413) Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th Birthday: A Souvenir Sheet issued by the Royal Mail, UK (featuring four generations of the House of Windsor) on 21.04.2016:

413) Queen Elizabeth II’s 90^th Birthday: A Souvenir Sheet issued by the Royal Mail, UK (featuring four generations of the House of Windsor) on 21.04.2016:

Queen Elizabeth II’s celebrates two birthdays every year:

Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21.04.1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair London and christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on 29.05.1926. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She became Queen on 06.02.1952 upon the passing away of her father King George VI.

The Queen celebrates two birthdays every year: her actual birthday on 21^st April and her official birthday on a Saturday in June.

She usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in Central London at midday: a 41 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London.

Her 90^th Birthday has been described as “a celebration of the Queen’s life, her love of horses, her dedication to the Commonwealth and international affairs and her deep involvement with the Air Force, Army and Navy”.

She is the longest reigning monarch in the world and her 90^th birthday is a significant landmark.

Royal Mail, UK celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s 90^th Birthday by issuing 10 stamps on 21.04.2016.

                 The Souvenir Sheet of Stamps

Four of the stamps were issued in a Souvenir Sheet which featured four generations of the House of Windsor – these four non-denominated first class stamps (the present first-class rate is 64 p) in the sheet show – beginning from the left – Prince Charles (QE II’s son), the Queen herself, her Great Grandson Prince George and her Grandson Prince William.

This is the first time that Prince George, who was born on 22.07.2013 and the third in line to the British throne has been pictured on a Royal Mail stamp.

Also notice that in the Stamp featuring the Queen herself, there is a profile of her portrait facing right. Probalbly one of the rare occasions when the Queen is represented twice on a UK Stamp.

This photograph was taken in the summer of 2015 in the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace. Ranald Mackechnie was commissioned by Royal Mail to take this photograph.

The other six stamps showcase photographs representing the Queen’s family life and her official duties.

The first three stamps:

 Another family first in the 90^th Birthday set is a stamp picturing QEII with her father. The black – and – white photograph taken in 1930 was taken by Marcus Adams. This stamp is one of three se-tenant first-class stamps printed in sheets of 60 (retailed in panes of 30 at most Royal Mail outlets);

The second stamp in this Sheet depicts the Queen at the state opening of Parliament in 2012.

The third stamp pictures the Queen with two of her children – Princess Anne and Prince Charles in 1952 in a photograph taken by Lisa Sheridan.

The second three stamps:

Another se-tenant strip includes three 1.50 pounds stamps.

Starting on the left, the first stamp portrays the Queen during her 1977 visit to New Zealand in a photograph by Anwar Hussein.

The centre stamp shows a 1957 photograph of the Queen with her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to whom she was married on 20.11.1947 and the couple celebrated their 68^th wedding anniversary in 2015.

The last/third stamp shows the Queen and Nelson Mandela during his 1996 State visit to the United Kingdom. In this photograph, taken by Julian Parker, Mr. Mandela is waving as he rides in an open carriage with the Queen.

Presentation Pack in a booklet:

A 24-page booklet has also been prepared by Royal Mail presenting a chronological account of QEII’s life and reign, the text for which has been compiled by Robert Hardman, who is the royal correspondent for the Daily Mail. In this Presentation Pack, Robert explores the Queen’s public life as the monarch of 16 nations and her personal life as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Replete with archive photographs from throughout the Queen’s life, special reference is made to her many interests and passions. This beautifully designed pack includes the six Special Stamps and the Miniature Sheet and concludes with the poem “The Crown” written by Ann Duffy:

“The crown translates a woman to a Queen –
endless gold, circling itself, an O like a well,
fathomless, for the years to drown in – history's bride,
anointed, blessed, for a crowning. One head alone
can know its weight, on throne, in pageantry,
and feel it still, in private space, when it's lifted:
not a hollow thing, but a measuring; no halo,
treasure, but a valuing; decades and duty. Time-gifted,
the crown is old light, journeying from skulls of kings
to living Queen.
 Its jewels glow, virtues; loyalty's ruby, blood-deep; sapphire's ice resilience; emerald evergreen;
the shy pearl, humility. My whole life, whether it be long
or short, devoted to your service. Not lightly worn.”

