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Iron Maiden X-Men  Flying ScotsmanFlowers The Legend of Robin Hood Coronation of King Charles III Blackadder Warhammer Windrush: 75 Years River Wildlife Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Paddington Dame Shirley Bassey Harry Potter Christmas 2023 |
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
His Majesty King Charles III: A New Reign
Royal Mail Marks the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla with Four Special Stamps
Royal Mail has revealed the images of four new stamps that will be issued to mark the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, 6 May 2023.
The stamps illustrate the Coronation ceremony and the traditional street party, as well as some of the causes His Majesty has dedicated his years of public service to: cultural diversity and community; the global ties of the Commonwealth, which he now leads; and sustainability and biodiversity.
The Coronation
Representing the monarchy, continuity, longevity, heritage and tradition.
The stamp depicts the moment of coronation, with St Edward’s Crown being lowered onto His Majesty’s head by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The King holds the Sceptre with Dove and the Sceptre with Cross and sits in the Coronation Chair. The scene is set in front of Westminster Abbey, with fireworks appearing above. In the background, a gun salute is being fired by a member of The King’s Troop, while crowds watch the ceremony and celebrate.
Diversity And Community
Reflecting a multi-faith community and the cultural diversity of contemporary British society.
The stamp features figures representing the Jewish, Islamic, Christian, Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist religions and is representative of all faiths and none. The background shows aspects of both rural and urban Britain and includes some of the many different places of worship that are found around the United Kingdom.
The Commonwealth
Depicting an outward-looking United Kingdom, global trade, cooperation, democracy and peace. The stamp features an imagined Commonwealth meeting, a representation of the Commonwealth Games, some of the flags of the Commonwealth nations, a scene depicting trade and commerce and a Commonwealth War Graves cemetery.
Sustainability And Biodiversity
Highlighting the importance of conservation, biodiversity and a society that works with nature.
The stamp depicts natural landscapes alongside sustainable farming methods and features renewable sources of energy such as hydroelectric power and solar panels. Images of diverse forests, wildflower meadows and pollinating insects highlight the importance of wildlife conservation, while traditional crafts such as hedge-laying and beekeeping also feature prominently.
The stamps are now available to view, ahead of their general release, at the Postal Museum, as part of The King’s Stamp exhibition: The King’s Stamp – The Postal Museum.
Gold miniature sheet
This is only the third time in history that Royal Mail has issued stamps to mark a Coronation. The previous two occasions were for King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The stamps were designed by Atelier Works and feature newly commissioned wood engravings by British artist Andrew Davidson.
The Miniature Sheet background design, also featuring a newly commissioned wood engraving by Andrew Davidson, depicts intermingling foliage, symbolic of the four countries of the UK: the rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock.
Simon Thompson, Chief Executive of Royal Mail said: “Royal Mail is proud to issue this set of commemorative stamps which celebrate the Coronation, and some of the causes which His Majesty has championed throughout his many years of public service. This is only the third time we have issued Coronation stamps and I am delighted that they mark the start of a new reign and a new chapter in our history.”
Official first day cover
Royal Mail will also be applying a special postmark to stamped mail to mark the event. It will read:
The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/coronation, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all four stamps in the set is priced at £7.50. The stamps go on general sale on 6 May 2023.
Delcampe, a selling site alternative to eBay and HipStamp and particularly strong with European buyers and sellers, is closing the accounts of its customers in 23 U.S. states 
and the District of Columbia.
Account-holders received the following notice on April 28:
“Following the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Delcampe has taken the decision to no longer offer its services in the following States as per today, for an indefinite period of time, in order to avoid any risks of non-compliance with the legislation of these States:
“AK Alaska, AR Arkansas, DC District of Columbia, GA Georgia, HI Hawaii, IL Illinois, IN Indiana, KY Kentucky, LA Louisiana, MD Maryland, MI Michigan, MN Minnesota, NC North Carolina, NE Nebraska, NJ New Jersey, NV Nevada, OH Ohio, PR Puerto Rico, RI Rhode Island, SD South Dakota, UT Utah, VA Virginia, VT Vermont, WV West Virginia, WY Wyoming.
“We are sorry that we can no longer offer our services for the moment, and we hope to be able to see you on our website in the future, once it will be adapted. Your account will remain closed until further notice.”
The notice was confirmed by separately contacting Delcampe customer service and by an email exchange with Sebastien Delcampe.
