1757. 🇬🇧 Stained Glass Features On Royal Mail Christmas Stamps.

 🇬🇧 The 2020 Christmas issue from Royal Mail will be released on 3 November 2020 and is made up of 8 self-adhesive stamps from ordinary sheets, 1 gummed miniature sheet containing all 8 stamps (price £11.64), 2 self-adhesive stamps from 2 booklets (12 x 2nd and 12 x 1st) and 1 collectors sheet containing 20 self-adhesive stamps of various values (costing £20.60). The attractive designs take the theme of stained glass windows depicting The Virgin and Child in churches in the English Midlands, East Anglia and Yorkshire.

 The issue was printed in gravure by International Security Printers and is perforated 14.5 x 15. The glass depicted is to be found in St Andrew’s Church, East Lexham in Norfolk (2nd and 2nd Large), St Andrew’s Church, Coln Rogers in Gloucestershire (1st and 1st Large), St James Church, Hollowell in Northamptonshire (£1.45), All Saints Church in Otley in West Yorkshire (£1.70), St Columbia’s Church, Topcliffe in North Yorkshire (£2.50) and Christ Church, Coalville in Leicestershire (£2.55).  The religious nature of the subject seems appropriate and sensitive . for Christmas in this unhappy year when quite how Britain will look at Christmas time is anyone’s guess. Rating:- ****.

For those who just can’t get enough of the expensive Collectors sheets, Royal Mail will also release a 20 stamp sheet with attached labels on 3 November 2020 to commemorate the Lunar new year, this time The Year Of The Ox. The labels depict Chinese new year celebrations in Liverpool, London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Swansea. This item was designed by hat-trick design and collectors will doubtless be delighted to pay the price of £16.40 for it. It will go on sale from 8 December 2020. Rating:- 0.