To commemorate the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games this evening Royal Mail are issuing a special mini-sheet of stamps.
Welcome to the London 2012 Olympic Games miniature sheet
The sheet of four stamps features a quartet of Olympic sports: Diving, Fencing, Athletics and Cycling ‘merged’ with four iconic London landmarks: Tate Modern, Tower Bridge, the Olympic Stadium and the London Eye.
To bring out the best of these striking composite images Royal Mail is using one of its widest formats for the mini-sheet which contains two 1st class stamps and two £1.28 stamps.
The two 1st Class stamps feature a fencer’s lunge meeting the walkway of Tower Bridge, while runners powering round the curve of a track, ‘run’ into the Olympic Stadium.
The £1.28 stamps show a diver’s arrow-like vertical descent mirroring Tate Modern’s imposing 325 foot chimney, while the London Eye’s iconic Ferris Wheel becomes the front wheel of an Olympic racing bike.
Royal Mail have already issued a number of other London 2012 Olympic Games commemorative stamps, and it was recently announced that British Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners will appear on stamps.
The new London 2012 stamps and stamp products are available at most Post Office branches, online at www.royalmail.com/bethefirst and from Royal Mail Tallents House (tel. 08457 641 641), 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.
Visit our website to see stamps and stamp artwork from the 1948 London Olympic Games.
I am also looking forward to the Andy Murray stamp for his gold medal win over federer 2 sets up and looking good for 3-0, now he has found the aggressive
game to win grand slams. Also have to have the jessica ennis stamp seeing as I supported her day and night sessions on friday what a legend.
There have been a number of black people winning gold medals, including Nicola Adams, Mo Farah etc. How many ‘black’ faces have appeared on previous Royal Mail stamps?
There have been a few, particularly in recent years. Examples include The Abolition of the Slave Trade, Women of Achievement and The Settlers’ Tale, which includes a stamp commemorating migration to Britain in the 20th Century.