STAMP ISSUES RELATED TO THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Benin - 75th Anniversary of ICAO

Issue date: 07/12/2019
	Stamp called “Petit Format” 15x20mm. ICAO’s emblem. French text under the emblem on 3 lines: Célébration du 75^ème anniversaire de / l’Organisation de l’aviation civile internationale / Cotonou, 2019. Coral-blue background. Value: 25FCFA. Used for national mailing.
	Stamps called “Grand Format” 30x40 mm. French text under the emblem on 3 lines: Célébration du 75^ème anniversaire de / l’Organisation de l’aviation civile internationale / Cotonou, 2019. Coral-blue background. Values: 1000FCFA and 5000FCFA.
		Complete set with the three stamps of this issue, also named Joint Issue (see background).
		Complete set with the three stamps of this issue with lower selvages (blank paper) and markings. These markings serve a critical technical purpose during the multi-colour printing process :  to instantly verify whether the density of the black ink and the shades of grey are correct and uniform across the entire sheet.
		Overprinted Colis Postaux. Postal parcel stamps are used only for mailing within the country. The printing shops may flip the sheets of stamps at the time of overprinting, so the overprint may be shown in two different ways.
				Full sheet of 32 stamps with value of 25F, showing the date of printing: 10 September 2019.
			Blocks of 4 stamps showing the date of printing: 10 September 2019.
Official First Day Cover. The cover released by Benin is "unfinished", as it is the practice for several countries in Africa; the cover does not show neither the stamps issued nor any cancel related to the 75^th anniversary; it is a way to invite people to buy those covers and use them for sending mail all over the world as a contribution to the economic development of the country. ICAO’s official emblem on a coral-blue background.
Private First Day Cover (greenish cachet) with cancel dated 7 December 2019 (celebration of the 75^th anniversary).
Commercial covers which used small stamps of this issue. Two of these covers show the Coat of Arms of Benin, extensively described in the footnotes. Although the official release date of the stamps was on 7 December 2019, the unofficial date of issue (i.e. date of availability of the stamps at the post offices) was the day before, i.e. 6 December 2019.
Background: Although the stamps of this issue were printed on 10 September 2019, the actual release date was on 6 December 2019. Benin also put into circulation one small-format stamp with value of 25FCFA (Franc de la Communauté française africaine) for domestic mail. The stamps were printed on 10 September 2019 in Cotonou and issued on 7 December 2019; however, the stamps actually were available for use at the post offices on 6 December 2019. The design of those stamps features the following elements: a. Background colour: A solid coral-blue. b. Graphic: The official ICAO logo surrounded by the anniversary text. c. Text: The inscription in French "Célébration du 75^ème anniversaire de / l’Organisation de l’aviation civile internationale / Cotonou, 2019". Benin refers to this issue as a ÉMISSION COMMUNE (JOINT ISSUE in English). As per philatelic definition, a joint issue refers to the simultaneous issuance of postage stamps by at least two different countries that have consulted each other to commemorate the same event, a historical anniversary, or a bilateral agreement. In the philatelic context, the word “common” thus takes on an international and official dimension: a. An identical or similar design: The postal administrations of the partner countries collaborate to design a common illustration (stamp). Only the face value, currency, and name of the issuing country change to suit each country. b. A diplomatic and cultural objective: These issues serve to illustrate the friendship between two peoples or to highlight their shared heritage. For example, La Poste in France regularly issues joint stamps with partner countries such as Japan or Mexico. c. Recurring themes: While some issues are one-time events (such as the centennial of the Statue of Liberty between France and the United States), others are regular and bring together many countries under a single organization, such as the famous Europa issues. For collectors, these stamps are often included in special souvenir sheets or “first-day” envelopes featuring the cancelled stamps from both countries. In the case of Benin, the term “joint issue” takes on a very unusual meaning for two reasons: a. A national rather than an international collaboration. Generally, a joint issue involves two or more countries; for this 75th anniversary of ICAO, Benin was the only country in the African region to issue these stamps on 7 December 2019. The term “joint issue” was officially chosen to highlight the close partnership and joint organization between two national entities: Benin Post and the Agence Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ANAC) of Benin. b. The coexistence of two distinct formats. In this specific issue, philatelic experts highlighted the coexistence of two distinct formats and used the term “joint issue” to refer to the simultaneous existence of two stamp sizes featuring the same design: a) The Small Size for a stamp with a face value of 25 FCFA, primarily intended for domestic and local mail. b) The Large Format for stamps measuring 30 × 40 mm with high face values (1,000 FCFA, 2,000 FCFA -this value was not released for this issue- and 5,000 FCFA) intended for international mail. First Day Ceremony: (see picture here below) The audience at the first day ceremony consisted of the President of the Board of Directors of ANAC (Agence nationale de l’aviation civile), the Representative of ASECNA (Agence pour la sécurité de la navigation aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar) to Benin, the Chargé de Mission of the President of the Republic, the Director of State Protocol, the Representatives of the Airlines and the Directors of the various structures providing security services at Cotonou Airport, the Technical Directors of ANAC and the Post Office in Benin. During the ceremony, M. Serge Florent Dzota, Director of ANAC (see at the left side of the picture) and M. Jonas Gbènamèto, Director of the Post Office in Benin (at the right) have, through their address, praised the synergy that motivated the two structures to join their efforts for the new stamp issue, which consists of three 30x40mm stamps with face values of 1000 FCFA, 2000 FCFA and 5000 FCFA. (Note: Although officially announced, the 2000FCFA was never issued.) Recognizing that the new stamps could contribute to the economic development of the country, the two leaders urged Beninese consumers to purchase stamps and send them around the world. This rather sober ceremony ended with an American-style sale of postage stamps and first day covers. Note on the Coat of Arms of Benin: The Coat of Arms or national seal of Benin, originally introduced in 1964, was readopted in 1990; it serves as a representation of the country's pride, showcasing its historical and paints a vibrant picture of the West African nation's past and present. At the top of the emblem is the national crest that consists of two horns with corn in the ear and filled with sand. These are reputed to stand for prosperity. Below the crest is a shield that contains the actual coat of arms of Benin. The shield is broken into four quadrants. The top left quadrant contains a castle in the style of the Somba, representative of the history of Benin. In the top right quadrant, is the Star of Benin, the highest award of the nation. Below this is a ship, that stands for the arrival of Europeans in Benin. In the lower left quadrant is a palm tree. The shield is supported by a pair of leopards, the national animal of Benin. Below the shield is the motto of Benin (Fraternity, Justice, Labour) in French. The Coat of Arms of Benin encapsulates the spirit, history, and values of the nation. Through its intricate symbols and design, it serves as a constant reminder of the country's heritage, its journey through time, and the aspirations of its people for a prosperous future.