La Poste France Discovery of HIV

LA POSTE FRANCE on 30 April 1994 issued a First Day Cover  stamp in recognition of the discovery of HIV by researchers (including Nobel Prize recipient Luc Montagnier and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi) at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, in 1983. The stamp carried a face value of 2.80-franc. Cancellation postmark originated from  Paris and Strasbourg (shown here on this maxim card). Jacques Jubert designed and engraved this multicolour stamp using an Intaglio printing method. The illustration accurately depicts the AIDS virus. A special cancellation shows an outline of the virus.