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 |
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 |
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 |
Fan Sheets
Eddie 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 |
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.
When this was leaked last year - my first thought was that this wasn't a Music Giant as it wasn't a key anniversary and Ian's research confirms it's a dubious 40th. Certainly an accomplished band with worldwide fame but I'd wait for 50 years in 2025. Meanwhile, what about the Shirley Bassey issue in the autumn? Will that be Music Giants VIII?
ReplyDeleteI believe so.
DeleteThe 40th anniversary quote was from Royal Mail, my research showed that this wasn't even the first album, not any anniversary of the founding of the group.
Sounds like Matt Parkes negotiated a deal, then tried desperately to find some reason - however tenuous - to justify shoehorning it into this year's calendar ... pretty much par for the course since he became involved with Royal Mail's philatelic arm, and a perfect example of why separation of powers is such a good idea. Whilst its bottom line may well have benefited slightly, Royal Mail's reputation has been ill-served by Parkes serving as the Chair of the Stamps Advisory Committee as well as its chief negotiator, in which roles he seems to revel in living out childhood (childish?) dreams of 'associating' with [the agents of] actual stars of entertainment.
DeleteIf only someone had said, a la Harry Enfield, "Oi, Parkes. No!!!"
White Knight - It seems quite apt that on googling ‘Matt Parkes’ the information that comes up identifies that it was the name of a character in a 2009 episode of Midsomer Murders titled, ‘Days of Misrule’ though I suppose, given how long Royal Mail’s new issue mayhem has gone on for, that ‘Years of Misrule’ would now be even more apposite.
Delete10 of the ugliest stamps ever made - following on from the Transformers issue last year. At least the album cover stamps had some artistic value - and weren't from musical groups everyone had forgotten about by the turn of the century.
ReplyDeleteI just phoned to cancel the standing order for FDCs I set up in the 1970s. Very disappointing.
Also disappointing is that despite not having yet even received an Advice Note - or even the 2023 schedule they still say they are going to charge me for them. It's not like they didn't know about the issue and pricing many months ago, given the monarch on the stamps.
They couldn't even tell me what the following issue was (in case I decided to keep going another issue if it was something decent). But looking at the leaked material, it's X-Men.
X-Men? How are they even linked to the UK? What next, a 10-stamp issue for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Estelle Getty? The 500th anniversary of King Gustav I ascending to the Swedish throne?
Some say the issue is the cost. Though compared to each of my mobile bill, phone bill, cable bill, Internet bill, power bill, water bill, and gas bill, the cost is pretty trivial. Not to mention a myriad of streaming services.
"X-Men? How are they even linked to the UK? "
DeleteI expect the same justification as with others - that British artists worked on the comic series. A quick Google gives me the names John Byrne, Ian Churchill, Liam Sharp.
As I've said before here - if we wanted to celebrate British comic art then there are plenty of UK published works to choose from. But sadly, they will probably only be known by comic/graphic novel fans because they don't have film tie-ins.
RM seem keen to advertise this issue - for the first time in a long while I received a postcard today telling me about it. It was also an item on the 8am Radio 4 news bulletin.
ReplyDeleteNot my favourite issue, they creep me out as a series of stamps. Maybe not stamps to use on Grandma's Christmas card.
ReplyDeleteI vented my anger after the Transformers issue, but these IM ones are just hideous.
ReplyDeleteDo we know yet when the Queen's cameo will be swapped for Charles effigy on RM's 'special stamps'? So I can draw a line under my QEII collection and cancel all my Philatelic Bureau subscriptions.
Yes, I am thinking the same. A decimal set for HM The Queen. Then that's it.
DeleteThese dozen stamps remind me that an iron maiden was originally a torture device,
ReplyDeleteWhat! Why no Prestige Booklets? Neither an ordinary one nor a limited edition in a tin version. What a missed opportunity. Very disappointing!
ReplyDeleteI don't know the reason, but I think it is just as well, given the problems and delays with the last one, but we got the details on 6 December and many people rejoiced that there would not be yet more Machin definitives here.
