Classification of 20th century cancellations on Austrian stamps: Part 2: the Main Code.

Main Code

(See footnote for meaning of 'K?')

CODE	TYPE (GERMAN)	K?	Details and comments	Example (scanned from actual specimens!)
A	Octagon (Achtecke)		One inner segment, despatch information, and a 4-digit code. These are found on stamps used on Money Order cards in the period 1946-60. Payment was for postage plus poundage, so specimens found do not relate to postage rates. They have a 4-digit number in large type which looks like a post code, but is actually the serial number of the office in a certain list. They always have the date and despatch information.
B	Unique cancel (Besonderestempel)	Y	Each must be separately described or illustrated.
D	Double Circle (Doppelkreissstempel)	Y	Two concentric circles; the placename (often in two languages), counter letters, and ornaments (often stars) in the annulus between the circles; the date and despatch information inside the inner circle.
DB	Double Circle 'Bridge' (Brückenstempel)		Two concentric circles with the inner circle completely broken by a horizontal bar containing the date (and despatch indicator if present). These were introduced around 1904. The annulus contains the placename and the counter letter. They always have sanserif letters, the year, and nearly always a counter letter flanked by stars.
DR	Double Circle 'Ring' (Ringstegstempel)		Two concentric circles with the inner circle containing a horizontal bar which contains the date (and despatch indicator if present). These were introduced around 1904. The annulus contains the placename and the counter letter, which is rarely flanked by stars. They always have sanserif letters, the year, and a counter letter, but only rarely have one or more stars.
DS	Double Circle 'Segment' (Segmentstempel)		Two concentric circles, the inner appearing only as two segments above and below a horizontal zone which contains the date (and despatch indicator if present). These were introduced around 1925. In the annulus between the segments and the outer circle is the placename and the counter letter. They always have sanserif letters, year, and a counter letter; but very rarely indeed have one or more stars flanking it.
DO	Double Oval (Doppeloval)	Y	Concentric ovals, otherwise as type D.
E	Single Circle (Einkreisstempel)	Y	Single circle enclosing the placename and the date and despatch information. 20mm or more in diameter.
EA	Official Circular Handstamp		Official circular handstamps, first introduced in the early 1900s to replace type OA. Presumably intended for official Post Office correspondence & forms. Negative versions are presumably intended for wax seals on money letters etc. None have dates; some have counter letters.
F	Small Single Circle (Fingerhutstempel)	(Y)	As type E but less than 20mm diameter. We have combined Klein's f and ff into a single type F. Although logically these are only a subtype of E, the distinction is retained for the convenience of traditionally-minded collectors. However, there is neither logic nor necessity to impose a further division at 18mm; and furthermore, cancels can vary in size depending upon on what they were struck.
K  K2 K3	Box (Kastenstempel)	(Y)	Rectangular box, often with rounded corners. The rectangular box coded by Klein as K can be found with internal horizontal partitions dividing it into two or three sections. K2 and K3 have been added for these.
L	Linear text (Langstempel)	Y	Placename, often with date below, with no frame at all. (Yes, the original was blue!)
O	Ovals (Ovalstempel)	Y	Single oval, enclosing the placename and the date and despatch information.
OA	Official Oval Handstamp		Official oval handstamps, introduced in the early 1880s (or earlier?). Presumably intended for official Post Office correspondence & forms. None have dates; some have counter letters. Known on stamps, maybe from telegraph useage.
P1 P2 P3	Postcode (Postleitzahl)		Single circle, enclosing the placename with postcode, and the date and despatch information. See part 3 for the definition of the subtypes and for examples.
S	Striped Lozenge (Schraffenstempel)	Y	The placename etc are in horizontal rows separated and surrounded by typically 15 or 17 horizontal lines. The overall shape is a rectangle with the corners chamfered. This can be found after 1900 with two, three, or four lines of information. However we do not suggest the addition of S2, S3, S4 to Klein's code.
X	Mute (Stumme Stempel)		(Eg, a concentric set of 8 circles). Each is unique, so must be separately described or illustrated. Don't confuse these with the "wavy line" part of a postcode cancel, common on loose stamps.

Note: a Y in the 'K?' column means that this type is included in Klein's system, and a (Y) that it is an extension thereof. In both these cases, all the conventions of his system apply: for example, if a K3 cancel includes the year, the code includes 'j'.

Part 3 includes:

©Andy Taylor. Last updated 28 Aug 2000.