Stamps Tell Stories

The odyssey of the Heligoland printing plates: Goldner's reprints

Insights into a turbulent history: how stamps go from being collector's items to historical evidence. The Man Behind the Empire: Julius Goldner, a powerful stamp wholesaler from Hamburg, emerges in the 1860s, cornering the market on collectible stamps. He was known for his ambitious and sometimes unscrupulous business practices, including backdating postmarks to increase the value of stamps. The Helgoland Reprints: When Helgoland's currency changed in 1875, Goldner bought the entire remaining stock of their stamps, which were no longer valid for postage. He then began a large-scale reprinting operation using the original plates, which he legally purchased in 1879. The Stamp Shop Carousel: After a new governor shut down his access to the official Berlin Imperial Printing Office in 1888, Goldner moved his reprinting operation to Leipzig and later Hamburg, creating a constant stream of purely private reprints. A Defining Legal Case: The constant reprinting caused an uproar in the philatelic world, culminating in a 1894 court case against Goldner. The trial forced the legal and philatelic communities to define terms like "Neudruck" (a reprint from an original plate) and "Fälschung" (a counterfeit created from a new tool). Nazi Seizure: Following Goldner's death, his son, John Goldner, took over the family business. Due to their Jewish heritage, the family's assets were systematically targeted and seized by the Nazis in 1938 and 1939. The Helgoland printing plates were confiscated and handed over to the Hamburg State Police. Hidden in Plain Sight: A collector, Captain Walter Sass, intervened and convinced authorities of the plates' historical value. They were transferred to the Reichspost Museum in Berlin in 1939 but their identity as looted Jewish property was lost in the post-war chaos. Restitution: Decades later, a research project by the Museum for Communication in Berlin identified the plates and other seized assets. The findings led to the restitution of the printing plates to John Goldner's descendants in Mexico and the U.S..

The Russia Number One: How a Broken Machine Created a Stamp Legend

A Deep Dive into the Accidental Rarity of Russia's First Postage Stamp Introduction: The podcast begins by highlighting the immense stories that small objects can hold, using rare stamps as tangible links to the past. The Russia Number One: We dive into the history of the Russian Empire's first postage stamp, which was officially introduced in December 1857. It's more than just a piece of paper; it was a revolution in communication, simplifying postal fees and making mail accessible to the general public for the first time. The Birth of a Legend: We reveal the origin of the stamp's rarity—a broken perforating machine. To meet the official launch deadline, the first batch of the 10-Kopek stamp was distributed unperforated, creating the unique "unperforate" version that is so highly prized today. The Rarity Factor: The rarity of the Russia Number One is immense. A comprehensive 2021 census by philatelist Guido Craveri identified only 458 known examples of the stamp on original letters, known as "covers," worldwide. A Tangible Piece of History: The show emphasizes that these stamps are more than just collectibles; they are miniature historical documents that capture a moment in time and the administrative and social changes of the Russian Empire. Highlighting the Illien Collection: We explore three specific highlights from the Illien Collection auction, which showcase the stamp's diversity and historical significance: Lot 544: An incredible example of a Russia Number One on a letter sheet from Linsenhof, Latvia, with a unique purple pre-philatelic cancellation. This is the only known item with this specific colored cancellation. The starting price is €15,000. Lot 578: A rare "mixed franking" cover from Ustjushna, featuring the unperforated Russia Number One alongside a later, perforated stamp. This piece visually represents the transition from the accidental unperforated stamp to the standard perforated issue. The starting price is €12,000. Lot 517: A Russia Number One with a very specific and rare manufacturing variation—a large 4mm watermark. Only one other copy with this variation has ever been recorded. The starting price is €4,000. Expert Verification: The importance of expert verification and authentication is stressed, with many of the highlighted stamps accompanied by certificates from respected philatelic foundations and experts. Collector's Resource: For those interested in a deeper dive, the book "Census of the 1857 10-Kopec Inperforate Stamp of Russia" by Guido Craveri is recommended. Auction Details: The podcast concludes by providing details for the Heinrich Köhler Auctions House event in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Thursday, September 18th, 2025. The full catalog is available online.

150 Years of the Universal Postal Union: The Revolution in Global Postal Services

How a brilliant German postmaster connected the world and an American collector preserved his story. * 150 Years of the UPU: We explore how the international postal system before 1874 was a "real mess" of hundreds of complex, bilateral agreements and how the UPU's core principle of simplified postage revolutionized global communication. * Heinrich von Stephan: Learn about the genius who not only invented the postcard but also pursued the vision of a single, global postal treaty. * James "Jamie" Gough: A portrait of a pioneering philatelist and postal historian whose UPU collection is a world-class rarity. His motto, "Beauty is a must. If it is not pretty, it doesn't matter how rare it is, don't use it," highlights his focus on aesthetics and quality. * Auction Highlights: We examine five remarkable historical items from the upcoming 386th Heinrich Köhler Auction that document the challenges and triumphs of the UPU's early years. * Lot 20: The only known first-day cover from the North German Postal Union dated January 1, 1868. * Lot 57: A correspondence card from Austria from the very first day of the UPU treaty (July 1, 1875), showing the initial confusion with stamp rates. * Lot 97: An overpaid printed matter from France from its accession to the UPU on January 1, 1876, a rare testament to human error. * Lot 117: An unstamped letter from the French colony of Guadeloupe with an exceptionally rare postage-due stamp from 1880, showing the global application of UPU rules. * Lot 203: A Spanish letter from July 1, 1875, bearing the official "T" handstamp of the UPU, making it a world-class rarity. * Beyond the Stamp: We discuss why these seemingly simple items are valuable time capsules, telling stories of ingenuity, diplomacy, and the human desire for connection across continents.

The Penny Black and Beyond

Unearthing Postal History Through the Richard Frajola Collection The Richard Frajola Collection of Great Britain – Queen Victoria – The Line Engraved Imperforate Adhesives will be offered as part of the 386th Heinrich Köhler auction on 19 September. Browse the sale online: 386th auction [https://heinrich-koehler.de/en/386-auction?f%5B0%5D=field_catalogue_part%3A14035] or Download the PDF Catalogue [https://hk-files.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/PDFs/386/386_Frajola.pdf].