Stamp benevolence

A stamp of benevolence or stamp with surtax is a Timbre-poste whose facial value is increased of a supplement transferred with a work of mutual aid (Croix-Rouge, assistance with the Intellectuel S and Artiste S with the Chômage, the orphans of wars, etc).

The philanthropic Company, the oldest nondenominational charitable organization of France, founded in 1780 pennies the patronage of Louis XVI and was recognized public utility in 1839 per Louis-Philippe.

Generally, they are recognizable with the fact that they carry the sign “+” and the value of the gift (called Surtaxe). This gift can be lower or higher than the postal value. The facial value is written by distinguishing the value allowing stamping and the surtax. For example: 20 C. + 5 C.

The first two stamps of benevolence

In June 1897, the British colony of News-Wales of the South emits two stamps richly illustrated and coloured for the time. The 1 Shilling represents a profile of the queen Victoria and a scene illustrating the Charité. The 2 shilling 6 pence is more turned towards the Jubilé of diamond of the queen.

These stamps had two messages: 60 years of reign of the Victoria queen, and the Generosity towards the hearths for phthisical ( comsumptives home in English). The surtax was strong: for 1 shilling, the first stamp allows a stamping from a penny; for 2 shilling and 6 pence, the second ensures a postal value of 2,5 pence.

During their emission, criticisms negative are numerous: too much strong surtax, “stamps of old people's home” for Arthur Maury, Parisian trader. Generosity was found with difficulty to run out the 40.000 specimens of the 1 shilling and the 10.000 of the 2 shilling 6 pence.

Stamps with surtax with the profit of the Red Cross

In France, the surtaxes financed several missions, the French Red Cross is the only one to profit from it since the end from the Second world war. Currently, the surtaxes relate to the emissions of commemorative stamps following:
  • part of the stamps of the notebook Day of the stamp,
  • stamps and notebooks “famous Characters”,
  • the stamp and the end of the year notebook of “the Red Cross”.

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