One booklet pane includes the two 1.52 Pounds stamps showing the Queen with Prince Philip and during her visit to New Zealand respectively.

The other 1.52 Pounds stamp and the three first class stamps are presented in another pane, while the Souvenir Sheet is in a third pane.

The fourth pane of the booklet includes eight first-class definitive stamps and a central label with “90” on a gold background.

Four of the definitives show Arnold Machin’s profile of the Queen against a red background and the amethyst purple background used for the 90^th Anniversary of Reign Stamps in 2015.

The other four stamps in the pane are country definitives depicting the crowned lion (England), the Lion Rampant (Scotland), Farm Fields (Northern Ireland) and a Dragon (Wales).

Technical Data:

Designer of these stamps: Kate Stephens

Typographic Elements: Mike Pratley

Size of the stamps: 37 mm x 35 mm

Perforation gauge: 14 x 14.5

First Day Covers FDCs:

Cover size: 254 mm x 177 mm

Stamps on the FDC: QEII’s Birthday – 6 stamps and Miniature Sheet containing 4 stamps

Postmarking date: 21.04.2016

No. of FDCs: 4,950

In addition, there are and 11 postcards reproducing the designs of the 10 stamps and the Souvenir Sheet as well as a Presentation Pack.

(The above Souvenir Sheet has been collected by Jayant Biswas for my collection during a recent trip to London. Post researched and written by Rajeev Prasad)

Links:

Bank of England Banknotes:

1) A Ten Pounds Banknote issued on Charles Dickens (Writer) also depicting a cricket match from his novel "The Pickwick Papers"

2) A Ten Pound Banknote issued on Charles Darwin (English Naturalist) also depicting the HMS Beagle, Darwin's magnifying glass, a humming-bird & flora that he may have seen on his voyage.

3) A Five Pounds Banknote issued on George Stephenson (an Engineer) also depicting "Rocket" his Railway Locomotive and Skeene Bridge on theStockton Darlington Railway (1825) - since withdrawn

4) A 20 Pounds Banknote issued on Michael Faraday (a Scientist) issued in 1991, since withdrawn from circulation in 2001 

5) Great Britain's first circulating polymer Banknote issued by the Bank of England in the denomination of 5 Pounds on 13.09.2016

Inspirations from Scottish History (Clydesdale Bank Banknotes): 

1) The Legend of King Bruce & the Spider on Banknotes
  
2) Commemorating Sir William Arrol and his creation the Forth Rail Bridge by issues of Britain's first ever 5 Pound Polymer Banknote

Banknotes from Bank of Scotland:

1) The Ryder Cup Commemorative Banknote: A 5 Pounds Banknote issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2014 

British Crown Dependencies:

1) Specimen Banknotes from the States of Jersey

2) Coinage and Currency from the States of Jersey

3) Currency & Coinage of the Bailiwick of Guernsey

4) Currency & Coinage of Gibraltar : An Overseas Territory of Great Britain

5) Coinage of Gibraltar: (A British Overseas Territory): An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by the Tower Mint, UK in 2010
  
6) The Isle of Man: An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by Pobjoy Mint, UK in 2015

7) The Centenary of the ill-fated Titanic (15.04.1912 - 15.04.2012): An Alderney Five Pound Coin Commemorating the Maritime Legend

8) "Man of Steel": A Superman Movie: A set of stamps brought out in 2013 by Jersey post, the States of Jersey, commemorating Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill who played Superman in the Movie

9) Coins & Currency of Bermuda

10) The Bailiwick of Jersey - Presently circulating coinage - Pounds and Pence 

11) St. Helena & Ascension Islands: An Uncirculated Coin Set from 2003 

12) The Legend of the "HMAV Bounty" is interwoven with the heritage of the Pitcairn Islands: An uncirculated coin set from Pitcairn Islands in 2009 depicting the icons/relics of the Bounty minted by the New Zealand Mint

