Spring is just about here now – our temperatures are fluctuating between highs of the mid-60’s to low 90’s. Next week I will replant all the peppers and tomatoes I started to my outside garden. Our spring bulbs are also in bloom. We can’t complain about the weather here this past year – our winter was mild throughout and spring is here early again. We also have had bright sunny weather which makes being outside a real joy.

Stamp business continues to be active for us. We are just keeping up with everything. I have spent a lot of time adding recent purchases to our online listings as well as reloading more of the images lost when we moved our site to a new provider. This month we reloaded images for the German states and once again Germany proper through WWII. Again if you see something you are interested in but would like to see the image just email us and let us know which items you want to see and we will email the images to you.

AUCTION TRENDS

The bigger auction firms are now conducting their auctions online as well as by mail and live. As a result there are far more bidders participating in the auctions and auction lots are now selling at higher prices. This is particularly true for collection lots. I bid in many auctions and watch the results for German and Austrian related lots closely.

Better collections are selling at the highest prices in many years. The demand for collections is definitely a seller’s market. I am finding it more difficult to purchase better collections because of the competition ofr good material.

Heinrich Kohler Auctions in Wiesbaden has been conducting multiple auctions dedicated to several one man collections containing exceptional material.
Their auctions are realizing fantastic results.

Some randomly selected results of single lots – prices realized include commission.

Deutsches Reich

MI 21a * F/VF cat 2600 Euro sold 1750 Euro

MI 36a* F/VF cat 2500 Euro sold $1000

MI 464F ** VF cat 18,000 Euro sold 14,400 Euro (first time I’ve seen this one at auction!)

MI 496-8 ** VF cat 3400 Euro sold 1800 Euro

Wurttemberg

MI 2b * 3 margins F/VF cat 1400 Euro sold 500 Euro

MI 2a * VF Cat 380 Euro sold 290 Euro

MI 16xa* F/VF cat 1400 Euro sold 1100 Euro

Deutsche Reich collections

1872/1916 advanced collection with many Michel varieties * and U.
Start 2000 Euro sold 14,000 Euro

1872/93 used collection with many Michel varieties VG-F/VF start 400 Euro sold 1000 Euro

1872/1845 **,*,U basic singles and sets F/VF start 8000 Euro sold 11,000 Euro

95% or better of all lots listed were sold.

AUSTRIA PHILATELIC SOCIETY (US)

The Austria Philatelic Society (US) is entering its 23th year as a stamp club focusing on the Austrian area. We have members throughout the US and abroad. The club is anchored by its quarterly bulletin and twice a year stamp auctions.

If you collect stamps and/or covers from the Austrian area you should consider joining our group; we have members from beginners to extremely advanced collectors. Dues are still only $16 a year. Ask us for a free sample bulletin and application. Check out our website at www.AustriaPhilatelicSociety.com

MICHEL DEUTSCHLAND SPEZIAL KATALOGS

The 2023 Germany specialized catalogs (Volume 1 and 2) will be released in Germany on 3 April. The prices for these catalogs remain the same as last year. It is uncertain when the catalogs will be ready for distribution as suppliers have not been notified yet as to when they will be available. As soon as the catalogs are distributed by https://www.briefmarken.de/michelshop/de.
You can order online and via paypal.

Michel Deutschland Spezial Katalog 2023 Band 1 (Germany Specialized vol. 1 – all German areas through Apr 1945.

EUR 91,59 plus postage (about 31 EUR)

Michel Deutschland Spezial Katalog 2015 Band 2 (Germany Specialized vol. 2 – from May 1945 – now)

EUR 91,59 plus postage (about 31 EUR)

MICHEL AUSTRIA SPECIALIZED 2023

Content:
Austria, Lombardy and Veneto, Austrian mail on Crete, Austrian mail in Levant, Austrian-Hungarian mail in China, Mail of DDSG, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1879–1918), Austrian-Hungarian field post, postal stationery, international reply coupons

Over 7000 colour photos and approx. 42.000 price appraisals

Eur 76.34 plus postage (about 31 Eur)

R Schneider
PO Box 978
IOWA PARK TX 76367
Office 940 213 5004
FAX 940 213 3596

Email:
RschneiderStamps@gmail.com

Website:

http:www.RSchneiderStamps.com