Today things are getting colorful. In July, the Royal Mail issued a series of stamps (4x £1.00; 4x £1.85) to mark the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. After the Olympic Games, the Asian Games, this is the third largest multi-sport event in the world. All 56 members of the Commonwealth of Nations can participate in the Commonwealth Games. With a number of dependent territories competing under their own flags, as well as the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) also sending their own teams, there are a total of 72 participating country teams. So indeed an event that deserves its own stamps.
The stamps were designed on behalf of Interabang, a creative agency based in London. This agency had already designed the Royal Mail series on Star Trek, James Bond and Starwars, among others. The aim was to stand out from previous sports stamps – through creativity and aesthetics. Thus, the artist Charis Tsevis was engaged, who is known for his mosaics and neo-futuristic compositions. This style – which also appears jewel-like – can now be seen on the stamps.
The “color chips” and vibrant colors represent the energy and emotion of the sport. For the first time, there were more competitions for women than for men. Also, the competitions in para-sports were no longer held in a separate event, but were fully integrated into the Games. Thus, the set tries to represent male and female athletes as well as para-athletes equally.
Which of the stamps is chosen as stamp of the month is usually a matter of personal taste. It was difficult for me. In the end, I decided on the high diving.
- Date of issue: 2022-07-28
- Size :35 x 35 mm
- Colors: Multicolor
- Designer: Charis Tsevis (Interabang)
- Printer :Cartor Security Printing
- Perforation :14½
- Printing technique: Offset lithography