Double Geneva

The Double Geneva (French Double de Genève ) is the first stamp was issued by the Swiss Canton of Geneva. The term double Geneva is derived from the special arrangement of the individual stamps. Two stamps were always connected by a common header to a double Geneva.

The issue was made on September 30, 1843. At this time there was no uniform postal system for the whole of Switzerland. Every single canton was responsible for their own postal service. It was only on January 1, 1849 saw the establishment of a separate Swiss postal system, which spent 1850 general stamps for the whole of Switzerland. Until then there was its own stamps except in Geneva only in the cantons of Zurich, at the March 1, 1843 expended shortly before its first stamps Geneva and Basel. The Double Geneva could still be used until September 30, 1854, although more stamps of Kantones were spent still in the 1840s.

The postage of a double Geneva is 10 cents ( centimes ), as this consists of two related stamps at each 5 centimes. These two stamps were connected by a common header, the inscription 10 | PORT CANTONAL. | Cents. bears. This gives reference to the postage value to 10 centimes, and the intended use of the Double Geneva for letters up to one ounce within the canton. Section one, however this header away and shared the Double Geneva, we received two individual postage stamps to 5 centimes with the additional inscription postal de Genève and local port. This " Half Double Geneva ", as it is called by philatelists, therefore could for the franking of letters of the local post office, that is to be used within a community.

This type of special separation of imperforated stamps is even explained on the sheets of stamps themselves. However, these provisions were partially ignored. By halving a double Geneva and the header bar was removed only very rarely. So there are often word fragments over half a double Geneva. Rarely, it also happened that a double Geneva was given the wrong cut. This means that there is a double Geneva from two false arranged around Stamps, the inscription in the header consequently NTONAL. | Cents. 10 | PORT. CA is.

This type of stamp issues were initially very reluctant accepted by the Genevese, especially since use of stamps was not binding. To not sit on remnants remain, therefore half a double Geneva decided the Geneva Post Office, from 1 March 1844 Post a value of 5 centimes for the price of 4 centimes for sale. So you could save 2 centimes by the use of postage stamps for local letters 1 in Canton letters. Used one is no stamps, so could not benefit from this subsidy you.

The imperforate stamps were produced in yellow-green paper in lithography in sheets of 10 stamps x 5 lines in black color. The motive of the Geneva emblem was chosen. In the overlying halo the letters JHS are to be read, which stand for Jesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus, Savior of the people ). In the band between aureole and coat of arms to find the words POST TENEBRAS LUX ( after the darkness the light). Type differences in the brands do not exist. It is striking, however, that the right brand is much wider than the left.

The high collector's value ( unused double Geneva full margins evaluates approximately 55,000 Swiss francs, a halved 16,000 francs) arises on the one hand because of their rarity and secondly because of their high popularity. The Double Geneva belongs next to the Zurich 4 and 6 Zurich and Basel dove to the top at Swiss stamps philatelists.

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• History ( Canton of Geneva )
• Postal History ( Switzerland )