Before Germany’s unification, Bavaria (Bayern) was one of Europe’s most important independent stamp-issuing states. Its classic issues—beginning in 1849, just nine years after the world’s first postage stamp—are prized for their bold numerals, intricate engraving, and historical significance. The famous “Bavarian Kreuzer” series introduced a uniquely regional aesthetic that set Bavarian stamps apart from their Prussian and Saxon counterparts. Later issues depicted King Ludwig II, royal coats of arms, and ornate typographic designs reflecting 19th-century craftsmanship. Though Bavaria’s postal authority was absorbed into the German Empire in 1920, its stamps remain a cornerstone of classic European philately—elegant, historic, and instantly recognizable.
1919 5 Pf green Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #137); used, clear cancel, marking Bavaria’s transition from monarchy to republic.
Historical Note: The People’s State of Bavaria (1918–1919)
The closing chapter of Bavarian philately mirrors one of the most turbulent moments in German history. Following Germany’s defeat in World War I, King Ludwig III was deposed and Bavaria briefly became the Volksstaat Bayern—the People’s State of Bavaria. Existing royal definitives were hastily overprinted with this new title, transforming the king’s portrait into a symbol of revolution.
These issues circulated during the chaotic months that saw Bavaria pass from monarchy to socialist republic—and even through the brief Bavarian Soviet Republic uprising of 1919—before the region was absorbed into the Weimar Republic. Though the Soviet government never issued its own stamps, the Volksstaat Bayern overprints remain vivid reminders of a nation in political and social upheaval.
For collectors, these overprints mark the dramatic end of the Bavarian monarchy and the birth of modern Germany—an extraordinary blend of postal design, propaganda, and history captured on paper.
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1914–19 15 Pf deep red King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #100); used, clear cancel, dark wartime shade from Bavaria’s final royal series.
1911–19 20 Pf blue green King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #102); used, light cancel, crisp color and fine example from Bavaria’s last royal series.
1911–19 40 Pf olive brown King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #105); used, clean cancel, rich color and fine example of Bavaria’s final royal design.
1911–19 50 Pf red brown King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #106); used, light cancel, well-centered and richly printed example from Bavaria’s last royal series.
1911–19 60 Pf green King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #107); used, light cancel, vivid color and fine example from Bavaria’s final royal series.
1919 5 Pf green Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #137); used, clear cancel, marking Bavaria’s transition from monarchy to republic.
1919 10 Pf carmine Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #139); used, clear cancel, historic post-revolutionary issue marking Bavaria’s transition to a republic.
1919 15 Pf red Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #140); used, clean cancel, vivid example of Bavaria’s revolutionary-era postal history.
1919 20 Pf blue green Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #141); used, crisp cancel, striking revolutionary-era overprint marking Bavaria’s shift to a republic.
1919 25 Pf gray black Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #142); used, light cancel, historically significant issue from Bavaria’s post-monarchy revolution.
1919 35 Pf orange brown Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #144); used, clear cancel, vivid example from Bavaria’s post-revolutionary republic period.
1919 1 Mark brown Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #150); used, light cancel, high-denomination issue from Bavaria’s revolutionary republic period.
1919 5 Pf yellow green imperforate Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #157); used, light cancel, crisp revolutionary-era imperforate issue.
1919 10 Pf carmine imperforate Volksstaat Bayern overprint on King Ludwig III issue (Scott #159); used, bold cancel, vivid and well-margined revolutionary-era issue.
Bavaria 1867, Scott #16, 3 Kreuzer rose, Coat of Arms issue. Used, clean cancel.
1919 2½ Pf gray black Freistaat Bayern overprint on German Empire issue (Scott #176); used, clear cancel, transitional overprint marking Bavaria’s entry into the Weimar era.
1919 3 Pf brown Freistaat Bayern overprint on German Empire Germania issue (Scott #177); used, light cancel, transitional overprint reflecting Bavaria’s entry into the Weimar Republic.
1919 10 Pf carmine Freistaat Bayern overprint on German Empire Germania issue (Scott #180); used, clear cancel, symbolic postwar issue marking Bavaria’s republican transformation.
1919 15 Pf violet Freistaat Bayern overprint on German Empire Germania issue (Scott #181); used, light cancel, historic postwar issue marking Bavaria’s early republican era.
1919 20 Pf ultramarine Freistaat Bayern overprint on German Empire Germania issue (Scott #182); used, fine cancel, transitional issue symbolizing Bavaria’s early republican period.
1919 10 Pf carmine Freistaat Bayern overprint on Bavaria’s Prince Regent Luitpold definitive (Scott #196); used, clean cancel, historic transitional issue marking Bavaria’s early republican era.
1919 15 Pf rose red Freistaat Bayern overprint on Luitpold definitive (Scott #197); used, light cancel, historic issue marking Bavaria’s transition to a republican government.
1919 20 Pf blue-green Freistaat Bayern overprint on Luitpold definitive (Scott #198); used, fine cancel, historic transitional issue symbolizing Bavaria’s shift to republican rule.
1920 20 Pf on 3 Pf brown revalued Coat of Arms (Scott #237); used, clear cancel, transitional surcharge from Bavaria’s final independent issues before absorption into the German Reichspost.
