Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Am interested to learn if a catalogue of Belgian precancel
stamps exists. And if so, where can such a catalogue be
purchased?
Lastly, has anyone produced pages specific to the Belgian
Precancel issues?
TIA.
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Not sure whether a specialist catalog exists, but Michel, at the very least, lists all stamps that are known with precancels as well as the main types of these cancels. That would be a start.
As for album pages, the layout would depend very much on how deep you want to delve into the matter. You could restrict your collection to one of each precancelled stamp, you could add the various types of precancels, for the middle time period you could also add the various years, and for the earlier ones the various towns and post offices on top of that. It is likely to become an ongoing effort.
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The official Belgian stamp catalogue (available in a Dutch and a French version) lists the typographed (i.e. printed) precancels. The earlier handcancels are not included but there is a specialised catalogue for the precancels. The handcncels are far more complex because many more cities / post offices made these. The printed ones were only made for a few cities until the 1930s and after that only generic ones for the whole country were made.
I think I must have a pdf of the precancel section from an old catalogue somewhere.
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Maybe interesting for you :
If you are on the site you can click the english flag on the topright corner to switch the language
https://www.postzegelblog.nl/2017/08/14/belgische-voorafstempelingen-deel-1/
https://www.postzegelblog.nl/2017/08/16/belgische-voorafstempelingen-deel-2/
And the catalog is no longer released new.
Here a picture of an old one
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Thank you jmh67, Jansimon, and Hockey Nut for your responses. Appreciate you sharing this information.
The catalyst for my question was a recent posting on another philatelic forum re the (supposed) release of a new Belgium precancel catalogue. The details were vague. So remain uncertain as to definition of “new”.
IOW, is this a new (heretofore unpublished) catalogue? Update of a prior resource? Or something else.
Will post an update if I obtain further details.
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Hi Calstamp,
I assume you are referring to the same post that I saw recently, about the following item on sale on Delcampe:
(It is a nine page unbound listing of Belgian precancels)
https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collections/timbres/belgique-preobliteres/typos-1906-12-armoiries/belgique-new-catalogue-2020-preobliteres-obliterations-typographiques-1-332-1068598489.html
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Recently discovered an interesting three-page article ("Belgium Precancels" by Jim Hirstein) in the August 2021 issue of The Precancel Forum.
Was unaware the catalyst for introduction of the precancel issues was Postal System concerns (Fall 1894) re bulk mailings of newspapers associated with upcoming parliamentary election.
The effort was so successful that not only was it continued, it was expanded.
Originally the precancel issues were limited to a handful of individual towns/cities. However, in 1930, the use of precancel stamps went national.
At least six series have been produced, ending with the Bird Series into the 1990s.
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This is my copy of COB, a bit old but helpful.
I'm not fluent in Dutch or Flemish but this is the first page of the precancel section, I think. section
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It is a selection, for some reason. As you can see, it starts with number V333. All the town precancels are before this.
As written before, note that there is also a difference between the typographical precancels (printed) and the hand cancels. The latter are really prolific, one can find those for small towns as well, not just Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Luik, Leuven, Charleroi.
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StampCollector.
Thank you for your posting.
Was able to recently purchase an older edition of the COB in like-new condition.
Just as you have shown, my edition includes eight pages of precancel issues. Starting with the Jan 1938 "national" issue.
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Jansimon.
Yesterday I received (via loan form the APRL) a copy of the International Precancel Catalogue (First edition 2005) by John M Randall.
Photocopied. B&W illustrations. 8.5 x 11-inch loose-leaf format.
Although the catalogue includes 18 countries, the section for Belgium (150 pages) translates to c 90 percent of the book. By contrast France includes 34 pages and the Netherlands 18.
The Belgium section starts with several pages of history and background info, followed by a few pages of B&W illustrations.
Next up is a page listing Belgian precancels which were perfinned. Cities: Antwerp, Brussels, and Gosselies.
This is followed by a few pages detailing spotting pointers re the three types within the 1915 Albert series.
As you stated in your posting there are both typographic precancel and handroller precancel stamps. Based on a review of the catalogue, it appears the typographic precancels were produced during the period 1906 - 1996. And are considerably less in quantity than the handroller precancels (which were produced from 1894 to 1937).
An interesting sub-collecting opportunity indeed.
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I agree.
Here are two pages from my Belgian precancels collection. Later years are better, but the handroller cancels are still mostly missing...
