GPS May 2020

While on its face, this series with its nautical themes celebrates
Lithuania’s obtaining a seaport, it also commemorates Memel’s annexation
by Lithuania, an act as illegal as the occupation itself. Eventually
this country would pay a huge price for this hubris, but at the time
Germany was powerless to do anything about either event. Stamps were
lithographed by the Margolin Printery at Kaunas.
Philatelically, they are undistinguished, with few variants. But with
only 30,500 sets issued, a bit more uncommon that the usual run, particularly
when we consider their later overprints.
Second Provisionals
1. Denominations in “Centu”
18-20.4.1923
Image 2.
Because Lithuania had been given independence by force of German
arms, its economy remained closely tied to that of Germany. As a result,
the inflation devastating Germany and her former territories was also
visited upon Lithuania. The authorities embarked on currency reform,
but, while successful, it also left Memel again without usable stamps.
To correct this deficiency, the new Lithuanian Printery at Memel
surcharged the first definitive series with appropriate values.
Overprinting was by means of typeset plates that seems to have
done in two passes. One pass included the obliteration bar at the top
168
German Postal Specialist