1920 10 Pf orange Deutsches Reich overprint on Agriculture and Industry issue (Scott #239); used, clear cancel, symbolizing Bavaria’s postal transition to unified German administration.
Bavaria 1870, Scott #24, 3 Kreuzer rose, Coat of Arms issue. Used, light cancel.
1920 20 Mark black violet Deutsches Reich overprint (Scott #254); used, clear cancel, marking Bavaria’s final issue before unification with the German postal system.
1920 40 Pf brown Deutsches Reich overprint on Agriculture and Industry issue (Scott #261); used, clear cancel, representing Bavaria’s final phase of postal independence.
1920 60 Pf blue Deutsches Reich overprint on Agriculture and Industry issue (Scott #265); used, clear cancel, marking the last stage of Bavaria’s postal history before unification.
Bavaria 1881, Scott #38, 3 Pfennig light green, Coat of Arms issue. Used, clean cancel.
Bavaria 1888, Scott #45, 50 Pfennig deep rose, Coat of Arms issue. Used, clean cancel.
Bavaria 1890, Scott #59, 5 Pfennig green, Coat of Arms issue. Used, clean cancel.
Bavaria 1899, Scott #67, 30 Pfennig olive green, Coat of Arms issue. Used, dated cancel.
Bavaria #68 (1888) – 40 pf Golden Yellow, used. Featuring the Bavarian coat of arms, light cancel, and clean perforations.
Bavaria #81 (1911) – 25 pf Dark Violet Brown, used. Portrait of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria with circular date cancel.
Bavaria #86 (1914) – 1 Mark Brown, used. Portrait of King Ludwig III with Nürnberg postmark.
Bavaria #94 (1919) – 2 pf Gray Blue, used. Portrait of King Ludwig III of Bavaria.
1911–19 3 Pf brown King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #95); used, clear cancel, final series before absorption into the German Reich.
1911–19 5 Pf green King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #96); used, clear cancel, fine color and detail from Bavaria’s final royal series.
1914–19 5 Pf dark green King Ludwig III issue (Scott #96a); used, light cancel, wartime printing shade from Bavaria’s final royal series.
1911–19 7½ Pf green King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #97); used, clean cancel, classic design from Bavaria’s final independent postal series.
1911–19 10 Pf carmine King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #98); used, bold circular cancel, rich color from the final royal definitive series.
1911–19 15 Pf red King Ludwig III issue from Bavaria (Scott #99); used, clean cancel, well-centered example from Bavaria’s final royal series.
1919 15 Pf red War Relief semi-postal (Scott #B2); used, with clear “5 Pf für Kriegsbeschädigte” overprint, issued by the Free State of Bavaria for war-disabled aid.
1916 10 Pf carmine Official stamp (Scott #O10); used, clear cancel, featuring Bavaria’s royal coat of arms—issued for state correspondence during the final years of the monarchy.
1916 15 Pf carmine red Official stamp (Scott #O11); used, light cancel, featuring the Bavarian coat of arms — a regal issue from the closing era of the Bavarian monarchy.
1916 15 Pf bright red Official stamp (Scott #O12); used, clear Augsburg cancel, featuring Bavaria’s royal coat of arms—an elegant government issue from the close of the monarchy.
1916 20 Pf blue Official stamp (Scott #O13); used, light cancel, featuring Bavaria’s royal coat of arms—an official issue from the final years of the Bavarian monarchy.
1916 20 Pf dark blue Official stamp (Scott #O14); used, light cancel, featuring Bavaria’s royal coat of arms—an elegant late-monarchy issue for official use.
1919 5 Pf yellow green Official stamp (Scott #O21); used, clear “Volksstaat Bayern” overprint—an early republican issue symbolizing Bavaria’s shift from royal to state governance.
1919 10 Pf carmine Official stamp (Scott #O23); used, clear overprint “Volksstaat Bayern” on coat of arms design—an issue symbolizing Bavaria’s shift from royal to republican authority.
1919 25 Pf gray Official stamp (Scott #O26); used, clear “Volksstaat Bayern” overprint—symbolic of Bavaria’s shift to republican rule following the fall of the monarchy.
1920 15 Pf carmine Official stamp (Scott #O54); used, clear “Deutsches Reich” overprint—final issue symbolizing Bavaria’s integration into the German national postal system.
1916 5 Pf yellow green Official stamp (Scott #O7); used, clear cancel, featuring Bavaria’s royal coat of arms—issued for state administrative mail during the final years of the monarchy.
1916 7½ Pf green Official stamp (Scott #O9); used, clear cancel, featuring Bavaria’s royal coat of arms—issued for state offices during the monarchy’s closing years.
1911–19 King Ludwig III definitive set (Scott #104–108); used, matching cancels, classic final royal issues of Bavaria before German unification.
1920 Allegory of Agriculture and Industry set (Scott #238–246); used, complete 9-stamp series marking the final issues of the Free State of Bavaria before absorption into the German Reichspost.
1920 Allegory of Peace and Prosperity overprinted “Deutsches Reich” (Scott #252–254); used, complete 3-stamp set symbolizing Bavaria’s final integration into the German Reichspost.
Used Bavaria stamps overprinted “Deutsches Reich,” Scott 260–263 (30–60pf), illustrating Germany’s post–World War I postal transition. Strong historical appeal for German States and Weimar-era collections.