As you can see, it leaves the door open to reinstatement, if the company implements the collection of sales taxes.
Sell It Now, or Sell It Later?
The Conundrum Faced by Discoverers Of Errors
By John M. Hotchner
Note: The errors shown here are not related to the described at the beginning of this article.
A recent correspondent told me about an imperf error pane of commemoratives he bought at a post office when it was a new issue about 45 years ago. As an early, if not the first, discovery, he asked dealers what they would pay for it, and received a $20,000 offer for 
the imperf pane of 50 stamps.
To make a long story short, he rejected the offer; thinking that time and scarcity would push the price up. He still owns the pane.
Time passes, and in the last year he has had a medical diagnosis that will eventually result in his being in a long-term care facility. He is looking into selling this and other stamps from his collection to help finance the cost of long-term care.
So, he contacted me to see what his wonderful find might be worth today; hopefully much more than it would have brought 45 years ago. What do you think your answer would be?
Regrettably, the news is not good. And there are several reasons why. Let me summarize them:
original offer, but they typically sell for 35 to 50 percent of catalogue at auction; and there are not many collectors of full imperf panes, if any. Thus, potential buyers would almost certainly be limited to dealers, and not many of them. A dealer would now offer a good deal less than even auction value as the pane would have to be broken up, and it would take significant time to retail enough of the pane to recover the cost before the dealer could expect to make a profit. And as a significant new group of the errors came on the market, the price per pair would tend to drop as potential bidders got their needs.
The Legends of the West sheet in 1994 was recalled, after it was discovered that the image of Bill Picket, left, was really that of his brother Ben. The sheet was then reissued with Bill’s picture, but some of the mistakes had been sold.
to be caught and destroyed by the improved electronic quality control equipment that has been installed on modern production equipment.
So, what lessons can we take away from this parable? First, if you turn down a significant offer for a newly discovered philatelic item, you are betting that no more, or only a few more, will be discovered. That would be a requirement as a basis for your find gathering
Sc. 2145, colors missing.
more value as the years march on. Also, you also need to pray that the rate of inflation is not going to eat up the potential increase in value.
As you consider an offer, you need to think about the popularity of the hobby; whether it is going to increase or decrease over the period of time you project holding the error in your collection. A complicating factor to this is whether your error fits into one of the increasingly popular topics (like Space Exploration, Animals, or American Indians) that tend to hold their value better than many other stamp subjects. This is because topical/thematic stamp collecting is often the method of choice for people coming into the hobby.
Please understand that I am not saying a find should always be sold immediately. It can and does happen that no more or only a few more will be found; that the initial public announcement will spark a frenzy among collectors, and maybe even coverage in the nonphilatelic press. The price could rise to dizzying heights.
How often does this happen? A lot depends upon the nature of the error. Inverts seem to capture the public eye. Full panes of imperfs or missing colors, not so much. Foldovers that contain one or a few missing color errors or imperfs are more likely to acquire and hold value.
But items that gather substantial value are relatively few, and I can cite many stories of people who sold rapidly and did much better than they would have had they held on for a lengthy period as many more examples surfaced. So, one must consider all the factors noted above, and then make the best decision you can, knowing what you know — and what you don’t know — in the moment.
Just remember the old saying, “Act in haste; repent at leisure.”
Should you wish to comment on this column, or have questions or ideas you would like to have explored in a future column, please write to John Hotchner, VSC Contributor, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or email, putting “VSC” in the subject line.
Or comment right here.
Date of issue: 18 April 2023
[from the PostNL press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Holland America Line’s 150th anniversary
PostNL will publish the gold Holland America Line’s 150th anniversary stamp on 18 April 2023 to mark the renowned cruise line’s special milestone. The stamp made with 24-carat 
gold was produced in a limited edition of just 1,000. The denomination on these stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. PostNL will supply the gold stamp with a luxury storage box and a certificate of authenticity. The retail price is €50 (currently about $55 USD).
PostNL publishes limited edition gold stamps exclusively to mark special anniversaries and other memorable occasions.
Holland America Line is a renowned cruise line that was founded 150 years ago as the Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart-Maatschappij (Dutch-American Steamship Company, NASM), or in Dutch everyday parlance: Holland-Amerika Lijn (HAL). The NASM added this name to its name given in the articles of association in 1896. The company maintained a shipping link between the Netherlands and the USA, which was partly facilitated by the opening of the Nieuwe Waterweg [‘New Waterway’] ship canal in 1875.
