[press release]
It’s Elementary – Royal Mail Issue New Special Stamps To Honour Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes
Issue date: 18 August 2020
- Royal Mail reveals images of a set of 10 stamps to be issued to celebrate one of the most beloved fictional heroes of all time, Sherlock Holmes
- Sherlock Holmes was created by physician-turned-author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887
- Six stamps will feature images of characters from the BAFTA and Emmy award winning BBC series Sherlock including: Sherlock Holmes; Doctor John Watson; Jim Moriarty; Irene Adler; Mary Morstan; and Mycroft Holmes
- When UV light is shone over the stamps hidden details from the episode storyline are revealed
- A further four stamps, presented in a miniature-sheet, feature new illustrations of other stories written by Conan Doyle: The Adventure of the Speckled Band; The Red-Headed League; The Adventure of the Second Stain; and The Adventure of the Dancing Men
- BBC’s Sherlock has been broadcast in 180 countries
- The full set of 10 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £13.50. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order from www.royalmail.com/sherlock
- The stamps will go on general sale from 18 August 2020
Royal Mail is issuing a set of 10 Special Stamps to celebrate Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, one of the most beloved fictional heroes of all time.
Six stamps depict characters from the BAFTA and Emmy award winning BBC series, Sherlock, including: Sherlock Holmes; Doctor John Watson; Jim Moriarty; Irene Adler; Mary Morstan; and Mycroft Holmes. Mrs Hudson and Eurus Holmes are also featured.
Devised and written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock aired for the first time in July 2010. This interpretation of Conan Doyle’s mysteries offered audiences a fresh, modern take on his novels and short stories, with an irreverent tone and 21stcentury technology such as internet searches, texting and GPS. It went on to win numerous awards for its writing, production and the acting of Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Amanda Abbington and Andrew Scott.
Each of the character stamp features a scene from some of the most popular episodes across all the series. When UV light is shone over the stamps hidden details from the episode storyline are revealed.
An additional four stamps, presented in a miniature-sheet, explore other stories written by physician-turned-author, Conan Doyle. The stories included are among the ones Conan Doyle considered his favourites: The Adventure of the Speckled Band; The Red-Headed League; The Adventure of the Second Stain; and The Adventure of the Dancing Men.
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published his first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887. He had no idea how iconic the character would become. Inspired by the detective stories of Edgar Allen Poe and real-life figures such as Scottish surgeon Joseph Bell, Conan Doyle would produce 56 Holmes short stories and four full-length novels before laying the character to rest in 1927.
Sherlock producer, Sue Vertue, said: “We are terribly proud of our Sherlock TV series and now am ridiculously excited about these Royal Mail stamps. I’m going to immediately book a UK holiday so I can send all my friends postcards using them!”
Richard Doyle, Arthur Conan Doyle’s great nephew, said: “In the first chapter of my great uncle Arthur’s famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Sign of Four, Sherlock remarks upon the sheet of stamps in Watson’s desk – imagine his consternation if it turned out to be this sheet of stamps! What would he have deduced from what he observed?
“I hope those who take a close look at these fascinating stamps, observing not just seeing, are inspired to read the original stories and novels written by my great uncle – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”
Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “We celebrate the enduring fascination with the world’s most famous fictional detective – Sherlock Holmes. Our stylish new stamps mark the acclaimed and award-winning TV series and are complemented by illustrations of some of the stories Conan Doyle considered among his best.”
Stamp-by-stamp:
A Study in Pink
Returning to London following a traumatic experience in the Afghanistan war, injured army medic Dr John Watson is on the hunt for a flatmate when he is introduced to Sherlock Holmes, a unique figure who describes himself as “the world’s only consulting detective”. The pair move into shared lodgings at 221B Baker Street, only for Watson to be drawn into an unexpected adventure when Sherlock begins investigating a series of bizarre ‘serial suicides’ that have left Scotland Yard baffled. Coming to the aid of Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade, Holmes soon discovers that each of these deaths is actually the work of the same sinister killer, who has the apparent ability to move undetected through the streets of London.
