The Hungarian Automobile Club, together with other partner associations and under the direction of the competent federation, organised the Hungarian visit and circular flight of the “Graf Zeppelin” airship. The airship landed at the Csepel factory airfield on 29 March 1931. For the occasion, the Post issued the 1- and 2-pengő values of the 1927 airmail set in colours differing from the originals and with the overprint “Zeppelin 1931”.
Airmail items could be posted at any post office and, on 29 March 1931, also at the temporary post office at Csepel. The airship carried 17 070 letters and 15 359 postcards on its circular flight over Hungary. The listed drop points were Debrecen, Kaposvár, Pécs, Szeged, Székesfehérvár and Szeged. The Zeppelin weighed approximately 60 tonnes and, at first sight, strongly resembled a flying silver cigar. With a length of 236.6 metres and a diameter of 30.5 metres, it was an imposing sight in the 1930s. The airship was capable of a maximum speed of 115 km/h, although in normal flight it generally travelled at no more than about 70 km/h.1931 Zeppelin
Catalogue number:
Values:
- 1 pengő: orange/black
- 2 pengő: violet/green
Designer:
- Jenő Haranghy
Date of issue:
- 23 March 1931
Withdrawal:
- 31 March 1931
Quantity issued:
- Perforated: 1 pengő – 60 906; 2 pengő – 58 658
- Imperforate: 5 000
Printing:
- The base stamps were recess-printed; the “Zeppelin 1931” text overprint was typographed.
- Issued in sheets of 100 stamps.
Paper:
- 60 gsm light-yellowish, wood-free paper; sheet size 38 × 60 cm
- Watermark VIII: four double crosses
Perforation:
- Comb perforation 14 : 14¼
- Stamp size to the perforations: 22 × 33 mm
Errors and curiosities:
- Pairs without the overprint (proofs) are known – market price approx. HUF 500 000
- Postcard carried on the circular flight over Hungary – market price approx. HUF 9 000–11 000
- Cover from Friedrichshafen to Hungary and return – market price HUF 20 000–26 000
Market price:
- Unmounted mint (2 values): approx. HUF 20 000–25 000
- Mounted mint: 50–55% of the unmounted-mint price
- Used (2 values): approx. HUF 11 000–13 000
- Imperforate (2 values): approx. HUF 60 000–70 000
- Specialities: see above
Source: Bélyegbarát
MBK —
MBK —
