FRENCH POST OFFICES IN CHINA

Return To Catalogue - France

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Stamps of France with numeral cancel '5104' of Shanghai:


(Shanghai '5104' cancel used in 1866)


1894 Stamps of France overprinted "Chine" in various colours

5 c green 10 c black 25 c black

  5 c green
  10 c black
  15 c blue
  20 c red on green
  25 c black
  30 c brown
  40 c red
  50 c red
  75 c lilac on orange
  1 F olive
  2 F brown on blue
  5 F lilac

Surcharged

  '25' on 1 F olive (1900)

Surcharged with fancy letters in red

Image obtained from a Harmers auction 4 c on 25 c, Image obtained from a Shreves auction


(Reduced size)

  '2 Cents' on 25 c black (1901)
  '4 Cents' on 25 c black (1901)
  '6 Cents' on 25 c black (1901)
  '16 Cents' on 25 c black (1901)

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
5 c ** ** Two shades of green exist;
dark green (type II), yellowish green (type I and II)
10 c *** *** Type I or II
15 c *** *** The paper of this stamp has an underprint
20 c *** ***  
25 c ** *  
30 c *** *** Type II
40 c *** *** Type II
50 c *** *** Type I or II, an error with a red "Chine" overprint exists (type II)
75 c RR RR  
1 F *** *** Type II
2 F R R  
5 F RR RR An error with a red "Chine" overprint exists.
Surcharged
25 on 1 F RR RR 1900 (used in Shanghai only?)
2 c on 25 c RRR RR 1901
4 c on 25 c RRR RRR 1901
6 c n 25 c RRR RRR  
16 c on 25 c RR RR Error with black overprint: RRR

For the corresponding types of the basic stamps of France, click here.

I've seen postal stationary in the value 5 c green (with red "CHINE" overprint).


(Error, red "Chine" overprint on 50 c and 5 F)

Forgeries exist (for example the forger Francois Fournier made forgeries of the "16 Cents" overprint).


A forged "Chine" overprint on a 75 c stamp.

 

1902 As French stamps, but inscription "CHINE"

5 c green 50 c brown and grey

  5 c green
  10 c red
  15 c red
  20 c brown
  25 c blue
  30 c lilac
  40 c red and blue
  50 c brown and grey
  1 F red and green
  2 F violet and yellow
  5 F blue and yellow

Surcharged

  '5' on 15 c red (1903)

Surcharged with value in 'CENTS' or dollars and chinese text (1907)

2 c on 5 c green (first type) 2 c on 5 c green (second type) 4 c on 10 c red (second type) 6 c on 15 c red (first type) 6 c on 15 c red (second type) 8 c on 20 c brown (first type) 8 c on 20 c brown (second type) 10 c on 25 c blue (first type) 20 c on 50 c brown and grey

  1 c on 5 c orange (1922)
  2 c on 5 c green (2 types)
  2 c on 10 c green (1922)
  3 c on 15 c orange (1922)
  4 c on 10 c red (2 types)
  4 c on 20 c brown (1922)
  5 c on 25 c lilac (1922)
  6 c on 15 c red (2 types)
  6 c on 30 c red (1922)
  8 c on 20 c brown (2 types)
  10 c on 25 c blue (2 types)
  10 c on 50 c blue (1922)
  20 c on 50 c brown and grey (2 types)
  20 c on 1 F red and green (1922)
  40 c on 1 F red and green (2 types)
  40 c on 2 F orange and blue (1922)
  1 $ on 5 F blue and yellow (1922)
  2 $ on 5 F blue and yellow (2 types)

These stamps have perforation 14 x 13 1/2. The stamps in the values 10 to 30 are in the design of the 15 c. The values 40 c to 5 F are in the design of the 50 c stamp. These stamps were used in various post offices: Shanghai, Beijing, etc.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
5 c * *  
10 c * *  
15 c * *  
20 c *** ***  
25 c *** **  
30 c *** ***  
40 c *** ***  
50 c *** ***  
1 F *** ***  
2 F RR RR  
5 F RR RR  
Surcharged
5 on 15 c *** *** Inverted surcharge: R
Surcharged with values in 'CENTS' or dollar
1 c on 5 c *** ***  
2 c on 5 c * * Small or large overprint
2 c on 10 c *** ***  
3 c on 15 c R R  
4 c on 10 c * * Small or large overprint
4 c on 20 c R R  
5 c on 25 c *** ***  
6 c on 15 c * * Small or large overprint
6 c on 30 c *** ***  
8 c on 20 c * * Small or large overprint
Small overprint exists with '8' inverted: R
10 c on 25 c * c Small or large overprint
10 c on 50 c R R  
20 c on 50 c ** * Small or large overprint;
Large overprint: RR
Small overprint exists triple: RR
20 c on 1 F RR RR  
40 c on 1 F *** ** Small or large overprint
40 c on 2 F RR RR  
1 $ on 5 F RRR RRR  
2 $ on 5 F R R Small or large overprint:
Small overprint: RRR

Forgeries exist (for example the forger Francois Fournier made forgeries of the '5' on 15 c surcharge).


