First day cover FDC Cilaos Church Reunion Saint-Denis philately

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

This illustrated envelope is a "First Day Cover" (FDC) dedicated to the Church of Cilaos, located in Reunion Island. The visible side shows a stylized polychrome illustration of the building, accompanied by the inscription "Église de Cilaos (Réunion)" in red on the left side, as well as the mention "St-Denis" in yellow on the drawing. The central visual highlights the church's architecture with vibrant tones: brick red for the building, green for the vegetation, and a yellow background on a blue area evoking the island. A legible round postal stamp appears on the stamp and on the right side, indicating the place and date of cancellation in Saint-Denis (Réunion), which attests to its philatelic authenticity as an FDC.

In the upper right corner, the mention "JOUR D’ÉMISSION F.D.C." is clearly visible, as well as "PREMIER JOUR" (First Day), confirming the commemorative nature of this cover. The edition number "No 5284" and the name "P. PENNIER," likely the publisher or printer specializing in this type of philatelic product, are also present.

The affixed stamp is from the "République Française" and bears the mention "POSTES RÉUNION." It depicts a mountainous landscape with a church, in harmony with the subject of the envelope. The dominant colors of the stamp are blue and green. The cancellation on the stamp is dated June 26, 1960, which precisely dates the issue of this item.

The surface of the envelope is protected by a transparent plastic film, which helps preserve its overall condition. A small handwritten white label "10F" is affixed to the protection, probably an old price indication and not an original postal element.

Condition

Used item, sold as is. The visible envelope appears well preserved under plastic film, with no stains or significant creases on the observable part. The exact condition of the back or interior cannot be specified as it is not visible in the photo.

Did you know? "First Day Cover" (FDC) envelopes are items issued on the occasion of the official release of a stamp. They are generally canceled on the day of issue, in the city or region concerned. In Reunion, the production of specific FDCs highlights local heritage, such as the Church of Cilaos here, an emblematic monument of the Cilaos cirque, classified among the island's remarkable sites.

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