Stamp Magazine - August 2023

In this issue

In the August issue of Stamp Magazine we study the production history and postal history of the King George VI halfpenny stamp, which came in three distinct colours and had various uses. It’s the ideal collectable in a cost-of-living crisis. We also root out the surprising number of stamps and cancellations featuring ichthyosaurs, the marine reptiles which were successful predators for millions of years during the age of the dinosaurs. They might superficially resemble dolphins, but in reality they were very different. Our series on Great Britain’s special issues in the early years of Queen Elizabeth II focuses on the 1963 Compac stamp, revealing how it was inspired by Australia. Meanwhile, Commonwealth Classics explains how the first issue of East Africa & Uganda was a close copy of Great Britain’s King Edward VII definitives, and Strange But True tells the story of a Russian general who failed in Ukraine! Our news pages have full details of Royal Mail’s special issue celebrating the Windrush generation, and the Japanese rarity which has smashed the world record price for an item of Asian philately. Don’t miss it!