The transatlantic connection between Rotterdam and New York existed from 1873 to 1971. The shipping route significantly contributed to land movements from Europe to America – and especially emigration. During wartime, the ships were used to transport millions of soldiers. Increasing competition from the aviation industry shifted the focus to using passenger ships for cruise travel. In 1989, the company was acquired by Carnival Corporation – a holding company that by that time owned nine shipping companies.
Holland America’s Dutch origins live on in the names of its ships. Since the company was founded, the ships have sailed under the Dutch flag and, to this day, are often commanded by Dutch officers. The modern-day Holland America Line has eleven cruise ships, which take over 500 cruises spanning all continents each year.
The stamp features an illustration of two iconic ships from this shipping company’s long history, both named “the Rotterdam.” The ships are presented side by side: on the left is the newest cruise ship, the seventh of that name, from 2021, and on the right is the first steamer and brig dating back to 1873.
The two ships are linked by a quiet bow wave below. The title Holland America Line’s 150th anniversary is printed in bold capitals above the ships, alongside the foundation year (1873) and anniversary year (2023).
Stamp designer Frank Janse began the design process by visiting the cruise ship, which he called “magnificent.” “I’d never been on a cruise ship before,” he said. “It was impressively large and organised to perfection. I suppose it has to be, with thousands of passengers and crew on board.”
Janse had to decide which way to face the ships, left or right. Also, “I had to let a few other ideas go. For instance, I originally included the Statue of Liberty and Hotel New York in the illustration as symbols representing both port cities. But they turned out much too small – they were hardly recognisable on the postage stamp.”
The 1873 Rotterdam carried 400 passengers and 50 crew members, whereas the 2021 Rotterdam accommodates 2,700 passengers and 1,000 crew members. The old ship weighed 1,700 gross tonnes (1,874 short tons U.S.) and could reach a speed of 10.5 knots (about 12 mph or 19 kph), whereas the modern namesake weighs nearly 100,000 gross metric tonnes (110,231 tons) and has a top speed of 18 knots (20.7 mph or 33 kph).
The stamps are available while stocks last at www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels [the stamp was not yet listed on 15 April]
Technical Details:
Stamp size: 30 x 40mm (wxh):
Appearance: 1 personalised gold stamp packaged in a luxury storage box : with a certificate of authenticity
Denomination: Denomination 1 for post weighing up to 20g with : destinations within the Netherlands
Material: 24-carat gold
Print run: 1,000 gold stamps
Design: Frank Janse, Gouda
Item number: 830023
The American First Day Cover Society has arranged for two seminars at Great American Stamp Show 2023 featuring top philately-related officials of the U.S. Postal Service. GASS will be held August 10-13 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
William Gicker (right, in 2019), director of USPS Stamp Services, which chooses and designs stamps and stationery, will speak 
Thursday, August 10, at 1 p.m. Top managers from USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services —Teri Basinger, its overall manager; Linda Houghtaling, Senior Operations Manager; Betty Brown, manager of stamp production; and Dave Mapel, Cancellation Services supervisor — will have a seminar on Friday, August 11, also at 1 p.m. All stamps are distributed to post offices and sold through SFS, and cancellations are applied to first day covers there.
The U.S. is issuing two sets of stamps during GASS: “Life Magnified” on Thursday and “Thinking Of You” on Friday. In addition, the United Nations, Faroe Islands and Marshall Islands will issue stamps at the show.
The seminars are free and open to the public. Admission to Great American Stamp Show 
is also free. More details are available here.
The AFDCS is a co-sponsor of the show, along with the American Philatelic Society and American Topical Association. Other AFDCS seminars will be held, along with the society’s annual meetings, and the results of the annual cachet contest will be announced. Further information on the show is also here.
The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. It publishes its journal First Days six times a year, as well as handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting and exhibiting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets.
For more information on the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org or write to the AFDCS, PO Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246, or via e-mail at afdcs@afdcs.org.
Issue date: May 1, 2023
From Details magazine:
Read all about it! The latest Canada Post Community Foundation semi-postal fundraising stamp issue highlights the importance of literacy and imagination in the lives of children. 
The stamp is now being released in the spring to accommodate the addition of the annual Truth and Reconciliation stamp issue to the program in September and ensure both stamp issues – and the important stories they tell – get the time, attention and respect they deserve.
