The Yacht issue refers to a series of German colonies postage stamps bearing the image of the Imperial yacht Hohenzollern.  These stamps were used in all of Germany’s colonies meaning Caroline Islands, German East Africa, German New Guinea, German South West Africa, Kamerun, Kiatschou, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Samoa and Togo from 1900 until the First World War.

The series has two basic designs: small design for lower values (less than one mark) and a larger one for higher values (one to five marks). Besides of German East Africa and Kiatschou, all had nominal values in german currency.

Below is a picture that shows some of the colonies and lower values I have. There’s a catch like always: two stamps are real, two are cancellation forgeries. Can you spot the fakes?

The stamps are:

German South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika, currently Namibia and part of Botswana). The 5 pfennig green is Michel #25, catalogue value 1,70€.

Kamerun (currently  Cameroon). The 3 pfennig brown stamp is Michel #20. This is a cancellation forgery as this stamp was never available for real use according to Michel stamp catalog. During WW1 in 1915 the allied occupied Cameroon from germans and these stamps became invalid. Curiously, these issues remained on sale for collectors in Berlin until 1919.

Kiatschou (Jiaozhou Bay in China). The 10c blue stamp is Michel #31, catalogue value 4,50€

Togo. The 3pfennig brown stamp is Michel #20. Like the Kamerun stamp, this also is a cancellation forgery with similar story.

As for higher values, I’m still on the look for good bargains

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