So I have 2 items that I'm not quite sure how they need to be classified...
They look similar to https://colnect.com/en/philatelic_produ ... nt-Belgium & https://colnect.com/en/philatelic_produ ... el-Belgium (Postal Stationary | Postal Card)
... but both have very specific wording (bottom-left) that are somewhat dissimilar to the above, and they are also cancelled/stamped in that it correlates with said wording. Should the attached be ECP instead of Postal Stationary?
Thanks,
Eugene
Format: First Day - Postal Stationery
Subformat: Postal card
code FDP
The imprint is 'Belgique-Belgie'
The cardboard seems like 'Cream ' to me ... Based on a scan, colors are difficult.
The first one is only in French
-> based on Mi:BE P409III
The second one is German and French
-> based on Mi:BE P409V
The P409-cards, in a larger format -> P410-, were also used to produce Publibels. With an advertising message on the left. Publibels usually printed "Publibel nnnn" (nnnn = number and language) at the bottom left. This isn't the case here. So definitely not Publibel.
The Michel catalog doesn't list these (at least, I can't find them).
Perhaps the "Postwaardestukken van België - Briefkaarten" catalog does list them, but I can't find that catalog at the moment either (we're in the middle of a move ...).
At first glance, these don't appear to be the larger size, but rather based on the P409- format. They feature an overprint referring to an "association" or "event" for which the First Day Postal Stationary was issued (sold). Traditionally, there's also a special cancellation referring to that same association or event.
I think these were made to fund the Olympic Committee's treasury. Collectors happy, the postal service thrilled (there was paid for a service - shipping - which will never have to be done), and the committee also satisfied.
I hope this provides you enough info.
Wow ! Very insightful!
Thanks for taking the time; appreciated
Remarkable the second one.
Imprint (face value) and the cancellation in French and Dutch.
The card in German and French.
The overprint in French and Dutch.
Background information:
Because Belgium is trilingual, with certain bilingual (facility) areas, it all seems rather complicated. That's just the way Belgium is. It's all legally determined.
In Flanders (Dutch-speaking Belgium), you're not allowed to offer "French" (documents, forms, postal stationery), except in the (12) municipalities with facilities for the French speaking.
Although Brussels is located in Flanders, it has a separate status, its own region with its own government. Normally ... not at this moment. Since the last elections (2024), the new government there still hasn't been formed. The Brussels-Capital Region is, in principle, bilingual in Dutch and French.
The German-speaking area (East Cantons) also has its own government, but falls under the Walloon Region (French-speaking Belgium). The language is German with facilities for the French speaking.
The rest of the Walloon Region is monolingual in French, except for the (4) municipalities with facilities for the Dutch speaking.
And all this nonsense has consequences for documents, forms, and... philately.
not first day, but Event.
so code = BE EPSP409... and not FDPP409...
I thought it was "first day"... Michel mentions 1978, but no month or date.
And my detailed catalog (Belgian Postal Stationery...) is somewhere 'on the move'.
You must be right. Event.
If you find the 'on-the-move-one' you can check it. 
