Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

Comedy Greats - 1 April 2015


Of all the traits used to describe the British around the world, it is their sense of humour that is considered the most distinctive. The Comedy Greats stamps celebrate the wealth of home-grown comic talent produced in the UK, from stand-ups and double acts to satirists and surrealists, stalwarts of stage and radio to stars of film and television from the past 60 years, and including many whose work is considered a landmark in comedy. 

2015 marks the centenary of the birth of Norman Wisdom and 50th anniversary of first broadcast of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore’s ‘Not Only But Also’.

Designed by award-winning creative consultants The Chase, the stamps feature photographs of the ten chosen individuals, duos and one group – Spike Milligan, The Two Ronnies, Billy Connolly, Morecambe and Wise, Norman Wisdom, Lenny Henry, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Monty Python, French and Saunders, and Victoria Wood.


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The Ten Stamps


10 x 1st class Comedy Greats stamps.

Row 1: Spike Milligan, The Two Ronnies, Billy Connolly, Morecambe and Wise, Norman Wisdom
Row 2: Lenny Henry, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Monty Python*, French and Saunders, Victoria Wood.
* Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin


Retail Booklet

The Norman Wisdom and Morecambe and Wise stamps will also be issued in a self-adhesive booklet of 6 stamps with 4 x 1st class red Machin definitives at £3.78
Comedy Greats retail booklet.




Technical details:

The stamps were designed by The Chase and are printed by International Security Printers in lithography.  The 41 x 30mm stamps are perf 14.5 x 14 in sheets of 25/50 with all over phosphor.  
The stamps will be issued in two sheets of 25/50 with five se-tenant designs per sheet, enabling customers to buy a vertical strip of five of any individual stamp.

The self-adhesive booklet is printed by Walsall Security Print and the definitives have the codes M15L MCIL

Photo acknowledgements: Spike Milligan photos © The Graham Stark Photographic Library/Getty Images and TV Times/IPC+Syndication;
The Two Ronnies photos © BBC Motion Gallery/Getty Images and Reg Wilson/Rex Features;
Billy Connolly photos © Tony Lyon and Michael Putland/Getty Images;
Morecambe and Wise photos © Rex Features and Chris Djukanovic /Getty Images;
Norman Wisdom photos © ITV/Rex Features and Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy;
Lenny Henry photos © Trevor Leighton and ITV/Rex Features;
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore photos © Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy and Alan Messer/Rex Features;
Monty Python photos are licensed courtesy of Python (Monty) Pictures Limited. All rights in the underlying images and name “Monty Python” are reserved;
French and Saunders photos © Perou, Camera Press London and Trevor Leighton/TV Times/IPC+Syndication;
Victoria Wood photos © Rex Features and Catherine Ashmore



Products issued, available from Royal Mail: 

Set of 10 stamps (2 strips of 5) -- Strip of 5 from sheet 1 or sheet 2, or vertical strip of 5 of any single stamp
First day cover -- Presentation pack -- Stamp cards (set of 10) - retail booklet


Special Postmarks

Postmarks available for the day of issue are shown here.  These postmarks cannot be obtained after the date of issue.  The images shown here may not be to scale.

* Late announcement - send covers/cards to London Handstamp Centre as soon as possible!

Tallents House official FD postmark for Comedy Greatsstamps. Laughterton, Lincoln, official FD postmark for Comedy Greats stamps. Laughterton, Lincoln, official non-pictorial FD postmark for Comedy Greats stamps. Postmark showing Morecambe and Wise silhouettes. Postmark showing a Dead Parrot - Monty Python.

Ref FD1513TH Philatelic Bureau Official Postmark

Ref FD1513PL Laughterron, Luton Official Postmark

Ref FD1513NP
Laughterton, Lincoln Official non-pictorial Postmark

Ref M13376 Ernest Street, Birmingham

Ref L13389*
Parrotts Lane, Tring, Herts

3 Postmarks for COmedy Greats stamps. Postmark showing pair of spectacles.
Comedy Greats postmark Marylebone.
Ref N13382 - Morecambe Ref N13383 - Clowne Ref N13384 Laughterton, Lincoln N13385 Sunshine Garden of Fame Morecambe Ref L13380 Marylebone

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This page updated 15 April 2015 (Dead Parrott postmark added.)

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