Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

A British Journey - The Beauty of Scotland - 15 July 2003

The first in a series of 10 sets of stamps in the series 'A British Journey' starts our journey in Scotland. These stamps and booklet will remain on sale in Scotland indefinitely.

Since the expansion of stamp issues in the 1960s the Post Office and then Royal Mail have attempted to include aspects of each of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom in all issues of special stamps, as opposed to commemoratives. The high value definitives of 1955 and 1988 featured castles, the 10/- of the first and £2 value of the second both featuring Edinburgh Castle in Scotland's capital city.

2nd class - Loch Assynt, Sutherland 1st class - Ben More, Isle of Mull 'E' rate - Rothiemurchus, Cairngorms
42p Dalveen Pass, Lowther Hills 47p Glenfinnan Viaduct, Lochaber
location for filming car-flying scenes in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets
68p Papa Little, Shetland Islands

Location maps

Loch Assynt 58o 10'N 5o 03'W     Ben More 56o 25'N 6o01'W     Rothiemurchus 57o 09'N 3o 46'W

Dalveen Pass 55o 02'1N 3o 44'W     Glenfinnan 56o 52'N 5o 26'W     Papa Little 60o 20'N 01o 23'W

The first 'special' stamps in 1966 showed the Cairngorm Mountains on the 1/6d value, the second 'Scottish' issue of that year following the Burns Commemoratives in January. Previously, in 1964, the Geographical Congress issue included a stamp showing the Dounreay Nuclear Reactor.
Other stamps with Scottish connections include: 1968 Aberfeldy bridge; 1969 St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh; 1970 Fife cottage, Declaration of Arbroath, Commonwealth Games; 1974 Robert the Bruce; 1976 Scottish Piper; 1978 Holyroodhouse, Shetland Pony; 1979 West Highland Terrier; 1981 Glenfinnan and St Kilda; 1984 Commercial Street, Perth, Edinburgh Mailcoach, Highland Cow; 1985 'Flying Scotsman' and 'Royal Scot' steam trains; 1986 Commonwealth Games, Hebrides Tribute; 1987 Coats of Arms, Queen Victoria; 1988 Europa - Glasgow Tram; 1989 Cotton Mills New Lanark; 1990 Glasgow (Europa); 1992 Deer in Scottish forest; 1993 Orchid Conference Glasgow, steam barges on Crinnan Canal; 1994 West Highland Railway, view of Ben Arkle, Scottish golf courses, Braemar Gathering.

Self-adhesive book

The self-adhesive book will contain 2 x Ben More 1st class stamps and 4 x 1st class gold Machin definitives. Royal Mail missed the opportunity to put 1st class Scotland stamps into this book instead of the UK definitives.

Technical details: .
The stamps are printed in gravure by De La Rue, perf 14.5, with PVA gum.
All images are taken from Royal Mail's Philatelic Bulletin and Postmark Bulletin, and are Copyright 2003 by Royal Mail.


Norvic Exclusive First Day Cover

We produced an exclusive FDC for this issue.
Prices:
Cover with 6 stamps from sheets - £6.25.
Cover with self-adhesive book - £5.75

Also available:
Mint set of 6 - £3.40       Booklet - £3.25; cylinder booklet £3.95 


Postmarks available for the day of issue:

thistle text piper mountains and flag thistles
Ref FD315
Bureau Official Postmark
Ref FD316
'Scotland the Brave' Official Postmark, Baltadound, Unst, Shetland
Ref S8603
Beautiful Britain, Scotland, Edinburgh
Ref S8606
The Beauty of Scotland, Fort William
Ref S8607
Drumnadrochit, Inverness
St Andrew's Cross flag of Scotland heraldic symbol Loch Ness Monster Robert Burns St Andrew's Cross flag of Scotland
Ref L8599
Aberdeen Place, London NW8
Ref S8623
Dalmally - Per Ardua
Ref S8624
Loch Ness, Inverness - A Monster Tourist Attraction
Ref S8625
Self-adhesives, Scotland NVI Stamp Book
Ref M8622
[Flag], Birmingham
decorative 'celtic' design decorative 'celtic' design decorative 'celtic' design decorative 'celtic' design decorative 'celtic' design
Ref S8626
Ben More, Dunoon
Ref S8627
Ullapool
Ref S8628
Wanlockhead, Biggar
Ref S8629
Aviemore
Ref S8630
Glenfinnan
castle and thistle map of Scotland submarines decorative 'celtic' design lighthouse
Ref S8632
Beauties of Scotland, Edinburgh
Ref S8633
A British Journey - Glenfinnan Viaduct
Ref S8634
"Scotland's" Naval Base, HMNB Clyde, Faslane, Helensburgh
Ref S8635
Papa Little, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland
Ref L8618
Scotland Place, London EC1, Lighthouse in the Outer Hebrides
decorative 'celtic' design thistle text text Boer War medal
Ref S8631
Ben More, Dunoon
Ref S8659
A British Journey, Thistle Street, Edinburgh
Ref S8660
50th Anniversary First Ascent of Nagan Parbat, Scott's View, Melrose
Ref S8661
A British Journey, The Beauty of Scotland, Letters, Lochbroom, Garve
Ref F8667
The Boer War, Capture of Steyn's War Cabinet

This page updated 8 July 2003 [24.1.05]


2003 stamp issues
2004
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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