The longest bank holiday in British history…

In August 1914, the British economy was in turmoil because of the instability brought on by the oncoming war on the continent. Bankers and politicians were desperately looking for ways to secure Britain’s finances and prevent the banks from collapsing.

So to buy time to look for a solution, the government extended the national bank holiday on 3rd August to include Tuesday 4th, Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th August – making this the longest bank holiday in British history!

1 1st series 1914 note - The longest bank holiday in British history...
£1 1st Series Treasury Issue Banknote

The government decided that a large supply of banknotes had to be made available for the values of £1 and 10 shillings, making it easy for the public to make small transactions and to dissuade the hoarding of precious metal coins. However, The Bank of England was not able to prepare and print the required number of notes quickly enough, so the government took the unprecedented step of deciding to issue the notes itself.

These banknotes became known as the Treasury banknotes and were unlike anything the British public had ever seen. Until this point the lowest denomination banknote was £5, and in those days this was such a large sum that many people would never have seen or used a banknote before.

That means that these Treasury notes now stand out as the first widely circulated banknotes in England.

SPEC 1 3rd Series 1917 obverse reverse note - The longest bank holiday in British history...
£1 3rd Series Treasury Issue Banknote

And what’s more, the Treasury notes featured a portrait of King George V. Nowadays we’re used to seeing Her Majesty on our banknotes, but the Treasury notes were the first British notes to feature a portrait of the monarch. In fact, Bank of England notes would not display an image of the monarch until 1960.

Treasury notes played a vital role in keeping the economy moving during the First World War and for the first time in England and Wales, paper money became normal currency used by ordinary people.

These notes were born out of Britain’s longest bank holiday and now stand as some of the most interesting banknotes in notaphily history!


If you’re interested…

Warren Fisher One Pound Silver Banknote Close Up2 1 - The longest bank holiday in British history...

Today you have the opportunity to own a FINE SILVER reproduction of the 3rd issue Treasury Note. Act now to secure this perfect banknote commemorative.

Click here to order your FINE SILVER reproduction Treasury Note now >>>

Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcom

Dads Army Landing Page Banner 2 1024x174 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcom

 

Get yours today – personally signed by Private Pike actor, Ian Lavender.

Royal Mail has just revealed a new set of special stamps, which will feature beloved characters from classic British sitcom, Dad’s Army.

Scheduled for release on 26 June 2018, the new stamps will feature eight best loved characters – the seven original members of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard, Captain Mainwaring, Sergeant Wilson, Lance Corporal Jones, Private Walker, Private Fraser, Private Godfrey and Private Pike, as well as lovable antagonist Chief Warden Hodges.

The stamps are Royal Mail’s first ever dedicated British sitcom stamp issue – and on the 50th anniversary of the airing of the first episode, they couldn’t have picked a more deserving programme.

Dad’s Army is one of select group of shows that fully deserves its classic status.  The comedy focused on a Home Guard platoon commanded by pompous bank manager Captain Mainwaring and his mild-mannered chief clerk, Sergeant Wilson, as they provide Walmington-on-Sea’s last line of defence against the imminent Nazi invasion.

Drawn from their own wartime memories, writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft based the series partly on Perry’s experiences in the Local Defence Volunteers at the age of 17 during the Second World War.  His mother objected to him being out at night, which inspired the character of Pike.

And so when the actor who played Private Pike, Ian Lavender, agreed to sign 500 framed Dad’s Army stamps, we were absolutely delighted.

Ian signing 768x1024 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcom

In 1968, aged just 22, Ian was cast as Private Frank Pike, the youngest member of the platoon.  He appeared in the entire run of the series, and in the spinoff film released in 1971.

He revived the role of Private Pike in the 1983 BBC Radio sitcom It Sticks Out Half a Mile.  The show was a radio sequel to Dad’s Army, running for just one series.  Ian has continued to be associated with Dad’s Army, and even made a cameo appearance as Brigadier Pritchard in the 2016 Dad’s Army film.

Here’s your first look at the new stamps alongside some details about each one…

CAPTAIN MAINWARING

Dads Army stamps product images 3 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by Arthur Lowe.  The pompous, if essentially brave and unerringly patriotic local bank manager, Mainwaring appointed himself leader of his town’s contingent of Local Defence Volunteers.  He had been a lieutenant in the First World War, but is embarrassed by the fact that he never saw combat, being sent to France only in 1919 after the Armistice and then part of the Army of Occupation in Germany.

SERGEANT WILSON

Dads Army stamps product images 1 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by John Le Mesurier, a diffident, upper-class chief bank clerk who would quietly question Mainwaring’s judgement (“Do you think that’s wise, Sir?”).  Wilson actually had served as a Captain during the First World War, but he only reveals this in the final episode.  He does not live with the Pike family but is implied to be in a relationship with the widowed Mrs Pike (and sometimes hinted to be Private Pike’s father) although this is never explicitly stated.

