Briefmarken-Quartett
Quartet game featuring postage stamps from the Zones of Occupation in post-WWII Germany.
All the postage stamp designs used in this quartet game were issued in 1945 or 1946. Almost all are reproduced in the actual colours of the issued stamps. The eight sets represent different Allied Occupation zones: Allied Military Post (British and American zones), Deutsche Post (American, British and Soviet Russian zones), Berlin-Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, West Saxony, East Saxony, and Thuringia. In the top left-hand corners, the numbers represent the values in pfennigs of the issued stamps, while the town and city names are those of the principal cities in each zone. Alongside is a monument or other symbol connected with that zone. The cards have square corners and a repeating pattern of small blue and white squares on the reverse. The rules (in German) are printed on the back of the cover . The cover also carries the legend “Re-Ce-SPIELE”.
Above: Briefmarken-Quartett produced by Otto Noack, Leipzig, Germany, c1949. 32 cards in simple cardboard cover. Size: 59 x 89.5 mm.
Another version of this game exists with better-quality board and rounded corners.
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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