Britain, China collaborate on Olympic postage stamps

Friday 22nd August, 04:15 PM JST

LONDON —

Britain’s Royal Mail and China Post have joined forces to produce a historic joint issue of a special set of postage stamps to mark the handover of the Olympic flag from Beijing to London - the 2012 Olympic host city - Royal Mail said Friday. The four different stamps, which have a first class value and are available for purchase with immediate effect at post offices across Britain, each bears the Olympic rings symbol and features four different images: one historic and one contemporary landmark of each of the two cities. The four identical images - the ‘‘Bird’s Nest’’ National Stadium and the Corner Tower of the Forbidden City in Beijing, and the London Eye big wheel and former Royal residence, the Tower of London, in the British capital - will also be featured on stamps issued across China by China Post from Sunday, the official date of the handover of the Olympic flag.

The joint release of the special stamps, which are sure to be a hit with collectors, is the first partnership of its kind between Royal Mail and China Post, and is likely to draw attention to the fact that London is already very much looking forward to when it gets to host the Games in four years time. ‘‘The moment when the Olympic flag passes from one city to another is always a ceremony of great poignancy at the close of any Olympic Games,’’ Julietta Edgar, Royal Mail’s head of special stamps, said in a statement announcing the release of the stamps. ‘‘These stamps are made all the more special as they not only celebrate a wonderful Games in Beijing, but they whet our appetite for what is to come as the U.K. takes over the honor of hosting the Olympic Games,’’ Edgar added.

Kyodo

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3 Comments

ExPrinceska at 08:38 PM JST - 22nd August

oh, I collect stamps and coins, and would like to have these stamps in my collection. These stamps really have great value!
rajakumar at 12:16 AM JST - 23rd August

Good project and collaboration between britain2012/China 2008.
LIBERTAS at 04:40 PM JST - 23rd August

When will this all be over? "OReempeeqU! OReempeeqU! OReempeeqU!" is all I hear on all channels. Fat lady? Sing and be done with it already!