LANCE CORPORAL JONES

Dads Army stamps product images 4 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by Clive Dunn.  The local butcher, born in 1870.  Jones was an old campaigner who enlisted as a drummer boy at age 14 and participated, as a boy soldier, in the Gordon Relief Expedition of 1884–85 and, as a man soldier, in Kitchener’s campaign in the Sudan in 1896–98.  Jones also served during the Boer War and the Great War.  He often suffers from the effects of malaria caught during one of his campaigns, and has to be calmed during his ‘shudders’.  Often seen as fastidious and old, he is the world’s worst worrier and has a catch phrase of ‘They don’t like it up ‘em!’ when referencing any potential Nazi attack.  Dunn was considerably younger than his character, being only 48 at the start of filming.  This allowed him to take part in some of the more physical comedy of the show.

PRIVATE FRASER

Dads Army stamps product images 6  - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by John Laurie.  A dour Scottish undertaker and a former Chief Petty Officer on HMS Defiant in the Royal Navy.  He served at the Battle of Jutland as a ship’s cook and also has a medal for having served on Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition. Fraser Lived on the Isle of Mingulay.  His catchphrase was “We’re doomed. Doomed!”

PRIVATE WALKER

Dads Army stamps product images 5 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by James Beck.  A black market spiv, Walker was one of only two able-bodied men of military age in Walmington-on-Sea’s Home Guard (the other was Private Pike).  Walker was not called up to the regular army because of an allergy to corned beef.  Following Beck’s death in 1973 Walker was cut out of the series.

PRIVATE GODFREY

Dads Army stamps product images 7 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by Arnold Ridley.  A retired shop assistant, Godfrey had worked at the Army & Navy Store in London.  He lives in Walmington with his elderly sisters and serves as the platoon’s medical orderly. He often gets “caught short” and needs to “be excused”.  A conscientious objector during the First World War, he was nevertheless awarded the Military Medal for heroic actions as a combat medic during the Battle of the Somme.

PRIVATE PIKE

Dads Army stamps product images 2 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by Ian Lavender.  The youngest of the platoon, a cosseted mother’s boy, often wearing a thick scarf over his uniform to prevent illness and a frequent target for Mainwaring’s derision (“You stupid boy!”).  Pike is not called up to the regular army due to his rare blood group.  He works for Mainwaring in his day job as an assistant bank clerk.  He frequently addresses Sgt. Wilson as “Uncle Arthur”.

CHIEF WARDEN HODGES

Dads Army stamps product images 8 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomPlayed by Bill Pertwee.  The platoon’s major rival and nemesis, Mainwaring looks down on him as the local greengrocer and dislikes that Hodges saw active service in the Great War.  As an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden, he is always demanding that people “put that light out”.

 


Dads Army Stamps A4 Frame Ian Lavender PP 300x208 - Don’t Panic! NEW Dad’s Army stamps celebrate classic British sitcomIf you’re interested…

You can reserve all of the new Dad’s Army stamps now on a limited edition Framed Collector Card – hand-signed by actor Ian Lavender – Private Frank Pike himself!

Click here for details >>

This GLOW-IN-THE-DARK coin, celebrating a 75 year old conspiracy theory, has caused a collecting sensation.

UFO Blog - This GLOW-IN-THE-DARK coin, celebrating a 75 year old conspiracy theory, has caused a collecting sensation.


On June 24th 1947 nine unusual high speed objects were spotted flying over the city of Roswell. The military announced they’d found a flying saucer, then retracted this, instead insisting it was a US Air Force air balloon. This caused conspiracy theories to develop and grow… what exactly was it that crash landed that day?

Flat reverse 300x200 - This GLOW-IN-THE-DARK coin, celebrating a 75 year old conspiracy theory, has caused a collecting sensation.

3D ‘dome ‘ shaped

To commemorate 70 years since the event that shook the city of Roswell, Niue have issued a coin that is as mysterious as the event itself and it is proving to be just as popular with collectors as the Roswell event is with conspiracy theorists. In fact, with only 700 ever issued, this coin is already sold out at the Mint and it is very clear why…

The coin is 3D ‘dome’ shaped, replicating the iconic UFO shape that you would have grown up seeing. Domed coins like this are highly unusual and collectors are always quick to add them to their collections. The coin is a stunning design, struck in sterling silver to a proof finish. It is a remarkable feat and uses the latest technology in modern minting to achieve this incredible high-relief finish.

Glow in the dark progression 300x200 - This GLOW-IN-THE-DARK coin, celebrating a 75 year old conspiracy theory, has caused a collecting sensation.

Glow in the dark feature

The photo-luminescent detail adds to the collectability of the coin. If you hold the coin in the light for 30-60 seconds, turn off the light and watch the magic happen –the coin actually glows in the dark.

The amount of glow in the dark coins are very few and far between, so it’s no wonder that collectors have been rushing to secure their own silver UFO coin.

This scarce coin not only comes in its own unique presentation case to help keep the mystery under wraps, it is also complemented by a custom made ‘Top Secret’ collectors crate, which hints at the Roswell conspiracy theories that there was a major military cover-up.

The Roswell incident is known as one of the most famous and mystifying UFO incidents in history, and now this coin is already becoming one of the most sought-after and collectable coins!

 

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Full item 300x200 - This GLOW-IN-THE-DARK coin, celebrating a 75 year old conspiracy theory, has caused a collecting sensation.

The Glow-in-the-Dark Silver UFO Coi

This item is now fully allocated. Click here to view other items from our collectors gallery >>