  (Pr0.7Sm0.3)0.7Ca0.3CoO3 belongs to a class of cobalt oxides undergoing a
first-order transition (T* close to 90 K) associated to a coupled change in the
valence and spin-state degrees of freedom. The Curie-Weiss regime present
around room temperature (T >> T*) was analysed in detail to address the
controversial issue of the cobalt spin states above the transition. This
magnetic investigation indicates that the Co4+ are in an intermediate
spin-state, while the Co3+ are in a mixed state combining low-spin and
high-spin states. These results are discussed with respect to the literature on
related compounds and recent results of x-ray absorption spectroscopy.
