I was checking two copies of #155 to determine which one to add to my Steiner Pages and noticed a distinct difference in colors. Not sure if the scan does it justice but the one on the left is blueish while the one on the right is dark grey. Given the definition in both I can't see one as simply being "faded".
I then noticed that the plowman on the left was wearing what I'd describe as a "fanny pack" (to the right of his left forearm).
Thanks James. You really have been an awesome source of expertise in answering questions like this (not just mine). A couple things:
1) I don't see a color variation listed in the Scott's catalog I have. And didn't find anything when I Googled it. Is there a catalog or site you'd recommend where I could get more info?
2) I've blown up the picture but without any "forensic" type software it still looks like an artifact to me, but not piece of the cancel. The inside looks like it has too much white compared to the same section of the stamp on the left. It could, however, be a contrast issue that just makes it stand out more. I'm certainly not thinking I've discovered an amazing new "Fanny Pack Error".
3) In the stamp on the right can you see the panda in the cancel? I have an unusual "thing" (my wife calls it a peculiar syndrome) where I pick out faces in just about any random thing I look at. It's usually cool, but sometimes very distracting...but enough on that, I don't want Michael to carve this out to a separate thread "Dave's Multiple Disorders-Disorder Discussion Group".
It would be good to check the watermarks as you may have 2 different issues
One would have lozenges - like diamonds
The other one a network like a mesh
There are a few others that are very scarce Mi 176l & 196l but these don't look like them
Stanley Gibbons (Germany, 9th ed.) claims that this stamp is 'indigo and green'. Two versions: September 1921 (wmk lozenges, SG171) and May 1922 (wmk mesh, SG195). For varieties, 'green background inverted', on either stamp, bumps up its CV 350-fold, 'imperforate pair' (SG195) 1500-fold, and 'printed on both sides' (SG171) so rare as to be unpriceable.
Interesting contrast between Scott's colour attribution and that of Gibbons. Interesting, too, that the design stands out as markedly different in style to the other figurative designs in the set (or, arguably, in Germany's entire output).
The known Michel 2015 Specialized listings are as follows - prices in Euros for used unless indicated
As for color description - every catalog has their own opinion
Wmk lozenges - a & b are probably the ones from lemaven
176 a €3.50
176 b €90
176 l (background invert) €1400
176 II (broken hatching in horse's neck €200
Wmk mesh
196 €4
196 I €900
196 U (imperforate) €3000
196 DD (Doulble Impression) €4000
Inflation with 1000m ovp't
260 €110
260 U (unused imperforate) €650
260 DD (unused) €1600
260 KI (inverted ovp't) €5000
260 KII (background inverted) €2200
I just came across a "260" overprint as shown by James, but I can't find it listed in Scott's. Is it hidden some place less than the obvious where I'm looking?
There's no picture of it in the semi-postals. You'd have to match up the overprint on the stamp with the example in the catalog of the first, and smaller, stamp in the semi-postal set. I actually had to look it up in Michel first to see the overprint, then I was able to find it in Scott.