France – Scott # B302

Description

Issued in 1956 for Journée du Timbre (Stamp Day), France Scott B302 honors François de Tassis (1450–1517), recognized as one of the founders of the European postal system and Grand Master of Posts under the Habsburgs. A member of the influential Thurn and Taxis family, de Tassis played a central role in organizing regularized postal routes across much of Europe, laying groundwork for modern postal administration.

The engraved design features a dignified portrait of François de Tassis in the foreground, with a mounted courier riding through the countryside in the background, visually linking administration and delivery. The composition emphasizes both authority and motion, a recurring theme in France’s mid-20th-century Stamp Day issues focused on postal history.

The stamp is denominated 12 francs + 3 francs, with the surcharge supporting philatelic and cultural causes associated with Journée du Timbre.

This example is offered mint never hinged, with full original gum, crisp engraving, strong color, and clean perforations.

• Country: France

• Year of Issue: 1956

• Scott Number: B302

• Denomination: 12f + 3f (semi-postal)

• Condition: Mint Never Hinged (MNH)