United Kingdom 2009
"The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species"





Issue Date 12.05.2009
ID Michel: 2707-2712, BL. 49 Scott: Stanley Gibbons: Yvert: UPU: GB015.09 Category: Dw
Design The self-adhesive stamps are designed by hat-trick Design The conventionally gummed miniature sheet is designed by Howard Brown The Prestige Stamp Book is designed by Howard Brown with text by Eugene Byrne.
Stamps in set 10: self-adhesive stamps x6 + Mini-sheet with 4 stamps
Value self-adhesive stamps
1st class - Charles Darwin;
48p - Zoology (Marine Iguana);
50p - Ornithology (Galapagos Finches);
56p Geology (Pacific Atoll);
72p - Botany (Bee Orchid);
81p Anthropology (Orang-utan).
Credits:
Charles Darwin, finches and bee orchid 2009, The Natural History Museum, London; Cocos (Keeling) Islands Karen Willshaw - Undersea Reflections, Cocos (Keeling) Islands; marine iguana Tui De Roy, Roving Tortoise Nature Photography; orang-utan Frans Lanting/Corbis
Miniature Sheet. Stamps showing some of the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands.
1st class - Flightless Cormorant
1st class - Giant Tortoise and Cactus Finch
81p - Marine Iguana
81p - Floreana Mockingbird
The animals are shown against the background of the map produced on the Beagle mission.
Credits:
Galapagos Islands map Crown Copyright. Reproduced by permission of the UK Hydrographic Office; images of the flightless cormorant, giant tortoise, cactus finch, marine iguana and Floreana mockingbird Tui De Roy, Roving Tortoise Nature
Size (width x height) self-adhesive stamps 35x33mm plus the 'puzzle'-type tab, Mini-sheet size 115 x 89mm, with stamps 41 x 30mm.
Layout self adhesive sheet of 25 and 50
Products
Paper
Perforation 14x14
Print Technique self-adhesive stamps: Gravure Mini-sheet: lithography
Printed by Walsall Security Printers
Quantity
Issuing Authority Royal Mail of Great Britai
The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species stamps of UK 2009

On May 12th, 2009, Royal Mail issued the set of stamps to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species.
Julietta Edgar, head of special stamps, Royal Mail, said: Charles Darwin's ideas triggered a revolution in the understanding of how species evolve. The brilliance of his thinking is symbolised in the unique design of the stamps the jigsaw shape suggests how Darwin was able to draw on his different areas of study to formulate groundbreaking new ideas.
Royal Mail also issued a separate set of tamper-proof stamps today, which have improved security features to stop users peeling used stamps from envelopes which have not been franked and reusing them.
Part of a sticky film covering the stamp will remain on the envelope and thwart fraudsters. The new stamps will also be printed on the same tamper-proof paper used for currency. They are called the Machin stamps, named in honour of the (late) artist Arnold Machin, who created the classic image of the Queen which features on British stamps and coins.
Charles Darwin on stamp of UK 2009
Charles Darwin on stamp of UK 2009 MiNr.: ; Scott: .
The Royal Mail's stamps commemorate Darwin and the areas of study which inspired his ideas on evolution: zoology, botany, geology, ornithology and anthropology.
The six "jigsaw" shape stamps symbolise how his studies of different disciplines came together to form new ideas on evolution.

1st class shows a portrait of the man himself while the others show Darwin's areas of study that helped to contribute to his ideas on evolution: Zoology, Ornithology, Geology, Botany and Anthropology through a mixture of present day photography and relevant archive material from Darwin's time.
Born at the Mount, Shrewsbury on 12 February 1809, Darwin studied at both Edinburgh and Christ's College, Cambridge before in 1831, aged just 22, he embarked on a five year journey to south America, and beyond, aboard the HMS Beagle. He died on 19 April 1882 at Down House, Downe, Kent. More than two decades after his return he eventually published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. Darwin wanted to unravel 'the mystery of mysteries - the first appearance of new beings on Earth', and his book immediately challenged the established beliefs concerning evolution that were commonly held at the time, triggering a scientific revolution that still causes debate today.
Marine Iguana on stamp of UK 2009 Galapagos Finches on stamp of UK 2009 Pacific atoll on stamp of UK 2009 Bee orchid on stamp of UK 2009 Orang-utan on stamp of UK 2009
Zoology (48p) is represented by a photograph of a Marine Iguana, just like the uniquely adapted reptiles observed on the Beagle Voyage. Ornithology (50p) the Galapagos Finches that demonstrated variation through the shapes of their bills.


