French Offices in Crete #12, "Type Merson" used, CV $12.50

Item Specifics

Country

French Offices in Crete

Catalog Number

12

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

Used

Stamp Format

Single

Item Description

The item in this listing is a single used postage stamp issued for use in the French Post Office network on the Aegean island of Crete. Listed in Scott as France Offices in Crete #12, this stamp was issued in 1902 for use on that island. It is used, with a light cancel applied at the post office at La Canee (Chania, or Χανιά ) on the western end of Crete, date uncertain.

2012 CV $12.50

For those unfamiliar with the “Foreign Office” concept, in brief, the world powers in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries opened branches of their own post offices in foreign countries in which they had commercial interests. This was done because the local post office was deemed “insufficient” but was also done as a mark of imperialism. In this time period, having foreign post offices was as much a sign of a country’s international power as it useful in facilitating communication.

On the island of Crete, foreign post offices were operated by Austria, France, Italy, Russia, and (to some extent) Great Britain. Although usually grouped together with the the French offices in Turkey, every country's Offices in Crete have a very different origin. Crete was until 1898 a province of Ottoman Empire, and several nations operated post offices there under agreements with the Ottoman Turkish government. Starting in 1879, the island became a "state under Ottoman suzereignity" but remained offficially part of Ottoman Turkey.

In 1897, the "Great Powers" (Britain, France, Russia and Italy) established a sort of military occupation in order to quell violent uprisings that had been taking place over the previous 10 years. This led eventually to the establishment of the "Cretan State" in November of 1898 which officially remained under Ottoman suzereignity but which was headed by a high commissioner from the Greek royal family. Crete would continue in this legal limbos until 1908, when Greece took advantage of political turmoil in Turkey to annex the island. This was recognised in the international community in 1913. At this point, the foreign offices of the Great Powers were closed, and passed into philatelic history.

France issued a complete series of stamps of the "Type Blanc / Type Mouchon / Type Merson" series with face values of between 1 centime and 5 Francs. These were identical to the same series issued for use in the Ottoman Empire, except for the inscription "CRETE" in place of "LEVANT". Later, stamps with face values of 25 centimes, 50 centimes, 1 Franc, 2 Francs, and 5 Francs were surcharged with new values in Turkish piastres, which was still the main currency in use on Crete.

Please see scan for condition. There is a hinge remnant on the back side of this stamp.

Terms of Sale:

Please note that your bid constitutes your acceptance of all the terms listed below. If anything is unclear, please e-mail for clarification or do not bid.

Shipping:

All stamps shipped by US Mail. US Orders $1.00 without insurance, international rates vary according to country of destination (please e-mail.) Optional insurance at USPS rates. 10 cents additional for each item, more of a discount for purchases of more than six items. Insurance will be required for shipments sold for $20 or more in total. Please e-mail for quotes on shipping if purchasing more than six items! Uninsured shipments sent at buyer's risk. This means that if you choose to forgo insurance, you agree to release me from any future claim via paypal if it should be lost in the mail.

Payment Options:

Paypal, Money Orders, and Checks payable in the US are accepted. Credit cards accepted through paypal only. Checks must be drawn on a US bank, or I cannot cash them! (I can no longer accept Canadian Postal Money Orders, even those in US dollars-sorry!)

Return Policy:

14 day, money back guarantee, provided the item(s) are sent back in original condition. The 14-day period is defined as follows:

US Bidders: 14 days from the 3rd day after the item is sent.

International: 14 days from the 7th day after the item is sent.

If there is a problem with an item (i.e. a problem with the item itself, it didn't get there, etc.), please e-mail me within this time frame and I will be happy to work with you! Sales will be considered final after that point if no contact is made. If any item is returned for any reason, shipping charges will not be refunded.

Seller Information

Seller

sugi891 (3955)

Registered Since

06/07/2005

Feedback

99.9%

Store

Po`oleka Hawai`i--Hawaiian stamps and more

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Item Location

Virginia, United States

Ships To

Worldwide

Shipping Instructions

All stamps shipped by US mail. I cannot accept responsibility for stamps sent without insurance or registration.

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

Must be returned within 14 days in original condition. Money back, less shipping, no questions asked. Buyer pays return shipping.