1607. 🇬🇧 James Bond Makes Another Philatelic Appearance.

🇬🇧 Royal Mail will issue a large number of philatelic items on 17 March 2020 on the subject of the character James Bond created by Ian Fleming in a long series of novels and subsequently an even longer series of films. The release of the 25th movie of this film series is the excuse provided by Royal Mail for issuing this latest expensive philatelic extravaganza dealing with yet another aspect of  popular modern British and, sometimes, foreign culture.
 The issue is made up of 6 stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps with additional hidden features, 1 counter booklet containing 4 x 1st class rate Machin Head definitives and 2 x 1st class rate stamps from the set, along with 1 Prestige booklet costing £16.99 and containing the stamps from the set and miniature sheet as well as a pane containing 2 x 2nd class rate Scotland regional stamps, 2 x 1st class Union Jack greetings stamps and 2 x 2p and 2 x 2nd class rate Machin Head definitives the definitives have code M19L MPIL. As well as all these there is also a ‘Collectors sheet’ containing 5 x 1st class and 5 x £1.60 Machin Head definitives with attached labels and costing £12.60 and there is also, inevitably I suppose, a ‘Limited edition’ premium priced special edition of the Prestige booklet costing £64.99 .
An exciting set nicely designed by Interabang and lithographed by International Security Printers and perforated 14.5. Rating:- ***** (for the basic items of this issue)

  Royal Mail previously commemorated the James Bod character when it issued a set of 6 stamps, 1 miniature sheet and a Prestige booklet on 8 January 2008. The stamps depicted covers of various editions of some of the books and were designed by A2 and lithographed by De La Rue.

  Subsequently a ‘Collectors sheet’ was released in 2012 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first James Bond book. The sheet contained 10 Union Jack stamps with attached labels each depicting a different poster from 10 of the movies.

  Guernsey Post issued a set of 6 stamps, 1 miniature sheet and a gold foil miniature sheet (‘sealed in acrylic crystal’ and sold in a ‘limited edition’ of 500 for a preposterous £95) on 30 July 2014 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of the character’s creator, Ian Fleming. The issue was designed by Two Degrees North and lithographed by BDT International Printers.

1606. 🇦🇺 Australia Turns To Disney, Neighbours, DC Comics And Bugs Bunny To Boost Sales.

🇦🇺 As mentioned in Blog 1605 Australia Post has revealed its new issue programme for March to April 2020 and the straightforward issues are listed in that Blog. Unhappily Australia Post has ignored the views of many collectors about its proposed MyStamps Shapes issues and intends to release a large number of these issues, sold in packs, over the next few weeks.

  This Blog therefore outlines what stamp products are to be expected to be released over the next few weeks but it is not my intention to highlight these products here in the future. This list includes upcoming special stamp pack issues and the proposed MyStamps Shapes issues.

18 February 2020 - ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 - 8 x $1.10 ‘Map of Australia’ Stamps with attached labels. Face value $8.80, sold for $15.95.

9 March 2020 - Australian Football League (AFL)  - Pack containing 20 x  $1.10 self-adhesive stamps (face value $22, sold for $25.50) plus 18 packs each representing a different club, each sold for $25.50 and each containing 20 self-adhesive identical stamps (actual face value $22).

9 March 2020 - National Rugby League (NRL) - Pack containing 20 x $1.10 self-adhesive stamps plus 16 packs each representing a different club, each sold for $25.50 and containing 20 identical self-adhesive stamps (actual face value $22).

18 February 2020 - 80th anniversary of Bugs Bunny pack containing 12 x $1.10 different self-adhesive stamps (face value $13.20, sold for $15.50c).

25 February 2020 - Justice League 60th anniversary - 2 panes each containing 10 x gummed $1.10 ‘Let’s Party’ stamps with attached labels depicting various DC Comics characters. Total face value $22 but sold for $25.50.

3 March 2020 - 35th anniversary of Neighbours (Australian television soap opera) pack containing 12 x $1.10 different self-adhesive stamps (total face value $13.20, sold for $15.50).

24 March 2020 - Disney’s Cinderella pack containing 12 x $1.10 different self-adhesive stamps (total face value $13.20, sold for $15.50).

28 April 2020 - Disney Princess pack containing 12 x $1.10 different self-adhesive stamps (face value $13.20, sold for $15.50.

  If we ignore the gummed stamps with attached labels and also include the combined packs only of the rugby and Australian football teams issues (not the individual team packs) then the items mentioned on this page amount to 82 new Australian stamps (in addition to those highlighted in Blog 1605) with the total cost of these particular items being $133. Not bad for 2 months.

  Australia Post might insist that these are not meant for stamp collectors but they ARE new stamps and there are some collectors who may feel compelled to buy them to maintain a ‘complete collection’. Pleasingly, for me at least that need has long since passed.