Designed by John Belisle Creative and illustrated by John Belisle, the stamp depicts a diverse group of animals reading a story together. The “read me a story” theme reminds us of the ways that stories and storytelling enhance the lives of children and youth, as well as of the creativity and curiosity that stories inspire.
A $1 surcharge from the sale of each booklet of 10 stamps, or an extra 10 cents from the 
sale of each Official First Day Cover, goes directly to the Foundation to help fund local and national non-profit groups that serve the needs of children and youth. Since 2012, the Canada Post Community Foundation has supported more than 1,100 community organizations that bring positive change to Canadian children.
Issue date: April 18, 2023
[day of release press release follows the Technical Specifications box.]
Click here to see a surprising FDC for this issue.
From Details magazine:
Issued in the lead-up to Earth Day and Mother’s Day, these stamps depicting the tender relationship between two animal mothers and their babies are a perfect marriage of 
science and art.
Halifax designer Meredith MacKinlay and Temagami Anishinaabe artist Caroline Brown collaborated on the concept for the evocative stamp images, which Brown created by combining new and traditional techniques of embroidery and beadwork. “Fabric-based crafts have that feeling of homeyness and familial love,” explains MacKinlay. “Embroidery is so textural, it seemed an ideal way to show the fur of the sea otter and feathers of the red-necked grebe.”
souvenir sheet
Sole caregivers, mother sea otters float on their backs to feed, groom and cradle their young. The species, once hunted for its luxurious fur, was extirpated from British Columbia but has made a gradual comeback since being reintroduced. Red-necked grebes share responsibility for incubating their eggs and feeding the chicks, which ride on their parents’ backs after hatching. The two species face many threats, including oil spills and other human disturbances.
For Brown, an avid stamp collector as a child and whose First Nations heritage has 
fostered a strong connection with nature, the project was a labour of love. “We worked with wildlife experts to make sure the animals were rendered accurately but also wanted to show the emotional connection between mother and baby,” she says. “We gave the images a storybook quality and a sense of motion to make people curious about the worlds in which these creatures live – and remind them of how important it is to protect them.”
The original artwork crafted for the stamps took several months to create. “The whole philosophy of beadwork is to think about the message you’re trying to convey while you’re doing it,” explains Brown. “You need to have a positive mindset and let it evolve naturally.”
Updated April 18th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Animal Mothers and Babies stamp set celebrates two wildly devoted caregivers
Sea otters and red-necked grebes serve as protective floating havens for their young
VANCOUVER – Canada Post today issued a new Animal Mothers and Babies stamp set that highlights two special caregivers of the wild – the sea otter and the red-necked grebe. Native to Canada, both species are known for their incredible devotion to their young, allowing their babies to float on them during the first stage of their lives.
Issued ahead of Mother’s Day and during the week of Earth Day, the stamps celebrate the bond between animal mothers and their young while also encouraging positive action on protecting Canada’s wildlife.
Sea otters
Mature female sea otters give birth to a single pup every year for life. Dedicated to their 
pups for the first six months of their lives, mothers – who are the sole caregivers – float on their backs to feed, groom and cradle their babies. During this time, the pups also learn to forage and swim.
The sea otter was once hunted for its luxurious fur and was eventually extirpated from British Columbia, but the species has made a gradual comeback since it was reintroduced. It continues to face many threats, including oil spills and fishing gear entanglement, and is currently listed as being of special concern in Canada.
Red-necked grebes
Monogamous pairs of red-necked grebes share the parenting duties. The water birds take 
turns incubating their eggs and carrying their chicks, which climb onto their parents’ backs immediately after hatching. The parents continue to transport their chicks on their backs until their offspring are between 10 and 17 days old. At that point, they’re able to swim – though they’re not completely independent until seven to nine weeks when they begin to fly.
Found across most of Canada, the red-necked grebes winter off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Like sea otters, they face threats such as oil spills, as well as loss of their freshwater nesting habitat from other human disturbances.
About the Stamp
Designer Meredith MacKinlay of Halifax-based Egg Design chose embroidery as the basis
souvenir sheet
for the design because it evokes the feel of home and family love as well as the texture of fur and feathers. Temagami Anishinaabe artist Caroline Brown created the images on the stamps using a combination of traditional embroidery and beadwork.
Printed by Lowe-Martin, the issue includes a booklet of six Permanent domestic rate stamps, a souvenir sheet of both stamps and an Official First Day Cover. The cancel site is Vancouver, as British Columbia is home to Canada’s only remaining sea otter population.
Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Le jeu de timbres sur les Mères et bébés animaux célèbre deux espèces très dévouées
Les loutres de mer et les grèbes jougris servent de refuges flottants pour leur progéniture.
VANCOUVER – Postes Canada a émis aujourd’hui le nouveau jeu de timbres Mères et bébés animaux mettant en vedette deux espèces très protectrices : la loutre de mer et le grèbe jougris. Originaires du Canada et reconnus pour leur dévouement incroyable envers leurs petits, ces animaux permettent à leurs rejetons de flotter sur eux au tout début de leur vie.
Émis avant la fête des Mères et pendant la semaine du Jour de la Terre, les timbres célèbrent le lien entre les femelles et leurs petits, tout en encourageant la prise de mesures positives pour protéger la faune du Canada.
Loutres de mer
La femelle loutre donne naissance à un unique loutron par année. Seule à prendre soin de ses petits, elle flotte sur le dos pour les nourrir, faire leur toilette et les porter pendant les six premiers mois de leur vie. Pendant cette période, les bébés loutres apprennent également à se nourrir et à nager.
Autrefois chassée pour sa fourrure luxueuse, l’espèce avait disparu de la Colombie-Britannique, mais a fait un retour graduel depuis sa réintroduction. Figurant aujourd’hui sur la liste des espèces préoccupantes au Canada, la loutre de mer continue d’être exposée à de nombreuses menaces, comme les déversements de pétrole et l’enchevêtrement dans les engins de pêche.
Grèbes jougris
Tour à tour, mâles et femelles grèbes jougris, qui sont des oiseaux aquatiques monogames, couvent leurs œufs et transportent leurs oisillons, qui grimpent sur leur dos immédiatement après la naissance. Ils continuent à transporter leurs bébés jusqu’à ce qu’ils aient entre 10 et 17 jours. À ce moment-là, les jeunes grèbes peuvent nager, bien qu’ils ne soient pas complètement indépendants avant sept à neuf semaines, lorsqu’ils commencent à voler.
Présents presque partout au Canada, ces oiseaux hivernent au large des côtes du Pacifique et de l’Atlantique. À l’instar des loutres de mer, ils sont exposés à des menaces comme les déversements de pétrole, mais aussi à la perte de leur habitat de nidification en eau douce causée par l’activité humaine.
À propos des timbres
La designer Meredith MacKinlay, de l’agence Egg Design d’Halifax, a choisi la broderie
booklet pane
pour base de la conception, car cette technique dégage une certaine chaleur et une aura d’amour familial, en plus de bien rendre la texture de la fourrure et des plumes des animaux. Caroline Brown, artiste anishinaabe de Temagami, a créé les œuvres des timbres en combinant la broderie et le perlage.
Imprimée par Lowe-Martin, l’émission comprend un carnet de 10 timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur, un bloc-feuillet des deux timbres et un pli Premier Jour officiel. Le lieu d’oblitération est Vancouver, car la Colombie-Britannique abrite la seule population de loutres de mer qui subsiste au Canada.
Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.
Updated May 7th:
Going the extra mile for an unofficial-location FDC! VSC contributor “Danforth Guy” serviced this picture postcard in Stephenville, Newfoundland, with the first day date for these stamps:
Here’s the front of the card showing this World Heritage Site: 
It took Danforth two hours by snowmobile to the park: 
Rocky Harbour at the top of this map is just outside the park, and you’ll find Stephenville at the bottom, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) by road. (Google Maps doesn’t give trip estimates for snowmobiles.) Our intrepid correspondent made the trip in late March, and as you can see in this next map, it’s far enough north that a solid snowpack in late March is not out of the question. 
Thanks, “Guy!”
The announcement from Canada Post in the April 14 issue of Details is just “May: A century-and-a-half milestone.” VSC contributor Danforth Guy speculates this is like to be an issue for the RCMP, one of whose predecessor agencies was founded May 23, 1873. Read more in Wikipedia.
Our “Guy” in Canada was right:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Stamp marks founding of Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Recognizing 150th anniversary of the historic institution
OTTAWA – Canada Post issued a new stamp today recognizing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on the 150th anniversary of its establishment in 1873. The stamp 
design features a member of the RCMP in traditional dress, acknowledging the historic roots of the organization, along with images that represent the RCMP as a modern national police service – including the role of its civilian members and public service employees – from responding to emergencies to investigating cybercrime.
