Madagascar overprints

Trying to figure out just what that horizontal line is? Its not a type of cancel BC the stamp is mint with gum. I think these issues are so pretty. I just don't get the reason for the black line. Any ideas?

 

I wouldnt have guessed that. Is it considered used value? Or carry any value if being a CTO?

 

Not one I have come across before and I do have quite a few from Madagascar.

 

I don't understand the point of this. Wouldn't this particular stamp be worth more money mint than cancelled? I don't see why a collector back when this was cancelled at the post office have more interest in it cancelled when they could have gotten it in mint condition. Don't have a clue what the cancel is of or what type of design they were trying to use, however, i think its a bit sloppy and seems to have some spatter. Hopefully I can find an image of another CTO like so.

 

Maybe the overprinter or tool used malfunctioned? It looks like it should be just "1". Just in my opinion.

 

That's what I thought at first too Zar.

 

Thanks everyone for your opinions. Different perspectives other than my own always help!

 

I quite often see prices for used stamps greater than those for mint in the Scott catalog, because many of those stamps were issued for philatelic? purposes and never actually used in postage.

As to the overprint,there is nothing in the Scott catalog that shows this particular overprint. However, there is a stamp with a 1 F.R. overprint. When you draw an overprint line thru the upper portion of the 1 F.R., you get what looks like the stylized crocodile on the stamp.

 

Do you suspect the mark is fraudulent?

 

No way to know for sure, but it looks straight enough and balanced side-to-side to have been applied by some sort of a print machine . . .for whatever reason.