▁by ▁Claude ▁J ume let . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁The ▁stamp ▁represents ▁Marian ne , ▁alleg ory ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Republic , ▁we aring ▁as ▁usual ▁a ▁tr icol or ▁co ck ade , ▁and ▁the ▁Ph ry g ian ▁cap . ▁She ▁is ▁looking ▁to ▁the ▁left . ▁The ▁French ▁mot to ▁is ▁written ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁stamp . ▁ ▁Finally ▁chosen ▁by ▁President ▁Jacques ▁Chi rac ▁after ▁a ▁competition , ▁the ▁design ▁was ▁better ▁received ▁than ▁the ▁Marian ne ▁du ▁B ic ent ena ire ▁series , ▁often ▁jud ged ▁as ▁a ▁dead ▁face ▁with ▁its ▁empty ▁eyes . ▁ ▁Post al ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁st amps ▁were ▁issued ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁nation wide , ▁with ▁a ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁issue ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁July , ▁National ▁Day ▁in ▁France . ▁They ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁Metropolitan ▁France , ▁Gu adel oupe , ▁French ▁Gu iana , ▁Martin ique , ▁Ré union , ▁and ▁over print ed ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁May otte ▁and ▁Saint - Pierre - et - M iqu el on . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁st amps ▁wore ▁the ▁mention ▁" R é publique ▁française " ▁as ▁usual ▁for ▁French ▁st amps . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁st amps ▁wore ▁the ▁mention ▁" R F ". ▁ ▁Two ▁comm emor ative ▁st amps ▁were ▁issued ▁with ▁this ▁Marian