13) Currency of the Falkland Islands: A British Overseas Territory (BOT) Pounds & Pence

Famous Battles: 

1) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to St. Helena: (Part I): A One Crown Commemorative coin issued by the Ascension Island (minted by Pobjoy Mint UK) 

2) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to st. Helena: (Part II) 1) A 5 GBP Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK. 2) A"Drie Landen Zilverset" ( ot the "Three Lands Silver set") containing coins issued by the Royal Dutch Mint including coins of Netherlands, Belgium and UK

3) Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain by issuing a 50 Pence coin by the Royal Mint UK

Gold Coins:
  
1) Gold Sovereigns issued in 2013 & 2014 by MMTC-PAMP in India under licence from the Royal Mint, UK, carrying the "I" Mint Mark

2) Gold Half-Sovereigns minted by MMTC-PAMP in India in 2014 under licence from the Royal Mint UK bearing the "I" Mint Mark 

Silver Coins:

1) A 20 Pound Silver coin minted for the first timr by the royal Mint UK: reverse design carries the famous St. George slaying the dragon design found on Gold Sovereigns 

British India Coinage:

 1) East India Company Quarter Anna Copper Coin which is one of the first issues under the Coinage Act 1835

2) Victoria Coinage: When she was Queen and afterwards Empress

3) Edward VII: King & Emperor  Coinage

4) George V King Emperor Coinage

5) George VI: The last of the British India Emperors Coinage 

Other British Royalty: 

1) Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (1952-2012): A Five Pound Commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK

2) Commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953: A Five Pound Coin minted by the Royal Mint UK in 2013, depicting the Imperial State Crown

3) The Royal Coat of Arms of the UK: Great British 2012 Coin Set (Uncirculated) issued by the Royal Mint UK

4) Prince George's Christening Ceremony celebrated with coins issued by the Royal Mint UK in 2013

5) The British Empire:  A Case of Numismatic "segregation": (Guest Post by Rahul Kumar)

6) 1) The Portrait Collection: Various Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II on Coinage 2) The Fourth & Final Circulating coinage of the Portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley and the First Edition of the portrait of the Queen made by Jody Clark

 British Coinage:

1) The contribution of the Great British One-Pound coins in keeping alive the historical legends/emblems/heritage of the UK (1983 onwards)

2) Transformation of a Five shilling Coin (Crown) into the UK Twenty-five Pence & then the Five Pound Coin

3) Transformation of the Two Shilling Coin (Florin) Coin into the UK Ten Pence

4) The 350th Anniversary of the Guinea: A Two Pound Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK celebrating the milestone

 Commemorative British Coinage:

 1) Commemorating the Bicentenary of Charles Dickens: A Two pound coin celebrating his literary contributions during the Victorian Era

 2) Commemorating 50 Years of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - presently called the World Wide Fund for Nature by issue of a Fifty Pence coin by the Royal Mint, UK

3) Coins commemorating London Olympics & Paralympics (2012)

4) Commemorating 150 Years of the London Underground : Two pound Coins minted by the Royal Mint UK, showing the "Roundel" logo and a train emerging from a tunnel 

5) Commemorating the 100th Birth anniversary of Christopher Ironside with his" Royal Arms" design on a 50 Pence coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK 

Postage Stamps:

1) 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta - the Universal Guidepost to Liberty and Freedom

 2) "Man of Steel": A Superman Movie: A set of stamps brought out in 2013 by Jersey post, the States of Jersey, commemorating Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill who played Superman in the Movie

3) Celebrating the Centenary of Agatha Christie's first Crime Novel and 40th Anniversary of her passing away by issue of a set of 6 stamps by Royal Mail, UK 

4) Queen Elizabeth II's 90th Birthday: A Souvenir Sheet issued by the Royal Mail, UK featuring four generations of Windsors on 21.04.16