Lot 374 France SC#44 20c Blue On Yellowish 1870-1871 Imperf Bordeaux Definitive Issue, A Fine Used Example, 2022 Scott Classic Cat. $45 USD, Net Est. $30, Click on Listing to See ALL Pictures

A fine used example of the 20c Blue On Yellowish from the 1870-1871 Imperf Bordeaux Definitive Issue. 3rd transfer, white line above head, small corner fault at upper left, which reduces the grade to fine. 2022 Scott Classic Cat. $45, net. est. $30.

Early classic French issues are valued in Scott Classic at the grade of very fine, which is a stamp with 4 clear margins and no faults. The paper on these issues is very prone to thinning, and shallow thins reduce the grade by one grade. Stamps with close margins are fine, provided there are no other faults. Stamps where the margins cut into the design on one side are VG at best, while on 2 sides are at best good. Fair stamps generally will have faults on top of having margins that cut into the design. Ungraded lots will generally be of lower quality than VG, often being good and fair. In terms of valuation, we estimate fine at 50% of cat., and VG and 25%. Good is estimated at 12%, while fair and ungraded is figured at 5% of catalogue.