DeleteThat's not to say there won't be any in subsequent issues before the Coronation.
Ian,
DeleteDo you know the reasons for the problems and delays with the Tutankhamun PSB ?
No, and I don't suppose I ever will; RM don't reveal anything that might embarrass them - not on the record anyway.
DeleteIt is not possible to order "Fan Sheet" products on the site. Do you know the reason?
ReplyDeleteThe surprise use of advertising the stamp issue through the national media, which we haven't seen from RM for along time, may well have stirred the Iron Maiden fan base. The 'Fan Sheets' art work may well have influenced the sales.
DeleteBack on sale now, possibly ran out of stock in the initial rush?
DeleteThe First booklet says the fan sheets are limited editions of 5,000. So maybe they have sold out with Royal Mail pre-orders?
ReplyDelete5,000 at £7.50 is £37,500 which once design, printing, marketing, administration etc are deducted suggests that Matt might only be making about £20,000 from many of his products.
DeleteIs Royal Mail really making much money from all these collectables ?
And how much might they have to pay first to use the images of whatever 'product' Matt has chosen ?
I'm not interested in Iron Maiden, although I have been collecting Music Giants stamps. I think it is interesting that as of today (6th January), there is no information on the postmarks available, other than those advertised by Royal Mail.
ReplyDeleteSend me an email to the address at top right and I'll send you the pdf.
DeleteThey wouldn't make the postmarks available until they had publicised the stamps - yesterday. And of course Scots had two public holidays this week. I've asked for the Bulletin to be added to the website.
As a stamp-loving metal fan, these should be right up my street, but I am really disappointed. The set makes little sense:
ReplyDelete1. It is not the anniversary of the band's formation or first album
2. It is not even the anniversary of the 'classic' line-up mentioned in the press release (that would have been the much more famous/feted 'Number of the Beast' album (1982))
3. The selection of images is random and haphazard. No fan would come up with this. A more effective survey of artwork/Eddie could have been amazing, but this set does not hit the spot!
4. The ms features artwork from the first Iron Maiden album (1980) which makes no sense in relation to the press release narrative
etc! :-)
As I have written elsewhere, stamp collectors expect Royal Mail to have what they see as a valid reason for a particular subject to be featured on a set of stamps. This is no longer the case. RM, under the direction of Mr Parkes, are now ready to feature any subject, no matter how random the subject may be even to the point where the issue has no relevance to ‘Great Britain’, and we should save the energy we would use looking for a reason. The only reason a subject is now featured on RM new issues is that it appears to be popular enough with large groups of people - for instance, enthusiasts of certain music performers or of comic book characters - that a large financial profit is likely to be made from the sale of the stamps and the multitude of accompanying items (especially, I suspect the latter).
ReplyDeleteMr Parkes actually seems to be doing his job very well - he identifies what is popular, he has the contacts to ensure the subjects indeed may be featured on stamps and knows how to negotiate with those contacts, and he knows how to use social media as a way of informing potential buyers of the issue of the stamps and convincing them that they must have them. He has no reason to care about stamp collectors nor whether they cancel their standing orders nor if they complain about the products he is putting out because I suspect that we are responsible for an increasingly tiny proportion of the profits made from new stamp issues. In the new issue stamp (and related products) market, traditional stamp collectors have become an irrelevance and RM and Mr Parkes treat us with the contempt we deserve.
Many post offices now issue stamps with little commemorative value. Australia Post does the same - we've had so many issues with wildlife, landscapes etc which are released for no particular reason, while important events such as the Centenary of the First Woman in Parliament are relegated to a single stamp. At least important events are still commemorated. And I am sure Australia Post will definitely be commemorating our ABC's Centenary in 2032.
