In time for users to get new personalised stamps in preparation for Christmas, Royal Mail is issuing these stamps to showcase the full and extended Smiler range and gain maximum awareness at this peak period.
Definitive-sized greetings stamps were first issued in October 2005 with the corresponding Generic Smilers Sheet issued in July this year. These new stamps are issued in a self-adhesive booklet of 6 stamps, and a Generic Smilers Sheet will be issued at the same time.
The Smilers Sheet is shown below. As expected, it is a sheet of 20 stamps consisting of 3 sets of the 6 stamps plus two additional stamps. However, what we did not expect was that all 20 labels would be different, and this requires a rethink on FDCs. The borders also have more decoration than the 'Life's Special Moments' sheet issued in July this year. This is probably designed to stop customers of personalised sheets overprinting the border with commemorative messages. Click on the sheet for a larger image.
Technical details.
The A4 (297 x 210mm) Smilers sheet is printed in litho by Cartor Security Print; the stamp booklet are printed by Walsall Security Print in gravure.
Stamp and postmark images are Copyright 2006 by Royal Mail.
Postmarks for use on the day of issue are shown below. All permanent postmarks could also be used. Except for L10241* these postmarks cannot be obtained after 17 October; L10241 can be obtained until 25 October.
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| Ref FD645 Official Philatelic Bureau First Day Postmark |
Ref FD646 Official Grinshill, Shrewsbury, FD Postmark |
Ref FD646N Non-pictorial Grinshill, Shrewsbury, First Day of Issue postmark |
Ref M10235 Smilers, Love Lane, Birmingham |
Ref M10236 Generic Smilers Sheets, Giggleswick, Settle |
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| Ref S10237 Smilers Retail Book, Soar, Brecan This should be Brecon; see below |
Ref S10238 Smilers Retail Book, Glass, Huntly |
Ref W10239 Smilers Retail Book, Bangor |
Ref W10240 Smilers Retail Book, Kittywell, Braunton |
Ref L10241* Celebrations, Joydenswood, Dartford, Kent |
We have produced limited edition first day covers for this issue as detailed below.All these are digital mock-ups and the size and position of postmarks may vary. (a) with the set of 6 booklet stamps - Price £5.50
(b) with the set of 6 booklet stamps and advertising label in booklet layout - Price £5.50
(c) with the set of 6 stamps and labels from the Smilers sheet - Price £6.50 (d) set of 4 FDCs each carrying 5 stamps and labels (1 vertical strip) from the Smilers sheet - Price £17.50
Also available:
Mint stamp booklet - £2.50
Set of 6 stamp cards (enlargements) - £2.75
Set of 6 stamp cards serviced with booklet stamps and 6 postmarks - £5.50
Presentation Pack - £3.10
Mint Smilers sheet - £8.25
Set of 6 single stamps from the sheet with labels - £3.00
Set of 6 stamp cards serviced with Smilers stamps and 6 postmarks - £7.00
Postmarks - any postmark on a plain envelope with a single stamp - £1.35 - discount for quantity.
Please order sheets, sets and FDCs through our online shop - click here.
All prices exclude postage & packing.
This page updated 17 October 2006