French Colonies General Issues Postage Stamp

French Colonies · 1881 · 25c

This stamp features the 'Commerce and Navigation' allegory, also known as the Sage type, designed by Jules Auguste Sage. The central design depicts allegorical figures representing Commerce, holding a caduceus, and Navigation, resting on a ship's rudder, symbolizing France's global trade and maritime power. The inscription 'COLONIES' at the top and 'POSTES' at the bottom clearly designates it for use across the French colonial empire.

Issued from 1881, this definitive series replaced earlier general issues for the French Colonies. It was used in various territories before they began issuing their own specific stamps, reflecting the height of French colonial expansion.