On 13 April Royal Mail celebrates the story of the legendary and popular English folk outlaw, Robin Hood, with a set of ten exclusively illustrated first class stamps.
The ten new Special Stamps bring the legend of Robin Hood and his companions to life with illustrations exclusive to these Royal Mail stamps.
Each stamp depicts an element of the famous Robin Hood legend; from being outlawed, then meeting and leading his merry men, his marriage to Maid Marian and his death. The set also features other popular characters from the Robin Hood story including Friar Tuck, the Sheriff and King Richard.
The Presentation Pack contains the ten Robin Hood stamps and a deeper look into the history behind the legend: from the earliest dated stories in the 15th century through to contemporary references and re- creations in today’s media. The pack is written by Dr Lesley Coote, a Lecturer in Medieval Studies and Medievalism at the University of Hull and an established author in relation to Robin Hood.
The Stamps
Exclusively illustrated for Royal Mail by artist Jon McCoy, the ten 1st class stamps feature The Legend of Robin Hood told through powerful images in chronological order; from Robin being outlawed through him shooting his last arrow.
Designs: Robin Hood is declared an outlaw, Robin Hood meets Little John, Friar Tuck carries Robin Hood, Robin Hood robs the rich, Robin Hood wins the archery contest, Robin Hood captures the sheriff, Robin Hood helps Maid Marian, Robin Hood and Maid Marian marry, King Richard* III removes his disguise, Robin Hood shoots his last arrow.
Technical details
The 35 mm square stamps are printed by Cartor Security Printers in lithography in two sheets of 50, in se-tenant strips of 5. The Stamps are designed by Godfrey Design Illustrations and are copyright Royal Mail Group Ltd 2023.
Products
Set of 10 stamps, presentation pack, stamp cards, first day cover, framed set.
* Royal Mail mistakenly use 'King Richard III' in their narrative to us, when in fact it was Richard the Lionheart (Richard I) who would be chronologically accurate in the story.
I've just had notification that the Accession stamps next month are just one Miniature Sheet at £6.60 so presumably two at First and two Overseas, none that'll be seen postally used. So despite possibly being the most important occasion this decade it's absolutely pathetic compared to the then unusual four stamp set for the 1953 Coronation and apparently much less significant than an American comic.
ReplyDeleteGiven the speed with which the 2012 Team GB Olympic gold medallist stamps were issued (available next day, as I recall), and the significance of the occasion, there was a perfect opportunity for a 'big splash' issue - a range of images from the day of the coronation itself, stamps available from the following Tuesday (Monday being a bank holiday) - coupled with a miniature sheet of the official portrait(s).
DeleteAs for the Robin Hood stamps, they make a good match to the King Arthur set, and are visually appealling if unremarkable.
(N.B. King Richard I not III)
Mudgie you are correct why does RM ignore an event as great as this with just a MS? I find it unbelievable!
DeleteI appreciate that details of the Coronation stamps may only become available on the day of issue, which is the Coronation Day itself. However, I do have a query that someone might be able to answer before that. The 6th May is a Saturday, a day that new issues usually avoid for all sorts of good reasons. Is there any likelihood that FDCs will be still be processed if they are bought at a Post Office on one or more of the following working days as well?
DeleteWith another four issues to come this year at least it is all getting very silly. Regards Peter
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my predictions, I actually wanted to see if RM release a set of Robin Hood stamps when they released the King Arthur set, boy they delivered, RM must have read my comments on here, ha ha. A welcome addition I must admit, love the set.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Accession Commemorative release next month in a way I'm glad its just a miniature sheet release, don't really want 6 to 8 stamps of Prince Charles III, ha ha
These are superb. the artwork is perfect, they match the King Arthur stamps and celebrate English culture: Robin Hood being a mediæval allegory of the English people's struggle against the ruling class. I hope that we can look forward to some future issues celebrating Wat Tyler and Oliver Cromwell.
DeleteI do like the Robin Hood Stamps. But why is the FDC postmark Wakefield when Nottingham is the city most associated with him? I know he has Yorkshire links, but Nottingham should be the postmark. A RM faux pas to me. Me thinks collectors beyond the British Isles will be confused about this choice.
DeleteAccording to Royal Mail, the location was chosen as he lived there as a child.
DeleteWhat may not be obvious to anybody is that Robin Hood is the name of the place. Wikipedia: "Robin Hood is a village in West Yorkshire, within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, with Wakefield WF3, and Leeds LS26 postcodes".
I did let the lovely little PO know I'd not be in for this issue, as they are all 1st class and frankly, I have enough stamps to use for postage. I probably won't go forth on day of the new reign issue, but will look to get the miniature sheet or two, perhaps heading to the nice little PO on Blackadder issue day. They ordered one for The Flying Scotsman issue for me to purchase/collect when I went to get the Flowers issue. They were previously only getting 2 miniature sheets, but will probably up that number now there's me as well as another person interested in the stamps (and that gentleman likes to get 2 miniature sheets).
ReplyDeleteThey remind me of the pictures in a Ladybird book I had as a child.
ReplyDeleteThat only cost half a crown (12½p)
I hadn't seen that at first - but you're absolutely right!
DeleteRM have now confirmed on their website 2023 issue listings (either https://www.royalmail.com/sending/stamps or https://shop.royalmail.com/download-stocklist) that the issue for 5 September, which was "To be announced" is in fact "Paddington". I have a nagging suspicion that I've seen this predicted already, but I can't remember where. I am of course assuming that this isn't the first in a series of issues celebrating major London railway stations.
ReplyDeleteOn the day after issue I went to the 'post office' in Canterbury, Kent (a WH Smiths annexe with 2 members of staff visible, one of whom was shuffling around some obviously important pieces of paper behind a 'Position Closed' notice). After waiting in the queue, I asked the man at the only open counter if they had the Robin Hood stamps. The answer was 'only in a Presentation Pack'. This was in one of the UK's major tourist cities where I'm sure visitors would like a nice medieval-looking stamp for their postcards home! I really think Stanley Gibbons should start relegating recent GB commemoratives to the Appendix, if it still exists. The UK certainly issues far too many stamps for normal postal needs and, if they are only available in Presentation Packs or from the British Philatelic Bureau, these stamps are emphatically not being made available to the public in reasonable quantities at face value.
ReplyDeleteYes, so it's no surprise that's it's literally years since we've had anything with "Special stamps" on other than old ones being used up by collectors and dealers and the annual Christmas ones.
DeleteI have spoken to Gibbons about this in the past. Their definition of "fit for catalogue" is only that the stamps should be available, even if that is only from a Bureau. No country's stamps have to be available at ordinary post offices to get in their catalogues. The bar is set very low indeed.
DeleteGibbons narrative for an Appendix for one of the African countries:
DeleteThe following stamps have either been issued in excess of postal needs or have not been available to the public in reasonable quantities at face value. Such stamps may be given full listing if there is evidence of regular postal use.
Given how few are said to be available at post offices, the first category might be relevant, except that we don't know how many are actually produced, so nobody can say that they are 'in excess of postal needs'.
A better argument is that they are not available to the public in reasonable quantities at face value given that some POs sell only presentation packs (£1 over face value) or they must be obtained from the Bureau (only if a handling fee is paid).
"The bar is set very low indeed" for so called Special Stamps.
DeleteThere's no bar at all for the varieties in so called Prestige Stamp Books. .