On December 18, 1974, the Vatican issued a set of eleven stamps to commemorate the Holy Year of 1975. The 250-lire stamp depicts Pope Paul VI extending his blessing from the throne, based on a sketch by Professor Lino Bianchi Barriviera (tan, blue, red, white, and green).
The stamps, produced by rotogravure, were printed in panes of forty and perforated 13 1/2 x 14. IPS, Rome, printed 2,200,000 complete sets at 1,000 lire per sheet. The designs reproduce works of art, most of which are in the Vatican basilicas.
