstamp
Booklet pane
Stamp booklet
Booklet pane
Light or pale
Vertical format

Postal stationery
Changed colours

Inschrift

Inscription

Subject
Birthday (100. Geburtstag = birthcentenary)
Used
Printed

Jahr

Year (also used for anniversary:
25 Jahre = 25th anniversary)
Anniversary (100. Jahrestag =centenary)
Date (the year only)Gold overprint or surcharge; if used
as a suffix to a catalogue number it indicates a variety printed
on the gummed side
All-over phosphor

Jahrestag
Jahreszahl

Englisch

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www.michel.de

14
Jahrgangswerttabelle

Seite 14

List of year sets

K

Comb (perforation); if used as asuffix to a catalogue number it
indicates a tête-bêche variety
Kammzähnung Comb perforation
karm.
Carmine (abbreviation of karmin)
Kartonpapier Thick paper (“carton” paper)
KastenHarrow perforation
zähnung
KatalogCatalogue number
nummerKehrdruckTête-bêche (one stamp inverted inrelation to an adjacent one)
Kenn-Nr.
Identification number
Kleinbogen
Small sheet or sheetlet
KleinbogenSet of sheetlets
satz
Kleinformat
Small size or format
komb.
Combined (not comb perforated)
KontrollControl markzeichenkopfstehend
Inverted
Kopftype
Head type
Kreidepapier Chalk-surfaced paper
Kriegsdruck
Wartime printing
Kriegsmarke War stamp
Kriegssteuer- War tax stamp
marke
Kreisstempel Circular cancellation
Ks
Harrow (perforation)
LLine perforation; if used as a suffix
to a catalogue number it
indicates a blank label
Landesname Country name
Ldr.
Offset letterpress printing
liegend
Horizontal or sideways
Iil.
Lilac (abbreviation of lila)
LinieLine or stroke
Linienzähnung Line perforation
Lokalaufdruck Local overprint or surcharge
Lokalausgabe Local issue
Luftpost
Airmail
Makulatur
Printer’s waste
mangelhaft
Defective
MarkenStamp booklet
heftchenMarkenheftchen- specially printed sheet, from which
bogen
booklet panes are produced
Markenrand
Stamp margin
Markenrolle
Stamp roll or coil
MaschinenMachine-made paper
papiermatt
Dull

Maximumkarte Maximum card
mehrfachMultiplemehrfarbig or Multicoloured (three or moremfg.
colours)
MH
Stamp booklet
MHB
Booklet sheet (abbreviation forMarkenheftchenbogen)
MilitärpostMilitary postage stamp
marke
MiR
The monthly MICHEL magazine,
MICHEL-Rundschau
Mischzähnung Compound perforation
MK
Maximum card
MusterSpecimenNA
New printing, reissue
Nachdruck
Reprint
nachgraviert
Retouched or re-engraved
nachgummiert Regummed
Naphthadag- Graphite line
LeisteNetz
Network (burélage)
Neuauflage
New printing, reissue
Neudruck
Reprint
neugraviert
Retouched or re-engraved
Neuheiten
New issues
Nominale
Face value (of a stamp)
Notausgabe
Emergency issue
Nr.
Number or numbers
Nr. xxx fallen aus Catalogue Nos. xxx are vacant
Nr. xxx stammen Catalogue Nos. xxx come from . . .
aus . . .
Nr. xxx stammt Catalogue No. xxx comes from . . .
aus . . .
numeriert
Numbered
Oberfläche
Surface (the face of a stamp)
Odr. or
Offset litho
Offsetdrucko.G.
Unused, issued without gum(abbreviation of ohne Gummi)
ol.
Olive (appreviation of oliv)
or.
Orange (abbreviation of orange)
Originalgummi Original gumÖSK
The Austria Specialized volumeof the MICHEL catalogue(MICHEL-Österreich-SpezialKatalog)oWz.
No watermark (abbreviation ofohne Wasserzeichen). lf nowatermark is specified, an issue
is always assumed to be
unwatermarked
Paar
Paketmarke
PapierPair
Parcel post stamp
Paper

Englisch

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Seite 15MICHEL
Papier fl.
Fluorescent paper
PapierOrdinary paper
normalPapier ph.
Phosphor paper
Papiersorte
Type of paper
Pf.
Pfennig
Phosphor
Phosphor (noun)
PhosphorPhosphor bar
balkenphosphor-be- Phosphorised paper
schichtetes
PapierphosphoresPhosphor (adjective)zierend
PhosphorPhosphor bandstreifen
Pl. or Platte
Plate
Plattennummer Plate number
or PI.-Nr.
Portofreiheits- Free frank stamp
marke
Portomarke
Postage due stamp
postalischPostalPostamt
Post office
postfrischUnmounted mint
Postkarte
Postcard
PostpreisFranking value
PP
Presentation packPrägedruck
Embossing
Preis
Catalogue price
Probedruck
Proof
Propaganda- Propaganda forgery
fälschung
Prüfung
Expertization
Querformat

