Registered mail is a mail service offered by postal services in many countries, which allows the sender proof of mailing via a mailing receipt and, upon request, electronic verification that an article was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made.
Generally, the item is pre-paid with the normal postage rate and an additional charge known as a registration fee. Upon payment of this fee the sender is given a receipt, and (usually) a unique numbered registration label is affixed to the letter. As the letter travels from post office to post office and through any sorting office, it has to be signed for on a ledger. This process is completed when the letter is delivered and the receiver signs for the item.
Because it was getting busier in the East German post offices with registering post and parcels the postoffices introduced a special registered mail stamp for selfservice (SbPÄ = Selbst bedienungs Post Ämt) with a face value of 50 East German pfennig.
In 1966 a trial edition was made known as the "Seebad Ahlbeck" registered mail stamp.
In 1967 new number stamps for registered mail are being tested in 108 Berlin me, 102 Berlin me, 102 Berlin ZAW and in 1002 Berlin PSchA.
In 1968, self-service facilities for the posting of registered items were set up at selected post offices.
The registration slips printed on transparent paper correspond largely to the normal R slips, but with the note “Fee paid”.
Until April 15, 1968 such facilities are in:
1017 Berlin, 1035 Berlin-Lichtenberg 5, 1057 Berlin, 1066 Berlin, 108 Berlin, 1092 Berlin, 1102 Berlin-Pankow 2, 15 Potsdam 8, 25 Rostock 1, 65 Gera 1, 701 Leipzig, 75 Cottbus 1, 8023 Dresden, 8025 Dresden, 8122 Radebeul 1 and 89 Görlitz 3.
re: Selbst bedienungs Post Ämt einschreibemarken / Registered mail stamps for Selfservice
Michel number 2 is a different design.
There are 6 perforation varieties (Michel Numbers 2 A, C, D, E, F, G) and 4 print types (Type I, II, III, IV) for these, though most post codes (PLZ = Post Leit Zählen) are only found in 1 perf type and 1 printing type.
Perforation varieties (Perf C is, by far, the most common):
2 A -- vertical perf 9 1/2
2 C -- vertical perf 12 1/2
2 D -- vertical perf 12 1/2 : 9 1/2 : 12 1/2
2 E -- vertical perf 9 1/2 : 12 1/2: 9 1/2
2 F -- perf 10 3/4
2 G -- perf 10
The printing types are as follows:
I -- fat numerals
II -- skinny numerals
III -- small numerals
IV -- very small numerals