Lot# 3039 - Auction 218-221

1849/50 Cérès 1850: 40 c. orange in a horiz. pair, both stamps showing variety: '4' retouché, pos. 146 & 147 in the sheet of 300 stamps, superb fresh colour, good to large margins (shaved at left top, marginal nicks at left and lower right, tiny thin on reverse), cancelled by '3262' Petit Chiffre obliterator. This pair with both retouched positions included is an extremely rare item, one knows only seven covers, one pair and a a strip of five unused. A rarity for an advanced France collection, three certs. George, Bernhard & Pascal Behr (1963, 1987, 1998) Maury 5g = € 68'250 / Cérès 5h = € 67'000 / Yvert 5f = € 50'000.