Josh: I don't have an Yvert catalog, but the stamp looks like Scott 41, but my knowledge of early French stamps is limited. Perhaps, AngloBob or Werner will also reply. I have an old catalog, but the value listed for an unused SC 41 is $175, probably higher in a recent catalog. My Scott catalog makes no reference to a spot behind the hear. Don
Josh... I only have a Maury catalogue.It is Yvert 42 . Maury lists all the different varieties 42 Report 1 has no line behind the head and has a catalogue value of 3750 Euros...mint Report 2 has a white line behind the head .Maury lists 24 different stamps with colour variations and different nuances.Lowest catalogue value is 350 euros . If you like ,I can try and scan the info and send it to you Bob
I cannot add much to what Don Sellos and anglobob wrote. The 5 C. Bordeaux cannot get confused with any other stamp. The spot on the right does not look like an plate fault but could be a printing error of accidential nature.Catalogues do not list such accidential errors.However that does not mean,that such errors are unpopular and can´t command a good price,when sold. It is not possible to say anything about the quality and colour of the stamp,as the image is not good enough. However,when I compare it to the stamp,I own,it somehow looks different.But I am no specialist,so I would not know,wether both can be genuine. Here is mine:
Werner... Your scans are always excellent....you must let me know your secret. I have three examples of this stamp and have tried to scan them,but not very successfully.The first stamp is listed as 42Ba and is a brighter colour than the other two stamps.The end stamp is not a particularly good item but has a good cancellation,although a little heavy.
That's awesome thank you everyone for the info.. can anyone tell me though how i know if it's a 42a or 42b so on.
You need a good catalogue and possibly colour-guide plates. Scott and Michel list three colours: green and yellow green;prices are nearly the same.The third colour "emerald" is rare and expensive about ten times the price of green or yellow green. But it is not easy to determine the colour of a stamp unless you have a lot of expierence.So in the end you will need an (rather costly) expertise,if you want to be sure. As your stamp looks like mint,it is important to know,wether it has original gum.Stamps without gum are wort about a third of mint stamps with gum. If you should want to sell your stamp,best would be to offer it in an auction,what is specialized on France & community. The flaw might bring a surprising result.
Yes it is a 42 type as there are quite a few different ones To know which one would require a much better CROPPED image It is not a constant plate fault nor an unknown variety It is simply a piece of dirt on the plate or a raised imperfection in the paper which is why the area is darker with an unprinted ring around it No special value other than a curiosity that some may find attractive and most will not. This fault is not uncommon with stamps of the period
There was a reply here yesterday...and today I can,t find it.Do I need stronger glasses or has the post been removed ???
Hi Bob: It was there, I saw it as well. Had to have been removed by the poster. C. DeVon or RuStamps was the poster I don't recall which. Don