Geology (56p) a Pacific atoll






Botany (72p) an illustration of a bee orchid





Anthropology (81p) an orang-utan like the one Darwin studied in London Zoo




Flightless Cormorant on stamp of UK 2009 Giant Tortoise on stamp of UK 2009 Marine Iguana on stamp of UK 2009 Floreana Mockingbird on stamp of UK 2009
Royal Mail has also produced a special sheet of four stamps illustrating the unique wildlife of the Galpagos Islands that includes the Flightless Cormorant, Giant Tortoise, Floreana Mockingbird and Marine Iguana, and which builds up into a contemporary map of the Galpagos Islands with the key species Darwin studied in the 1830s during his voyage as Ship's Naturalist on the hydrographic survey ship HMS Beagle. The animals of these isolated islands and how they showed evidence of variation and evolution had a profound influence upon Darwin's theory of natural selection. The animals are shown against the background of the map produced on the mission by Captain Robert Fitzroy.


Products and associated philatelic items


FDC
The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species FDC of UK 2009 The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species FDC of UK 2009 The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species FDC of UK 2009
The town of Darwins birth, Shrewsbury, has been selected as the postmark for this issue. Inside leading science historian Professor Dorothy Porter provides an explanation of Darwins tree of life. Some personalized FDC


Presentation Pack Coin Cover Prestige Booklet
The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species presentation pack of UK 2009 The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species coin cover of UK 2009 The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species prestige booklet of UK 2009
The Presentation Pack is a fold out design is packed with Professors Dorothy Porters insight into Darwins life and the influences that led to his theory of Natural Selection. It contains all six Darwin Mint Stamps and the Miniature Sheet.





Royal Mail and the Royal Mint have produced an exceptionally fine Coin Cover for this issue, featuring the six Darwin stamps. Designed by Thyme Design Associates, it contains a six-page insert card featuring the Miniature Sheet and Royal Mints 2 Commemorative Coin.
The obverse of the coin is designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, while the reverse designed by Suzie Zamit, features a profile of Darwin facing an ape. The edge inscription on the coin reads; On The Origin of Species 1859. 		The Prestige Stamp Book includes a fascinating account by noted writer Eugene Byrne who provides his own take on Darwins life, influences and legacy to discover how this Shropshire lad became perhaps the worlds greatest naturalist.
It contains four panes of stamps; two of the panes include three of each of the Darwin stamps in a unique gummed format, the third features the whole Miniature Sheet, and the final pane is of mixed definitive stamps.
Post Cards
The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species post cards of UK 2009 The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species post cards of UK 2009
Example of Circulated Covers
The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species stamos of UK 2009 on used cover The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species stamos of UK 2009 on used cover


Commemorative postmarks issued for the first day issue



The following three postmarks were available at stores of Royal Mail.
Tallents House FD postmark for Charles Darwin stamps. Shrewsbury FD postmark for Charles Darwin stamps, with text as below. Shrewsbury non-pictorial FD postmark for Charles Darwin stamps.
Philatelic Bureau Official Postmark


Official Postmark "I am turned into a short of machine for observing facts and grinding out conclusions." Shrewsbury non-pictorial Postmark




Another commemorative postmarks were available in other loactions across the country
"Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Bletchley "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Piccadilly, London "On the Origin of Species", Down, Orpington, Kent
Human evolution sequence on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Human evolution on postmark of Great Britain 2009 On the Origin of Species postmark of Great Britain 2009
"Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Shrewsbury "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", London "Charles Darwin's evolution symbol", London
Charles Darwin on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Charles Darwin on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Charles Darwin's evolution symbol on postmark of Great Britain 2009
"Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Birmingham "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Shrewsbury "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Shrewsbury
Charles Darwin on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Charles Darwin on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Galapagos's tortoises on postmark of Great Britain 2009
"Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Peterborough "200th anniversary of Charles Darwin", Down, Orpington "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", London
Charles Darwin on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Darwin' finch on postmark of Great Britain 2009 Marine iguana on postmark of Great Britain 2009
"Charles Darwin's theory of Evolutions", Cambridge "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Plymouth "Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin", Lawrenny Pembrokeshire
HMS Beagle, ape and tortoise on postmark of Great Britain 2009 HMS Beagle on postmark of Great Britain 2009 HMS Beagle on postmark of Great Britain 2009



References



Norvic Philatelics, BFDC, Natural History Museum, Royal Mail of Great Britain, Darwin Preview article of Royal Mail of Great Britain.



Last update 25.12.2017