France 20 Centimes Black, Ceres

Name: France 20 Centimes Black, Ceres
Brand: France

France · 1849 · 20c

This is the first postage stamp issued by France, featuring a profile of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, wearing a garland of wheat and grapes. The design, created by Jacques-Jean Barre, is framed by simple inscriptions of 'REPUB. FRANC.' and the denomination '20 C. POSTES.' The stamp is printed in black on yellowish paper.

Issued by the Second Republic of France, this stamp marks France's entry into the postal reform movement that began with Great Britain's Penny Black. It standardized postal rates and prepaid postage for the first time in the country.

Printing Method

Typography

Themes

allegory mythology heads-of-state ceres

Catalog Numbers

sg3

scott1

michel3

Image: · License:

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Estimated Values by Condition

Superb(S)

Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults

$1,500

Extremely Fine(XF)

Well centered, fresh colors

$1,000

Very Fine(VF)

Nicely centered, minor flaws

$650

Fine(F)

Average centering, acceptable

$300

Good(G)

Off-center or visible wear

$100

Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.