The long-awaited news of the final stamp issue for the year on 26 November, known to some as 'Project Apollo', can now be revealed as the third Star Wars set, hinted at in our visual clue here.
Following the first issue in 2015, and the second in 2017, we now have the third and final issue. Of course it wouldn't a surprise issue without a surprise, and we have a some of course. This is what Royal Mail have written:
Royal Mail is issuing its third and final stamp issue celebrating the phenomenon of Star Wars.
This new set of stamps will feature characters and iconic vehicles from the film series, in time for the release of the final installment of the Skywalker saga; Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, due for cinema release on 19th December 2019 (UK release).
The original trilogy of films (released between 1977 and 1983) was made at Elstree and Shepperton Studios in the UK. The producers of the series, Lucasfilm and Disney, decided to return to a British studio and crew whose expertise contributed to the success of the original movies. The final trilogy of movies has been filmed at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire and our stamps celebrate the British contribution to Star Wars, and mark the world event of the release of the concluding episode and culmination of the Skywalker saga.
This new set of 10 characters complete the 30 stamp Star Wars collection from across all three epic trilogies.
All 10 characters are original, exclusive illustrations by digital artist and Star Wars fan Malcolm Tween who has blended the main images with background scenes to create striking and hyper-realistic montages. The set includes much-loved characters from the original trilogy such as Wicket Ewok and Lando Calrissian but also introduces three brand-new characters from the latest blockbuster: 'The Rise of Skywalker'.
The stamps
As before, the character stamps consist of a set of 10 x 1st class stamps. The characters depicted are:
Count Dooku, Lando Calrissian, Sith Trooper, Jannah, Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Maul, Zorii, Wicket Warrick, Poe Dameron and Queen Amidala.
As before, those who are really interested in Star Wars will know, or will quickly find out about these characters and so I'm not wasting my time and blog space providing more details.
The stamps are designed by Interabang using Malcolm Tween's illustrations, printed by ISP in lithography. They are 35mm square and are in two sheets of 50.
Miniature Sheet
The self-adhesive miniature sheet features 6 x 1st class stamps with 'some of the most iconic vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy'. To save repeating detail, I'll start the technical details here with the sizes of and perforation of these stamps.
Poe’s X-wing fighter and TIE silencer - 41mm x 30mm, landscape (14.5 x 14);
Jedi starfighter and Slave I - 27mm x 37mm, portrait (14 x 14);
Podracer and speeder bikes - 60mm x 21mm, landscape (14.5 x 14.5).
The MS is designed by Interabang using Malcolm Tween's illustrations, printed by ISP in lithography. The sheet is 192 x 74 mm. (It's self-adhesive, not gummed as in the details RM provided.)
Retail Stamp Book
As usual the retail stamp book includes four 1st class definitive stamps as well as two special stamps featuring Poe Dameron and Sith Trooper. This is only a mock-up image of all the stamps.
The self-adhesive booklet is printed in gravure by ISP Walsall. The Star Wars stamps are, therefore, different and will be separately catalogued.
As before there is a Prestige Stamp Book containing all 10 of the new stamps, the miniature sheet stamps spread over two panes as in 2015 (thus ensuring that the individual stamps have separate catalogue numbers.
The pictures above are provided by Royal Mail. The ones below are scans of an actual pane.
The regular edition PSB is £17.65 (Royal Mail product code YB085), and of course there is a Limited Edition with just the same stamps, which is priced at £49.99 (RM: YB086)
Collector Sheet (RM product code AT110 - £8.10)
As with other years Royal Mail have also produced a Collectors Sheet (listed in the SG Concise under 'Post Office Label Sheets' along with the Smilers and Generic Sheets) containing all 10 of the 2019 stamps with attached labels. This is self-adhesive making the stamps collectably different although they will not be individually listed in the Concise. Some other catalogue editors and album producers may include these individually.
Complete Stamp Set Collectors Sheet (RM product code AS5188COMP - £21.00)
There will also be a 30-stamp gummed sheet containing all 30 stamps of the Star Wars series (12 in 2015, 8 in 2017). This will be sold by RM at face value and should be listed by SG in the Concise alongside the last of the 2019 stamps. [Compare SG MS3308 A-Z of the United Kingdom which contained all 26 stamps in those two issues.]
Other Products
Following the first issue in 2015, and the second in 2017, we now have the third and final issue. Of course it wouldn't a surprise issue without a surprise, and we have a some of course. This is what Royal Mail have written:
Royal Mail is issuing its third and final stamp issue celebrating the phenomenon of Star Wars.
This new set of stamps will feature characters and iconic vehicles from the film series, in time for the release of the final installment of the Skywalker saga; Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, due for cinema release on 19th December 2019 (UK release).
The original trilogy of films (released between 1977 and 1983) was made at Elstree and Shepperton Studios in the UK. The producers of the series, Lucasfilm and Disney, decided to return to a British studio and crew whose expertise contributed to the success of the original movies. The final trilogy of movies has been filmed at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire and our stamps celebrate the British contribution to Star Wars, and mark the world event of the release of the concluding episode and culmination of the Skywalker saga.
This new set of 10 characters complete the 30 stamp Star Wars collection from across all three epic trilogies.
All 10 characters are original, exclusive illustrations by digital artist and Star Wars fan Malcolm Tween who has blended the main images with background scenes to create striking and hyper-realistic montages. The set includes much-loved characters from the original trilogy such as Wicket Ewok and Lando Calrissian but also introduces three brand-new characters from the latest blockbuster: 'The Rise of Skywalker'.
The stamps
As before, the character stamps consist of a set of 10 x 1st class stamps. The characters depicted are:
Count Dooku, Lando Calrissian, Sith Trooper, Jannah, Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Maul, Zorii, Wicket Warrick, Poe Dameron and Queen Amidala.