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There are good examples of both types here.
https://stampbears.net/thread/1454/belgium-pre-cancel-stamps
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To be honest, I only saw typographical precancels on that page. Just to give you an idea I zoomed in on one of the pages I showed here.
The ones in the middle from Ath, Brussel and Jumet are handroller cancels. Antwerpen 1924 and Bruxelles 1924 as well as the 1925 stamps on the lower row are typographical cancels.
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"There are good examples of both types here.
https://stampbears.net/thread/1454/belgium-pre-cancel-stamps"
Just noticed that I failed to spot pages 2 and 3. There we can see the handrollers.
The writer is correct, the hexagonal ones from 1938 are the hardest to find. I have 13 or so.
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Sheepshanks.
Thx for posting. Quite an assortment. Was unaware of the hexagonal cancellations.
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Went through a few envelopes and found these, none of the Lozenge type at all. I think the penultimate one is a precancel but it also seems to have a heavy postmark and I'm unsure on the town. The last one is really indistinct, town possibly Namen.
Looks like a couple of roller cancels on the earlier ones.
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The first three and the last two are definitely hand roller cancels.
The typographic town cancels only exist for Brussel/Bruxelles, Antwerpen/Anvers, Gent, Liege/Luik, Leuven/Louvain, Charleroy (old spelling) and Verviers. There are also those with Belgie/Belgique, but that's no town of course.
The ones you show with Namen and Doornijk/Tournai are not only recognisable as hand roller cancels, they are also not in that small list.
Do not quite understand the one with the strange postmark on top of the precancel.
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Interesting thread..i was always mildly curious about the Belgian "precancels". I am sure there is nothing special in these i found in a remainder album, i will add them to blank page in my Belgium area of my Scott International albums.
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I requested some Belgium stamps from a fellow stamp collector in Belgium and
among other things he told me that although Scott lists them as regular issues they are actually precanceled stamps. Doesn't make much of a difference to me, as long as it is a postage stamp that I don't have, it goes straight into my collection.
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Jan-simon, here is the strange one with the image enhanced. Looks like the precancel is also for Namen and can see what looks like (R?)IEBU(?) as the postmark.
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05:20:19pm
Am interested to learn if a catalogue of Belgian precancel
stamps exists. And if so, where can such a catalogue be
purchased?
Lastly, has anyone produced pages specific to the Belgian
Precancel issues?
TIA.
Login to Like
this post
01:42:19am
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Not sure whether a specialist catalog exists, but Michel, at the very least, lists all stamps that are known with precancels as well as the main types of these cancels. That would be a start.
As for album pages, the layout would depend very much on how deep you want to delve into the matter. You could restrict your collection to one of each precancelled stamp, you could add the various types of precancels, for the middle time period you could also add the various years, and for the earlier ones the various towns and post offices on top of that. It is likely to become an ongoing effort.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
The official Belgian stamp catalogue (available in a Dutch and a French version) lists the typographed (i.e. printed) precancels. The earlier handcancels are not included but there is a specialised catalogue for the precancels. The handcncels are far more complex because many more cities / post offices made these. The printed ones were only made for a few cities until the 1930s and after that only generic ones for the whole country were made.
I think I must have a pdf of the precancel section from an old catalogue somewhere.
Login to Like
this post
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Maybe interesting for you :
If you are on the site you can click the english flag on the topright corner to switch the language
https://www.postzegelblog.nl/2017/08/14/belgische-voorafstempelingen-deel-1/
https://www.postzegelblog.nl/2017/08/16/belgische-voorafstempelingen-deel-2/
And the catalog is no longer released new.
Here a picture of an old one
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10:52:59am
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Thank you jmh67, Jansimon, and Hockey Nut for your responses. Appreciate you sharing this information.
The catalyst for my question was a recent posting on another philatelic forum re the (supposed) release of a new Belgium precancel catalogue. The details were vague. So remain uncertain as to definition of “new”.
IOW, is this a new (heretofore unpublished) catalogue? Update of a prior resource? Or something else.
Will post an update if I obtain further details.
Login to Like
this post
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Hi Calstamp,
I assume you are referring to the same post that I saw recently, about the following item on sale on Delcampe:
(It is a nine page unbound listing of Belgian precancels)
https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collections/timbres/belgique-preobliteres/typos-1906-12-armoiries/belgique-new-catalogue-2020-preobliteres-obliterations-typographiques-1-332-1068598489.html
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this post
01:32:31pm
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Recently discovered an interesting three-page article ("Belgium Precancels" by Jim Hirstein) in the August 2021 issue of The Precancel Forum.
