France: Pre-Cancels (Pré-oblitérés)

I cannot see the crochet !! It must be there in  front of you but on scan I wish we could have a magnification - René

Merci beaucoup racatrien - Thanks !

René

The next set of pre-cancels is a dedicated design featuring an old Gallic coin, and with the precancellation mark already printed directly as part of the design. There were five prints of this design.

In 1964, seven issues (PO#123-129):



In 1971, four new issues to follow a postal rate increase (PO#130-133):



In 1975, another rate increase and a small tweak to the design, with the bottom cartouche now reading "FRANCE" instead of "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" (PO#134-137):



In January 1976, a new set of rates (PO#138-141):



In July 1976, yet another rate increase (PO#142-145):

The next set of four pre-cancels (PO #158-161) in early 1979 features mushrooms:

In 1983, the pre-cancels feature allegories of the four seasons (PO#178-181):

hrdoktorx Thank you for all your posts, this thread has been really interesting. And informative. I had no idea this was such a comprehensive subject.

The 1988 set of pre-cancel stamps features allegories of the four elements (air, water, fire, and earth), PO#198-201:

hrdoktorx I like the last two posts I normally only collect stamps up to 1970,but as Fagan says in the movie 'Oliver'....  I'm reviewing the situation.....and...'I think I'd better think it out again!'

The next set of pre-cancels gets back to basics, and issues, in 1994 (PO #232-235) and 1996 (PO #236-239), two sets of four stamps featuring tree leaves:

In the present Euro era, there has only been one design series of pre-cancel stamps. The theme is still flowers, but now with a colored background.

In 2002, a first pair of stamps is issued (PO #244-245):



The stamp on the right was actually cancelled, which is not supposed to happen, but sometimes does because of sloppy handling in the postal system. Also, some stamp dealers like to use the older Franc-era pre-cancels on modern correspondence, mixed in with normal stamps, and then those will likely bear cancel marks as well.

Note also the change in the "overprint", that now reads "LA POSTE 20xx - OBLITÉRÉ". Note also the presence of a phosphor band on the left side of the stamps, which will be a recurring feature.

In 2003, two more stamps are issued (PO #246-247):



Unfortunately, I cannot yet show a copy of PO#246. But it's near the top of my "to-order-next" list of French stamps, so I have good hope I'll be able to complement this post in a couple of months!

In 2004, one more stamp (PO #248):



In 2005, one more stamps (PO #249):



In 2007, three new stamps (PO #250-252):



In 2008, we're back to the four stamps pattern (PO #253-256):



A further complement of two stamps is issued later in 2008 (PO #257-258):



In 2011, a new set of four stamps is issued (PO#259-262): 



These stamps no longer bear an actual denomination, but simply a postal rate reference, like "35g S1". So their purchase price to customers can evolve freely along with rate increases as they come. For that reason, there has been no need to issue new stamps since then, and these last four issues are still in use today.

Xavier....with this all talk about FRANCE pre-cancels.....I am starting to have a nice collection - keep posting `mon ami` -René

Just arrived today, stamp YT #PO41 (the version with the thick overprint):

By the way, you may notice that, on the PO28, the "P" of the "POSTES" overprint is followed by a period. I've never seen that variety mentioned before, but then again I am not a true specialist. Opinions welcome. 

Put side-to-side, the thicker and thinner types of the pre-cancel overprint, shown here on the YT #PO105 and PO105a stamps: