French Colonies General Issue, Allegory of Peace and Commerce (Sage Type)

French Colonies · 1881 · 25c

This definitive stamp, known as the 'Sage' or 'Peace and Commerce' type, features an allegorical design by Jules-Auguste Sage. It depicts figures representing Peace and Commerce clasping hands over a globe, symbolizing France's global reach and trade. This general issue was used across various French colonial territories before they issued their own specific stamps.

Issued for use in most French colonies, this stamp represents the height of French colonial expansion in the late 19th century, providing a standardized postal system across its vast empire.