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French Stamps

Definitives of 1940-1942


The first definitive french stamps for the new Vichy government began to appear in 1940, continuing through 1941 and 1942.

Due to the urgent need for new definitive postage stamps by the government of Vichy France, large numbers of stamps of the recently abolished Third Republic were overprinted and re-valued.



The eighteen commemorative and definitive french stamps of the former Third Republic, shown above, were overprinted and re-valued during 1940 and 1941.

Their designs have been previously described.

Their catalog attributes are as follows:

  • 30 C. on 35 C.  (1941 - Y&T #476, Sc. #400) - Green.
  • 50 C. on 55 C.  (1941 - Y&T #478, Sc. #401) - Dull Violet.
  • 50 C. on 65 C.  (1941 - Y&T #479, Sc. #402) - Ultramarine.
  • 50 C. on 75 C.  (1941 - Y&T #480, Sc. #403) - Olive Green.
  • 50 C. on 75 C.  (1941 - Y&T #477, Sc. #404) - Orange Brown.
  • 50 C. on 80 C.  (1941 - Y&T #481, Sc. #405) - Orange.
  • 50 C. on 90 C.  (1941 - Y&T #482, Sc. #406) - Ultramarine.
  • 01.00 F. on 01.25 F.  (1941 - Y&T #483, Sc. #407) - Carmine Rose.
  • 01.00 F. on 01.40 F.  (1941 - Y&T #484, Sc. #408) - Red Violet.
  • 01.00 F. on 01.50 F.  (1941 - Y&T #485, Sc. #409) - Dark Blue.
  • 01.00 F. on 01.75 F.  (1940 - Y&T #486, Sc. #397) - Ultramarine.
  • 01.00 F. on 02.25 F.  (1941 - Y&T #487, Sc. #398) - Ultramarine.
  • 01.00 F. on 02.50 F.  (1941 - Y&T #488, Sc. #399) - Green.
  • 01.00 F. on 02.15 F.  (1940 - Y&T #489, Sc. #410) - Violet Brown.
  • 02.50 F. on 05.00 F.  (1941 - Y&T #490, Sc. #411) - Ultramarine.
  • 05.00 F. on 10.00 F.  (1941 - Y&T #491, Sc. #412) - Brown on Blue.
  • 10.00 F. on 20.00 F.  (1941 - Y&T #492, Sc. #413) - Blue Green.
  • 20.00 F. on 50.00 F.  (1941 - Y&T #493, Sc. #414) - Ultramarine.


The four large-format portrait definitive French stamps of the Vichy government, shown above (Y&T #470-473, Sc. #415-418), were issued in January and February of 1941 in honor of Marshal Petain.  The stamps are engraved and perforated 13.

Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Petain (1856-1951), a French General Officer and hero of the Battle of Verdun during World War I, was the nominal Head-of-State of Vichy France from 1940 to 1944.



The twenty-three portrait definitive french stamps of the Vichy government, shown above, were issued between 1941 and 1942.

The designs feature various contemporary portraits of Marshal Petain.

The catalog attributes, for stamps that are typographed and perforated 14 x 13 1/2, are as follows:

  • 20 C.  (1942 - Y&T #505, Sc. #427) - Lilac.
  • 30 C.  (1941 - Y&T #506, Sc. #428) - Rose Red.
  • 40 C.  (1941 - Y&T #507, Sc. #429) - Ultramarine.
  • 50 C.  (1941 - Y&T #508, Sc. #431) - Deep Green.
  • 60 C.  (1942 - Y&T #509, Sc. #432) - Violet.
  • 70 C.  (1942 - Y&T #510, Sc. #433) - Sapphire.
  • 70 C.  (1942 - Y&T #511, Sc. #434) - Orange.
  • 80 C.  (1941 - Y&T #512, Sc. #435) - Brown.
  • 80 C.  (1942 - Y&T #513, Sc. #436) - Emerald.
  • 01.00 F.  (1941 - Y&T #514, Sc. #437) - Rose Red.
  • 01.20 F.  (1942 - Y&T #515, Sc. #438) - Red Brown.
  • 01.50 F.  (1941 - Y&T #516, Sc. #439) - Rose.
  • 01.50 F.  (1942 - Y&T #517, Sc. #440) - Red Brown.
  • 02.00 F.  (1942 - Y&T #518, Sc. #441) - Blue Green.
  • 02.40 F.  (1942 - Y&T #519, Sc. #443) - Rose Red.
  • 02.50 F.  (1941 - Y&T #520, Sc. #444) - Ultramarine.
  • 03.00 F.  (1941 - Y&T #521, Sc. #445) - Orange.
  • 04.00 F.  (1942 - Y&T #521A, Sc. #446) - Ultramarine.
  • 04.50 F.  (1941 - Y&T #521B, Sc. #447) - Dark Green.

The catalog attributes, for stamps that are engraved and perforated 14 x 13 or perforated 13, are as follows:

  • 04.00 F.  (1942 - Y&T #522, Sc. #448) - Ultramarine.
  • 04.50 F.  (1942 - Y&T #523, Sc. #449) - Dark Green.
  • 05.00 F.  (1942 - Y&T #524, Sc. #450) - Prussian Green.
  • 50.00 F.  (1942 - Y&T #525, Sc. #451) - Black.

The 1.50 F. denomination was also issued in booklets, containing panes of 10 stamps.  The booklet panes are worth very little more than the catalog value of 10 sheet-format stamps.





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Definitives of 1940-1942






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