The Great Game
When an innocent woman is taken hostage and strapped to a bomb, Sherlock Holmes 
and John Watson are drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with London’s most notorious criminal, the enigmatic James Moriarty. The challenge is simple: working against the clock, Sherlock must solve a series of crimes, each more fiendish and challenging than the last. Ranging from the seemingly natural death of a popular TV star to the theft of important government files, each case adds another piece to Moriarty’s sinister, unfolding puzzle. Having successfully completed all five tests – and survived a bruising encounter with a master assassin known only as The Golem – Holmes accepts Moriarty’s invitation to join him at a deserted swimming pool where the criminal mastermind finally reveals his true identity.
A Scandal in Belgravia
Holmes’s older brother, Mycroft, reveals that the notorious Irene Adler has compromising 
photographs of a member of the Royal Family on her phone, and calls on Holmes and Watson to retrieve the device. When our heroes track the flirtatious Adler to her London flat she escapes, taking the phone with her. But Sherlock is unable to forget his encounter with this alluring woman, and when her dead body is found he is deeply affected. It later transpires that Adler – who has also been passing information to Moriarty and threatening to blackmail the government – faked her demise to evade a gang of terrorists, who plan to bomb a transatlantic flight. Only Sherlock has the knowledge necessary to stop them.
The Reichenbach Fall
By now the most famous detective in the country, Sherlock’s reputation comes into 
question following another encounter with the devious Moriarty. Having carried out audacious attacks on the Bank of England, Pentonville Prison and the Tower of London, Moriarty is captured in possession of the Crown Jewels. He is swiftly brought to trial, only to be unexpectedly acquitted – because, as Sherlock discovers, the crime lord either threatened or bribed the jury. Having gained his freedom, Moriarty manipulates the public and the media into believing that Sherlock is a fraud who carried out crimes only to ‘solve’ them himself. Matters culminate in a face-to-face showdown between Sherlock and Moriarty on the roof of a hospital, from where Sherlock apparently plummets to his death.
The Empty Hearse
Two years after his faked suicide, Sherlock comes back to London having tracked down 
and eliminated the last vestiges of Moriarty’s criminal empire. He reintroduces himself to Dr Watson, only to be surprised when his old friend doesn’t welcome him with open arms. Watson, who is soon to be married to Mary Morstan, has spent the intervening years trying to come to terms with Sherlock’s death, and is understandably annoyed to discover that he has simply been in hiding. But the pair set aside their differences when Sherlock saves John from a kidnapping, and are soon on the case of a respected Lord who appears to have vanished on the London Underground. The case leads them to a bomb plot against the Houses of Parliament, and the revelation that there is a new master villain in town.
The Final Problem
Sherlock Holmes is alarmed to discover that, in addition to his brother Mycroft, he has a 
second sibling – a sister, Eurus, described as a genius to rival Isaac Newton, but with a total absence of human empathy. Eurus is being held in a secret maximum-security prison situated on an island in the North Sea, a last-resort facility housing the country’s very worst criminals. Holmes and Watson travel to the prison to confront Eurus, only to find that she has used her extraordinary powers of persuasion to take over the facility, bending the staff and fellow prisoners to her will. To avert a horrific tragedy, Sherlock and John must undergo a series of psychological trials designed to test the bonds of friendship between them.
The full set of 10 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £13.50.
The stamps and a wide range of collectible products are available now to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/sherlock
The stamps will go on general sale from 18 August 2020.
5475 (55¢) Enjoy the Great Outdoors – Child building sandcastle
5480 (55¢) Hip Hop – MC with microphone rapping
Westminster Abbey, as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In 1835 a Parliamentary Committee decided that the Palace should be rebuilt.
ertaken by Barry’s son, Edward Barry.
between 1288 and 1290 during the reign of Edward I. There are 399 steps from ground level to the lantern.
