As announced, Royal Mail start the new year once again with a Music Giants issue, this time for "one of the most revered and influential bands of all time, Iron Maiden". 2023 marks the band’s 40th anniversary of their studio album Piece of Mind. (But their first album Iron Maiden was issued in August 1980.)
From Wikipedia: Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harris, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers. The band have released 41 albums, including 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs and seven compilations. They have also released 47 singles and 20 video albums. Two electronic games have been released with Iron Maiden soundtracks, and the band's music is featured in a number of other video games.
From Royal Mail: With 2,000 live performances across 64 countries to pick from, some of their most historic from over
the years have been showcased on the eight-stamp set. The official set also pays homage to the band’s long-serving mascot and pop-cultural icon in his own right, Eddie, with his own miniature sheet. With a strong focus towards the band’s legions of loyal fans, the 8 new Special Stamps focus on some of the
band’s renowned and iconic live performances. They range from the 1980s until more recent years and feature
all 6 current band members.
The stamps in the Miniature Sheet feature four notorious Eddie artworks, including the latest addition in the
form of Senjutsu (released in 2021) featuring Eddie in a samurai-warrior makeover.
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Set of 8 stamps celebrating the band Iron Maiden, issued 12 January 2023
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The stamps in detail
1st Class: Steve Harris performs in Vancouver, June 2010
1st Class: Bruce Dicksinson performs at Hammersmith Odeon, London, May 1983
1st Class: Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Steve Harris perform in Pamplona, September 1988
1st Class: Nicko McBrain performs in Quito, March 2009
£1.85: Dave Murray, Bruce Dickinson & Janick Gers perform in Rio de Janeiro, January 2001.
£1.85: Adrian Smith and Steve Harris perform in Helsinki, May 2018
£1.85: Iron Maiden perform at Twickenham Stadium, London, July 2008
£1.85: Bruce Dickinson sword fights with Eddie in Birmingham, Aug 2018
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Iron Maiden miniature sheet of 4 stamps, issued 12 January 2023
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The Miniature Sheet
The miniature sheet is a celebration of Eddie through the ages. From left to right
£1.85 - gracing the cover of Iron Maiden’s debut
album in 1980 (Iron Maiden).
1st class - ‘The Trooper’ Eddie from one of the band’s greatest singles.
1st class - ‘Aces High’ Eddie, reimagined as a fighter pilot for a song honouring the RAF servicemen
who defended Britain during the Second World War.
£1.85 - the most current re-imagining as Senjutsu Eddie. Samurais, feudal Japan and flashing blades inspired this katana-wielding
warrior, from the band’s most recent album.
The backdrop of the miniature sheet is taken from Iron Maiden’s
first official live album, Life After Death (1985).
Technical Details and acknowledgements
The 50 x 30 mm gummed stamps have been printed in lithography by International Security Printers in sheets of 48 in horizontal se-tenant strips of 4, perforated 14.
The 192 x 74 mm miniature sheet contains 35 x 37 mm stamps printed in lithography by International Security Printers perforated 14.5 x14.
The stamp design is credited to Royal Mail Group Ltd, Iron Maiden LLP. The stamp acknowledgements are Under license to Global Merchandising Services Ltd. Photographs: Steve Harris performs in Vancouver, June 2010 © John McMurtrie; Bruce Dickinson performs at Hammersmith Odeon, London, May 1983 © Pete Still/Redferns/Getty Images; Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Steve Harris perform in Pamplona, September 1988 © dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photo; Nicko McBrain performs in Quito, March 2009 © John McMurtrie; Dave Murray, Bruce Dickinson and Janick Gers perform in Rio de Janeiro, January 2001 © George Chin; Adrian Smith and Steve Harris perform in Helsinki, May 2018 © John McMurtrie; Iron Maiden perform at Twickenham Stadium, London, July 2008 © John McMurtrie; Bruce Dickinson sword fights with Eddie in Birmingham, August 2018 © John McMurtrie.
Products available
Set of 8 stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers (2), presentation pack, press sheet of 15 minitaure sheets, stamp cards, medal covers (2), fan sheets (2), collectors sheets (2), gold stamp set, platinum miniature sheet, framed products. I shan't write anything about the items in italics or show pictures - you'll see them soon enough on Royal Mail's website if you are really interested!
Collectors sheets
The collectors sheets each contain a full set of 8 stamps, printed in lithography but self-adhesive, price £12.40.
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Eddie Live Collectors Sheet - Iron Maiden stamps issued 12 January 2023
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Eddie Collectors Sheet - Iron Maiden stamps issued 12 January 2023
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Fan SheetsEddie sheet contains just three of the stamps from the miniature sheet, one 1st class and 2 x £1.85, printed in litho with ordinary gum. Limited edition of 5,000 - £7.50.
Eddie Rips Up The World sheet contains just three of the stamps from the set, one 1st class and 2 x £1.85,
printed in litho with ordinary gum. Limited edition of 5,000 - £7.50
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Eddie Fan sheet - Iron Maiden stamps issued 12 January 2023
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Eddie Rips Up The World - Iron Maiden stamps issued 12 January 2023
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I'm not sure I could name any of their work, but having ventured into it for the first time, I'm impressed by the videos. Was it unusual for a band to keep making music for five years before releasing their first record?
UPDATE 6 JANUARY: Postmark Bulletin not yet available on Royal Mail's website but I have a pdf; email if you need it now rather than next week.
The Postmark Bulletin is now available here.
I checked social media yesterday evening to see how Royal Mail's publicity machine was
working and found reports from RAI (Italy), Deutschlandfunk (Germany),
Sopitas (Mexico), HellPress (Spain), Radio Rock (Brazil), SoundofBrit
(France), Kosmodromio & Rock Attitude, (Greece), NME Japan.
Also seen tweets from Finland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Indonesia.
Sooo, I reckon they've done quite well. Brazilian sites were reporting it early - 6pm Wednesday UTC.