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United Kingdom commemorative stamps 2020–2029 facts for kids

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Commemorative stamps are special postage stamps that celebrate important events, people, or topics. Unlike regular stamps used for everyday mail, these stamps are often collected by people who enjoy learning about history, culture, and art through these tiny pieces of paper. The United Kingdom issues many different commemorative stamps each year, covering a wide range of exciting subjects. This article lists the special stamps released by the UK from 2020 to 2023.

Special Stamps of 2020

In 2020, the UK released many interesting stamp sets, celebrating everything from popular video games to famous bands and historical moments.

Gaming and Movies on Stamps

  • Video Games: This set featured classic video games that many parents and even some older kids might remember! It included games like Elite, Worms, Lemmings, Sensible Soccer, Micro Machines, Wipeout, Dizzy, and Populous. There was also a special mini-sheet dedicated to Tomb Raider and its famous hero, Lara Croft.
  • James Bond: To celebrate the iconic spy, stamps were released featuring actors who played James Bond, such as Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. A mini-sheet showed famous gadgets and vehicles from the films, like the jet pack from Thunderball and the Aston Martin DB5 from Skyfall.
  • Coronation Street: This set honored the long-running British TV show Coronation Street, featuring popular characters like Ena Sharples, Elsie Tanner, Stan and Hilda Ogden, Vera and Jack Duckworth, and many more.
  • Sherlock: Fans of the modern TV series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson, were excited to see stamps based on episodes like "The Reichenbach Fall" and "A Study in Pink."
  • Star Trek: A large collection of 12 stamps celebrated the universe of Star Trek, featuring beloved characters like James T Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, Spock, and many others from different series.

Music and Nature on Stamps

  • Music Giants: Queen: This stamp set paid tribute to the legendary rock band Queen. The stamps featured album covers like Queen II, A Night at the Opera, and News of the World. A mini-sheet showed the band performing live.
  • Brilliant Bugs: This colorful set highlighted some amazing insects found in the UK, including the Common carder bee, Marmalade hoverfly, Longhorn beetle, Elephant hawk-moth, Painted lady butterfly, and Ruby-tailed wasp.

History and Landmarks on Stamps

  • Visions of the Universe: This set explored the wonders of space, showing incredible sights like the Cat's Eye Nebula, Enceladus (a moon of Saturn), a Pulsar, a Black Hole, and Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
  • Declaration of Arbroath: A mini-sheet was released to mark the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, an important historical document from Scotland. The stamps featured symbols of Scotland like The Saltire and the Lion Rampant.
  • End of the Second World War: This set commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The stamps showed scenes of celebration and return home, capturing the joy and relief of the time.
  • Roman Britain: This collection showcased the lasting impact of the Roman Empire in Britain, with images of the Dover Lighthouse, the Bignor Mosaic, and parts of Hadrian's Wall.
  • The Palace of Westminster: Stamps featured different views and important rooms of the Palace of Westminster, home to the UK Parliament, including the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and the Commons Chamber.

Special Stamps of 2021

The year 2021 brought stamps celebrating natural beauty, beloved TV shows, and historical legends.

Nature and Wildlife on Stamps

  • National Parks: This set celebrated the stunning natural beauty of the UK's National Parks, including the Peak District, Lake District, Snowdonia, and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.
  • Wild Coasts: This collection highlighted the amazing marine life found around the UK's coastline, featuring creatures like the Northern Gannet, Common Cuttlefish, Grey Seal, Bottlenose Dolphin, and even Orcas.

Entertainment and Culture on Stamps

  • Only Fools and Horses: This popular British comedy TV show was honored with stamps featuring classic episodes and catchphrases from characters like Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, and Uncle Albert.
  • Paul McCartney: The legendary musician Paul McCartney was celebrated with stamps featuring his solo album covers, such as McCartney, RAM, and Flaming Pie.
  • Dennis the Menace and Gnasher: This fun set featured the mischievous character Dennis the Menace and Gnasher from The Beano comic, showing his evolution from his first appearance to meeting his sister, Bea.
  • DC Collection: Superheroes and villains from DC Comics came to life on stamps, including Batman, Batwoman, Robin, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman, and Superman.

History and Royalty on Stamps

  • The Legend of King Arthur: This set brought to life the famous stories of King Arthur, featuring scenes like Arthur drawing Excalibur from the stone, Merlin, Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table.
  • The Wars of the Roses: This historical set depicted key battles from the The Wars of the Roses, a series of wars fought in England during the 15th century.
  • In Memoriam, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh: A special set of stamps was released to honor Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh after his passing, showing him at various stages of his life and public service.

Special Stamps of 2022

In 2022, the UK continued to release stamps on diverse themes, from music legends to animals and important national celebrations.

Music and Entertainment on Stamps

  • Music Giants VI – The Rolling Stones: This set celebrated the iconic rock band The Rolling Stones, featuring images from their concerts around the world.
  • Aardman Classics: This fun collection featured characters from the famous animation studio Aardman Animations, known for their stop-motion films.
  • Transformers: Fans of the popular Transformers franchise were excited to see stamps featuring their favorite Autobots and Decepticons.

Animals and Nature on Stamps

Royalty and History on Stamps

  • Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee: This very special set celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. The stamps featured photographs of the Queen from different decades of her reign.
  • In Memoriam: Her Majesty The Queen: Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, a special set of stamps was issued to honor her life and legacy.
  • Tutankhamun: This set explored the fascinating history of ancient Egypt, focusing on the famous pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Sports and Social Topics on Stamps

  • The FA Cup: This set celebrated the historic football competition, The FA Cup.
  • Heroes of the COVID-19 Pandemic: These stamps honored the brave individuals who played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Pride: This set celebrated Pride, promoting diversity and inclusion.
  • Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Stamps were released to mark the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham.

Special Stamps of 2023

The year 2023 continued the tradition of diverse and engaging stamp issues, including more music, fantasy, and historical figures.

Music and Entertainment on Stamps

  • Iron Maiden: The legendary heavy metal band Iron Maiden was honored with their own set of stamps.
  • X-Men: Another exciting set for comic book fans, featuring characters from Marvel's popular X-Men series.
  • Blackadder: This set celebrated the classic British comedy TV series Blackadder.
  • Warhammer: Fans of the fantasy tabletop game Warhammer were able to collect stamps featuring characters and scenes from its universe.

History and Culture on Stamps

  • The Flying Scotsman: This set celebrated the famous steam locomotive, The Flying Scotsman.
  • The Legend of Robin Hood: This collection brought to life the tales of the heroic outlaw Robin Hood and his adventures.
  • His Majesty King Charles III: A New Reign: A special set of stamps was released to mark the coronation of King Charles III and the beginning of his reign.
  • Windrush: 75 Years: This set commemorated 75 years since the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush, an important moment in British history related to the Windrush generation.

Nature on Stamps

  • Flowers: A beautiful set featuring various Flowers.
  • River Wildlife: This collection showcased the diverse animals and plants found in and around UK Rivers.

Other periods

See also

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