Was unaware the catalyst for introduction of the precancel issues was Postal System concerns (Fall 1894) re bulk mailings of newspapers associated with upcoming parliamentary election.
The effort was so successful that not only was it continued, it was expanded.
Originally the precancel issues were limited to a handful of individual towns/cities. However, in 1930, the use of precancel stamps went national.
At least six series have been produced, ending with the Bird Series into the 1990s.
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this post
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
This is my copy of COB, a bit old but helpful.
I'm not fluent in Dutch or Flemish but this is the first page of the precancel section, I think. section
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this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
It is a selection, for some reason. As you can see, it starts with number V333. All the town precancels are before this.
As written before, note that there is also a difference between the typographical precancels (printed) and the hand cancels. The latter are really prolific, one can find those for small towns as well, not just Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Luik, Leuven, Charleroi.
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10:48:26am
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
StampCollector.
Thank you for your posting.
Was able to recently purchase an older edition of the COB in like-new condition.
Just as you have shown, my edition includes eight pages of precancel issues. Starting with the Jan 1938 "national" issue.
Login to Like
this post
01:47:48pm
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Jansimon.
Yesterday I received (via loan form the APRL) a copy of the International Precancel Catalogue (First edition 2005) by John M Randall.
Photocopied. B&W illustrations. 8.5 x 11-inch loose-leaf format.
Although the catalogue includes 18 countries, the section for Belgium (150 pages) translates to c 90 percent of the book. By contrast France includes 34 pages and the Netherlands 18.
The Belgium section starts with several pages of history and background info, followed by a few pages of B&W illustrations.
Next up is a page listing Belgian precancels which were perfinned. Cities: Antwerp, Brussels, and Gosselies.
This is followed by a few pages detailing spotting pointers re the three types within the 1915 Albert series.
As you stated in your posting there are both typographic precancel and handroller precancel stamps. Based on a review of the catalogue, it appears the typographic precancels were produced during the period 1906 - 1996. And are considerably less in quantity than the handroller precancels (which were produced from 1894 to 1937).
An interesting sub-collecting opportunity indeed.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
I agree.
Here are two pages from my Belgian precancels collection. Later years are better, but the handroller cancels are still mostly missing...
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
There are good examples of both types here.
https://stampbears.net/thread/1454/belgium-pre-cancel-stamps
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
To be honest, I only saw typographical precancels on that page. Just to give you an idea I zoomed in on one of the pages I showed here.
The ones in the middle from Ath, Brussel and Jumet are handroller cancels. Antwerpen 1924 and Bruxelles 1924 as well as the 1925 stamps on the lower row are typographical cancels.
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this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
"There are good examples of both types here.
https://stampbears.net/thread/1454/belgium-pre-cancel-stamps"
Just noticed that I failed to spot pages 2 and 3. There we can see the handrollers.
The writer is correct, the hexagonal ones from 1938 are the hardest to find. I have 13 or so.
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08:09:18am
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Sheepshanks.
Thx for posting. Quite an assortment. Was unaware of the hexagonal cancellations.
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Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Went through a few envelopes and found these, none of the Lozenge type at all. I think the penultimate one is a precancel but it also seems to have a heavy postmark and I'm unsure on the town. The last one is really indistinct, town possibly Namen.
Looks like a couple of roller cancels on the earlier ones.
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Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
The first three and the last two are definitely hand roller cancels.
The typographic town cancels only exist for Brussel/Bruxelles, Antwerpen/Anvers, Gent, Liege/Luik, Leuven/Louvain, Charleroy (old spelling) and Verviers. There are also those with Belgie/Belgique, but that's no town of course.
The ones you show with Namen and Doornijk/Tournai are not only recognisable as hand roller cancels, they are also not in that small list.
Do not quite understand the one with the strange postmark on top of the precancel.
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Auctions
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Interesting thread..i was always mildly curious about the Belgian "precancels". I am sure there is nothing special in these i found in a remainder album, i will add them to blank page in my Belgium area of my Scott International albums.
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likes this post.
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re: Belgium: precancel stamps
I requested some Belgium stamps from a fellow stamp collector in Belgium and
among other things he told me that although Scott lists them as regular issues they are actually precanceled stamps. Doesn't make much of a difference to me, as long as it is a postage stamp that I don't have, it goes straight into my collection.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Belgium: precancel stamps
Jan-simon, here is the strange one with the image enhanced. Looks like the precancel is also for Namen and can see what looks like (R?)IEBU(?) as the postmark.
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