Crete Stamps Postmarks Postal History

 High Values are these stamps: 25 Lepta 50 Lepta lilac 1 Drachma 2 Drachma 5 Drachma They were issued without overprint   https://cretepostalhistory.blogspot.com/2021/06/issue-date-high-values-of-first-set.html  or overprinted with the word ΠΡΟΣΩΡΙΝΟΝ. The overprint has a red or a black colour. Statement: These stamps with red  overprint  and those with black overprint were issued at 1st March 1900 ( All catalogues ) Facts: The first known postmarks on stamps with black overprint are XANIA                     8 MAIOΣ    1900     on 25 Lepta HPAKΛEION          11 MAPT     1900     on 50  Lepta HPAKΛEION           7 MAPT      1900    on 1 Drachma XANIA                     3 MAPT      1900  ...

  High Values are the 25 Lepta, the 50 Lepta lilac, the 1 Drachma, the 2 Drachma and the 5 Drachma.   Statement: The "Feenstra" and the "Karamitsos" are listing these stamps under the 1st March 1900. Facts: 1. These stamps must have been on Crete already on 23rd February 1900, because a law with that date  was published on 29th February 1900 and became valid on 30thMarch 1900, which  allows to use these stamps as Revenues; that use was forbidden since 29th January 1901, because then a set of Revenues all with the color bistre-yellow was  available 2. 1 Drachma stamps were used as Revenues already on 6th April 1900, see picture 486 in the "Feenstra" 3. The first known postmarks occur much later: XANIA     30 NOEM 1900   on 5 Drachma XANIA     13 ΦΕΒΡ 1901    on  25 Lepta XANIA      3 MAPT 1901  on all five stamps together as franking of a registered letter The November 1900 Postmark I...

 Not satisfied with the status as Advanced Collector? All right! The expert is someone, who makes his own research in order to check the statements in the "Feenstra"or the "Karamitsos"or other publications. The research leads to a confirmation and/or an addition or even a correction of the statement. Let's start with  some dates of "Independent Crete" Working with dates, you have to know, that the Cretans used the Julian Calendar while in Central Europe the Gregorian Calendar - today used everywhere - was in use. Since 1900 there was a difference of 13 days between the Calendars. Example: 1st March 1900   =  13th March 1900 in the Gregorian Calendar