05 January 2013
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British Auto Legends Stamps 2013
As the 2013 stamp schedule gets into gear, Stamp & Coin Mart Editor Matt Hill looks ahead to a more restrained year, with some intriguing issues on offer ...
Last year the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic Games gave the country a renewed sense of identity, purpose and pride, and stamps were right there in the mix, reflecting the nation’s party attitude and celebrating a host of high-flying Britons on special stamps.
The Queen’s celebrations were reflected on our post, as is fitting for a ‘Royal’ organisation, but it was the sports that stole the show.
Athletes were pleased as punch with their philatelic honour, collectors and non-collectors amassed a miniature sporting hall of fame and Royal Mail staff – and many dealers specialising in British new issues – were equally appreciative as sales soared.
The year’s schedule may be restrained
compared to 2012, but we’ll see an array
of subjects on our stamps to keep us occupied
But what next? As we get used to seeing ‘2013’ on our postmarks, gold medallists, royalists and stamp planners might be wondering how they can possibly top 2012.
In short, they can’t. Just like economists and gloomy politicians, it seems Royal Mail have concluded that now is the time for a more restrained approach, a decision which may be music to the ears of some GB collectors whose budgets have been stretched in recent years.
Of course ‘restraint’ is relative and we’ll still see an array of subjects on our stamps in the coming months, nothing like the record-breaking feats of last year, but plenty to keep collectors occupied.
Andrew Hammond, Managing Director, Royal Mail Stamps, recently admitted that 2012’s stamp adventures are ‘a unique act to follow’ but promises that this year’s programme will explore ‘some of Britain’s greatest achievements from the world of literature, industry, sport and modern society in a schedule that certainly contains something for everyone.’
2013 Stamp Highlights
• London Underground
• Classic TV: Doctor Who
• Butterflies
• 150th anniversary of the Football League
See the full list, along with related news and articles on our GB Stamps 2013 schedule.
The secretive ‘Classic TV’ stamps were finally revealed on Boxing Day, giving Doctor Who fans something to look forward to as they discussed the latest Christmas Special of the sci-fi show, and are destined to be one of the biggest stamp issues of the year. Aimed at non-collectors and sci-fi fans rather than we enthusiasts, the eleven stamps and miniature sheet are unashamedly commercial, but the first fifty years of the longest running sci-fi TV show is certainly something to celebrate and the stamps will no doubt give stamp collecting more attention, just as the Olympics issues did last year. No bad thing.
Other highlights are more difficult to pick out at this stage.
Keep up to date with the latest news and features on British stamps issued by Royal Mail right here and in every issue of Stamp & Coin Mart magazine.
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