DeleteAnonymous, your 2nd para. seems to be spot-on here. Iron Maiden have never been fashionable (just like stamp collecting!) but maintain a substantial fan base in the UK (a friend's 16-year old daughter has recently fallen for them and wanted a bass guitar for Xmas so she could learn their songs) and they have a massive following overseas. Maiden-themed 'Trooper' beer, brewed by Robinsons of Stockport, is a big seller in the UK and exported all over the globe. I've no doubt orders have been placed by Maiden fans / collectors worldwide for these stamps, especially the limited edition sheets. It will make RM a lot of money so I'm sure Mr Parkes doesn't care about quibbling over 'proper' anniversary dates or whether or not the set is relevant to traditional UK stamp collectors.
DeleteSorry, in making this comment I should have identified myself as ‘White Knight’. I find it depressing that RM has sunk to this level but for now at least accept that this is the way things will be. Many non-stamp collectors will be delighted with these products. The present programme reflects the self-absorbed society that now exists and the general opinion that history began in 1946. No doubt Mr Parkes will get a fat bonus which he probably deserves.
DeleteNot quite sure how they landed on E11 (Leytonstone) for the FDC postmark. The band are widely reported to have formed in Leyton (E10) and first gigged in the Coach and Horses in Stratford (E15). They did meet their first vocalist in a pub in E11, but I suspect RM may have picked the wrong postcode in error.
ReplyDelete(Having said all that, and despite not really having any interest in the band, I live in E11, so may pick it up anyway!)
I am wondering why my favourite band of all time Genesis have not been included yet, they released Trespass in 1970 & a further 7-8 up until 1976, perhaps their prog rock genre is no appreciated, but if you like it then a 22.58 minute track on Foxtrot will blow your mind , as for stamps all their albums had excellent artwork covers
ReplyDeleteOr even a joint issue Genesis/ Peter Gabriel/ Phil Collins/ Mike & the Mechanics ...
DeleteI am wondering why my favourite Band 'NINE BELOW ZERO' is not included also? they have been making great R&B and Blues Music since 1977 and are well know in the UK & Europe including Ireland.RW
DeleteProbably due to insufficient mainstream exposure and too few singles (like zero, according to Wikipedia).
DeleteBlues isn't anywhere near as popular as rock; I'm not sure where it sits against heavy metal.
For 1972 the Stamps Advisory Committee included Ralph Vaughan Williams and angels with trumpet, lute and harp for the Christmas stamps - and they were collected by millions not thousands.
ReplyDeleteRVW was issued in April, but the Christmas issue is as described.
DeleteSorry, yes, I meant "included Ralph Vaughan Williams and, for the Christmas stamps, angels with trumpet, lute and harp".
DeleteLogically we will have to expect stamps featuring tbe Bay City Rollers, Slade and the New Seekers - their vinyl sales must gave been far in excess of Iron Maiden's!
ReplyDeleteThe "Iron Maiden Limited Edition Gold Stamp Set" with "Catalogue code AS9400C" is described as "A special edition version of the Iron Maiden stamp set plated in pure 24 carat gold with colourised and embossed detailing" and "limited to just 1,975 sets" but from the picture on the Royal Mail website I can't see any difference between these and the ordinary stamps.
ReplyDeleteA week on from the issue date and no notification from Tallents House of dispatch of my order or advice of delay. Does anyone know the situation or received these stamps in a timely fashion? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI know of a FDC delivered (bent). Call S&C Customer Service.
DeleteI received the items I'd ordered the day after issue. The notification of dispatch email arrived about 3 hours AFTER the stamps!
DeleteI telephoned them this morning and was told there are short delays to processing and dispatch of Iron Maiden orders, so if other readers are still waiting, that’s probably why. A general e-mail from RM to customers who have ordered them or a notice on the website would perhaps have been a good thing to do, but there you go.
DeleteI was given the excuse by RM 18/01/22 that do to the popularity of the issue, items had been delayed. My Miniature sheets were still being processed a week on from when the rest of the order was sent out.
DeleteI received my stamps & mini sheet on day of issue, so I am thankful.
DeleteSo did I, but I'm still awaiting the two Collectors Sheets.
Delete