Postage due stamps

1901 Postage due stamps of France, overprinted "Chine"

  5 c blue
  10 c brown
  15 c green
  20 c green (1903)
  30 c red
  50 c lilac

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
5 c *** ***  
10 c *** ***  
15 c * ***  
20 c *** ***  
30 c *** ***  
50 c *** ***  

 

1903 Provisional issue Postage stamps, overprinted "A PERCEVOIR"

Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image obtained from a Harmers auction 'A PERCEVOIR' on 30 c 1902 issue?


(These two images were obtained from a Francois Feldman auction)

  5 c green (stamp of 1894)
  5 c green (stamp of 1902)
  10 c black (stamp of 1894)
  10 c red (stamp of 1902)
  15 c blue (stamp of 1894)
  15 c red (stamp of 1902)
  30 c brown (stamp of 1894)

The overprint exists in two types; type 1: small horizontal overprint (with subtypes 'A' above 'CE' or 'A' above second 'E' of 'PERCEVOIR', type 2 is printed diagonally (with 2 subtypes differing in the 'C'). Also different colours were used for the overprints (red or violet). Inverted overprints also exist. All these overprints are very rare to extremely rare.

Image obtained from a Harmers auction Image reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com
Type 1: first subtype (left) and second subtype (right)

Forgeries exist (for example the forger Francois Fournier made forgeries of these overprints).


Primitive forgeries, both the "CHINE" and the "A PERCEVOIR" overprint are forged. I believe these are modern fakes.

 

1907 Postage due stamps of France, overprinted with value in "CENTS" and chinese caracters

2 c on 5 c blue 8 c on 20 c green Image obtained from a Harmers auction

  1 c on 5 c blue (1922)
  2 c on 5 c blue
  2 c on 10 c brown (1922)
  4 c on 10 c brown
  4 c on 20 c green (1922)
  8 c on 20 c green
  10 c on 50 c lilac (1922)
  20 c on 50 c lilac

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
1 c on 5 c RR RR  
2 c on 5 c * *  
2 c on 10 c RR RR  
4 c on 10 c ** **  
4 c on 20 c RR RR  
8 c on 20 c ** **  
10 c on 50 c RR RR  
20 c on 50 c *** **  

Stamps of Indochina, overprinted "CHINE"

1902 Stamps of Indochina overprinted "CHINE" and Chinese characters

30 c brown and 40 c orange


(Reduced size)

  1 c black 
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c brown
  5 c green 
  10 c red 
  15 c grey 
  20 c red on yellow
  25 c black
  25 c blue
  30 c brown
  40 c orange
  50 c red
  50 c brown on blue
  75 c lilac
  1 F green
  5 F lilac

The value is indicated in chinese characters and thus different for each value. Two types exist of these overprints (not all values were printed in both types, type I appeared in 1902, type II in 1904). Type II exists with a slightly larger 'C'.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks

Cheapest type

1 c * *  
2 c *** ***  
4 c ** **  
5 c ** **  
10 c *** ***  
15 c *** ***  
20 c R R  
25 c black *** ***  
25 c blue *** ***  
30 c *** ***  
40 c *** ***  
50 c red RR RR  
50 c brown on blue *** ***  
75 c *** ***  
1 F *** ***  
5 F RR RR  

Inverted and incomplete overprints were made illegally.


Probably Fournier forgeries; the vertical and horizonatl perforation does not match in the corners. Click here for more information.

 

1904 Stamps of Indochina of 1904 overprinted "CHINE" and Chinese characters

"CHINE" on 4 c lilac on blue

  1 c olive
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c lilac on blue
  5 c green
  10 c red
  15 c brown on blue (two types)
  20 c red on green
  25 c blue
  40 c black on grey
  50 c brown
  1 F olive
  2 F lilac on orange
  10 F red on green

The value is indicated in chinese characters and thus different for each value. In type II of the 15 c, the word "CHINE" is below the chinese inscription. A subtype exist of these stamps with a larger 'C'.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
1 c * *  
2 c * *  
4 c RRR RRR  
5 c * *  
10 c *** ***  
15 c ** ** Type II: ***
20 c *** ***  
25 c *** ***  
40 c *** ***  
1 F RR RR  
2 F R R  
5 F RR RR  

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer