Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

The World of Invention - 1 March 2007 - stamps and miniature sheet

Royal Mail's The World of Invention stamp issue comprises of six self-adhesive stamps featuring landmarks in engineering and technology. Each of the inventions is illustrated in by Guardian cartoonist Peter Till in his own whimsical style with formatting and typography by Peter Willberg. On the backing paper a description of each invention is printed.

Thomas Telford was the engineering genius who built the roads, bridges, canals and docks without which the industrial revolution could not have happened. Now 250 years after his birth, Royal Mail celebrates the work of engineers and inventors who have changed our lives through technology.

These are the second British stamps to be issued with a description on the reverse of the backing paper. Each value is printed in sheets of 30, 15 of each design. The images show the reverse and the stamp designs.
Column 2
Column 1
Column 1
Column 2
Telford's Bridges and Railway Locomotive 1st class stamps .
Telephone and Telecision 64p stamps .
The Internet and Space Travel stamps .
World of Invention Miniature sheet of 6 British stamps.

On the miniature sheet the stamps are as above. The border features an original patent drawing of a cathode coupled pair by Alan Dower Blumlein.

Prestige Stamp Book 'World of Invention: Technology to Change our Lives'

To commemorate the birth of Thomas Telford in Westerkirk, Scotland 250 years ago, Royal Mail is also issuing a Prestige Stamp Book. The book has been written by TV science pundit Adam Hart-Davis who in his own inimitable style takes us on a journey from the building of Roman roads to the Moon landings. The book designed by Russell Warren-Fisher also contains four unique stamp panes. Fittingly one of the panes contains mixed Welsh and Scottish definitive stamps, celebrating the Scots engineer who connected Anglesey to the rest of Wales, as shown below.

World of Invention Prestige Stamp Book featuring Thomas Telford.


Technical details:

Stamps. The format & typography is by Peter Willberg, with illustrations by Peter Gill. The self-adhesive stamps are 32x30mm, and are printed in gravure by De La Rue Security Printers. The backing paper of the stamps is printed with information about the subjects of the stamps.
The Miniature sheet is conventionally gummed and printed in gravure by De La Rue.
The panes in the Prestige Stamp Book are all conventionally gummed and printed by De La Rue in gravure:
Pane 1: Country stamps, Scotland 2nd class and Wales 44p on a map of the Menai Straits;
Pane 2: Machin definitives 5p & 1st class standard PIP surrounding a label depicting Sir Rowland Hill, the background showing a Queen Victoria 1d red stamp;
Pane 3: Invention stamps: 1st railway, 64p television, 64p telephone, 1st bridge, with an early television screen in the background;
Pane 4: Invention stamps: 1st bridge, 72p space travel, 72p internet, 1st railway, on a background commemorating the Telstar satellite.
Note, pane descriptions are in the book order, which is not the order Royal Mail showed them!

All images except FDCs are Copyright Royal Mail 2006/07.


Norvic Exclusive First Day Cover

We have produced exclusive limited edition covers for the set, the miniature sheet and the prestige stamp book panes.

Our FDC for set of 6 stamps shows four Inventions from Norfolk, and is available with a choice of postmarks depicting Tim Berners-Lee who is credited with inventing the World Wide Web by you can see this page; or Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone without which the internet would not work!
The covers are priced at £8.95 each.

Norvic FDC for World of Invention stamp set issued 1.3.07.


The miniature sheet FDC shows Telford's Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Sinclair's ZX81 computer, and a steel-ribbed umbrella devised by Samuel Fox,
available only with the Thomas Telford postmark, price £8.95.
Norvic FDC for World of Invention miniature sheet issued 1.3.07.


The cover used for all four prestige stamp book panes (see above) shows Telford's suspension bridge at Conwy in north Wales.
We have used a different appropriate postmark on each pane and the set is priced at £18.50.
Norvic FDC for World of Invention prestige stamp book issued 1.3.07.


World of Invention Royal Mail first day cover. Products issued:
Mint set
Mint miniature sheet 
Prestige Stamp Book
Presentation Pack 
Set or MS on Royal Mail FDC
Set of 7 Stamp Cards unused 


Spot the difference

While the stamps delivered to post offices and sent to collectors come from sheets in which the backing paper is rouletted (perforated in slits), those in the presentation pack have been separated by conventional guillotining, resulting in straight edges. In any other circumstance we would refer to such a variation as 'imperforate'. These stamps are only available in the packs.
two versions of the World of Invention stamps.


Special Postmarks
Postmarks available for the day of issue are shown below - these may not be to scale. These postmarks cannot be obtained after the date of issue.

NB:All these postmarks except the FDs may also be used on the Glorious Wales Smiler Sheet
postmark illustrated with 'running' letter. Official postmark illustrated with electric light bulb. Non-pictorial first day of issue postmark, Pont Menai-Menai Bridge. postmark showing the Conwy Road Bridge by Thomas Telford. postmark showing what appear to be aeroplane propellors marking the invention of the jet engine by Sir Frank Whittle.
Ref FD709
Philatelic Bureau Official Postmark
Ref FD710
Pont Menai/Menai Bridge Official Postmark
Ref FD710NP
Pont Menai/Menai Bridge non-pictorial Postmark
Ref M10407
Telford Way, Birmingham
Ref M10408
A Great British Invention, Sir Frank Whittle's Jet Engine, Cranwell Sleaford
postmark illustrated with Concorde supersonic airliner. postmark in the shape of a cogwheel. Postmark illustrating scouting, science, & the movies. Stampex postmark showing early railway locomotive. postmark showing Stephenson's rocket - locomotive.
Ref L10404
Concorde, Design Icon of the 20th century, Heathrow, Hounslow
Ref L10403
World of Invention, Cogges, Whitney
Ref L10402
World of Invention Anniversaries, Post Office Way, London SE8
Ref L10419
World of Invention, Stampex, London N1
Ref N10427
Stephenson's Rocket, Home of the 1829 Locomotive Trials, Rainhill, Merseyside
postmark showing portrait of Sir Rowland Hill. postmark showing portrait of George Stephenson. Postmark showing portrait of Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Postmark showing computer card-punching equipment. postmark showing text as below.
Ref M10425
Sir Rowland Hill, Kidderminster
Ref N10426
George Stephenson, Wylam
Ref L10417
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, London SW14
Ref L10416
Bletchley Park Post Office Milton Keynes computer punch-card
Ref W10435
The Mumbles Railay Horse Drawn Steam Locomotive Tram, Swansea (variable date)
postmark showing portrait of Thomas Telford. postmark showing portrait of John Logie Baird. Postmark showing portrait of Alexander Graham Bell. Postmark showing music speaker. postmark showing text as below.
Ref S10429
Thomas Telford, Langholm
Ref S10430
John Logie Baird, Helensburgh
Ref S10431
Alexander Graham Bell, Edinburgh
Ref M10424
New Invention, Willenhall
Ref L10418
Spring Stampex, London N1 as above, but dates 1st March


If you have any questions about these stamps please email us.
NB: all emails will be acknowledged in 1-2 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement please email us from a different address (eg hotmail, gmail).

This page updated 23 May 2007

2006
2007 stamp issues
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January
9
The Beatles
16 Definitive LOVE booklet
February
1
Sealife of the British Coast
13 The Sky at Night
March
1
World of Invention
1 Glorious Wales Smiler Sheet
22 Abolition of the Slave Trade
27 Definitive & Country stamps
April
23
Celebrating England miniature sheet and Glorious England Smilers Sheet
May
15
Beside the Seaside
17 Wembley Stadium MS and Smilers
June
5
Machins 40th Anniversary miniature sheet, PSB & Smilers
July
3
Motor racing Grand Prix
17 Harry Potter books
26 Centenary of Scouting (Europa)
August
September
4
Endangered Species - birds
20 British Military Uniforms (I)
October
16
60th Wedding Anniversary of HM the Queen
November
6
Christmas
8 Lest We Forget
30 Glorious Scotland Smilers

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