Norvic Philatelics

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - 9 September 2015

Royal Mail is issuing a Miniature Sheet on Wednesday, 9th September to commemorate the historic landmark of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II becoming the longest reigning UK monarch, with Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years and 216 days being exceeded by The Queen on that day. Whilst there is some debate about whether the actual date on which this milestone is reached is the 9th or 10th it is worth noting that Royal Mail chose the 9th as the issue date after consultation with the Palace

The Miniature Sheet will comprise five stamps including a specially created purple coloured First Class Definitive which will also appear in a Retail Stamp Book of six. In accordance with our policy and as a tribute to this extraordinary and historic achievement, the Amethyst Purple stamp will also be included in the Retail Stamp Books of six stamps being issued from September 2015 to April 2016.

In mid-August PO branches received supplies of a new Machin definitive stamp in counter sheets, printed in 'Amethyst Purple'.   For details of early sales and other pre-release information sent to me by blog readers, see in this blog-post

Lonng To Reign Over Us Miniature Sheet of 5 stamps 2015.

The stamp designs, from left to right

1st class William Wyon’s City Medal, featuring the head of Queen Victoria.
1st class Dorothy Wilding’s three-quarter profile photograph of Queen Elizabeth II.
1st class The classic Machin definitive.
£1.52 The Badge of the House of Windsor.
£1.52 The Queen’s Personal Flag, created for use in Commonwealth countries.

The stamps in the sheet have the wording LONG TO REIGN OVER US repeated in an iridescent layer of printing not only on the 1st class Machin definitive but also on the other four stamps.  This makes them the first commemorative stamps to have an iridescent security printing.

The source code on the miniature sheet stamp, to the right of The Queen's hair, shows GM instead of GN (see illustration at right).
The year code below The Queen's chin, shows O15R instead of OVER.
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Long To Reign Over Us minisheet stamp security detail.

Detail showing (REI)GM
Counter Sheet 1st class stamp.

Long To Reign Over Us sheet stamp 2015.  Detail of Long To Reign Over Us counter sheet stamp.
The Counter Sheet stamps are produced in sheets of 50, in two panes of 25, so with a gutter strip.
The cylinder numbers are D1 x3.

The source code on these, to the right of The Queen's hair, shows (REI) GN.

Unfortunately this position coincides with the security cuts in the self-adhesive stamps. 

The mint stamps are easily distinguished as the only other two self-adhesives are booklet stamps. Used stamps will be more difficult to distinguish, especially with heavy postmarks.  
Retail Booklet of 6 x 1st class

Long To Reign Over Us stamp booklet 2015.

Long To Reign Over Us stamp bookletcover.


The source code on the 6 x 1st booklet stamp, to the right of The Queen's hair, shows GS instead of GN, following the principles established with the 1st class gold and red. 

Detail of stamp from Long To Reign Over Us stamp booklet.


Cylinder numbers are
W1 Amethyst purple
W1 iridescent
W3 phosphor

The numbers are concealed by the front cover of the book.  The books are wrapped in packs of 50.

Mixed Content Retail Booklet of 6 x 1st class stamps.

The first of these will be for the Rugby World Cup, and will be issued on 18 September. 

We don't yet have these, but would expect the source code to be (REI)GC following the principles established with the 1st class gold and red.



The stamps in detail.

1st class - William Wyon’s City Medal, featuring the head of Queen Victoria, commemorated her first visit to London. The image on the Penny Black was based on this portrait, which in turn was based on a sketch of Princess Victoria when she was 15 years old.

1st class - Dorothy Wilding’s three-quarter profile photograph of Queen Elizabeth II was one of a series taken in April 1952 and appeared on British postage stamps from 1952 until 1967.

1st class - The classic Machin definitive, featuring the iconic profile of Queen Elizabeth II by sculptor Arnold Machin has been in use on definitive stamps since 1952.

£1.52 - The Badge of the House of Windsor, featuring a depiction of the Round Tower of Windsor Castle flying the Royal Standard, was approved by King George VI in Council at Buckingham Palace.

£1.52 - Created for use in Commonwealth countries, The Queen’s Personal Flag was approved by Her Majesty in 1960. The device from the flag appears on the stamp.

All four larger stamps also feature the Machin head.

Technical Details and Acknowledgements

The stamps were designed by London design agency Sedley Place.
Illustrations of the Badge of the House of Windsor, the device from The Queen’s Personal Flag and the sheet typography were produced by Gerry Barney, founding partner of Sedley Place. Experienced designers of stamps with a significant philatelic history, Sedley Place also designed The Diamond Jubilee Definitives in 2012 and two London 2010 Festival of Stamps miniature sheets commemorating the accession of King George V and celebrating the Seahorses and British Empire Exhibition stamps.

City Medal from the RM Phillips Collection © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2015, courtesy of The British Postal Museum & Archive, photographed by David Burton; Dorothy Wilding photography © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2015.

The 183mm x 74mm miniature sheet, containing 34 x 24 mm and 20 x 24mm stamps is printed on gummed paper by International Security Printers.  The large stamps are intaglio, and the Machin is gravure.  The iridescent print is gravure. 
The retail booklet is printed by International Security Printers (Walsall) in gravure.  The counter sheets are printed by De La Rue in gravure; printing dates seen so far are 4 & 5 June 2015.   In all cases perforation is 15x14. 

Product Range - available from Royal Mail.

We are stocking the Miniature Sheet, booklet and sheet stamps - available on our shop here.

Miniature sheet - Presentation Pack - Stamp Cards (set of 6) - First Day Cover for miniature sheet only -
Press Sheet - Framed Miniature Sheet - £5 Coin cover, available in UNC, Silver Proof, and Gold Proof editions with prices ranging from £17.50 to £1650 (yes, £1650.00).
Retail booklet of 6 x 1st.  Counter Sheet of 50 in 2 panes of 25.   We have a limited number of FDCs: either the counter sheet and booklet stamps alone, or with the miniature sheet, cancelled with L13554 below.

Special Postmarks available on the day of this issue are be shown here.   

These may not be to scale.   As usual for late announcements or secret issues, collectors have 28 days to have covers and cards cancelled at Handstamp Centres from the date of announcement of the postmarks.


Postmark with text 'Happy and Glorious'.
Postmark with text 'God save our gracious Queen'. Non-pictorial Windsor first day postmark.
Postmark depicting Buckingham Palace.
Postmark showing domed roof.
Ref FD1521TH
Official Bureau postmark
Ref FD1521PL
Windsor official first day of issue postmark
Ref FD1521NP
Windsor non-pictorial first day of issue postmark
Ref L13557 London SW1 Ref S13574 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Britain's longest reigning monarch opens the new Borders Railway
Edinburgh.
Three royal postmarks including one showing Westminster Abbey.
Postmark showing Buckingham Palace. Postmark showing Windsor Castle.
Ref L13554
Long To Reign Over Us, London SW1
Ref L13555
HM The Queen Long to Reign Over Us, London SW1
Ref L13556
Westminster Abbey
Deans Yard, London SW1
Ref L4666
Buckingham Palace,
London SW
Ref L4680
Windsor Castle
Long To Reign Over Us postmarks showing HM Queen Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace, and the Royal Crown.)

Blank for any further postmarks.
Ref L13577
Long To Reign Over Us
London SW1
Ref L13578
Long To Reign Over Us
London W1
Ref L13579
Long To Reign Over Us
London SW1P



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This page updated 9 September 2015

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