Super Surcharge Or What?

This is the biggest surcharge I have ever seen: a 98fr.50c. surcharge on a 1fr.50c. stamp.
Anyone seen bigger?

Odd - but I wouldn't jump to conclusions. I'd say this indicated a currency devaluation of a different method of indicating the currencies. Or perhaps this is a postage stamp converted to revenue use.My French is good but don't know the meaning of the overprint - looks like a charity to me.


The French franc way back when used to be worth 25 cents or so. That would make the postage $24.50

The stamp Tony showed is an official surcharge, not currency revaluation. The surtax was for charity for the liberated French. It is Scott #CB23A issued in 1944.

Tony, I wasn't sure if you were looking for the largest surcharge in terms of absolute # value or ratio or equivalent monetary value? If in terms of absolute value, there are a few higher. There are a couple of French colonies/territories that have surcharges in the 100+ francs (+200 fr is highest I can remember). Also a couple of other countries have higher #'s. I'll try to locate some scans later.

I'm also assuming you are talking about "added" on surcharges, not surcharges that simply revalue the stamp (so we would not consider those surcharged inflation issues of Germany, Danzig, Georgia, China...).

@khj
Yes, exactly as you're saying, you know, the price of the stamp plus something extra for some charity.
Well, I'm used to the idea (Belgium, Switzerland, Germany) that the added surcharge is usually less than the original price of the stamp.
So when I see a stamp that costs 1.50 with an added charity part of 98.50 ... well, it strikes me as a little odd.

The highest surcharged (by overprint) semipostal that comes to mind is French Equatorial Africa #B35, 20fr surcharged +200fr in 1944 (sorry, I don't have a pic on file). I guess they figured if you had money to spend on semipostals during/after the war, then you must have had a lot of money (especially if you were living overseas), and they were going to milk you for all you were worth!

There are a couple more higher, but my memory is not what it used to be.

Now if consider semipostals revalued by overprint, the sky's the limit, especially on those inflationary semipostal issues!

I haven't seen anything nearly that dramatic Tony. Very interesting.

Kim, maybe they were banking on patriotism. That would be equivalent to us using $4.40 or so on a first class letter. WOW

Well, let's see. USPS charges $4.90 for Priority Mail, which offers 2-3 day delivery (NOT guaranteed). They aggressively market this and also push it on you whenever you go to the post office, even though first class mail costs 44c and typically gets there in, uh, 2-3 days.

But I wouldn't expect USPS to be up front about it and issue a 44c+$4.46 Priority Mail stamp (surcharge benefits... who else!).

I'd like to see the advertising on that one. They might get by with subliminal advertising on Jerry Springer or Dancing with the Stars.

You at home . . . Just dial 1-888-399-3399 to cast your vote and buy the new $5 stamp to support your favorite Jerry Springer seven time single mother and her new live-in uncle.