News

Royal Mail issued its final stamps commemorating the Olympic and Paralympic Games on September 27 in the shape of a four-stamp miniature sheet entitled Memories of London 2012.

In the same format as the Welcome to the Olympics and Welcome to the Paralympics sheets of July and August, it features photographs from both events, with the logos of Team GB and ParalympicsGB and a quote from Lord Coe, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, in the border.

The sheet was designed by The Chase and printed by Walsall in lithography.

VERDICT

COMMEMORATIVE WORTH  
Haven’t the Games been commemorated enough? This sheet adds little except honouring the volunteers

QUALITY OF DESIGN  
The grandeur and the detail of the chosen images is lost at stamp size, and even Lord Coe’s quote is bland

WOW FACTOR 
Britain really put on a show, but this issue doesn’t really reflect that

£1.28 Paralympic Games: Opening Ceremony
The spectacular fireworks display over the Olympic Stadium at the end of the ceremony on August 29, with the distinctive Orbit tower also illuminated to the left.

1st class Paralympic Games: ParalympicsGB Procession
The moment when the British team entered the stadium to conclude the parade of athletes during the Opening Ceremony. Among those depicted are wheelchair racer David Weir and wheelchair tennis player Peter Norfolk, nicknamed ‘the Quadfather’.

1st class Olympic Games: Games Makers
Dozens of the Gamesmakers, the 70,000-strong army of volunteers credited with helping to make London 2012 such a success, are shown making their way into the Olympic Park in their distinctive purple and red uniforms.

£1.28 Olympic Games: Closing Ceremony & Handover to RioThe massed ranks of the athletes form an impression of the union flag in the centre of the Olympic Stadium, with its special lighting effects augmented by fireworks overhead.

OTHER PRODUCTS
The presentation pack picks out key moments from the Games, and an Olympic Handover first day cover illustrates a map of the world with London and Rio linked. 

PRICES

Miniature sheet £3.76
Presentation pack £4.30
Stamp cards £2.25
First day envelope £0.30
First day cover £4.99
Handover cover £2.50
TOTAL £18.10