Céres 40c Orange: France Nr. 5 Or Colonies Francaise Nr. 13?

Hi,

I recently bought this stamp as being France Yvert Nr. 5 (value €500, Scott nr. 7), but after doing some research, I suspect it is Colonies Francaises Nr. 13 (value €15, Scott nr. 14). I learned that these 2 stamps are very hard to distinguish. The color can be a clue, and a clear cancel would certainly make it easier. But the orange is quite yellowish and the cancel seems to be diamond shape points cancel with possibly letters of one of the colonies.



A larger version of the scan can be found here:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-image.../1849005.jpg

Does anybody have a suggestion to identify this stamp with certainty?

Thanks!

1870-73 Scott 59 40c orange/yellowish(I)

Scott has a note that the Colonial shades and papers are similar to the perforated French stamps, because of date of issue.

Above is my copy of the France perforated 1870-73 40c orange/yellowish. - Clearly, more "orange" than yours, but there is also an orange yellow shade I don't have. Perhaps someone else will?

(Note- Your "4" is type I, so one does not need to consider type II stamps and shades.)

I agree cancellation research might offer the best information.

Actually, I think for the large difference in catalogue value, you should have the stamp evaluated by a "professional", and if it is not the early France imperforate, return it!

Hi Jkjblue,

Thanks for your comment. Indeed, expertization is an option (never done that before ) However, the seller will take the stamp back when I'm not satisfied. Before doing that, I hoped someone recognizes the cancel as being a definite French or French Colonies cancel ...

Update: the seller agreed with me, that this stamp has to be the 'Colonies Francaises' Yvert No. 13, and refunded me, AND let me keep the stamp ... Very generous !

Great info, Wilfred. Thanks for the update!

A colonial one for sure, the blue losange of dots like this is clearly from colonies.

Hi gugusg,thanks for your confirmation! I never regarded the cancellation as 'blue' though ... seems black to me.

If your screen is not large enough to view both your stamp and jkjblue's stamp at once, open both and toggle between them. I'd agree that your cancel is blue.

(I bet if you magnified the dot behind the eye, it would look quite blue.)

My 2 centimes.

Looks blue to me also. ;-)