In time for users to get new personalised stamps in preparation for Christmas, Royal Mail is issuing these stamps to showcase the full and extended Smiler range and gain maximum awareness at this peak period.
Definitive-sized greetings stamps were first issued in October 2005 with the corresponding Generic Smilers Sheet issued in July this year. These new stamps are issued in a self-adhesive booklet of 6 stamps, and a Generic Smilers Sheet will be issued at the same time.
The Smilers Sheet is shown below. As expected, it is a sheet of 20 stamps
consisting of 3 sets of the 6 stamps plus two additional stamps. However,
what we did not expect was that all 20 labels would be different, and this
requires a rethink on FDCs. The borders also have more decoration than the
'Life's Special Moments' sheet issued in July this year. This is probably
designed to stop customers of personalised sheets overprinting the border
with commemorative messages.
Click on the sheet for a larger image.
Technical details.
The A4 (297 x 210mm) Smilers sheet is printed in litho by Cartor Security
Print; the stamp booklet are printed by Walsall Security Print in gravure.
Stamp and postmark images are Copyright 2006 by Royal
Mail.
Postmarks for use on the day of issue are shown below. All permanent
postmarks could also be used.
Except for L10241* these postmarks cannot be obtained after 17 October;
L10241 can be obtained until 25 October.
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| Ref FD645 Official Philatelic Bureau First Day Postmark |
Ref FD646 Official Grinshill, Shrewsbury, FD Postmark |
Ref FD646N Non-pictorial Grinshill, Shrewsbury, First Day of Issue postmark |
Ref M10235 Smilers, Love Lane, Birmingham |
Ref M10236 Generic Smilers Sheets, Giggleswick, Settle |
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| Ref S10237 Smilers Retail Book, Soar, Brecan This should be Brecon; see below |
Ref S10238 Smilers Retail Book, Glass, Huntly |
Ref W10239 Smilers Retail Book, Bangor |
Ref W10240 Smilers Retail Book, Kittywell, Braunton |
Ref L10241* Celebrations, Joydenswood, Dartford, Kent |
We have produced limited edition first day covers for this issue as
detailed below.
All these are digital mock-ups and the size and position of
postmarks may vary.
(a) with the set of 6 booklet stamps - Price £5.50
(b) with the set of 6 booklet stamps and advertising label in booklet layout - Price £5.50
(c) with the set of 6 stamps and labels from the Smilers sheet - Price
£6.50
(d) set of 4 FDCs each carrying 5 stamps and labels (1 vertical strip)
from the Smilers sheet - Price £17.50
Mint stamp booklet - £2.50
Set of 6 stamp cards (enlargements) - £2.75
Set of 6 stamp cards serviced with booklet stamps and 6 postmarks - £5.50
Presentation Pack - £3.10
Mint Smilers sheet - £8.25
Set of 6 single stamps from the sheet with labels - £3.00
Set of 6 stamp cards serviced with Smilers stamps and 6 postmarks - £7.00
This page updated 17 October 2006
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| January 10 Animal Tales Joint issue with USA Paddington Bear Smilers |
February 7 British Journey - England 23 Bicentenary of Isambard Kingdom Brunel |
March 1 Welsh Assembly MS 7 Fun Fruit 'n' Veg Smilers 21 Ice Age Animals 28 New definitives and country stamps |
April 18 80th Birthday of HM The Queen |
May 25 Smilers Sheet for Washington 2006 Stamp Expo |
June 6 World Cup (Soccer) & Smilers Sheet 20 Modern Architecture |
| July 4 Generic Smilers Sheet - pictorial definitives 18 150th ann National Portrait Gallery |
August 1 & 15 New PIP definitives for new postage rate structure 31 Miniature sheet: Year of the Three Kings 1936 |
September 12 New PIP definitives 21 Victoria Cross |
October 3 Sounds of Britain (Europa) 17 Smilers Booklet and Generic sheet |
November 7 Christmas 9 Lest We Forget 14 Belgica 2006 Smilers Sheet 30 St Andrew's Day |
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