Commemorating 150 years of history
As part of our stamp program, Canada Post has a tradition of paying tribute to significant milestones, events and individuals’ contributions in Canadian history. Founded on May 23, 1873, as the North-West Mounted Police, the RCMP has played a significant role in 
Canada over the past 150 years.
Originally assembled near Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1874, a mounted unit of 300 men recruited from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with local Métis guides, set out on the “March West.” The purpose of the organization at that time was to administer the laws of Canada in the Northwest Territories after the transfer of jurisdiction from the British Crown. In the following decades, the role and mandate of the organization changed as it gradually took on policing duties in more provinces and territories, along with federal responsibilities.
Today, RCMP employees serve in a wide range of functions that include preventing and investigating crime; enforcing federal, provincial and territorial law; protecting national security and contributing to international intelligence-sharing and peace operations.
“Canada Post’s iconic national stamp program has a tradition of marking historical moments, events and individuals’ [contributions] that have played an important role in Canada’s history. This includes the historic anniversary of the RCMP, which has played a significant role in our country over the past 150 years.”
— Doug Ettinger, President and CEO of Canada Post
“The RCMP is very proud to be honoured with a special stamp for our 150th anniversary. The stamp is a fitting tribute to both the heritage of our organization and to the amazing people who proudly serve the RCMP today and who dedicate their careers to keeping Canada safe.”
— Mike Duheme, RCMP Commissioner
About the stamp
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police 150th Anniversary stamp was designed by Réjean Myette, and the design features a collage of imagery representing the modern RCMP organization. Printed by Lowe-Martin, the issue includes a booklet of six PermanentTM domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover cancelled in Ottawa.
The new stamp and collectible are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.
[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Timbre marquant la fondation de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada
Le timbre souligne le 150e anniversaire de cette organisation historique
OTTAWA – Postes Canada a émis aujourd’hui un nouveau timbre qui rend hommage à la Gendarmerie royale du Canada (GRC) à l’occasion du 150e anniversaire de sa fondation en 1873. Le timbre présente un agent de la GRC en tenue traditionnelle, rappelant les racines historiques de l’organisation. Les images qui l’accompagnent illustrent le rôle que joue aujourd’hui la GRC (y compris ses membres civils et ses fonctionnaires) en tant que police nationale qui intervient en cas d’urgence et enquête sur la cybercriminalité.
Commémoration de 150 ans d’histoire
Le programme de timbres-poste commémoratifs de Postes Canada célèbre depuis longtemps des événements et des personnes qui ont marqué l’histoire de notre pays. Fondée le 23 mai 1873 sous le nom de Police à cheval du Nord-Ouest, la GRC a joué un rôle important au Canada au cours des 150 dernières années.
S’étant rassemblée à l’origine près de Winnipeg, au Manitoba, en 1874, une unité montée de 300 hommes recrutés en Ontario, au Québec, au Nouveau-Brunswick et en Nouvelle-Écosse entame la Marche vers l’Ouest avec des guides métis locaux. L’objectif de l’organisation à l’époque est d’appliquer les lois du Canada dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest après le transfert des compétences de la Couronne britannique. Au cours des décennies qui suivent, le rôle et le mandat de l’organisation changent, car celle-ci assume graduellement des fonctions de police dans un plus grand nombre de provinces et territoires, ainsi que des responsabilités fédérales.
Aujourd’hui, les membres de la GRC remplissent diverses fonctions, notamment la prévention et les enquêtes criminelles, l’application des lois fédérales, provinciales et territoriales, la protection de la sécurité nationale et la contribution aux opérations internationales de partage de renseignements et de maintien de la paix.
« Le programme de timbres-poste commémoratifs de Postes Canada célèbre depuis longtemps des événements et des personnes qui ont marqué l’histoire de notre pays. Cela comprend l’anniversaire historique de la GRC, qui a joué un rôle important dans l’histoire du Canada au cours des 150 dernières années. »
— Doug Ettinger, Président-directeur général de Postes Canada
« La GRC est très fière d’être honorée avec un timbre spécial à l’occasion de son 150e anniversaire. Le timbre est un bel hommage à l’héritage de notre organisation et aux personnes exceptionnelles qui servent fièrement la GRC aujourd’hui et qui consacrent leur carrière à la sécurité du Canada. »
— Mike Duheme, commissaire de la GRC
À propos du timbre
Le timbre du 150e anniversaire de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada a été conçu par Réjean Myette. La vignette comprend un collage d’images représentant la GRC d’aujourd’hui. Imprimée par Lowe-Martin, l’émission comprend un carnet de 6 timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel oblitéré à Ottawa.
