I've been collecting France Third republic - 1871-1940 - for a few years and I've just come across this. Not in SG, but I found it in Yvert. Any views on precancels?
It was described as used on ebay, but it looks like it was used to clean the floor with. I looked on ebay and found quite a lot of France precancels - mostly newish and mint. The prices being asked vary enormously from 0.99p to £40, £85 or even £250 for some hopefuls.
How do you tell if they've been used if there isn't an obvious postmark?
And as they're not in SG, I take it they are perceived by Gibbons as some kind of philatelic anomaly. But not by Yvert.
"How do you tell if they've been used if there isn't an obvious postmark?"
Pre-cancels generally do not receive postmarks. The purpose of a pre-cancel is to save postal clerk's time by not having to cancel the mail.
Generally, the first clue that a pre-cancel stamp is used is that there won't be any gum on the back of the stamp. The stamp will also look like it has been through the mail, and soaked off the mail piece. Mint stamps have a fresher appearance about them.
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant 28 Jan 2019 10:14:38pm
re: Question on French Pre-Cancel
Just back in town.
This is a precanceled stamp on the "semeuse" or "sower", from a series of 4 sets of precanceled issued in 1920, 1921 and 1922.
They display respectively (all on 3 lines) POSTES PARIS 1920 (Y&T 24-25), POSTES PARIS 1921(Y&T 26 to 29), POSTES PARIS 1922 (Y&T 30-32) and POSTES FRANCE 1922 (Y&T 36 to 38).
This is Y&T #36. They all exist cancelled as well mint, and the cancelled stamps are worth significantly less. In my older Y&T catalogue of 2007 it has a cat value of 60E. As with all the early precanceled stamps of France, counterfeits are plentiful!
rrr...
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