During the Blitz, the palace received several direct hits, and in 1941 the Commons Chamber was destroyed. The new chamber was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in a modern, pared-down Gothic Revival style, in places using wood from indigenous trees donated by the nations of the Commonwealth.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, said: “Not only is the Palace of Westminster one of the best-known landmarks in the world, it is a living building – a workplace for MPs, peers and staff, as well as a tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, said: “For 150 years, this striking and significant building has been a symbol of our democracy, but also a place of important work as the home of the House of Lords and House of Commons.
Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “The Palace of Westminster is one of the most recognisable buildings in the world. Our new stamps mark the anniversary of the completion of its rebuilding and celebrate the genius of its Gothic Revival architecture and design.”
source of knowledge and inspiration for all. A special anniversary section of Parliament’s online shop will also be available – showcasing a collection of products specifically related to the famous building which houses Parliament which include the official guidebook, the encaustic tiles used throughout the Palace, and the popular Palace of Westminster tree ornament.
Celebrate the holidays with Holiday Delights. Inspired by folk art but with a modern graphic vibe, these charming stamps will add a touch of whimsy to your holiday mailings. With a traditional palette of red, green and white, illustrator Kirsten Ulve channeled her love of Christmas, vintage ornaments and Scandinavian folk art to create unique digital illustrations of four holiday icons: a prancing reindeer with antlers; an ornament tied with a bow and ready to hang; a tree topped with a star; and a stocking holding a teddy bear and a sprig of holly. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps.
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.69″ x 1.43″ 
The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.56″ x 1.23″
envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
Winter Scenes celebrates the beauty and serenity of seasonal sights amid snowy landscapes. The 10 different photographs featured in this booklet of 20 stamps showcase the special allure of winter, with iconic scenes from the northern United States. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps with existing images taken by various photographers. 
New information will appear below the line, with the latest at the top.
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.97″ x 1.42″ 
The pictorial postmark measures 1.94″ x 1.19″
Winter Scenes stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) double-sided booklet of 20 stamps (Item 683000). The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 16, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
This Christmas stamp (Our Lady of Guápulo) features a detail of the painting “Our Lady of Guápulo.” Painted in the 18th century by an unknown artist in Cuzco, Peru, “Our Lady of Guápulo” is from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Enrobed in a pyramidal gown speckled with jewels and holding a scepter woven with roses and leaves, a crowned Virgin Mary looks down at a similarly adorned Christ Child in her left arm. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.
The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.91″ x 1.26″ 
The pictorial postmark measures 2.58″ x 1.07″
This new stamp celebrates the joyous Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The stamp art’s colorful digital illustration shows the lighting of the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah on the last evening of the holiday. All eight of the Hanukkah candles have been lit, and the child is reaching up to replace the shamash, the helper candle used to light the others in the menorah. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Jing Jing Tsong.
With this new stamp, the Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa. The annual Pan-African holiday, which takes place over seven days from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, brings family, community and culture together for many African Americans. The stamp design features the face of a woman in profile with her eyes closed. Her contemplative demeanor signifies the ways in which observers of Kwanzaa reflect on the seven founding principles, the Nguzo Saba, and their role in everyday life. A kinara (candleholder) with the seven lit candles (mishumaa saba) sits in front of her. Cool tones evoke a sense of inner peace, and vibrant design elements give the artwork a celebratory feel. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original artwork by Andrea Pippins.
ailable for purchase while supplies last: [click on the issue to go to its page]
5462 (55¢) American Gardens – Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
The Scott catalogue numbers for this issue are:
Each stamp design features a photograph of a subject representing Computing, Biomedicine, Genome Sequencing, Robotics and Solar Technology. The word INNOVATION overlays each image in a holographic foil.
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.93″ x 1.48″ 
The Pictorial Postmark for this issue measures 2.66″ x 1.33″
The Philatelic Foundation will award John M. Hotchner [left] its 2020 Neinken Medal for distinguished service to philately. Originally scheduled to be held at a ceremony and reception at The Collectors Club in New York on October 27, 2020, it instead will be held in October 2021 because of COVID-19 which has shuttered much of New York. A collector since the age of fivc, he has been a devoted leader, writer and active participant in the advancement of organized philately at the international, national and local levels.
