1972 Souvenir Sheet Appraisal

Seychelles Rare Birds 1972 Souvenir Sheet

This is a philatelic souvenir sheet from the Seychelles Islands, issued in 1972 to commemorate 'Rare Birds'. The rectangular sheet is approximately 140mm x 115mm and features a central block of six perforated postage stamps. The stamps individually depict the Seychelles Brush Warbler (5c), Seychelles Scops Owl (20c), Seychelles Blue Pigeon (50c), Seychelles Magpie Robin (65c), Black Paradise Flycatcher (95c), and Seychelles Kestrel (Rs3.50). Each stamp includes a black silhouette profile of Queen Elizabeth II in the upper right corner, indicating its status as a Commonwealth issue. The border of the sheet is a vibrant sky-blue color, decorated with a repeating pattern of white Fairy Terns in flight. The text 'Seychelles' is printed prominently at the top, with 'Rare Birds 1972' at the bottom in a bold, black serif typeface. The paper appears to be standard stamp stock with a matte finish on the face. Condition appears to be Mint Never Hinged (MNH), as the perforations are intact and there are no visible postal cancellations or obvious creasing. The printing quality is high, with sharp registration of multi-colored inks and clean die-cut perforations separating the central stamps from the decorative selvage.