Philatelic souvenir sheet CEF Council of Europe Strasbourg 1984 canceled stamps

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Description

This philatelic sheet, published by the CEF Commercial Bureau, honors the Council of Europe, featuring a central illustration in purple and gray tones depicting Strasbourg Cathedral and the Council building, against a backdrop of a map of Europe. The sheet is surrounded by a thin brown border and presents three French postage stamps, each canceled with a "First Day" postmark dated November 1984 in Strasbourg. Two distinct postmarks are visible, one on the left and one on the right, bearing the inscription "CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE" (Council of Europe) and an architectural representation.

The central part of the sheet displays the title "LE CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE" (The Council of Europe) in capital letters below the illustration. On either side, printed texts detail the history and functioning of the Council of Europe, with clear and legible typography. Visual attributions include the mention of designer Eugène Lacaque, identified as the author of the illustration and the issued stamps, as well as the reference CEF No. 750, visible at the top left of the sheet.

On the left edge of the sheet, one can distinguish the perforation for binder storage, typical of CEF sheets, as well as printed mentions relating to the edition and the limited print run of the issue. At the bottom left, the individual number 9812 is clearly visible, indicating a numbered print run. The whole presents a matte finish, with quality printing on card stock.

The visible stamps are green, blue, and red, each illustrating a building or symbol related to the Council of Europe. The cancellations are clear and dated, adding a sought-after philatelic dimension to this type of document. The visual condition shows good preservation, with no apparent tears or folds on the visible side.

Condition

Used item, sold as is. The visible side is in good overall condition, with no major apparent defects. The corners, edges, and perforations are clean on the part shown. No handwritten annotations or visible alterations on the photographed area.

Did you know? The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 in Strasbourg to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law on the European continent. It currently brings together 46 member states, and it was this organization that created the European Court of Human Rights, a flagship institution for the defense of fundamental freedoms in Europe.

AFW Reassurance

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Keywords: philatelic sheet, CEF, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, first day, canceled stamps, Eugène Lacaque, French philately, FDC, philatelic document, Strasbourg postmark, first day cover, commemorative stamp, Europa stamp