BRITISH STAMPS
1973

SG 919 to 921
British Entry into European Communities

Designed by: P. Murdoch. Issued: 3rd Jan 1973, Set of 3 Stamps on ordinary paper with two phosphor bands, P14 x 15. There is also a First Day Cover and a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 48). The post office issued a special postmark to accompany this issue. It depicts an interlocking 'e' and 'c', the initials of the 'European Community' and bears the inscription "THE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH FIRST DAY OF ISSUE - 3 JAN 1973".

SG 919
3p.

SG 920
5p.

SG 921
5p.

SG 922
Tree Planting Year
British Trees (1st Issue)

Designed by: D. Gentleman. Issued: 28th Feb 1973, Set of 1 Stamp on ordinary paper with two phosphor bands, P15 x 14. There is also a First Day Cover and a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 49). The post office issued a special postmark to accompany this issue depicting a tree with the words "PLANT A TREE IN 73" and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 28 FEB 73" around the border.

SG 922
9p
The Oak.

SG 923 to 927
British Explorers

Designed by: Marjorie Saynor. Issued: 18th Apr 1973, Set of 5 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor paper, P14 x 15. There is also a First Day Cover and a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 50). The post office issued a special postmark to accompany this issue depicting a floor-standing globe and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 18 APR 73" around the border.

SG 923
3p
David Livingstone.

SG 924
3p
H.M Stanley.

SG 925
5p
Sir Francis Drake.

SG 926
7½p
Sir Walter Raleigh.

SG 927
9p
Charles Sturt.

SG 928 to 930
County Cricket 1873-1973

Designed by: E. Ripley. Issued: 16th May 1973, Set of 3 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor paper, P14 x 15. There is also a First Day Cover and a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 51). The post office issued two special postmarks to accompany this issue. The first depicts a bowler in action and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 16 MAY 73" around the border. The second special postmark shows a batsman and has the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE LORDS LONDON NW - 16TH MAY 73". A postcard (PHQ Card No.1) was issued depicting SG928 and was only available until mid-July. A 24-page illustrated souvenir book was also made available that described the history of County Cricket with text by John Arlott.

SG 928
3p.

SG 929
7½p.

SG 930
9p.

SG 931 to 934
British Paintings (3rd Series)

Issued: 4th Jul 1973, Set of 4 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor paper, P14 x 15. There is also a First Day Cover and a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 52). The post office issued a special postmark to accompany this issue depicting two back-to-back 'R's and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 4 JULY 1973" around the border.

SG 931
3p
'Self-portrait' (Sir Joshua Reynolds).

SG 932
5p
'Self-portrait' (Sir Henry Raeburn).

SG 933
7½p
'Nelly O'Brien' (Sir Joshua Reynolds).

SG 934
9p
'Rev R. Walker 'The Skater' (Sir Henry Raeburn).

SG 935 to 938
400th birth Anniversary of Inigo Jones
(architect and designer)

Designed by: Rosalind Dease. Issued: 15th Aug 1973, Set of 4 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor paper, P15 x 14. There is also a First Day Cover, a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 53) and a PHQ Card (No.2) depicting SG936. The post office issued a special postmark to accompany this issue depicting an elaborate intertwined 'I' and 'J' and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 15 AUG 1973" around the border.

SG 935
3p
Court Masque Costumes.

SG 936
3p
St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden.

SG 937
5p
Prince's Lodging, Newmarket.

SG 938
5p
Court Masque stage scene.

SG 939 and SG940
19th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

Designed by: R. Downer. Issued: 12th Sep 1973, Set of 2 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor paper, P15 x 14. There is also a First Day Cover, a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 54), a PHQ Card (No.3) depicting SG939 and a 12-page souvenir booklet detailing the history of the Palace of Westminster. The post office issued a special postmark to accompany this issue depicting the Houses of Parliament building and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 12 SEPT 73" around the border.

SG 939
8p
Palace of Westminster seen from Whitehall.

SG 940
10p
Palace of Westminster seen from Millbank.

SG X865 to X880
Definitive

X 865
4½p, Grey, blue.

X 868
5½p, Violet.

X 880
8p, Rosine.

SG 941 and 942
Royal Wedding

Designed by: C. Clements and E. Hughes from a photo by Lord Litchfield. Issued: 14th Nov 1973, Set of 2 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor paper, P15 x 14. There is also a First Day Cover, a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 56) and a PHQ Card (No.4) depicting SG941. The post office issued 3 special postmarks to accompany this issue all of them depicting interlocking letters 'M' and 'A' (Mark and Anne). The first inscription reads "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 14 NOV 73", the second inscribed "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE WESTMINSTER ABBEY LONDON SW1 - 14 NOV 1973" and the third inscribed "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE WINDSOR, BERKS - 14 NOV 1973".

SG 941
3½p
Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.

SG 942
20p
Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.

SG 943 to 948
Christmas, Good King Wenceslas

Designed by: D. Gentleman. Issued: 28th Nov 1973, Set of 6 Stamps on 'all over' phosphor (SG948), one centre phosphor band for all the others, P15 x 14. There is also a First Day Cover and a Presentation Pack (Pack No. 57). The post office issued two special postmarks to accompany this issue, the first is a circular stamp featuring a sprig of holly and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE PHILATELIC BUREAU EDINBURGH - 28 NOV 1973" around the border. The second is a rectangular cancel featuring a sprig of holly along each of the vertical sides and the inscription "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE DYDD CYHOEDDIAD CYNTAP Bethlehem Llandeilo Carms 28 Nov 1973".