Bavaria

3kr blue ('49), 3kr rose ('62), 6kr brown ('50) 
"Broken Circle Numerals"

Quick History
Bavaria, formerly Freistaat Bayern, is located in the south-east region of Germany. The Capital is Munich and the population was 7 million in 1919.  The Kingdom of Bavaria existed from 1806 to 1918. Bavaria was a German confederation member, and a part of the German Empire in 1870.

The first Bavarian stamp was issued in 1849. After WW1, it declared itself a Republic, but lost its' stamp issuing independence to the German Reich in 1920.

Trivia: A common joke in Germany is that Bavaria is not part of Germany, but "near it".

1919 Scott 153 5m deep blue "Volkstaadt Bayern"

Overprinted during the short lived Bavarian Socialist Republic April-May, 1919

Big Blue Picture
Big Blue (1997) has 9 pages for Bavaria. ( Note: The 1997 edition uses more pages for the same coverage provided by the 1969 edition. I will also not "count" the blank pages that now are quite common.) There are 289 stamp spaces.
The 2011 Scott classic Specialized catalogue has 361 major stamp descriptions.
Coverage by Big Blue is 80%.


Although Big Blue has a quite generous helping of Bavaria, there are some additional possibilities for the collector. Here listed below:
Some nice classic Imperfs can be had for a reasonable price.
1862 Imperf
11 6K blue ($5+)
12 9K blister ($10+)


1867 Imperf
17 6K ultra ($10+)
19 7K ultra ($10+)


1870-73

Pick up the "non-chosen" 23 or 23a, 24 or 24a, 26 or 26b from checklist.

1875

33,34,35 (<$1-$3+) Note: These inexpensive issues "could" have replaced some more expensive stamps in the 1870-73 listing in Big Blue, but ruled out in Big Blue by a later date of issue!

1876-1900

Pick up all the stamps not chosen in the checklist.

In addition: 38,41,60a,63a,66a,70a,73 (<$1-$2+)

1914

101($1+)

1919

231,232,233 (<$1)

1920

234, 235,236 (<$1)

1920 (surcharged)

237(<$1)

1920

270A (<$1)

Postage Dues

1870

12 1K black ($5+) Pick up a classic issue!

Official stamps

1908

O1,O5, (<$1+-$2+)

1916-17

O18(<$1)

1918

O32,O33 (<$1-$2+)

1916-17 Official stamps B12-B15 "Coat of Arms"

Big Blue Checklist
1849-62  Imperf
1K (Illustrated in Big Blue): Scott 9 yellow ($10+) or Scott 4 pink ($10+) or Scott 1 black ($700+) !
3K blue: Scott 2 ($2+)
3K rose: Scott 10 ($2+)
6K brown: Scott 5 ($5+)
9K yellow green: Scott 6 ($10+)


1867 Imperf
15 1K yellow green ($5+)
16 3K rose ($1+)


1870-73
23 or 23a ($1+-$5+), Note: Scott 33(<$1) 1875 issue; not "eligible"
24 or 24a (<$1-$2+), Note: Scott 34(<$1) 1875 issue; not "eligible"
25 ($20+), 
26 or 26b ($2+-$30+), Note: Scott 35($3+) 1875 issue;not "eligible" 
27($2+),
28($2+), 
30($5+) Note "dull brick red" in catalogue is "red" in Big Blue
Note: Major numbers have wmk 92, Minor numbers have wmk 93, 1875 issues wmk 94.


1876-1900
3 Pf green 48 or 59,(<$1-$2+)  Note: Scott 38($1+) 3 Pf light green is ruled out by color.
5 Pf  dark green 62a or 39,(<$1-$5+)
5 pf lilac 49 or 61 or 40, ($1+,$2+,$10+)
10 Pf carmine  63 or 50, (<$1) Note: Scott 41(<$1) is rose, Scott 63a (<$1) is carmine red; R/o by color
20 Pf ultra 64 or 51 or 64a or 42, (<$1-$2+)
25 Pf yellow brown 52 or 43 or 65, ($2+-$5+)
50 Pf scarlet 44, ($2+)
50 Pf deep brown 53 or 69, ($2+)
1 M (Illustrated in Big Blue) Both the Scott 54($1+) rose or the Scott 46($80+) !!! violet are eligible.
2 M orange 55 or 47 ($2+-$5+)
3 M olive gray 56($10+) Note: Scott 75 ($10+) issued in 1911 doesn't fit dates.
5 M yellow green 57($10+) Note: Scott 76($10+) pale yellow green issued in 1911 fits neither color or dates.
Note: Big Blue lumps four issues separated by dates together.


