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Beginning about Sept. 15, 1956, the countries which now form the European Common Market began to promote the "Idea Europa" by issuing postage stamps which had the same design, though different values, for each country: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. These countries for the most part have followed this same procedure each succeeding year. The designs were chosen from competition. In 1956 the design was by Daniel Gonzague of France. The following year it was by C. Mancioli of Italy (1957), followed in 1958 by a design of Andre van der Vossen of Holland. The 1959 design was by Walter Brudi. In 1959, nineteen of the following countries met for the first CEPT (Conference on European Posts and Telecommunications), which included the six Common Market countries mentioned above as well as Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The design for the Europa stamp for 1960 was by Pentti Rahikaninen of Finland, incorporating into the Europa design for the first time "CEPT". The design was used that year by most of the countries, although some countries used their own designs, such as Great Britain and San Marino. The countries which used the common design each year had as their designers: in 1961 Theo Kupershoek of Holland; in 1962 L. Weyer; in 1963 A. Holm; in 1964 G. Bentemps; in 1965 H. Karisson; in 1966 G. and I. Bender. The designers for 1967 and 1968 have not been identified by your Editor. The design used by Vatican is common with other countries for 1969 and is by A. Ponsiglione, Luigi Gasbara and Giorgio Belli. Luigi Gasbarra has been employed by the I.P.S. of Italy for some time designing Italian stamps, as will be noted by those who have the article on Vatican designers from Linn's Special Vatican Edition which started on Nov. 29, 1965. For Vatican he cooperated with Renato Mura and the eminent Edmondo Pizzi for the stamps commemorating St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marilec (295-7) in 1960. A new First Day Cancellation made its appearance with these scamps (April 28, 1969), a double circle, with Europa and Citta del Vatican between the circles at the top and bottom respectively. Within the inner circle is a CEPT design at the top, while at the bottom is the date of issue "28-1V-69" above a single line, while below the line is "Prima Die" (First Day). The stamps at hand are the L.50 gray and brown, the L.90 red and brown, the L.130 green and brown. They are perforated 14 x 14, printed on paper watermarked crossed keys in horizontal format, Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 470 - 472 Date Issued - 28 April 1969 Face Value - 50 l, 90l, 130l Perforations - 13 Printer - The Italian State Printing Works |
| (From Vatican Notes Volume XVIII, Number 1, July - August 1969, Page 13) |
