OFFICIAL GANZSACHEN
(1891)

This page was last updated
15-Sep-2026 06:49

P31
OFFICIAL REPLYCARD
5 PFENNIG

Issued 1891. Domestic postcards with another form change "An" is now further to the left than "In". Date control data with numbers and lower case letters (P31 only on the question part). Also with gap in the 4th dotted line. Without watermark.

ABOVE LEFT: Message portion Header
ABOVE RIGHT: Answer portion Header

P31 exists in three different variations:

P31a : is green with control dates (591-397)
P31b : is black-green with control dates (497-797)
P31c : is dark green with control dates (897-1098).

P31 a: Valid Control Dates (all dates have an 'f' control code except 1194):
591, 691, 791, 991, 1091, 1191, 1291, 192, 292, 392, 492, 592, 692, 792, 892, 992, 1092, 1192, 1292, 193, 293, 393, 493, 593, 693, 793, 893, 993, 1193, 1293, 194, 294, 394, 494, 594, 694, 794, 894, 994, 1094, 1194, 1294, 195, 295, 395, 495, 595, 695, 795, 895, 995, 1095, 1195, 1295, 196, 296, 396, 496, 596, 696, 796, 896, 1096, 1196, 197, 297, 397 and 1194a.

P31 b: Valid Control Dates (all dates have an 'f' control code): 497, 597, 697 and 797.

P31 c: Valid Control Dates (all dates have an 'f' control code): 797, 897, 997, 1097, 1297, 198, 298, 398, 498, 598, 698, 798, 898, 998 and 1098.

In addition to the regular official card there were several versions available with private printing.

P31a - GREEN

This example has a print date code of 696f and gap in the 4th dotted address line at position L30.

P31b - BLACK-GREEN

P31c - DARK GREEN

OFFICIAL POSTAL STATIONERY
WITH PRIVATE ADDITIONAL PRINTS

A common practise was for private companies and organisations to use the basic card and add their own private advertising or message. Below are some of the examples of this practise.

P31a PRIVATE ISSUE

1. This privately printed P31a replycard was sponsored by Herrn R. Gundelach of Schwerin. It has a 295f print control code.

2. This second privately printed P31a was sponsored by "die Firma Aug. Hammerschlag", a cigarette manufacturer from BREMEN. It has a 897f print control code.

2. As above but with printer's code 791f.

3. The following privately printed P31a was sponsored by "Ernst Elsner. Schwerin". It has a 195f print control code. I have another Ernst Elsner privately printed P31c postcard in my collection (see below).

P31b PRIVATE ISSUE

1. This privately produced P31b was sponsored by "Herrn Alfred Altschuler & Co." from MAINZ. The example from my collection below is just the Answer (A) posrtion of the card.

P31c PRIVATE ISSUE

1. This first privately produced P31c was sponsored by W.Rode of Schwerin and is very similar to the first P31a above. It has a 897f print control code.

2. Another privately printed P31c from Schwerin, this time sponsored by Ernst Elsner and has a 997f print control code.

3. This P31c was privately printed by Herrn Louis Wehr and has a 298f print control code.

OTHER P31 CARDS IN MY COLLECTION

1. This postally used P31a replycard was cancelled in STETTIN on 31st Jan 1897.It has a 696f print control code.

2. This Message portion (F) of a P31a replycard was cancelled in ST JOHANN (SAAR) on 20th Apr 1897 and then again on arrival in HEMMER the following day.