On November 27, 1979, the Vatican issued a set of four stamps commemorating the International Year of the Child, which had been proclaimed by the United Nations. The stamps show reproductions of Andrea Della Robbia's sculptures of children, which are located in the Hospital of the Innocents in Florence, Italy. The Universal Postal Union invited member countries to commemorate the International Year of the Child.
The official symbol of the International Year of the Child appears in the top left corner, the value appears in the top right corner, and "POSTE VATICANE" appears below the illustrations.
Valerio Puliti engraved the plates. The stamps are vertical, measuring 30 x 40 mm and have a perforation of 13 1/4 x 14. They were issued in sheets of twenty and were produced by multicolor recess printing on white chalky paper by the Polygraphic Institute and Mint of the Italian State. The total printing amounted to 1,200,000 sets.
Reference:
Trent, Joseph. "Year of the Child." Vatican Notes 28, no. 4 (January-February 1980): 1-2.
