France Stamp With Attached Blank Stamp

I came across this today. Is this a common occurrence and what is the reasoning behind the blank label?

Stamps101.

The attached piece is know as "selvage".

As a rule, stamps will be printed in large lots (EG: 50, 100, 400). Once printed and perforated, there is usually a border of paper around the outside of the sheets. This border may be blank or may contain other information like plate #s and the name of the printing company. Stamps with selvage attached usually sell for a small premium above catalogue value. Stamps with selvage containing plate #s, company name, etc, can command a huge premium above catalogue value.

In this case, your stamp is canceled by a really nice CDS (circular date stamp) that covers part of the selvage. You definitely want to keep both halves intact.

Brian

It might be a plain gutter from a sheet or Miniature Sheet.

We have had such great discussions about Selvedge and Gutters here.
I believe selvedge should have at least one straight edge.

But od course, France might be different !

Londonbus1

Good point, Londonbus1. I failed to notice that the left edge of the attached piece is perforated.

I believe the stamp in question is Yvert 676, the 1 Fr value from the Ceres issue of 1944. This stamp was issued in February 1945 and was withdrawn in May 1947, They printed around 762 million.

Londonbus1's instincts are probably correct. This is what we could call a gutter (pair) in English. I am not positive about this specific issue, but French stamps of this period would have been printed with multiple panes within the sheet. The sheet would have had a gutter going vertically through the center. For some sheets, there would be additional horizontal gutters.

This one looks like a gutter air missing missing a mate. Yvert values a single used copy of this stamp at 0.15€. It is very common. Personally I can't see much value in the attached gutter but to each his own.

I cannot find a specific listing in either Yvert or Maury wrt to gutters or Millésimes for this issue, but that might be a commentary of my lack of capacity in the French language.

Hope this helps.

-Larry

Ahhh ok that makes sense. Out of curiosity, why would they print the blank stamp in the gutter? It seems more efficient and cost-effective to just print all useable stamps or was there a specific reason?

And yes, it has earned a spot in the "keeper" pile based on the cancellation. Thanks for all your help again!

There are several reasons for gutters. Here are just a few:

-- The press actually produces a very large sheet, which is usually cut into several panes (the size that is purchased at the post office). The gutter provides space for the cutting, so the "gutter" becomes "selvage" after the cut.

-- Some booklets are attached/folded in the middle, rather than at the side. The gutter provides the spot for stapling/gluing/folding.

-- Collectors like these "things". Another way to milk more money from collectors. The smart postal agencies will require you to purchase a pretty large size block/strip/pane in order to get the gutter.

Idhaber wrote:




Not common then.

I'm surprised that anyone would look at this stamp and see no value in the selvage. Even a casual observer would have to agree this stamp is much more interesting with the complete CDS.




There were only 38.1 million stamps with a plate position to have this particular gutter attached.