Description: This is an unused, mint-condition definitive stamp from the German Weimar Republic's "Rosette" issue (German: Rosettenmuster). Printed in a muted olive-green, the design is dominated by a complex, mesmerizing background of guilloche patterns and woven rosettes—a security feature intended to deter forgery during the chaotic inflation period. The center features a bold, dark numeral "4" superimposed over the word "MILLIONEN". The top banner reads "Deutsches Reich" in gothic script, while the bottom margin clarifies the astronomical numeric value as "4 000 000 M" (Marks).
Circa: 1923
Condition: unused hinged, intact bent corners
Notes:
German collectors often affectionately nickname this series the Korbdeckel (Basket Lid) issue because the intricate, woven oval center resembles the top of a traditional wicker basket.
When this stamp was released in October 1923, 4 million Marks barely covered the cost of sending a standard letter. Within weeks, postage rates would jump to billions, leaving this 4-million-mark stamp virtually useless unless pasted in large blocks to cover a single envelope.