Norvic Philatelics

Greetings Stamps - Flowers - 21 January 2003

Sheet of 20 plus labels
These colourful and attractive 1st class stamps were were first issued in 1997 in booklets of 10. As Royal Mail are now making them available for personalisation this souvenir sheet with illustrated labels has been produced. The sheet is A4 in size and contains two sets of stamps arranged in a different order. The sheet is sold at a premium over face value.

sheet of 20 stamps with attached labels and decorative borders - 2 sets of 10 stamps and labels showing flowers Click here for larger picture.

The flowers shown are, reading down the sheet:
Column 1: Hippeastrum rutilum, Camellia japonica, Magnolia grandiflora, Gentiana acaulis.
Column 2: Guzmania splendens, Fuchsia 'Princess of Wales', Iris latifolia, Tulipa, Tulipa gesneriana.
Columns 3 & 4 show the same stamps in a different order.
The labels mostly show the same flower as the stamp to which they are attached, but designs span two labels in four cases: in positions 1+2 in label columns 1 & 3, positions 3+4 in label column 2, and positions 4+5 in label column 4.
The designs are taken from 19th century paintings of flowers.

Technical details:
Sheets - printed by House of Questa as are all Personalised sheets.
This is the first time these stamps have been printed by Questa as the booklets were printed by Walsall Security Print.

All images are taken from Royal Mail's Philatelic Bulletin and Postmark Bulletin, and are Copyright 2003 by Royal Mail.


Norvic Exclusive First Day Covers

We produced two exclusive covers for this issue, with 5 stamps and labels on each, both with postmark L8273 shown below.
The covers were sold only in pairs and are now all sold.

There are NO Royal Mail FDCs for these stamps.


Special postmarks available for the day of issue are shown here.

Flowers shown on postmarks have been identified to the best of my limited ability - corrections are welcome!
 camellia   gentian Passion flower tulip Fuchsia
Ref L8297
Camellia.
Woking Surrey [Royal Horticultural Society]
Ref L8298
Gentian.
Kew, Richmond, Surrey [Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]
Ref L8299
Passion flower.
Chelsea, London SW3 [Chelsea Flower Show]
Ref N8313
Tulip.
Harrogate,Yorkshire. [North of England Flower Show]
Ref E8326
Fuchsia.
Rettendon Common, Chelmsford. [ ]

 magnolia Hippeastrum iris Guzmania  tulip
Ref E8325
Magnolia.
Ardingly, Haywards Heath. [ ]
Ref W8334
Hippeastrum.
St Austell, Cornwall [The Eden Project]
Ref W8336
Iris.
Llanarthney, Carmarthen [National Garden of Wales]
Ref W8337
Guzmania.
Mevagissey, St Austell. [ ]
Ref W8335
Tulip.
Torrington, Devon [ ]
Hippeastrum
Ref L8273
Botanical Fine Arts, Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey


This page updated 6 February 2003 [7.2.05]

Any questions? please e-mail us.


2003 stamp issues

14 January Birds of Prey 21 January - Flowers Greetings Stamps Smilers Sheet 4 February Occasions/Greetings stamps and Smilers sheet 25 February Medical Science - DNA & Genome 4 March Hello SA booklet & Wales 1st reprint
25 March Fun Fruit & Vegetables 27 March New definitives, SA airmail booklets of 40gr stamps 29 April Extreme Endeavours 6 May 34p definitives 20 May Wilding II miniature sheet
28 May Wales 2nd class, 1st class gold reprints 2 June - 50th Anniversary of the Coronation 17 June Prince William of Wales 1 July High Value Definitive reprints 15 July British Journey - Scotland
29 July Cartoons Smilers Sheet 12 August Pub Signs - Europa 18 September Transports of Delight - toys 30 September Christmas Robin Smilers Sheet 7 October 250th Anniv. of British Museum
13 October Reprints of Country Stamps 4 November Christmas: Ice Sculptures 18 December England World Cup - Rugby Winners
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