Final souvenir sheet in Treasures of Notre Dame series arrives April 15

By David Hartwig

France’s La Poste will issue the fifth and final souvenir sheet in its Treasures of Notre Dame series April 15, exactly five years after a devastating fire destroyed much of the famous Gothic cathedral in Paris.

On April 15, 2019, a fire destroyed the cathedral’s spire and most of the roof. French President Emmanuel Macron immediately promised that the cathedral would be rebuilt in five years, and the reopening of the cathedral is scheduled for December 2024.

The Treasures of Notre Dame series began in 2020 with a July 17 issue showing exterior decorations of Notre Dame (Scott 5870). A 2021 souvenir sheet (6013) features a stained glass window depicting Adam and Eve. The 2022 sheet (6210) and 2023 sheet (6414) show a pipe organ and bell, respectively.

The 2024 souvenir sheet shows the wood framework of the cathedral. Nicknamed “the forest,” the framework of Notre Dame measures about 330 feet (100 meters) long and 33 feet (10m) high.

Carpenters reconstructed the framework using the wood from approximately 1,400 oak trees.

The engraved souvenir sheet bears a single €1.96 international-rate stamp. The Greek letter phi can be seen in the upper left corner of the design. In recent years, La Poste has used this symbol to indicate its commemorative stamps.

The words “Tresors de Notre-Dame” (French for treasures of Notre Dame) are inscribed on the stamp design and in the selvage below the stamp. In both instances, this five-line inscription (the “tre” of “tresors” is in the first line and “sors” in the second) is surrounded by lines that resemble scaffolding.

According to La Poste, Sarah Bougault designed and engraved the sheet, and Philaposte printed it by intaglio in a quantity of 550,000.

For ordering information, visit La Poste’s online shop, or write to Philaposte Service Clients, Z.I Avenue Benoit Frachon, BP 10106 Boulazac, 24051 Perigueux Cedex, France.

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