A 1fr stamp from France's Ceres series, the first issued in the country, is the highlight of Robert A Siegel Auction Galleries' sale of the Porter W Venn Collection of Exceptional Quality France. 

The 1 franc stamp comes in two shades, with this being the rarer

The collection is one of the finest of its type ever assembled, with particular emphasis on stamps with exceptional eye-appeal. The 1 franc stamp is a perfect example of this, valued at $90,000 ahead of the November 13 auction in New York.

The Ceres series was the first stamp issue of France, which arrived in 1849 under the French Republic. Each of the stamps in the series bears the head of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture in Roman mythology.

The 1 franc stamp comes in two basic shades, vermilion and carmine, with each colour having several sub-shades. The example at auction is a dull orange red from the vermilion group, which is far rarer than the carmine and is one of the key rarities for any collector attempting to establish a France collection in original gum condition.

The 10c stamp is a classic rarity, which is almost never issued in sound condition

Also starring will be a fine example of the 10c dark bistre on yellowish paper stamp from the 1852 issue under Napoleon III - a classic rarity. According to Siegel, the stamp is almost never offered in sound condition, yet this example is "especially choice", warranting its $40,000 valuation.

The stamp has full original gum, which is lightly hinged. It bears full to large margins all around with a deep rich colour.

Though the top examples from the collection will make thousands, the sale also presents lesser rarities with far lower valuations, providing a fantastic opportunity for collectors at all levels.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has an outstanding selection of rare stamps for sale, focusing on the finest examples from Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

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