As before, those who are really interested in Star Wars will know, or will quickly find out about these characters and so I'm not wasting my time and blog space providing more details.
The stamps are designed by Interabang using Malcolm Tween's illustrations, printed by ISP in lithography. They are 35mm square and are in two sheets of 50.
Miniature Sheet
The self-adhesive miniature sheet features 6 x 1st class stamps with 'some of the most iconic vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy'. To save repeating detail, I'll start the technical details here with the sizes of and perforation of these stamps.
Poe’s X-wing fighter and TIE silencer - 41mm x 30mm, landscape (14.5 x 14);
Jedi starfighter and Slave I - 27mm x 37mm, portrait (14 x 14);
Podracer and speeder bikes - 60mm x 21mm, landscape (14.5 x 14.5).
The MS is designed by Interabang using Malcolm Tween's illustrations, printed by ISP in lithography. The sheet is 192 x 74 mm. (It's self-adhesive, not gummed as in the details RM provided.)
Retail Stamp Book
As usual the retail stamp book includes four 1st class definitive stamps as well as two special stamps featuring Poe Dameron and Sith Trooper. This is only a mock-up image of all the stamps.
The self-adhesive booklet is printed in gravure by ISP Walsall. The Star Wars stamps are, therefore, different and will be separately catalogued.
As before there is a Prestige Stamp Book containing all 10 of the new stamps, the miniature sheet stamps spread over two panes as in 2015 (thus ensuring that the individual stamps have separate catalogue numbers.
The pictures above are provided by Royal Mail. The ones below are scans of an actual pane.
The book contains all the stamps in the current issue and three new Machin Definitives. These are coded MPIL M19L as shown in the photos here of the actual stamps (click to enlarge any).
You'll realise that there's a big surprise here, because as well as the useful 4 x 2nd class, and 2 x 5p, there are 2 x £1.17. This is a redundant value, last useful for a year from April 2017 for the 20g Europe and 10g Rest of World Letters (and worldwide Postcard) rates. We had this note: make of it what you will!
You'll realise that there's a big surprise here, because as well as the useful 4 x 2nd class, and 2 x 5p, there are 2 x £1.17. This is a redundant value, last useful for a year from April 2017 for the 20g Europe and 10g Rest of World Letters (and worldwide Postcard) rates. We had this note: make of it what you will!
We first had this value in the Game of Thrones PSB issued on 23 January 2018, coded MPIL M17L. This was followed on 20 March 2018 by the Royal Air Force PSB, but those were coded M_IL M18L. The latest one is properly coded MPIL M19L so they won't get a separate entry in Gibbons Concise Catalogue but will be included in U3084. Similarly the 5p is SG U3072 and the 2nd class is U3065.
In our Checklist these will be 2901P.9 (2nd), 4005P.9 (5p) and 4117P.9 (£1.17).The regular edition PSB is £17.65 (Royal Mail product code YB085), and of course there is a Limited Edition with just the same stamps, which is priced at £49.99 (RM: YB086)
Collector Sheet (RM product code AT110 - £8.10)
As with other years Royal Mail have also produced a Collectors Sheet (listed in the SG Concise under 'Post Office Label Sheets' along with the Smilers and Generic Sheets) containing all 10 of the 2019 stamps with attached labels. This is self-adhesive making the stamps collectably different although they will not be individually listed in the Concise. Some other catalogue editors and album producers may include these individually.
Complete Stamp Set Collectors Sheet (RM product code AS5188COMP - £21.00)
There will also be a 30-stamp gummed sheet containing all 30 stamps of the Star Wars series (12 in 2015, 8 in 2017). This will be sold by RM at face value and should be listed by SG in the Concise alongside the last of the 2019 stamps. [Compare SG MS3308 A-Z of the United Kingdom which contained all 26 stamps in those two issues.]
Other Products
Product
name
|
Code
|
Price
|
Stamp
Pack
|
AS5188P
|
£7.20
|
Miniature
Sheet Pack
|
MZ146A
|
£4.40
|
First
Day Cover Stamps
|
AF453
|
£9.00
|
First
Day Cover Minisheet
|
MF143
|
£5.65
|
First
Day Cover PSB pane
|
HF088
|
£6.45
|
Stamp
Souvenir Cover
|
AW125
|
£9.00
|
Miniature
Sheet Souvenir Cover
|
AW126
|
£5.65
|
Skywalker
Family BU Medal Cover
|
AM069
|
£19.99
|
Skywalker
Family Silver Medal Cover
|
AM071
|
£99.99
|
Vehicles
BU Medal Cover
|
AM070
|
£19.99
|
Vehicles
Silver Medal Cover
|
AM072
|
£99.99
|
Star
Wars: The Official Stamp Collection
|
AW127
|
£24.99
|
Complete
Stamp Set Souvenir
|
AW128
|
£22.99
|
Press
Sheet
|
PZ043
|
£83.16
|
N3184
|
£44.99
|
|
Framed
Collector Sheet
|
N3185
|
£39.99
|
Framed
Complete Stamp Set
|
N3183
|
£54.99
|
Complete
Stamp Set Mount
|
N6005
|
£24.99
|
N3197
|
£134.99
|
|
Presentation
Pack TRILOGY
|
PK110
|
£29.99
|
Prestige
Stamp Book TRILOGY
|
PK111
|
£49.99
|
I said there were surprises, but I suppose the only real surprise was the £1.17 definitive, because all the others would have been entirely predictable to any collector or reader who had seen previous sets and other similar issues from Royal Mail. A number of people who have already had a chance to see these or the advertising posters in Post Office branches have suggested that it is time to stop collecting Royal Mail's new stamps. How about you?
(I should add that this was rescued from the trash, so no publicity posters at that Post Office branch!)