Horizontal format

R

Red overprint or surcharge. Also
used as an abbreviation of Rolle(coil)
Stamp sold at a discountBorder or margin
Printed border

Rabattmarke
Rand
Randbedruckung
Rastertiefdruck Photogravure
or RaTdr.
Reihe
Rowrepariert
Repaired
retuschiert
Retouched
Rolle
Coil
RollenCoil perforation
zähnungros.
Pink (abbreviation of rosa)
rückseitig
On the back/reverse
S

Black overprint or surcharge (butnote that if no colour is specified
an overprint or surcharge isassumed to be in black)

S.
s.
Satz
Satzpreis

15
Page
See
Set
Price for a complete set. The
number of stamps in the set isusually shown:
Satzpreis (6 W.) = set of 6
Black (abbreviation of schwarz)
Page
VerticalSilver overprint or surcharge
See after catalogue No. xxx

schwz.
Seite
senkrechtSisiehe nachNr. xxx
So.-Ausg. orCommemorative or special issue
Sonderausgabe
Sorte
Type, kind of (typical usage: verschiedene Papiersorten =various types of paper)SpezialSpecialized
SSK
The Switzerland and Liechtenstein
Specialized volume of the
MICHEL catalogue (MICHELSchweiz/LiechtensteinSpezial-Katalog)
Staat
State
StaatsState Printing Works
druckerei
Stdr.
Lithography (direct, not offset)
or SteindruckstehendUpright
StempelCancellation
Steuermarke Tax or fiscal stamp
Stich
EngravingStichtiefdruck Intaglio (recess printing)or StTdr.
Streifen
Strip
Stück
Item, copy, example or piece(as in “on piece”)
T
Tabelleteilgezähnt
Telegrafenmarke
Telegrafenstempel
TodestagTon
TypeUÜbersichtstabelle
Udr
UmschlagType (abbreviation of Type)
List or table
Partly perforated
Telegraph stamp
Telegraph cancellation
Death anniversary(100. Todestag = death
centenary)
Shade
Type (variety or printer’s type)
Imperforate variety (used as asuffix to a catalogue number)
Checklist summarizing the stamps
in a series
Imperf on three sides
Envelope/coverEnglisch

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16
ungebraucht
ungestempelt
ungezähnt
ungummiert
unregelmäßig
Unterdruck
USK

ÜK

V
V
verfälscht
verfärbt
vergrößert
verkehrt
versch.
Verzeichnis
Viererblock
Viertelviol.
Vorausentwertung
Vorläufer

Seite 16

Mint
UnusedNot perforated
Without gum
Irregular
Underprint (burélage)
The United States Specialized
volume of the MICHEL catalogue(MICHEL-USA-SpezialKatalog)
The Overseas volumes of the
MICHEL-catalogue (MICHELÜbersee-Katalog)
Printing Essay
Violet overprint or surcharge
ForgedDiscoloured
Enlarged
Inverted
Various or variously (abbreviation ofverschieden)
Checklist
Block of four
Quarter
Violet (abbreviation of violett)Precancellation
Precursor, forerunner

W.
Value or values
waagerecht
Horizontal
Währung
Currency (monetary unit)
WappenCoat of arms
Wasserzeichen Watermark
WasserWatermark variety
zeichenabart
Weitere Werte Other similar values
Wellenlinien
Wavy lines
Weltpostverein Universal Postal Union
Wert
Value

Wertangabe
Face value
Wertziffer
Figure of value
Wertaufdruck Surcharge
Wohltätigkeits- Charity issue
ausgabe,Wohlt.Ausg. or
Wohlt.So.Ausg.
Wz.
Watermark (if this abbreviation isprinted upside down or on its
side it refers to an inverted or
sideways watermark)

Zahl
Zähnung
Zeichnung
Zeitungsmarke
zentriert
Zentrierung
Zierfeld
ZifferZufälligkeit
Zusammendruck
zusammenhängend
Zuschlagsmarke
Zw.

Number, figure
Perforation
DesignNewspaper stamp
CentredCentering (of a stamp picture)
Printed label
Number or numeral
Error
Se-tenant printing
Se-tenantStamp with a charity or otherpremium
Gutter pair (used as a suffix to acatalogue number)
Compulsory tax stamp

Zwangszuschlagsmarke
zweifarbig
Bi-coloured
Zwischensteg Gutter
Zwischensteg- Gutter pairpaar
Zf.
Printed label (used as a suffix to acatalogue number)