Commemorative STAMP questions...

[cooky]

Hey to all commemorative stamp collectors. Your views on these questions will help me as a designer for my essay! Thankyou for your time!

Would you consider a commemorative stamp a label or a thing of beauty?

Do you think that commemorative stamp subjects are following British Heritage or is it becoming more about what the public/marketers want?

What do you think to the silhouette queen head on commemorative stamps, do you think it gets in the way?

What do you think to 'Smilers', inwhich anyones photo can be made to be put next to a stamp?

With Royal Mail now making 900,000 profit a day do you think commemorative stamps and collecting have much role in that?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hello - Cooky. Welcome to GMIC - introduce yourself - join-in - and I hope you find it of value. This is the first stamp question I have seen on the Forum - there must be collectors, so I hope they welcome you and help with your question.

Since the questions are not specifically on actual stamps, I will answer them from my point of view. From your comments I guess you are either at school or, college - therefore, my answers will be from an older persons perspective.

1. To me any stamp is a functional item - and very rarely I might think about it's design.

2. The British Post Office is a business that has to pay for it's running costs. So - yes. They will sell designs, but also, commemorate

special events. Queen's Anniversaries for example.

3. The Queen is our Head of State - of course it doesn't get in the way. Occasionally they leave it off commemoratives - but not from

the standard issue. Would be like leaving her portrait off coinage.

4. The item you describe would be - to someone of my age - disrespectful. Why would you want to put your picture next to the Queen. The

question is probably only academic - few people under 30 write physical letters? And if the recipient was under 20 - could he read it ??

5. Like the Royal Mint a great part of their income is derived from the special issues and commemoratives. Part of modern business.

There you are Cooky - my input for what it's worth. Keep posting - but start collecting something useful - truncheons and tipstaffs are good !!

Mervyn

Edited September 6, 2009 by Mervyn Mitton