So What's The Story On France SC #226 & 241?

I've just recently started working on a World Classics collection (extended out to 1964), so maybe this is common knowledge, but I'm wondering..

What's the main reason/reasons for the French Philatelic Exhibition S/S from Paris 1925 (Sc# 226)



and the beautiful Strasbourg 1927 S/S (Sc# 241).



being valued in such rare air? Reading my 2011 Scott Classic Specialized (great book, btw), the only insight I can find is that #226 was available ONLY at the exhibition. OK, rarity is part of it, sure.. but it's not like a Philatelic exhibition in Paris in 1925 would be sparsely attended.. and the 1927 sheet only mentions it was issued AT the exhibition in Strasbourg, but doesn't mention if it was also sold to the general public. No numbers are given for number printed or sold.

I'm assuming it's a simple supply/demand issue, but the prices these go for (I notice because I'm looking for the 1927, which I fell in love with the first time I saw it) is really up there compared to other issues from both France and the rest of the world at that time. Were the quantities that much lower on these (there doesn't seem to be any shortage of the 1927 sheet for sale in my checking), or was/is there something else that the Classic Specialized, not being a France-specific publication is leaving out?

Thanks in advance. Don't know why that 1927 sheet just screams out to me like it does - it just does

I think one of the things we need to keep in mind is the times in which these items were issued. Yes, lots of people attended the shows back then, but lots of people also did not make a whole lot of money to squander on souvenir sheets! Peter

Not common knowledge to me.

They are beautiful sheets!

I checked the Maury catalogue, and it does not supply any more information that my limited French understanding can grasp.

I believe these Philatelic exhibitions were more popular back then, because a lot more of the population collected stamps.

And it was a prestige thing for the exhibition cities.

And the country Philatelic bureau got involved and printed a souvenir.

If one had to buy (obtain) the souvenir sheet at the exhibition only, that might be reason enough to explain the high CV today.

Both sheets have been forged, but the good news is that as far as I tell from the pictures you posted, yours are genuine. Lovely indeed. They are unfortunately both missing from my collection of MHN France.

Oh. these aren't mine. I just googled pictures to illustrate what I was talking about. They are really nice copies. I can understand the supply/demand dynamics here, it just seems there's something more to it. The fact they are heavily forged might be part of it, but were they forged before or after their relative values skyrocketed? I'd guess after. Maybe it is just a matter of rarity, both due to being printed in shorter supply (certainly for the 1925 sheet), and French citizens having more to be concerned about other than stamps in the next 15-20 years (between economic depression and the Hitler/Vichy government following).