UK 2024 "The Age of the Dinosaurs" (part II - Mary Anning and her fossils)
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| Issue Date | 12.03.2024 |
| ID | Michel: Scott: Stanley Gibbons: Yvert: Category: pR |
| Designer | The Chase creative consultants, UK |
| Stamps in set | 4 |
| Value |
First Class - Mary Anning: portrait First Class - Ichthyosaur Communis First Class - Dapedium Politum First Class - Plesiosaur Macrocephalus First Class rate was equivalent to GBP 1,25 |
| Emission/Type | commemorative |
| Issue place | London, Lyme Regis |
| Size (width x height) | Mini-Sheet: 180mm x 74mm Mary Anning and Dapedium Politum - 27mm x 37mm Ichthyosaurus Communis - 37mm x 27mm Plesiosaurus Macrocephalus - 35mm x 35mm |
| Layout | Mini-Sheet of five self-adhesive stamps and three tabs |
| Products | FDC x2, PP x1 |
| Paper | self-adhesive |
| Perforation | Plesiosaur 14.5 x 14.5, other stamps: 14x14 |
| Print Technique | Lithography |
| Printed by | Cartor Security Printers |
| Quantity | |
| Issuing Authority | Royal Mail |
On March 12th, 2024 the Royal Mail of the Great Britain issued the stamps set "The Age of the Dinosaurs". The set includes four pairs with reconstructions of prehistoric animals and a Mini-Sheet with four self-adhesive stamps show Mary Anning and some of the most important fossil discoveredby her. Due the fact they looks differently both thematically and artistically, their description was split by two articles. This article about Mary Anning and her fossils. The article about the stamps set of four pairs with reconstructions of prehistoric animals is here.
These stamps design was made by "The Chase" creative consultants agency based on some photos provided by the Natural History Museum in London (NHM UK)- The agency came up with numerous design options in rough form before agreeing to pursue the idea of mimicking the wall of glass cases you find in Natural History museums around the World and combining this with the portrait of Mary. It was then down to us to source which fossils to feature and then find, or commission, imagery of them.
The Mesozoic Era, or the "Age of the Dinosaurs" as it is commonly known, lasted from 252 to 66 million years ago and comprises, in order from oldest to youngest, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods.
During most of this time, from the Late Triassic onwards, a group of reptiles known as dinosaurs dominated the land. Other non-dinosaur reptiles also thrived during this period, including marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, as well as the flying pterosaurs.
Fossilised remains help paleontologists to unearth the secrets of these incredible creatures, and one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century was Mary Anning.
Mary Anning lived during a time when it was fashionable for wealthy Georgians to visit seaside towns to acquire fossils to add to their cabinets of curiosities. It was also when paleontology was becoming recognised as a branch of the natural sciences. Anning spent her life unearthing "curios" from the fossil-rich cliffs near her home in Lyme Regis, Dorset, to sell to tourists and scientific collectors alike, and made many important discoveries.
A fascination with prehistoric life continues today. palaontologists study all fossilised past life, including corals, fishes, mammals and plants, in addition to prehistoric reptiles. Fossils can help us not only to learn about the lives of these species, but to understand what the Earth was like in the past.
The Miniature Sheet is a tribute to Mary Anning who was one of the first professional fossil hunters. The designs include a portrait of Anning, as well as three of her most famous finds whilst fossil hunting along the Jurassic Coast near her home in Lyme Regis.
Her discoveries of ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and pterosaurs on the Dorset coast, near her home in Lyme Regis, paved the way for modern paleontology and contributed to the understanding of prehistoric life on Earth.
Each of her discoveries are presented within picture frames in the miniature sheet with captions written in microtext which can be read under a magnifying glass.
David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy at Royal Mail said:
It is fitting [the stamps issue date] in the week of International Women's Day that we pay tribute to
Mary Anning with four images of some of the fossils she discovered.
She was one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century, who made a
major contribution to our understanding of the majestic creatures that
roamed the Earth hundreds of millions of years ago.
Products and associated philatelic items
| FDC of Royal Mail | ||
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| The same cover, but different postmarks: Ammonite and Mososaurus are of Lyme Regis and dinosaur footprints from Edinburgh. | ||
| First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks (Lyme Regie and Edinburgh) | ||
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| Customized FDC | |||
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| Regular letters sent on the day of the stamps issue, cancelled with commemorative postmarks. To protect these covers from any damage the Royal Mail sent them in plastic bags. The track of the mail sorting machine and marks made by the postman, which could be proof these letters went through the post left on the plastic bag. | |||
| Stamp Sheets | Mini-Sheet from the uncut Sheet | Presentation Pack |
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| A limited edition Press Sheet featuring 12 Mary Anning Miniature Sheets. | A fact-packed foldout souvenir containing stamps, images and insights into Mary Anning and her fossils. |
Some Books about Mary Anning
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"The Fossil Woman: A Life of Mary Anning" Amazon: USA, UK, DE. |
"The Dinosaur Hunters: A True Story of Scientific Rivalry and the Discovery of the Prehistoric World" Amazon: USA, UK, DE. |
"Jurassic Mary: Mary Anning and the Primeval Monsters" Amazon: USA, UK, DE. |
"She Sells Seashells. The curious Mary Anning re-imagined" Amazon: USA UK DE |
References:
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- Technical details and short press releases:
- Stamp Designer: "Tha Chase" design agency
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Mary Anning
- Wikipedia
- Fossil Guy
- BBC
- Strange Science
- Ichthyosaurs discoveries of Mary Anning (Wikipedia)
- Fossil and other Living Things
- Regency History
- “Duria Antiquior”
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