Downstream access Royal Mail logo updated to Tudor crown.

Royal Mail announced a year ago that the adoption of the Tudor Crown by King Charles would mean a change to the cruciform logo.

John G reports that Royal Mail announced on 23 December 2024 that the Tudor Crown was to be included in the RM Access indicia by 23 December 2026, but they would accept and process mail with the Tudor crown before that date.

John includes this image of the new format:

 

Here are two small indicia from whistl (C9 10002) and two large indicia from UK Mail (C9 10001). 

A majority of indicia on mail still show the old St Edward’s crown, but I have also seen the Tudor crown on indicia from C9 10017 (The Delivery Group), C9 10020 (CitiPost Mail) and C9 10090 (licence-holder unknown). 

This will be another variant to look out for on direct mail with the King's head stamps printed on as well.

 

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British commmemoratives going off sale soon.

Royal Mail have announced the off-sale dates before Christmas for the following issues:

31 August - Dame Shirley Bassey

30 September  - Blackadder and Discworld

31 October - Flying Scotsman (the last QE2 stamp) 

31 December - Iron Maiden

I would suggest ordering before those dates if you want to be sure of getting any of these, especially the last as your order might not be dealt with as quickly during the Christmas/New Year holiday period.

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Thanks to Peantus we're over 10 million views!

I've been monitoring the page views figure, but I was barely at my desk yesterday so didn't notice it bust the 10 million figure.  Thank you everyone, did anybody capture the moment?

Screen capture 16 July 17.00

Screen capture 18 July 10.30

If only I was an 'influencer' I could be rich !

 

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This won't be Peanuts - Basic products £64.80, the full bundle another £95! Set of 8, issued on 24 July 2025.

Ever since the stamp programme was announced we wondered whether there could possibly be a redeeming factor in this issue: that is, something other than an American comic strip. But no, the 75th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip is being commemorated by Britain's Royal Mail.

Royal Mail reason and inspiration

Royal Mail are celebrating the internationally loved comic strip ‘Peanuts’ on the occasion of its 75th anniversary in 2025.

The first black-and-white Peanuts daily strip launched on Monday, 2 October 1950, in a modest seven newspapers. As many more papers signed on, it led to the longer Sunday episodes in colour, from 6 January 1952. It expanded to the UK in February 1953, first featuring in the Daily Sketch, before switching to the Daily Mail in May 1971.

Charles Schulz devoted himself to putting his pen to paper and turned his ‘repertory company’ of assorted children, a beagle and a little bird into the American comic-strip masterpiece Peanuts. Seven days a week for nearly 50 years, the comic was enjoyed in as many as 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries by an estimated 350 million readers. Reprints still run in some 2,000 papers in print and online – proof that Peanuts remains highly popular with young and old a quarter of a century after Schulz’s final original strip appeared on 13 February 2000.

Each stamp in the set of eight, se-tenant pairs, features Charlie Brown, Snoopy and friends in a British style theme of the much-loved comic strip including: the classic Snoopy pose on a Royal Mail Pillar Box, playing Football (or Soccer as Charlie Brown may have called it), Charlie Brown and Snoopy “enjoying” the British Weather and a Birthday Tea Party among others. 

The stamps 

8 x 1st class stamps marking the 75th anniversary of American comic strip 'Peanuts'.

Technical Details

The 41 x 30 mm stamps were designed by Interbang and printed by Cartor Security Printers in lithography with regular gum, perforated 14½ x 14.  Copyright © 2025 Peanuts Worldwide.

Collectors Sheet & Fan Sheets

I don't recall a previous collector sheet having only 8 stamps - if the set had 8 normally two were duplicated.  This sheet is litho and self-adhesive making the stamps different to those issued in counter sheets. (Price £14.80)

 

 

The Peanuts Gang Fan sheet and Snoopy Fan sheet contain four 'gang' stamps (the eighth one shown above) or four Snoopy stamps (the first one above) respectively. Price £8.

Products available

Set of 8 stamps, first day cover, presentation pack, collector's sheet, stamp cards, Peanuts character pack of set of stamps, Peanuts Gang Fan sheet, Snoopy Fan sheet. silver-plated medal cover, framed stamp set, framed collector's sheet, limited edition (1000) gold stamp ingot of the Snoopy stamp.

 

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King Charles II 4 x 1st class booklet, new 2025 printing with new crown

This booklet was first seen on eBay and was probably first found in a Post Office branch.

Enquiries of Stamps & Collectibles revealed the following:

 

Post Office Ltd needed more stock, and called it off from the printer earlier than Royal Mail's planned distribution later in the summer.  As they have been made available it is likely that Stamps & Collectibles will get them to the trade and to collectors with standing orders, sooner than expected.

