Royal Mail announce new Andy Murray Stamps
Just 11 days after Andy Murray raised the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Trophy at the all England Club, Royal Mail has announced that it is issuing a set of 4 stamps to celebrate the first British Wimbledon Champion in 77 years.
Royal Mail’s new Andy Murray Stamps – issued on 8 August
Andy Murray Stamps: An Impossible Issue?
A few years ago, this would have seemed an impossible issue for Royal Mail. Firstly, living people (other than the Royal Family) were simply banned from British stamps. Secondly, the Royal Mail of old would not have been nimble enough to deal with the complexities of such an issue in a short period of time.
But much has changed. In 2003 Royal Mail rushed through a Rugby World Cup Winners Miniature Sheet and two years later an Ashes Victory Miniature Sheet (could we see another this year?). But these, they argued did not feature individual players but instead celebrated the whole team’s achievement.
All Change for the Olympics
But everything changed for the Olympics as Royal Mail issued 63 Olympic and Paralympic Gold Medal Winner Stamps, taking the nation by storm. The result was the the greatest interest in stamps for 20 odd years and a final death knell in the living person taboo.
Andy Murray – the most celebrated living person on stamps
Andy Murray has already featured on British Stamps
Of course, Andy Murray featured amongst those stamps – so with his 4 new stamps announced today, he holds a new title, alongside Wimbledon Champion. He is now the most celebrated non-Royal on British stamps.
So well done Andy and well done Royal Mail – we need you there to capture the mood of the nation.
Portraits of a Queen – which portrait proved most popular?
A couple of weeks ago we asked you to vote for the Royal Portrait you liked the most.
If you were wondering what the results were, take a quick look at the “videographic” below…
You can own all four Portraits on original UK Crowns.
Click here for more info about the Portraits of the Queen 4-coin set
Portraits of a Queen – the changing face of Britain’s coinage
Discover a little of the history behind the Queen’s effigy and vote for your favourite portrait.
As well as the 60th Coronation Anniversary, 2013 marks the 60th Anniversary of the Queen’s coinage.
The first Queen Elizabeth II coins were struck in 1953 and since then four different effigies adorned our coins.
1953 – 1967: Mary Gillick
The first coins of Queen Elizabeth’s reign bore Mary Gillick’s portrait of the young Queen, engraved especially for the new coins.
Her uncrowned portrait of the Queen is still used on the Maundy Money distributed each year by Her Majesty.
1968 – 1984: Arnold Machin RA
With the upcoming decimilisation, it was decided to refresh the Queen’s portrait with Arnold Machin’s new sculpture of the Queen. Commissioned in 1964, it first appeared in 1968 on the new 5p and 10p coins. A version of the design with tiara was also introduced on stamps in 1967 and remains to this day.
1985 – 1997: Raphael Maklouf
In creating his new effigy of Her Majesty, Raphael Maklouf aimed “to create a symbol, regal and ageless”.
His “couped” portrait depicts Queen Elizabeth II wearing the royal diadem favoured by her on the way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.
1998 – current: Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
The current Queen’s head on our coinage was designed in 1997 by Ian Rank-Broadley. Created to fill the full circle of the coin, its larger size was a deliberate response to the smaller 5p and 10p coins in circulation. A noticeably more mature portrayal of Her Majesty, Rank-Broadley aimed to show the Queen with “poise and bearing”.
You can own all four Portraits on original UK Crowns.
Click here for more info about the Portraits of the Queen 4-coin set