This post was going to be about an almost certain stamp issue for 2022 but a comment was proposed on the Star Trek post - because there wasn't anywhere relevant to post this thought.
So, Martin, here is your comment
I'm sensing a set of Prince Charles stamps are destined for 2021, just getting a feeling the Queen is going to step down. I know this is a bit random posting this in here, but there isn't anywhere else I can type this, as we do not know what is upon us on the stamp schedule for 2021.
I think it has been established, over the years, that for all the musings of her citizens, Queen Elizabeth II made a promise to the nation as princess in 1947, on her 21st birthday, that she would serve us to the end of her days:
"I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong."
And with the announcement today (reported here on the BBC) that "The Queen, 94, hopes as many people as possible across the UK will have the opportunity to join the celebrations of her Platinum anniversary", I think we can assume that there will be at least one special stamp in 2022, and possibly yet another new colour for the Machin definitive - though I can't quite think what colour that would be.
And another issue for 2022 will be for the (postponed from 2020) London 2022 International Stamp Exhibition.
The 2021 programme will be posted on the blog as soon as we are able. But your suggestions here are welcome.
Given that today it was announced there would be an extra Bank Holiday in 2022 to celebrate the Queen's 70th year of accession, it would seem unlikely that she would be stepping down on her 95th birthday (21/4/21) as some people have suggested! Though it would make sense to make Prince Charles the Prince Regent and then the Queen could enjoy some sort of retirement.
ReplyDeleteSince platinum is a pale grey almost white colour - perhaps the definitive could be a variation on the millennium definitive with a coloured (imperial purple again?) Machin head on pale metallic background?
ReplyDeleteSadly I find it difficult to work up any enthusiasm about RM’s new issue programme and speculation seems pointless given that so few stamps now have any feeling of celebrating Britain or a relationship to the things I believe are worth commemorating. 1921 marks the Centenary of the discovery of insulin which has I suspect in the past 100 years saved millions of lives worldwide. The Scottish Professor Macleod won a Nobel Prize for Medicine for his role in its discovery and it would be nice to see that achievement honoured on a ‘British stamp’. Perhaps someone at Royal Mail has heard of his achievement and agrees it should be commemorated, perhaps as part of a British Medical Achievements set - honouring also all the scientific and medical work done in the past year in Britain to fight COVID-19. Then again perhaps RM will just feature Dr McCoy as part of a second money-grabbing Star Trek set.
ReplyDeleteYes totally agree but you get a non plus answer from RM, lets face it production costs these days are nothing like what they used to be, they are 'literally' printing money for so called 'profit' Nothing to do with British Commemoratives, I was annoyed, we had a DC Comics issue and not 100 years of the British Legion'!! I rest my case :-)
DeleteI quite agree with White Knight's post above. It would be very nice if Royal Mail were to celebrate something like the the discovery of insulin on a set of stamps but there would not be much money in a basic set of stamps.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if RM would consider a joint issue with Canada for the 100th Anniversary of the discovery of insulin. It happened in Toronto.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a set celebrating Wall paper acknowledging RM have in recent years have been issuing stamps like Wallpaper!!!
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that but no T-shirt > http://www.norphil.co.uk/2011/05a-william_morris.htm
DeleteI agree. Haven't saved "Commemorative" since 2000. Definitives becoming too expensive.
DeleteThe Postal News blog has the 2021 USPS program up
ReplyDeleteI would think Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc. should be treated as 100 percent speculative stamps, and thus Stamp catalogs should ban listing them just like they ban speculative issues. These only serve as promotional/marketing item with no real motif.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry but that is a nonsense comment. 'Speculative issues' was the name given to those produced by philatelic agents for small countries that only sold to collectors and had very little need for the stamps in the country.
DeleteThe Royal Mail stamps are produced for postal use, even if many people are unable to find them in post offices, and very few people see them on their mail - that is because few people see ANY stamps on their mail!
Whilst I agree with your sentiment, that these are unnecessary issues, their inclusion in the stamp programme allows Royal Mail to make an awful lot of money from fans of the topics depicted, possibly more than they do from regular collectors who are becoming fewer and fewer.
Hoping for a set to mark the 100th anniversary of Northern Ireland - 50 years after the Ulster 71 set.
ReplyDeleteYes - where are the stamps to celebrate the Centenary of Northern Ireland ? Totally outrageous that Royal Mail has let us down in this way. I’m fed up with high priced stamps for pop stars and tv programmes and films. We need to celebrate proper anniversaries and discoveries.
ReplyDeleteRM advice note shows first commemorative issue on 14/01/2021 is National Parks. First Booklet of the year, 6 x1st ( UB440 ). Could this produce the first M21L stamp of the year.
ReplyDeleteCould be, but the booklets have probably already been printed, so may well be M20L.
DeleteThe Royal Mail issue stamps with designs designed to encourage a passer bye to glance and take notice. They are purely a sales vehicle so as has been seen so for the uptake on Queen and Star Trek items it has worked.
ReplyDeleteI am afraid when it comes to Machin's and variations on them the interest returns to its normal levels. Perhaps I am just old and grumpy and don't accept change easily.
As a sales platform RM must employ some very unworthy people. The opportunity for a commercially successful add on to the core business is an opportunity missed. Even tracking down sales points for commemorative stamps is becoming very difficult and one in store PO which I visited recently, although displaying a poster advertising an issue, claimed to have no knowledge of the availability of the product. These issues need to be available to be used and seen to encourage future generations to appreciate postage stamps- assuming they are still needed!
ReplyDeleteAn obvious issue for 2022 would be for the centenary of the BBC
ReplyDelete