Le timbre et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Celebrates the Legend of Robin Hood with a Set of Special Stamps
Royal Mail is celebrating the story of the legendary and popular English folk outlaw Robin Hood with a set of 10 exclusively illustrated stamps.
The 10-stamp set depicts key moments in the famous legend of Robin Hood, from him being outlawed to his marriage to Maid Marian and his death, and including popular characters such as Friar Tuck, the Sheriff and King Richard
The stamps depict the following events:
Robin Hood is declared an outlawThe powerful illustrations were created exclusively for Royal Mail by concept artist Jon McCoy. Award-winning McCoy has worked on feature films such as: The Batman; Star 
Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker; Avengers; and Blade Runner 2049.
Jon McCoy said: “It’s been an amazing honour to illustrate for Royal Mail, one of the great English legends, and favourite stories from my childhood. I hope everyone enjoys these stamps as much as I did.”
Royal Mail also worked with Dr Lesley Coote, Fellow of the University of Hull School of Humanities and established expert on Robin Hood, who 
advised on the content used in the wider product range.
David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said: “These atmospheric illustrations bring to life the timeless stories of the Legend of Robin Hood, his merry men and Maid Marion. With its themes of friendship, loyalty, humanity and love, the enduring legend of Robin Hood has captured the hearts and imagination of people for centuries and will continue to do so.”
The stamps are available now at www.royalmail.com/robinhood and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps in the set is priced at £11.90.
The Legend of Robin Hood:
No particular individual can be proved to have been the ‘original’ Robin Hood; the figure may have been based on more than one person, or none. Traditionally, Robin Hood is made an outlaw by the corrupt Sherriff of Nottingham, so that he can confiscate Robin’s earldom of Huntingdon. In some stories, Robin plays into the Sherriff’s hands by protecting poachers in the royal forest of Sherwood Forest and builds a band of loyal outlaws, his ‘merry men’.
Foremost among these is Little John, a powerful man whom Robin invites to join he 
outlaws when John bests him in a quarterstaff fight. Friar Tuck is a former hermit with a fearsome reputation, known for carrying travellers over a nearby river. When Robin asks to be carried to the far bank, Tuck carries him over but then draws his sword and demands that Robin carry him back. Robin calls his men, and Tuck his dogs, but Robin avoids a damaging fight and asks Tuck to join the outlaws.
In later traditions, ‘Maid’ Marian is a nobleman’s daughter whom Robin helps escape when her father attempts to force her into life as a nun. 
Instead, Marian joins Robin’s band of outlaws. Marian and Robin fall in love and marry.
Robin and his comrades steal valuables from those who, like the monks from St Mary’s Abbey, hoard wealth they do not need. The outlaws redistribute the riches to those – from all walks of life – who do need them. Mostly, the outlaws rob people travelling along what became known as the Great North Road.
The Sherriff becomes Robin’s sworn enemy; a superb archer, Robin shames the Sherriff by winning the golden arrow in his archery contest. Sometimes the Sherriff is lured into the forest by Robin (or sometimes by Little John), where he is captured, tied up, stripped, and mocked by the outlaws, while in other stories he is killed, either for his bad faith or because he is their enemy.
Eventually, the King, disguised as an abbot, contrives to meet the outlaws in Sherwood Forest. He removes his disguise; the outlaws pledge their loyalty, 
and he pardons them. Robin goes to serve the King, but he later returns to the forest.
Robin Hood represents the powerless. Corrupt authority steals his power and agency, but he gradually takes them back – and helps others to do the same.
In the end, he is bled to death by his kinswoman the Abbess of Kirklees, but he takes charge again by firing the arrow that will mark his grave.
VSC: Royal Mail is offering an array of philatelic products, including a presentation pack, 
two postmarks for first day covers (the Wakefield postmark is shown on the right here), unserviced cacheted envelopes, framed stamps, full and half sheets of the Robin Hood Is Declared An Outlaw or Robin Hood Captures The Sheriff first-class stamps (but not for the other 8 stamps), and a set of picture postcards (below). However, we don’t see a minisheet or any platinum stamps this time (which would have been rather ironic considering Robin steals from the rich).
