Interesting stamps

 

Interesting stamps

 A parcel was delivered recently with some interesting stamps. I didn’t know if they were all genuine so attempted to find out.

In Britain, commemorative stamps have been issued by Royal Mail since 1924. The first one was designed and produced for the British Empire Exhibition, which ran for six months in 1924 and five months in 1925. In the following thirty years, there were occasional commemorative issues, between one and three per year, for special events of particular note, after which they became more frequent.

From the mid-1960s. between six and ten special issue sets were produced every year. At this time, official First Day Covers were introduced, along with Presentation Packs. Postcard-sized reproductions of commemorative stamps became available from mid-1970s, to be issued alongside each new set of stamps.

From the early years of the 1970s, the number of sets increased, until usually more than ten sets were produced annually. Ten years later the practice was for Royal Mail to issue ten to fifteen sets a year.

Stamps now commemorate a diverse range of subjects, encompassing history, sport, theatre, science, popular culture, to name but a few.

The stamp at the top of this post was part of a series celebrating one hundred years of cycling. It was issued in 1978. We were still using halfpennies in 1978! They were not phased out until 1984.

The stamp illustrating the Liverpool Great National Steeple Chase of 1839 was part of the Horseracing series and issued in 1979.

The Christmas stamp called ‘Shepherd and Lamb’ was issued in 1984.

The Edward Lear stamp was issued in 1988, one hundred years after his death in January 1888.

The Kestrel formed part of the 2003 Birds of Prey series. There was later a 2019 series of Birds of Prey.

I've never been a stamp; collector. As a child, I had a brief period of collecting stamps depicting animals, but the interest faded and the phase passed. 

Philately can become almost obsessional, but those who have pursued it throughout their lives have built up valuable collections.