After an international competition, the Irish Post Office chose new designs based on early Irish metalwork and manuscript illustrations, to issue a new definitive series in 1968. Drawn from early Christmas art, they depict stylized animals: A dog taken from a decoration on a 7th century Irish brooch, was used for the lowest values. ("The New York Times", Samuel Tower, 23/1/1983: 34)
country: Éire
year: 1971
Yvert: 256