France 'Postage Due' Stamp, Red on Yellow Paper

France · 1882 · 1c

This is a classic French postage due stamp, part of a long-running series first issued in 1882. The design is purely typographic, featuring the large numeral '1' for the one centime value, framed by ornate scrollwork. The text 'CHIFFRE-TAXE A PERCEVOIR' indicates the amount to be collected from the recipient for insufficient postage.

Postage due stamps were an essential part of the postal system in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, ensuring that postal services were properly compensated for delivering underpaid mail.