Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

50th anniversary of WWF (The Worldwide Fund for Nature) - 22 March 2011  Europa/CEPT issue

The Royal Mail is issuing a set of stamps, miniature sheet and prestige stamp book to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of WWF.   Forests are the Post Europ theme for 2011 so the WWF Miniature Sheet depicts the Amazon Rainforest where the WWF are involved in a number of projects to protect and conserve the forest and its plants and animals. The 1st Class stamp will bear the Post Europ logo in addition to the WWF logo.

COPYRIGHT MATTERS
All images are copyright Royal Mail 2011.  Wildlife Trusts and others wishing to use images on websites or in magazines should contact Royal Mail's Intellectual Property Department.

set of 10 animal stamps issued for the 50th ann of WWF.

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1. African Elephant

2. Mountain Gorilla

3. Siberian Tiger

4. Polar Bear

5. Amur Leopard

6. Iberian Lynx

7. Red Panda

8. Black Rhinoceros

9. African Wild Dog

10. Golden Lion Tamarin

 

Miniature sheet marking the 50th Anniversary of WWF, & Europa 1st Class – Spider Monkey
60p –
Hyacinth Macaw
88p –
Poison Dart Frog
97p – Jaguar (the face value is camoflaged below the Queen's head!)

The plants in detail

African Elephant - Elephants continue to face serious threats across their range. Although poaching of elephants for their ivory has declined since the 1989 worldwide ivory ban, a more long-term threat, is the reduction of habitat in the face of expanding human populations.

Mountain Gorilla - The mountain gorilla became known to science in 1902. Since then, they have endured uncontrolled hunting, war, disease, habitat destruction, and capture for the illegal pet trade.

Siberian Tiger - The Amur or Siberian tiger is the largest sub-species of tiger and is primarily found in south-eastern Russia and northern China. In the 1960s it was close to extinction but its numbers recovered to around 450 today.

Polar Bear - With 20-25,000 polar bears living in the wild, the species is not currently endangered, but its future is far from certain. If current warming trends continue, scientists believe that polar bears will be vulnerable to extinction within the next century.

Amur Leopard - Due to extensive habitat loss and conflict with humans, the Amur leopard’s situation is critical. However, the fact that the Amur tiger recovered from a precarious state of less than 40 individuals some 60-70 years ago gives conservationists hope.

Iberian Lynx - The Iberian lynx is classified as the world’s most endangered cat. Habitat loss and degradation are contributing to this decline. Today, there are no more than 38 breeding females in the wild.

Red Panda - The word panda comes from the Nepalese “poonya” which means bamboo eater. The red panda is known as the red cat bear or lesser panda. While it may be “lesser” in size than the giant panda, both species are threatened by less habitat and deforestation.

Black Rhinoceros - Relentless poaching, has seen the number of black rhino decline. Pressure escalated during the 1970s and 1980s because of rising demand for rhino horn in Asia and the Middle East and between 1970 and 1992, the black rhino suffered a 96% decline in numbers.

African Wild Dog - African wild dogs are the size of medium domestic dogs and their coats are mottled in shades of brown, black and beige. They have large, rounded ears and dark brown circles around their eyes. One of Africa’s most endangered carnivores it is Red listed as an endangered species.

Golden Lion Tamarin - The golden lion tamarin is listed as endangered by the IUCN. Only about 800 are left in the wild. The primary threats to this species’ survival are continued loss of forest habitat and population fragmentation due to agriculture and urban development

Miniature sheet (face values subject to change):
1st Class – Spider Monkey - Spider monkeys are one of the largest primates in South America. Their prehensile tail allows them to find stability when sitting on branches and to reach out for food at the tip of fragile branches by suspending themselves with it.

60p – Hyacinth Macaw - In the 1980s an estimated 10,000 hyacinth macaws were illegally captured and sold as pets, while, the species’ natural habitat was being destroyed by deforestation. Local Indians also killed them to use the feathers to make tourist souvenirs.

88p – Poison Dart Frog - With its striking appearance and unique features, the poison dart frog is one of the most interesting and dangerous – Amazon species. The poison dart frog uses its brightly coloured skin to warn predators that it is “unfit to eat.” The skin secretes a dangerous poison that can paralyze and in some cases kill predators.

