Physics and Philately

• British Philatelic Bureau

• The Mineralogical Record which has a regular section associated with their 'Letters to the editor'
• Geology Today most recently, 'Minerals on stamps', Paul W.J.Glover, p 223 - 228 issue of Nov/Dec 96
• LAPIS most recently, 'Die volle Briefmarkenpracht aus Niger' p 7 in issue of March 97
• European Spectroscopic News had a 'Philately Corner' between 1976 and 1983 edited by Fred Armitage and Gunter Heyden.

The British Post Office first issued stamps in 1837 in the reign of Queen Victoria, these were just a simple sticky label showing the Queen's head and the price of the stamp. The first 'special' stamp was issued in 1924 for the Britiah Empire Exhibition. Early special stamps showed either occasions for royalty or telecommunications. Originally the only living persons shown on British Stamps were mebers of the Royal family. This rule has now been relaxed; all UK Gold medal winners in the 2012 Olympic Games had their photograph on a special stamp. Other countries, such as Sweden, publish stamps for the Nobel prizewinners of that year. There have been several issues for technology and railway trains but none so far for pure physics.

Click here for a list of stamps shown during our meeting on 12 November 2012 held in Bath.

Click here for a list of Uk issues which I hope to illustrate in future articles.

Click here for a list of names of people associated with physics commemmorated on stamps.