The US weekly stamp publication Linn's conducts an annual popularity poll of readers asking them to vote on the stamp issues of the United States Postal Service.
Unlike Royal Mail's Philatelic Bulletin this poll seeks not only the best stamp, but for three specific categories: commemorative stamps, definitive and special stamps (combined), and postal stationery. And not only the best - within each of the three categories, voters "can select the stamps or issues they felt had the best design and worst design, and those that they considered the most important and least necessary". [2017 results here.]
I wonder how that would go here in the UK. I think I might do a poll somehow, somewhere - probably on twitter because I know how to do that, or at Stampboards. (If anybody knows how to add a poll into a blogger blog, please let me know.)
This comes to mind because I have now received the 1d black Anniversary Sheet, which is now also available to order from Royal Mail's website.
This comes just two days before what is arguably the most important stamp issue this year, which marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of World War II. Leave aside whether it should be May or August - two chances for special covers and handstamps - this is 'an important event'.
But the 180th Anniversary of the issue of the world's first stamp.... ?
Anyway, here are scans of the actual thing, for you to compare with the pre-issue pictures (the one on the RM website is accurate). Note that the grid shows all 8 positions, although our sheets came from the same position. The printing date is 25/02/20 and the short-code is STA013 - not the 13th stamp of the year, we've had far more than that.
With the replica 1840 inscription in the left hand selvedge the cylinder number, FSC code, and all other technical stuff is in the right hand selvedge.
Unlike Royal Mail's Philatelic Bulletin this poll seeks not only the best stamp, but for three specific categories: commemorative stamps, definitive and special stamps (combined), and postal stationery. And not only the best - within each of the three categories, voters "can select the stamps or issues they felt had the best design and worst design, and those that they considered the most important and least necessary". [2017 results here.]
I wonder how that would go here in the UK. I think I might do a poll somehow, somewhere - probably on twitter because I know how to do that, or at Stampboards. (If anybody knows how to add a poll into a blogger blog, please let me know.)
This comes to mind because I have now received the 1d black Anniversary Sheet, which is now also available to order from Royal Mail's website.
This comes just two days before what is arguably the most important stamp issue this year, which marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of World War II. Leave aside whether it should be May or August - two chances for special covers and handstamps - this is 'an important event'.
But the 180th Anniversary of the issue of the world's first stamp.... ?
Anyway, here are scans of the actual thing, for you to compare with the pre-issue pictures (the one on the RM website is accurate). Note that the grid shows all 8 positions, although our sheets came from the same position. The printing date is 25/02/20 and the short-code is STA013 - not the 13th stamp of the year, we've had far more than that.
With the replica 1840 inscription in the left hand selvedge the cylinder number, FSC code, and all other technical stuff is in the right hand selvedge.
Note that the sheet has a 'cream' wash, but the stamps, and the FSC certificate have no such 'antiquing'.
The 'cream' wash around the edge is good and is very similar to that used way back on the Double head Miniature sheet of the 1990 issue but why is the FSC certificate left clear? Is the cream just using the yellow cylinder?
ReplyDeleteIt’s to do with how the FSCB logo and details are used. The header part of the Business Sheets also had the FSC details on white.
DeleteI still think it really does smack of desperation to go to the 'Penny Black' well yet again. Yes, this year sees its 180th anniversary, but 2021 will be the 181st, 2022 the 182nd and so on (and, once you get past a century, only - at most - every 25th year deserves to be marked).
ReplyDeleteIf London 2020 had not been planned, I doubt that Royal Mail would intentionally have marked the 180th anniversary of the Penny Black with this or any other form of celebration.
ReplyDeleteI think you are probably right.
DeleteMaybe you could do a YouGov style one - which of these issues would you be embarrassed to use / buy, which would you be happy to use, value for money, .... etc.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.opinionstage.com/blog/blogger-poll/
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether the "basic" (and, hence, free) features would be sufficient for the purposes of the envisaged poll, but the above claims to show how to embed a poll into a Blogger entry.
Thanks, I haven’t done any research yet.
DeleteAn alternative, and the way they do things on Twitter, is to do a knock-out system, but it’s more work and depends on selection of groups of 4 in the first place.
I've done some exploring & most of the online polls allow for a single choice from a multiple of 4-10, rather than choosing a single item/number from a year's-worth of stamp issues.
DeleteI'll think about it some more. Maybe persuade one of the Stamp Magazines to do it.
With reference to the FSC label being printed on a white background , the FSC's guide to its use for certificate holders (the case of the stamp printer) does not impose a white background; it states: "The label may also be used on a coloured background that gives sufficient contrast." This would clearly be the case of this background tint.
ReplyDelete