97p – Jaguar - Jaguars are the largest American cats and strong swimmers and climbers. They weigh over 300 pounds and grow to more than eight feet in length, including a two-foot tail. Although legally protected, hunting and habitat loss continue to be threats.

Prestige stamp book.
Details are awaited - as usual this will contain "four stamp panes unavailable elsewhere" according to Royal Mail.  We predict this will be a pane of 4 animals, a pane of 6 animals, the miniature sheet (on a larger page) and a pane of 8 Machin definitives of various values, surrounding a label which will almost certainly be illustrated with the WWF Panda logo.  And our predictions are right - well, what else could it be?  These may not be final images, and have been slightly digitally modified.  According to this we have a Machin pane with 3 x 5p, 3 x 10p, one at 67p and one at 97p.  The last two won't be relevant after postage rates go up a week or so later, but then if new values were included they wouldn't be relevant when issued.

WWF prestige book pane 1.WWF prestige book pane 2 - Machin definitives.
WWF Prestige stamp book pane 3.WWF prestige stamp book pane 4.


Technical details: The 35mm square stamps are designed by Rose Design Consultants using photograph selected in collaboration with WWF.  In sheets of 25/50 they are printed in lithography, with all-ove phosphor by Cartor Security Printing, perf 14˝. The set of 10 stamps is printed in two separate sheets enabling multiples of individual stamps to be ordered from Royal Mail.

The miniature sheet was designed by Janice Nicholson.  The 115 x 89mm sheet contains stamps 41x30 mm and is printed in litho by Cartor SP, perforated 14˝ x 14.
The stamp and postmark images are reproduced with permission: Copyright 2011 by Royal Mail.


Products available:

Set of 10 stamps produced in 2 horizontal strips.  Vertical strips of 5 individual animals also available.
Miniature sheet
Presentation Pack
Set of 15 Stamp Cards 
Prestige Stamp Booklet

Special Postmarks
Postmarks available for the day of issue will be shown here

postmark illustrated with a frog. postmark illustrated with a snake. Godalming Surrey non-illustrated postmark.  Postmark showing a parott. Postmark illustrated with a parott.
Ref FD1111
Official Philatelic Bureau FDI.
Ref FD1112
Official Godalming, Surrey, FDI postmark.
Ref FD1112NP
Official Godalming Surrey non- pictorial FDI postmark
Ref M12084  
Amazon Lofts, Birmingham
Ref L12081 Loman St, Southwark, London SE1
postmark illustrated with a Pygmy marmoset footprint. postmark illustrated with a tiger. postmark illustrated with a Lynx. Postmark illustrated with a tiger. Postmark illustrated with a leopard.
Ref L12080 50 Years of WWF, For a Living Planet, Godalming, Surrey Ref S12087 Dunkeld, Perthshire Ref S12088
Exchange Place, Belfast
Ref W12091 Tiger Bay, Cardiff, GBFDC Assoc Ref W12090
Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff
postmark illustrated with an elephant. postmark illustrated with Earthwatch logo. postmark illustrated withan elephant. Postmark with logo of Born Free Foundation. Postmark showing head of tiger.
Ref N12085
Belle Vue 1837 - 1977, Manchester
Ref L12083
Earthwatch Institute, Oxford
Ref L12082
Godalming Surrey
Ref L12094 Keep Wildlife in the Wild, Born Free Foundation, Horsham, W Sussex Ref L12093
Tiger Way, London E5
Postmark showing a leopard. <<< Ref N12108
Doncaster, South Yorkshire




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This page updated 21 March 2011 - 12085 changed from L to N (Thanks Mike!)

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12 Indipex Stamp Exhibition Generic Smilers Sheet
24
West End Stage Musicals
24 British Heart Foundation Retail Booklet
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8 Magical Realms
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22 Worldwide Fund for Nature
29 Machin & Country Definitives
30 50th Ann Jaguar E-type Com.Sheet
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12 The Royal Shakespeare Company
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5 Morris & Company
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14 Rev Wm Awdry: Thomas the Tank Engine
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27 Olympics & Paralympics III
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28 Exhibition Generic Smilers Sheet for Phila'nippon 11, Japan
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23 The Crown Jewels
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9 World's First Scheduled Airmail
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