Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

Game of Thrones - 23 January 2018

Royal Mail issues another set of stamps devoted to and publicising (as if that were necessary) another multi-million pound worldwide media phenomenon.  Justifying this, Royal Mail wrote:
The Game of Thrones production involves a very significant British contribution in its realisation and promotes the British TV and film industry. The stamp issue marks this contribution and recognises the very considerable number of British and International fans of the series.
Principal filming of the series is at Titanic Studios in Belfast, at the Linen Hill Film Studio in Banbridge and on location elsewhere in Northern Ireland. There has also been additional filming across the seven series in Scotland and European locations including Malta, Croatia, Iceland, Morocco and Spain.
The cast is predominantly British and Irish and the following UK actors have received multiple nominations and awards for the roles they portray in the series: Emilia Clarke, Lena Headley, Maisie Williams, Diana Rigg, Sean Bean and Kit Harrington.

As I wrote on our blog, those collectors who are also interested in this series probably know all there is to know, and I know very little.  Those who don't know anything about it may already have cancelled their standing order with Royal Mail because they regard this as one step too far, and 2017 is as good a cut-off point as any to stop buying new Great Britain stamps, or at least some of them.

So for the record, these are the philatelic collectables on offer.

   
   
  Game of Thrones set of 10 stamps.
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All 1st Class

on gummed paper, and showing (left to right):

Sansa Stark, Jon Snow, Eddard Stark, Olenna Tyrell, Tywyn Lannister, Tyrion Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Arya Stark, Jaime Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen

These stamps are included in the Prestige Stamp Book also gummed. They are also included on the Collectors (Smiler-type) sheet, but self-adhesive.
 Game of Thrones stamps miniature sheet.


Miniature Sheet of 5 x 1st class stamps.

The Night King and White Walkers, Direwolves, Giants, and Dragons, with a central Iron Throne definiitve-sized stamp.

The MS is on self-adhesive paper.


 Cover to Game of Thones Prestige Stamp Book. Game of Thrones PSB pane 1.
Game of Thrones stamps PSB pane 2.Game of Thrones stamps PSB pane 3.

Game of Thrones definitive stamps pane.
5p definitive from Game of Thrones PSB. 20p definitive from Game of Thrones PSB. £1-17 definitive from Game of Thrones PSB.
  The Prestige Stamp Book contains all 10 of the Character stamps, and all of the stamps on the miniature sheet, though this time printed on ordinary gummed paper in litho. 

4 x 1st class, 2 x 2nd class &
2 x £1.40 Machin definitive stamps

The Machins have security features coded MPIL M17L and all panes are printed in litho by
International Security Printers.

The Iron Throne 1st class stamp is on gummed paper unlike the miniature sheet and retail book versions so will command a separate catalogue number and a space in albums.

The 2nd class Northern Ireland country definitive is printed by ISP Cartor for the first time.
Game of Thrones 2018 retail stamp booklet. A retail booklet contains 6 x 1st class Iron Throne stamps

The booklets are printed on Security Printed Backing Paper type 2
Game of Thrones Post and Go pack.

Game of Thrones Post and Go 1st class stamps. Game of Thrones 2nd class stamps.





For the first time Royal Mail have combined a normal stamp issue with Post and Go stamps. 

Now that many Post Office branch customers are directed to Self-Service Kiosks they rarely get the chance to see any of Royal Mail's special issues. 

This may encourage them to ask questions and see the point of sale material in branches. 

The basic pack has one 1st class and one 2nd class stamp, price £1.21.

Stamps are available from Post Office Self-Service Kiosks and Royal Mail Enquiry Office Post and Go machines.

All the fans probably know the detail of these fictional characters, so I shan't take a lot of space here on their write-up.

Technical details:

The 41 x 30 mm stamps are designed by GBH  and printed in lithography on ordinary gummed paper by International Security Printers (ISP) in two sheets of 50 stamps. 
The miniature sheet is also designed by GBH.  The large stamps are 60 x 30 mm, with the Iron Throne 20 x 24 mm.  The sheet is 192 x 74.25 mm without margin and is printed by ISP.
The retail booklet is printed by ISP in gravure, the stamps being self-adhesive as usual.

Acknowledgements: 
Game of Thrones® Series titles and artwork © 2018 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and related trademarks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.  
All stamp images © Royal Mail 2018 - no reproduction permitted without agreement from Royal Mail.  This website © Norvic Philatelics 2018. 

Product range - all available to order on Royal Mail's website

Set of 10 stamps*  -    Presentation Pack containing all 10 stamps    Set of 16 Stamp Cards    One retail booklets.

First Day Covers (2)      Collectors Sheet of 10 stamps      Prestige Stamp Book and official FDC of definitive pane



Special postmarks available for the day of issue  were shown in Royal Mail's Postmark Bulletins (download here)


This page created 1 March 2018

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