Illustration of a historical stamp for learning, shown at screen size. Not valid for postage.
How to read it
RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE in capitals along the bottom.
- 1RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
- Inscription
- POSTES · 3 fr · RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
- Meaning
- RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE: the French Republic; fr is francs.
- Issued by
- French Republic
- Today
- France Flag of France
- Year
- 1900. Merson type, introduced 1900.
- Made by
- Luc-Olivier Merson (design, died 1920)
One fact
The painter Luc-Olivier Merson designed this high-value type of 1900, printed in two colours.
Source and public-domain rule
Creators died more than 70 years ago. Designer died 1920. Copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, counted from 1 January of the year after death. Every named designer and engraver of the stamp died before 1 January 1956; any contributor who was never named counts as anonymous, whose term is 70 years from publication, and the stamp was published before 1956. Legal sources: Directive 2006/116/EC, Art. 1(1) life + 70 years; Art. 1(3) anonymous works 70 years from publication; Art. 7(1) comparison of terms for works from outside the EU; Art. 8 terms run from 1 January, Switzerland, Norway.
Scan: Merson 3F.jpg on Wikimedia Commons (revision 1164490271), licence templates {{PD-old}}. Downloaded 2026-10-19, sha256 2614b60e6df4…; cropped and cleaned for this site. Facts checked 2026-10-19 against source 1 and source 2. Research record, not legal advice; a human rights review is pending. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
