Collectors of postage stamps may be clamouring for new versions released recently by Royal Mail. The organisation launched its Dinosaur Special Stamps issue to mark more than 200 years of dinosaur fossil discoveries in the UK. The earliest discoveries of these fascinating beasts were made in England during the early 1800s and the set reflects this fact.
Featuring a total of ten stamps, the collection has strong connections with Dorset and pioneering fossil hunter Mary Anning, as well as the Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex. Among the dinosaurs to be included are the polacanthus, iguanodon, megalosaurus and plesiosaurus.
The stamps went on sale on October 10th and they have been printed so that the creatures ‘break out’ of the self-adhesive stamp frame.
Commenting on the importance of dinosaur discoveries in the UK, broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough said: “It was a British scientist, Sir Robert Owen, the first director of the Natural History Museum, who first identified a dinosaur and who invented that name for the whole group. The sheer size and variety of these extinct reptiles captivates people of all ages and inspires children’s imaginations. They are perennially popular and have inspired countless books, films and television series. These stamps are a wonderful reminder of the majestic creatures that once roamed what is now Great Britain hundreds of millions of years ago.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Hammond, director of stamps and collectibles at Royal Mail, added: “Britain has played an important role in the discovery of dinosaurs for over 200 years and our Dinosaurs issue is a fitting tribute to these creatures.”
Royal Mail noted that dinosaurs dominated the planet for more than 160 million years during the Mesozoic Era, which occurred between 252 million and 65 million years ago. They shared the Earth with a range of other creatures, including marine reptiles, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs and flying reptiles called pterosaurs.
Of course, it is not only new stamps that interest consumers. Many people are also on the hunt for antique stamps and one of the best places to find these small items is online. By searching the internet, people can take their pick from a dizzying array of stamps. This is a much more efficient and often fruitful way of looking for the relevant postage stamps.
For busy individuals who do not have lots of time to spend looking for the items, cyberspace offers welcome convenience and speed. People can even check out the available stamps while on a break at work or while they are relaxing in the evening. All they need are a few spare moments and a web connection.
Indeed, cyberspace has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for collectors, both hobbyists and investors. Rather than being restricted to items they can find in their local areas, people are now able to search far and wide for stamps at the simple click of a button. Regardless of where they are in the world, they should be able to find what they are after.
About the Author – Anna Longdin is a freelance blogger who contributes to a number of online auction websites, including Sandafayre.