When I saw that these stamps were on Royal Mail's shop yesterday, a day before my embargo, I was annoyed not so much that they were early again, but that I hadn't got a blog post ready. But it seems that I have: I must have done this last week and totally forgot about it! The benefits of the ability to schedule posts for later publication.
The 150th anniversary of the birth of one of Britain's most iconic figures, Sir Winston Churchill is marked this year. To commemorate this significant milestone, Royal Mail is proud to present a special collection of stamps and collectibles celebrating the life and legacy of the man who led the nation through its darkest hours. This exclusive set captures the essence of Churchill's remarkable journey—from his early years as a soldier and statesman to his leadership during World War II and beyond.
The set of eight special stamps commemorate the 150th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s birth, honouring one of Britain’s greatest leaders. The stamps feature carefully selected images of Churchill, capturing key moments from his extraordinary life—from his early years in the military and in journalism to his pivotal role during World War II, whilst also showing his life as painter and devoted husband. Accompanying each stamp are some of Churchill's most famous quotes, offering timeless words of wisdom that continue to inspire, creating a beautiful and touching tribute to Churchill's legacy.
The stamps in detail
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| Set of 8 stamps marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Winston Churchill. |
Upper images
2nd Class: A young Churchill in 1899.
1st Class: Churchill with Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, 28 August 1940
£1.00: Churchill painting at Miami Beach, Florida, USA, 1946,
£2.00: Churchill at work during a train journey, June 1941.
Lower images
2nd Class: Churchill in the military uniform of a hussar, 1895.
1st Class: Churchill making ‘V for victory’ sign outside 10 Downing St, June 1943,
£1.00: Churchill & Clementine, his wife, Horse Guard’s Parade, January 1941
£2.00: Churchill in later life.
Technical details and acknowledgements
The stamps were printed by Cartor Security Printers in lithography in vertical se-tenant pairs, on gummed paper sheets of 60. Perforations are 14½ x 14.
Image of Sir Winston Churchill reproduced courtesy of Churchill Heritage Limited and Curtis Brown, London. Quotations from the writings and speeches of Sir Winston Churchill © the Estate of Winston S. Churchill, reproduced courtesy of Curtis Brown, London. Photographs: Churchill in 1899 by Elliott & Fry, photograph by Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Churchill in the military uniform of a hussar, 1895, reproduced courtesy of Curtis Brown, London, on behalf of the Broadwater Collection; Churchill with Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, 28 August 1940 © IWM H 3508; Churchill making ‘V for victory’ sign outside 10 Downing Street, June 1943, photograph by HF Davis/Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Churchill painting at Miami Beach, Florida, USA, 1946, photograph by Bettmann/Getty Images; Churchill with his wife, Clementine, on Horse Guard’s Parade, London, January 1941, photograph by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images; Churchill at work during a train journey, June 1941 © IWM H 10874; Churchill in later life, photograph by Baron/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Prestige Stamp Book - £20.45
The Prestige Stamp Book offers a rich, 24-page biography of Winston Churchill, exploring his remarkable life and career, written by Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre. Expertly Curated Content - Authored by a leading Churchill historian, this book delves deep into Churchill’s personal and public life, offering unique insights into his legacy as a statesman, soldier, and Nobel Prize-winning author. With stunning visuals, the book carries carefully selected imagery, the book captures Churchill’s defining moments, from his early military adventures to his leadership during the Second World War.
The Prestige Stamp Book contains all eight commemorative stamps on panes 1 & 2. Pane 4 contains four of the new King Charles III Union Flag stamps, and pane 3 contains two each of the 50p & £1 definitives with security codes M24L MPIL.
Collectors Sheet
The sheet is self-adhesive making 8 new stamps, plus two extra 1st class. It includes 10 Churchill stamps paired with photographs of Churchill at defining moments through his life and career. The dramatic background to the sheet shows Churchill in the middle of delivering a speech. (This is a preliminary image with no values shown.)
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| Winston Churchill 150th anniversary Collectors Sheet. |
Products available
Stamp Set, presentation pack, stamp cards, prestige stamp book, first day covers (set and definitive pane), collectors' sheet, coin covers (3), framed set.
Note: there are differing opinions as to the legacy of Churchill's long life. Comments which venture too far on this will not be published. You are entitled to your own views but this is not the place to go into lengthy discussions about them.
Thanks for all these details Ian. I know it's a difficult time for you. I think this is a great set overall, although I do think the £1 and £2 values are completely unnecessary. Do you know if the 1st Flag stamps in the Prestige Booklet are to be gummed or self adhesive? They look self adhesive (and therefore new) in the pictures.
ReplyDeleteThey're gummed. Only the definitive pane is SA.
DeleteMinor point but the PSB costs £22.25. Presumably RM provided the text before the October rate rise?
ReplyDeleteA Great Set of Stamps for Sir Winston Churchill but why oh why does the Royal Mail keep putting text on the stamps and spoil them !
ReplyDeleteThey did it with the 'Fools and horses -and also Porridge plus other and as above why a £1 & £2 Stamps, RW
They are okay - but I think I preferred the 1974 Churchill Centenary set.
ReplyDeleteI thought the full set was supposed to be 10 stamps and 1 Miniature Sheet at least. He definitely deserves it.
ReplyDeleteThey are not pretty but then they depend on old black & white photos. On the positive side they are gummed, so will last longer and we shall have 2nd class ones again which are useful for ordinary post. I see Roberts point about text on stamps but Churchill was famous for his passion for the English language. His speech about fighting them on the beaches contains but one word of foreign origin and that is 'surrender' to strengthen his point.
ReplyDelete