Olympic Games Stamps

In the countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games Royal Mail is issuing 30 stamps for the 30th Olympiad and London 2012 Paralympic Games. Each stamp will champion an Olympic or Paralympic sport and they are issued in three sets of ten stamps in 2009, 2010 and 2011, counting down to the Olympic Games.

The new issue is the second set in this series, subtitled ‘On Track for 2012’, it contains a new set of ten dynamic images is issued exactly two years before the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The stamps are printed in two sheets, each bearing se-tenant strips of five stamps.

In all, 29 different sports are played across the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. There will be one stamp design for each sport with the exception of athletics which will be presented across two stamps as ‘Athletics: track’ and ‘Athletics: field’.

The 30 sporting areas were divided into three sets of ten to ensure a balance of team and individual events, and Olympic and Paralympic sports for each year of issue. Great care was also taken to ensure that a balance of ball and water sports was maintained across the three stamp issues.

Royal Mail’s design team and David Hillman, from Studio David Hillman, set to work allocating each sport to one of the hand-picked image makers he approached to work on this three-year project.

Royal Mail also consulted with the sports’ governing bodies and specialist clubs for each and every stamp.

Each stamp will feature either the London 2012 Olympic Games or Paralympic Games logo.

The ten stamps are printed on two se-tenant sheets. Each individual design is therefore available in vertical strips of five.

Presentation Pack M20 – Olympic and Paralympic Games

The fully illustrated Presentation Pack contains the ten Olympic and Paralympic Games stamps.
Inside former Daily Mail sports news editor Ian Cole takes a look at each of the sports featured.
The pack was designed by GBH and printed by Walsall Security Printers.

Stamp Cards

Ten postcards bearing enlarged images of each of the Olympic and Paralympic Games stamps go on sale about a week before the stamp issue date. Printed by Fulmar Colour Printing Company Ltd.

Retail Stamp Book

The first of two retail stamp books to be issued in 2010 featuring stamps from this issue, the stamps selected are rowing and table tennis alongside four 1st Class Machins. A further retail stamp book will be issued on 12 October featuring soccer and BMX biking.

Commemorative Sheet

The Commemorative Sheet features all ten Olympic and Paralympic Games stamps alongside labels containing information about each sport. Designed by True North and written by Richard Rae, the Sheet features interviews with Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, including goalball players Michael and Anna Sharkey.

Feature	Type/Detail
Number of stamps	Ten
Design	Studio David Hillman
Illustration	Rowing: Marian Hill; Shooting: David Hillman; Modern Pentathlon. Katherine Baxter; Taekwondo: James Fryer; Cycling: Matthew Dennis, Table Tennis: Michael Craig Martin; Hockey: Darren Hopes; Football Alex Williamson; Goalball: Tobatron, Boxing Stephen Ledwidge
Stamp format	Square
Stamp size	35mm x 35mm
Printer	Cartor Security Printing
Print process	Lithography
Number per sheet	25/50
Perforations	14.5 x 14.5
Phosphor	All over
Gum	PVA

Feature	Type/Detail
Stamps	1 x 1st Rowing 1 x 1st Table Tennis 4 x 1st Machin
Printer	Walsall Security Printers
Print process	Gravure

Text © reproduced with the permission of Royal Mail Group Ltd. All rights reserved.