Friday 20 September 2013

Royal Mail 2014 Special Stamp programme announced - and revised already!

The 2014 stamp programme was announced yesterday at Stampex and the outline is shown in the table below.  All details are subject to embargo until 13 weeks before the issue date, so look for updates and details with that in mind.  Under new Royal Mail rules, most images cannot be shown until the stamps are issued.

Click on links in the table to see more details:

Title
Issue Date
07-Jan-14
04-Feb-14
20-Feb-14
Commemorative Sheet: Middlesex County Cricket Club
25-Feb-14
(Similar to Eminent/Great Britons)
25-Mar-14
Commemorative Sheet: Royal Marines
26-Mar-14
26-Mar-14
15-Apr-14
13-May-14
Sustainable Fish
05-Jun-14
NCR Post and Go Presentation Pack
07 July 14
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
17-Jul-14
The Great War - 1914
28 July-14 
Piers, Proms and Pavillions
(Seaside architecture)
Classic Locos of Wales retail book
18-Sep-14
Prime Ministers
14-Oct-14
Christmas 2014
04-Nov-14
Commemorative Sheet: Christmas Truce
11 Nov 14
Lunar New Year Generic Sheet
19 Nov 14
Kuala Lumpur Stamp Exhibition Sheet
1 December 2014




Post and Go

19-Feb-14
British Flora 2 - Symbolic Flowers
17-Sep-14
Poppy Faststamp - one design on roll
21 Oct 14
British Flora 3 - Winter Greenery
13-Nov-14

Within these issues there will be prestige books (PSBs) and retail booklets.  There will be two PSBs in the first half of the year.
In addition to these special issues there will be Generic sheets, and Commemorative sheets, and the usual tariff change stamps in the spring.

Points to note:
1. The Post and Go issues will be at Spring and Autumn Stampex and in November, rather than the summer, and will be issued on Wednesday (day 1) instead of Friday.

2. The Christmas Robin Faststamps will reappear towards the end of 2013  Existing supplies will be used first, and replenishment will be with stamps with the MA13 year code. So some offices will use MA12, some MA13 and some will use both.  This probably means that there will be no official first day of issue of the MA13 unless you know of an office which will use new stocks from day 1. (See post above re Stafford Stamp Show.)  [Other reports say that the Poppy stamp from the Symbolic Flowers Post and Go set will appear as a solo stamp in the autumn.  Now confirmed for 21 October, but the Poppy reel with First World War Centenary inscription was also available at Stampex on 17 September.]

3. Lunar New Year.  The Chinese community have pointed out that New Year gifts are usually made on the last day of the old year, whilst the generic sheets have been issues on the first day of the new year making them unsuitable.  Reacting to this, Royal Mail have brought forward the issue dates for the Lunar New Year sheets to December, with the Year of the Horse sheet being issued on 10 December 2013, and subsequent issues following each November or December.

4. No gold medal winners stamps are to be issued for the the Commonwealth Games or Winter Olympics.


26 comments:

  1. Thanks for that Ian
    In view of the note prsumably there will also be a Chinese New Year Commemorative sheet.
    Wasn'tthe Andy Murray MS one of a series?

    John Embrey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is a Generic Sheet not a premium-priced commemorative sheet - see note 3.

      The Andy Murray sheet was one of a *potential* series - which will depend on future sporting successes. Clearly nothing for F1 in the near future!

      Delete
    2. Surprised they've not done Chris froome and/or the ashes

      Delete
  2. The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is prime target for 'Gold Winners' Miniature Sheets so start saving.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You clearly didn't read right to the last line...

      "4. No gold medal winners stamps are to be issued for the the Commonwealth Games."

      Delete
  3. That may be the 'plan' today but they'll be swayed by public opinion to issue them, and of course by next year we'll have the 'we have to maximise our profits for our share holders' .

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm quite happy with the stamp programme for 2014, the only set that looks a bit iffy is Sustainable Fish and Prime Ministers, I take it they be all British, will that include Maggie Thatcher, I just hope they won't go down that road.

    Looking forward to Classic Children's TV, The Great War, Working Horses and Great British Films.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wondef what'll happen if Scottish independence occurs?

    ReplyDelete
  6. The 2014 Europa theme is "National Musical Instruments". How is Royal Mail shoe-horning that into the programme?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for raising that, as I had completely forgotten it.

      It's not obvious... do we (the UK) have a National Musical Instrument ? My first guess is that we might get a brass band on the seaside pavilion?

      Delete
    2. That's pretty obvious, even I worked it out in the end, the word Proms gave it away, orchestra music.

      Delete
    3. No, Proms refers to (seafront) promenades - Seaside Architecture.

      Delete
    4. Harp perhaps for Wales (Osian Ellis perhaps for a remarkable lives stamp).... Bagpipes for Scotland.... Hadn't thought about brass bands for the seaside pavillions/bandstands... any music seen in Great British films

      Delete
  7. There will no doubt be 10 stamps in the Prime Minister slot, my guess at the likely winners are:
    Margaret Thatcher
    Harold Wilson
    Winston Churchill
    David Lloyd George
    Benjamin Disraeli
    William Ewart Gladstone
    Sir Robert Peel
    Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
    William Pitt, the Younger
    Sir Robert Walpole

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't see Maggie Thatcher and Harold Wilson on a stamp, it most like it be Chamberlain and Eden, the rest of the list look about right. Mind you Benjamin Disraeli is on this year's Great Britons set

      Delete
    2. Lloyd George, not Disraeli, on this year's Great Britons.
      Robert Walpole (1st PM) was on the Hanoverians Timeline MS.

      Delete
    3. It would be churlish to omit Margaret Thatcher from a theme on British Prime Ministers. Being the first female to hold the post and one of the most successful for many decades

      Delete
  8. I'm betting on bagpipes as part of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games set! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. It is disappointing that there will be no issue commemorating the centenary of the birth of Dylan Thomas (born 27 October 1914). However, it is possible a stamp may celebrate the event under the “Remarkable Lives” issue; I live in hope!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ian

    The date for Buckingham Palace is 21st Aoril which is Bank Holiday Easter Monday so I don't think that can be right
    At least it's not a Bank Holiday in Scotland (at least according to my diary)

    John Embrey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bow brought forward to 15 April, and date for WWI changed as well.

      Delete
  11. It is a little late now but sorry to see no commemoration of the 50th anniversary of commercial radio in the UK at Easter 2014. it would also make a great series as there were several ships

    who do you contact to make a request for additional stamps please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's far too late now for Royal Mail to consider additional stamps for the 2014 programme unless there is something momentous connected with, eg, the Royal Family or sport.

      RM asked last month for dealers and collectors to vote on their short list for 2016. However, it's quite possible that Buckingham, Bradbury or Benham will commission one or more Business Customised Sheets (at upwards of £25) to mark the 50th Anniversary of Radio Caroline, Radio London etc. As you say, there were many ship- and fort-based radio stations and such a series could run to a dozen sheets.

      Delete
  12. Ian

    You;ve said not Commonwealth Games Winners stamps. What about the remote possibility at the Winter Olympics/Paralympics?

    John Embrey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never been mentioned by Royal Mail, John. A possibility, if the popular press start whingeing that there were stamps for the summer but not the winter games. I hope note.

      Delete

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