Official mail
Service marks are the stamps that are used exclusively by authorities, agencies or offices for franking of mail service item. Therefore, they are not sold at the post office and are not approved for private or corporate mail traffic. A theft and misuse of official stamps comes practically non-existent.
History
The first official stamps to be issued in 1840 in the UK the same time as the Penny Black, but never made it into circulation. The brand corresponded to the Penny Black with a single difference, she wore the letters V and R ( for Victoria Regina ) in the upper corners. Of the 3323 printed sheets were all burned up to 21 sheets in January 1843.
The first official stamps that were actually used, arrived in Spain in July 1854 for output. It was brand with a black national emblem printed on colored paper. They carried at the lower edge weights of the maximum permitted for carriage letter weight.
In the 19th and early 20th century service marks have been used almost worldwide. Often officials were manufactured by printing out postage stamps. Typical imprints are OFFICIAL, O.H.M.S. ( On Her / His Majesty's Service ), OFFENTLIK SAK (Norway ) or tjeneste (Denmark).
In Germany, the first general service marks have been spent in 1920. However, they were abolished after the Second World War (see also: Official stamps ( German Reich) ). Independent service marks there were in Bavaria ( 1908-1920 ), Württemberg ( 1875-1920 ), the North German Confederation ( 1870-1871 ) and in the Free City of Danzig ( 1921-1927 ).
In the Federal Republic, there were no more officials. In the GDR programs of government bodies, administrations and companies had to be franked from 15 August 1954 officials.
In Austria you can find service marks only at the time of the terminal from 1938 to 1945.
Switzerland also expended own officials from 1910 to 1962, this had a validity until 30 September 1969. Liechtenstein were issued in 1921-1989 service marks, these were valid until 31 December 1994.
As of August 23, 1945, there were also in Czechoslovakia officials, but these were used only on the territory of Slovakia until 30 June 1948.
In Hungary there was from the June 23, 1921 officials, the validity ended 31 January 1925.
Other service mark types
Special forms of service brands are Dienstzählmarken that were issued from January 1, 1903 for 12 months in the state of Prussia. The countries of the German Empire had the Imperial post closed so-called commutation agreements, which provided for an annual payment for the transported without official mail stamps. Both the imperial post, as well as the countries in the early 20th century dissatisfied with the process, as the imperial post a loss of revenue and the countries suspected a lower mail volume, as estimated by the imperial post. To determine the actual mail volumes, all mailings were marked with the special service brands in Germania - frame, with the inscription FREE BY REDEMPTION No. 21 from 1 January 1903. The procedure was repeated in 1905 for the state. The result of the count showed a much lower volume of official mail, as adopted by the imperial post and a corresponding reduction in payments.
1963 a similar process with special Dienstzählmarken was also carried out in Thailand.
Service package marks were used from 1882 to 1902 in the UK. To this was added 17 Freimarken the then current series with a two-line imprint GOVT. PARCELS provided.
As a courier service brands the brands of the 1956 to 1965 working in the GDR Central Courier Service shall be referred.