Greenland: Cancellations: Avane Postal Savings Cancellations on Pakke-Porto Stamps
The numbered Avane cancellations of Greenland are not often offered, but are very actively collected. Avane cancellations were applied to stamps placed into postal savings books, starting in 1927 until the end of the 1930s. Each number represents a different village post office. 38 numbers were assigned, though four numbers (10, 14, 21, and 34) have not yet been recorded. They were typically struck in black or violet (no catalog seems to have given values for the different colors). With only a couple exceptions, the two-line design is "Nr. 1 / avane". The vast majority of Avane cancels were applied to 20 øre stamps; use on 1 krone stamps is sometimes found; use on any other value is extremely rare. It is common for stamps to have additional pencil or crayon lines as this is often how the books were "canceled" when redeemed. Complete and well-centered examples are scarce and demand premiums, especially when on well-centered stamps. Beyond the few common numbers, most of these cancellations are scarce.
The cancellations and associated villages are listed per the Wowern 1988 GF1 Pakke-Porto catalog (most recent edition; available for purchase; see the Literature section), while the stamps are cataloged by Scott numbers.
Avane Postal Savings Cancellations on Pakke-Porto Stamps
Avane #13 (Rhodebay) violet, VF well-struck and well-centered postal savings cancel on Superb Q6.
45.00
209687
Avane #13 (Rhodebay) violet, Superb well-struck and wonderfully centered postal savings cancel on Superb Q6.
50.00
218619
Avane #16 (Kekertak) black, F-VF postal savings cancel on Superb Q6. Examples of this number are very difficult to find.
45.00
218621
Avane #18 (Ujarasugssuk) violet, VF well-struck, perfectly centered postal savings cancel on VF Q6 with Wowern "Fd" variety: white drop below right end of middle-left sea gull. Examples of this number are hard to find.
54.00
222528
Avane #18 (Ujarasugssuk) black, VF well-struck, postal savings cancel on Superb Q6. Examples of this number are hard to find.
48.00
218624
Avane #26 (Umanak) violet, VF well-struck postal savings cancel on VF Q6, dark red with bright white paper.
40.00
Avane Postal Savings Cancellations on Pakke-Porto Stamps continued ...
Avane #27 (Ikerasak) violet, VF well-struck, well-centered postal savings cancel on Superbly centered Q6 (couple shortish perfs).
34.00
218626
Avane #28 (Satut) dark violet, VF well-struck, well-centered postal savings cancel on VF Q6 with typical red crayon redeeming cancel. Stamp with Wowern "Fb" variety: red spot in left side of O in TO; red dots to the right of the two right waves.
39.00
218627
Avane #28 (Satut) light violet, VF well-struck postal savings cancel on F-VF+ Q6.
36.00
222529
Avane #28 (Satut) violet, VF well-struck, postal savings cancel on VF Q6, also with typical redeeming blue cancellation line.
36.00
218628
Avane #29 (Uvkusigssat) violet, F-VF postal savings cancel on Superb Q6. Nice examples of this number are hard to find.
38.00
201816
Scott #Q6 with beautiful violet "Nr. 31 avane" postal savings cancellation. #31 was used at Nugatsiak.
29.00
218630
Avane #31 (Nugatsiak) violet, VF well-struck, well-centered postal savings cancel on VF Q6 with typical pencil redeeming cancellation.
34.00
222530
Avane #31 (Nugatsiak) violet, VF well-struck, postal savings cancel on VF Q6. Very nice example.
36.00
218631
Avane #33 (Prøven) violet, Superb well-struck, perfectly centered postal savings cancel on Superb Q6.
36.00
Avane Postal Savings Cancellations on Pakke-Porto Stamps continued ...
Avane #33 (Prøven) violet, VF well-centered postal savings cancel on VF Q6. Stamp with Wowern "Fa" so-called "snake bite" variety: chunk of right 2 missing from the top point.
42.00
222531
Avane #33 (Prøven) violet, VF well-struck, perfectly centered, postal savings cancel on Superb Q6.