"Marianne à la nef" -transition to the New Franc (nouveau franc) in the French monetary system.

 

This image shows a

First Day Cover (FDC) for the 25 centimes "Marianne à la nef" postage stamp, issued by France on January 2, 1960. This specific date is significant as it marked the transition to the New Franc (nouveau franc) in the French monetary system. 

The Stamp: Marianne à la nef

• Design & Symbolism: The stamp depicts Marianne, the national personification of the French Republic, appearing alongside a nef (a large medieval sailing ship), which is a central element of the Coat of Arms of Paris.
• Production: It was designed by André Regagnon—his only stamp design—and engraved by Jules Piel. The stamp was printed using a two-color typography process in blue and red.
• Monetary Transition: Because of the currency change on the day of issue, the face value is written as "025" (without a comma or currency indicator), though it represented 0.25 New Francs. 

The First Day Cover (FDC)

• Illustrations: The large cachet on the left features a stylized Marianne and heraldic symbols, including the Fleur-de-lis (symbol of French royalty and the city of Paris) and the ship from the Paris coat of arms
•  Location: The text "4 RUE SAINT ROMAIN" refers to the museum's historic address in the 6th Arrondissement of Paris, where it was located from its opening in 1946 until it moved to Montparnasse in 1973.

• Date: The numbers "2 - 1 60" represent the date January 2, 1960. In French postal dating, this follows the Day-Month-Year format. This specific date confirms it is a First Day Cover (FDC), as this stamp denomination was officially released on that day.
• Design: The central image in the circular postmark depicts a sailing ship (a nef), mirroring the theme of the stamp itself.