Aerophilately has been a popular philatelic specialty for nearly a hundred years now. No country has as many interesting Airmails as does France, and indeed the Airmails of France cover many of the more esoteric aspects of our hobby. The first two Airmails are overprints and show that aspect of stamp issuance; an earlier issue receives an additional print that changes its purpose and often the postage that it was originally sold for. The second issue of the Airmails of France are the famed Ile de France Airmails. These Airmails are provisionals issued for just one flight and not available through the general philatelic agency. Like many of the rarest early worldwide Airmails, they have a quasi-official character, and, had they not been placed in prominent collections at the early period that they were, they probably would not today enjoy major catalog number status.
Airmails Of France
After the Ile de France issue, the Airmails of France contain two of the most popular stamps in all of stamp collecting. Both are fifty franc issues which means that they were primarily issued for collectors, but they did serve a legitimate postal purpose, and they were available at post offices in France. These two stamps are beautiful, engraved, and are among the most popular in the world. All-in-all, the Airmails of France are about fifty different issues. Yet that small group covers most of the major philatelic bases that collectors look for when they specialize. They have rarity and glamour (#C3-C4 catalog over $12,000, are rarely offered, and have a famous airmail flight associated with them). French Airmails also have beauty with several of the world’s most attractive stamps being part of its issuing history. And the issues after 1940 are not only beautiful, they are affordable as well. And for many decades now, French Airmails have been a very popular subspecialty of France.