Stamps of France, 1849-1899

Postage Stamps of France issued from 1849 to 1899. Numbering according Yvert catalogue.

Definitive Stamps

1849-1850

In 1849 France issued its first stamps, depicting a profile of Ceres. The first Cérès issue is imperforate, without watermark and typography on white or lightly tinted papers. Issue dates:

• 10c: 1850-09-12,
• 15c: 1850-07-29,
• 20c: 1849-01-01,
• 25c: 1850-07-01,
• 40c: 1850-02-03,
• 1fr: 1849-01-02.

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  1849-1850 issues (№ 1-7)
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  1850, 10c bister on yellowish (№ 1)
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  1850, 15c green on greenish (№ 2)
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  1849, 20c black (№ 3)
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  1849, 20c black, used (№ 3)
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  1850, 25c blue (№ 4)
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  1850, 40c orange (№ 5)
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  1850, 40c orange used (№ 5)
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  1850, 40c orange retouches (№ 5)
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  1849, 1fr vermillion and red (№ 6,7)
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  1849, 1fr vermillion (№ 7)
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  1849, 20c blue trial, not issued
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  1849, 20c blue trials, not issued
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  1849 20c black, first day used on cover (№ 3)

1852

Présidence issue. Profile of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte. Imperforate, without watermark, typographed, tinted paper. Issue dates:

• 10c: 1852-12,
• 25c: 1852-09-16.

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  Présidence issue characteristics
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  10c dark bister on yellowish (№ 9)
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  25c blue on bluish (№ 10)

1853-1860

Empire non Dentelé (Napoleon III imperforate) issue. Profile of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte. Imperforate, without watermark, typographed, white and tinted paper. Issue dates:

• 1c: 1860-11-01,
• 5c: 1854-11-19,
• 10c: 1853-12,
• 20c: 1854-07-01,
• 25c: 1853-12-03,
• 40c: 1853-12,
• 80c: 1854-12-04,
• 1fr: 1853-09.

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  Empire non Dentelé issue characteristics
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  1c olive green (№ 11)
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  5c green (№ 12)
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  10c bister (№ 13)
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  20c blue (№ 14 type I)
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  Characteristics of two subtypes of the 20c blue (№ 14I and 14II)
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  25c blue (№ 15)
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  40c orange (№ 16)
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  80c carmine (№ 17A)
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  80c rose (№ 17B)
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  1fr carmine (№ 18)
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  20c blue on 1862 cover (№ 14)
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  40c orange on 1858 cover (№ 16)

1862

Empire Dentelé (Napoleon III perforate) issue. Profile of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte. Perforate, without watermark, typographed, white and tinted paper. Issue dates:

• 1c, 5c, 40c and 80c: 1862-09 (№ 19, 20, 23 and 24),
• 10c and 20c: 1862-08 (№ 21 and 22).

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  1c olive-green (№ 19)
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  20c blue (№ 22)
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  40c orange (№ 23)
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  10c bister pair on 1867 cover (№ 21)

1862-1871

Empire Lauré (Napoleon III laureate) issue. Profile of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte. Perforate, without watermark, typographed, white and tinted paper. Issue dates:

• 1c: 1870-05 (№ 25),
• 2c: 1862-12 (№ 26),
• 4c: 1863-08 (№ 27),
• 10c: 1867-10 (№ 28),
• 20c: 1867-04 (№ 29),
• 30c: 1867-01 (№ 30),
• 40c: 1868-07 (№ 31),
• 80c: 1867-12 (№ 32),
• 5fr: 1869-11 (№ 33),
• 10c on 10c: not issued (№ 34),
• 5c: 1871-11 (№ 35).

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  Set, № 25-35 without № 34
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  1c bronze-olive (№ 25)
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  2c red-brown (№ 26)
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  4c grey (№ 27)
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  5fr grey-violet (№ 33)
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  5fr grey-blue used (№ 33)
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  10 on 10c, not issued (№ 34)
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  20c blue on 1869 cover (№ 29)
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  30c brown on 1869 cover (№ 30)

1870

Siège de Paris (Siege of Paris). Profile of Ceres. Perforated, without watermark, typograph, white or lightly tinted paper. Issued dates:

• 10c and 20c: 1870-10-11,
• 40c: 1870-10-18.

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  10c bister (№ 36)
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  20c blue (№ 37)
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  40c orange (№ 38)
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  40c orange on a 1874 cover (№ 38)

1870-1871

de Bordeaux (Provisional issue of Bordeaux). Profile of Ceres, issued during the Franco-Prussian War. Imperforated, without watermark, typograph, white or lightly tinted paper. Issued dates:

• 25c type I and II: 1870-11.
• 1c, 2c, 4c, 5c, 10c type I, 20c type III, 30c, 40c and 80c: 1870-12,
• 10c type II: 1871-02,

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  Complete issue (№ 39-49)
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  10c bister-brown type II (№ 43g)