siem
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What I collect: Pacific Islands, Baltic states, Netherlands and much more
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Post by siem on Jul 24, 2017 7:33:20 GMT
One of the things I try to specialize in is Belgian precancels. The amount of stamps to collect is huge, especially if you look at the oldest roll cancels that exist for many different cities, instead of the typographic ones that were only produced for Brussel, Antwerpen (Anvers), Gent, Luik (Liege), Leuven (Louvain), Verviers and Charleroy. But during all the years I have been busy with these precancels, I have yet to see the first one with the hexagonal cancels from 1938 and 1939. According to their catalogue values they should not be rare, it is just that I cannot seem to find any. Are there other Belgian precancel collectors here and if so, how are your experiences with finding these stamps? Here are a few examples (not my scan, obviously)  |
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Poodle_Mum
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What I collect: WW to 1950; All German Eras; Imperial Russia & USSR; All Occupations and Colonies of Germany and Russia; Canada; QV and Belgian Railways
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Post by Poodle_Mum on Jul 24, 2017 19:48:12 GMT
I too collect the Belgian precancels. These along with the Belgian Railways are my favourite Belgian stamps. I have a small general Belgium collection but for the most part my love stays with the precancels and Railways.
I haven't looked at mine for a while. When I get a chance, I'll pull them out and see if I have any of those precancels you mentioned.
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Ryan
Member
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,721
What I collect: If I have a catalogue for it, I collect it. And I have many catalogues ....
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Post by Ryan on Jul 25, 2017 4:07:25 GMT
This made me curious since I don't recall having any of these hexagon precancels either. So I took out my Belgian preos catalogue to have a look. A couple of the issues, like the Dec 1938 15c stamp, are at the absolute minimum value in the catalogue! I have never specifically bought any Belgian precancels - my catalogue is by far the most expensive item in my precancel collection. But I'm surprised to have never seen any of them before when the catalogue values are so low. I guess it will be like the Spain Franco 1.40p stamp, minimum value but I can't ever find a copy. And I have bought a lot of Spanish stamps ...
Ryan
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siem
**Member**
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Posts: 29
What I collect: Pacific Islands, Baltic states, Netherlands and much more
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Post by siem on Jul 25, 2017 8:29:31 GMT
hi Ryan,
In a way I am glad I am not the only one with this experience. Still it makes me wonder how this catalogue value came to be. There must be plenty of these stamps, so where are they?
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Beryllium Guy
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What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Jul 25, 2017 14:04:25 GMT
siem, I don't collect Belgian precancels, but I have a fair number in my holdings that have come my way through larger acquisitions. I am not home and able to verify it, but I don't think that I have any of these hexagonal precancels at all, only the much more common rectangular ones. I will check to confirm once I get home next week.
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siem
**Member**
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Posts: 29
What I collect: Pacific Islands, Baltic states, Netherlands and much more
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Post by siem on Jul 26, 2017 7:05:53 GMT
Hi Chris, what may look like common rectangular precancels can still be interesting stuff for the collector. There is so much to look out for: there are precancels facing left and facing right, some of these pretty rare. There are the higher face values that often are harder to find, compared to the lowest values. Then you have the smaller cities like Louvain and Charleroi that you do not see as often as Brussels (or Antwerp), but the real challenge is in the roll cancels that were applied manually and exist for a great variety of cities (the later, more common types are all typographed, i.e. printed). I have not found a catalogue to list them all yet. Perhaps such a catalogue does not even exist, I don't know. Here are some examples.   |
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Poodle_Mum
Member
Inactive
Posts: 252
What I collect: WW to 1950; All German Eras; Imperial Russia & USSR; All Occupations and Colonies of Germany and Russia; Canada; QV and Belgian Railways
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Post by Poodle_Mum on Jul 26, 2017 9:19:36 GMT
I have a number of the ones you just showed in your example. Those are my favourites.
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Poodle_Mum
Member
Inactive
Posts: 252
What I collect: WW to 1950; All German Eras; Imperial Russia & USSR; All Occupations and Colonies of Germany and Russia; Canada; QV and Belgian Railways
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Post by Poodle_Mum on Jul 26, 2017 9:21:31 GMT
My favourite cancels in the Railways are the hexagonal ones. Not only are they beautiful, following the routes are fascinating!
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Ryan
Member
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,721
What I collect: If I have a catalogue for it, I collect it. And I have many catalogues ....
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Post by Ryan on Jul 26, 2017 10:01:03 GMT
... but the real challenge is in the roll cancels that were applied manually and exist for a great variety of cities (the later, more common types are all typographed, i.e. printed). I have not found a catalogue to list them all yet. Perhaps such a catalogue does not even exist, I don't know. I have two catalogues that list these stamps. The first is this Belgian preos catalogue. It's getting a bit old, 1997 or 1998 I think so the prices are still in Belgian francs. It is organized according to year and stamp issue - here a section showing part of the 5c Houyoux listings for 1928. The different columns are for the different printing orientations A, B, C & D (vertical reading up, vertical reading down, horizontal & horizontal upside down).   And then there's an international precancel catalogue (every country except the US & Canada) issued by the Precancel Stamp Society in the US. It's ordered according to the way Americans like to collect precancels, so all of the precancels from a single town are listed together. Here's the appropriate portion.   Ryan |
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siem
**Member**
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Posts: 29
What I collect: Pacific Islands, Baltic states, Netherlands and much more
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Post by siem on Jul 26, 2017 10:12:35 GMT
it looks like that's the book I need. In Dutch even, lucky me  |
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siem
**Member**
Inactive
Posts: 29
What I collect: Pacific Islands, Baltic states, Netherlands and much more
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Post by siem on Jul 27, 2017 7:47:27 GMT
After extensive googling, I am afraid there will not be a quick fix. This book is out of print, and I have not been able to find a book shop (or stamp dealer) that has it in stock.
So this will be one for the wishlist...
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Ryan
Member
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,721
What I collect: If I have a catalogue for it, I collect it. And I have many catalogues ....
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Post by Ryan on Jul 27, 2017 10:27:41 GMT
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