Update: the booklet has been announced in  this week's Trade Briefing.

See King Charles III definitives - new printings 2024 and 2025

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New duplication on Greenwich Observatory PSB.

I think it's over six months since we had a new prestige stamp book error, so it's my pleasure to show this duplicated pane in the Royal Observatory book, courtesy of JF.

It's difficult to take a photo of such errors as there is a risk of damaging the stamps, so this has been slightly enhanced.  As you can see, there are two copies of pane 2.

Duplicated pane 2 in Royal Observatory prestige stamp book.

 

UPDATE:

My thanks to the new owner of this booklet (MB) for a better picture

 

 

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Slogan postmarks in July - and other interesting postal matters

July has started as June ended with the default Dog Awareness Week postmark so I'll start by repeating the one JM supplied last month and also show a July dated copy of the other layout, from MM.

DOG Awareness Week slogan, Inverness Mail Centre 30-06-2025

DOG Awareness Week slogan, Sheffield Mail Centre 04/07/2025

MM sent a copy of the United States Postal Service slogan for the campaign.  Australia has also used one but I haven't managed to get a good copy yet, most of them being not as good as the British ones!

Dog Bite Awareness slogan, Indianapolis 24 Jun 2025.

Update 23 July:  my thanks to RD for a much clearer example of the USPS dog slogan, from Boston

Dog Bite Awareness slogan, Boston 9 Jul 2025.

 

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British Heart Foundation default slogan postmark Cornwall Mail Centre 15/07/2025

BHF slogan Cornwall Mail Centre 15/07/2025

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Apart from various commemorations of the NHS (National Health Service) over the years, there are no other regular slogans in July, so we may have only the default British Heart Foundation for the rest of the month.

UPDATE  29 JULY - Congratulations to the Lionesses, we should see examples of this slogan tomorrow.

 

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Other postmarks and postal markings

MM also sent this cover from 1982 with a Post Office label that I don't recall seeing reported at the time (or since) - but then in 1982 although curious I wasn't too interested in postal history.  (Although I kept much of what came through the post then!)

Blue Peter is a British children's television entertainment programme and is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958.  An enduring feature of the programme is the annual charity appeal, which asks viewers to collect items that can be recycled or sold to raise money for the chosen cause. For example, in 1973–74, Blue Peter sponsored a "Stampede", asking people to donate postage stamps in support of Ethiopian famine relief.  

In 1981 the appeal was for postage stamps and pre-decimal and foreign coins for Operation Pipeline, which provided 150 Javanese villages with pure water systems and health care services. 

The delay in the delivery of this item is very much
regretted.  Unfortunately it was missorted into the
Blue Peter Pipeline Appeal bag and has only now
been returned to the Post Office by the organisers
of the appeal.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience
caused to you as a result of this unfortunate error. 

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Dyffryn circular date stamp

Dyffyrn Post Office 14 JL 25 circular date stamp
Dyffryn Ardudwy 14 July 2025

 

There is a Dyffryn in Cardiff, but this one - Dyffryn Ardudwy in full - is in Gwynedd, north of Barmouth.  It's a small village astride the Welsh main coast road (A 496) between Barmouth and Porthmadog; as you can see, navigating the village as a pedestrian is hazardous!   The Google streetview is from 2018 and the shop is now branded Onestop.

Google street view 2018.

One Stop - Fox's Stores of Dyffryn, Google 2024.

 

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Update 23 July

MM has sent this image of a surcharged letter with a large REUSED STAMP handstamp.  I feel it is one that we ought to have seen before, but I can't find another image in my files.

Unfortunately we don't know when or where it was applied; from the limited address (only a part-cover was received) it may be south eat Essex;  the stamp is coded M14L but again that doesn't mean that it is that old.  But of course Machins are no longer valid, so it is quite likely that this pre-dates the invalidation.

Large 'Reused Stamp' handstamp, unfortunately undated and office of use unknown. 

 

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Post Office and Royal Mail pictures 

Lars Tåders has sent some photos from his travels which may be of interest to readers.

The first is of the vehicles at Royal Mail's Dartford Delivery Office (on a Sunday which is why they aren't out delivering.) 

Royal Mail delivery vans at the Dartford Delivery Office (June 2025) [Credit Lars Tåders]

Post Office branches

Mundesley Norfolk and Springbourne, Bournemouth.

Village Post Office at Mundesley, Norfolk (June 2025) [Credit Lars Tåders]

Branch Post Office at Springbourne, Bournemouth. (June 2025) [Credit Lars Tåders]

 

 

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Remember, all postmarks appearing in July will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.

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