1890-1900
58,60,62,66,67,68,70(<$1)
71($2+)


1911 Prince Regent Luitpold
77,78,79,80,(<$1)
81($1+)
82,83(<$1)
84,84a($1+)
85($2+)
86,87 ($1+-$2+)
92,93 (<$1)


1914 King Ludwig III
95,96($1+), 98($1+),102,103,104,105,(<$1 except noted)
106,107,108,109,110,111,112 (<$1)
113,114 ($1+-$2+)


1916-19
94,115,97,99,100, (<$1)


1919
117,118,119,120,121 (<$1)
122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129, (<$1)
130,131,132,133,134,135 (<$1)


(1919) overprinted Volkstaat Bayern
136,137,138,139,140,141,142, (<$1)
143,144,145,146,147,148,149,(<$1)
150,151,152,153,154, (<$1)
155 ($1+)

(1919) overprinted Volkstaat Bayern (Imperf)
156,157,158,159,160,161,162,(<$1)
163,164,165,166,167,168,169, (<$1)
170,171,172,173,174 (<$1)
175($1+)

1919 German stamps (1906-1919) overprinted Freistaat Bayern
176,177,178,179,180,181,182 (<$1)
183,184,185,186,187,188 (<$1)
189,190,191 ($1+)

1919-20  overprinted Freistaat Bayern
193,194,195,196,197,198,199, (<$1)
200,201,202,203,204,205,(<$1)
206,207,208,209,(<$1)
210,211 ($1+)

1919-20  overprinted Freistaat Bayern (Imperf)
212,213,214,215,216,217,218 (<$1)
219,220,221,222,223,224,225,(<$1)
226,227,228(<$1)
229,230($1+)

1920 Plowman etc
238,239,240,241,242,243,244,(<$1)
245,246,247,248,249,250,(<$1)


1920 Von Kaulbach's "Genius"
251,252,253, (<$1)
254($1+)

(1920) "Deutches Reich" overprinted
256,257,258,259,260,261,262,(<$1)
263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270 (<$1)
271,272,273,274,($2+)

Semi-Postal stamps
1919
B1,B2,B3, (<$1)

Postage Due
1876-95
J10(<$1), J4($10+), J5($5+),
Blank space: J8 or J6 (<$1-$2+)
Note J11,J12 (<$1-$1+) issued in 1903 too late for consideration.

Official stamps
1908
O2,O3,O4 (<$1)

1916-17
O6,O7,O8,O10,O11 (<$1)
O13($1+)
O15,O16,)17, (<$1)
O9,O12,O14 (<$1)
O19,($1+)

1919 overprinted Volkstaat Bayern
O20,O21,O22,O23,O24,O25,(<$1)
O26,O27,O28,O29,O30,O31 (<$1)

1920
O34,O35,O36,O37,O38,O39,(<$1)
O40,O41,O42,O43,O44,O45, (<$1)
O46,O47,O48,O49,O50,(<$1)
O51($1+)

1920 "Deutches Reich" overprinted
O52,O53,O54,O55,O56,O57 (<$1)
O58,O59,O60,O61,O62, (<$1)
O63($1+)
O64,O65,O66,O67,O68 (<$1)
O69 ($5+)

If you like the classic era, Big Blue '69 &'97 provide more coverage.

Kinds of Blue
The 1997 and 1969 editions are identical (except the 1997 edition uses more pages).
The 1997 and 1969 editions include four more stamps in the classic era: specifically 1870-73 Scott 25 6k bistre and Scott 30 18k red; 1876-1900 Scott 56 3m olive gray and Scott 57 5m yellow green. These are NOT in the 1947 and 1941 editions.

Big Blue Bottom Line

Bavaria has very inexpensive attractive stamps, some in jumbo sizes. But the quantity-some 160 stamps in 1919-1920! The stamps also seem to be quite common in worldwide collections.

Big Blue continues to keep Bavaria in the album, while other German States (Baden,Bergedorf, Bremen, Brunswick,Hanover,Oldenberg) have disappeared since the 1947 edition. Scott, please bring them back!

Links
Bavaria 1849-1862 & Mill Wheel Cancels
Bavaria "Coat of Arms" Issues 1867-1911
Bavaria - Bud's Big Blue

Comments appreciated!