Pow Price tag for UKs new superhero stamp collection packs punch
![](https://twt-thumbs.washtimes.com/media/image/2021/09/02/Justice_League_Minisheet_c382-0-1885-877_s1200x700.jpg?23caaa82f4ec7947e61cbdc118dde14582d014ff)
A new set of British postage stamps honoring American-created comic book superheroes comes with an epic price tag for those collectors looking to scoop up every bit of ephemera associated with the series.
While the 12 stamps in the âmain setâ are available for about $22.40, it will cost the serious collector almost $1,400 to obtain one copy of every item associated with the Sept. 17 new issue, including six stamps only issued as a special âminiature sheetâ designed principally for philatelists.
Featured on those 12 stamps are Batman and what Royal Mail called âhis allies and foes through the ages,â specifically: Batwoman, Robin, Batgirl, Alfred, Nightwing, The Joker, Harley Quinn, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Catwoman and The Riddler. Of this dozen, the only character with any direct British connection would appear to be Alfred, butler to Batman and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne.
The other six stamps, Royal Mail said, âcelebrate the Justice League â" the Worldâs Greatest Super Heroes joining forces to protect the planet, featuring: Batman; Green Lantern and The Flash; Wonder Woman; Superman; Cyborg and Aquaman; Supergirl and Shazam!â
The new stamps are a joint venture between Royal Mail, the United Kingdomâs privatized postal service, and the Warner Bros.
Consumer Products unit. All 18 stamps have been specially commissioned for Royal Mail and illustrated by British comic book artist Jim Cheung and colorist Laura Martin.
In a statement, Matt Parkes, Royal Mailâs stamps and collectibles chief, said: âGenerations have grown up, spellbound by the adventures and the personalities of these Super Heroes and Super-Villains. These illustrations detail each character with such vivid imagery that they look ready to leap out of the stamp!â
Also ready to leap out, it appears, is a substantial amount of money. The Royal Mail website features two pages of DC Collection-related items, including framed copies of stamp sheets staring at approximately $41.50 and going to $63.63 apiece. For $138, collectors can get one of only 750 âDC Collection Silver Wonder Womanâ medals, showing the new Wonder Woman stamp design from the miniature sheet. The Royal Mail website advertised the item as âa lucrative and distinctive collectible.â
Veteran stamp collector Lloyd A. de Vries, who has run the online Virtual Stamp Club website for more than 25 years, posted the news from Royal Mail about the stamps. He said he was intrigued by the number of items in the collection offered for sale when he visited the Royal Mail site.
âTwo pages of products, ranging from 30 [British] pence to 100 [British] pounds. I just said, âOh my God, how much does all of this cost?â I called up the calculator and started adding it up. And I think I came up with the £995.41 figure.â
At the time of writing this article, that total price worked out to $1,377.27 U.S., exclusive of shipping charges.
Asked about the appeal of all these items, Mr. De Vries said, âThese are what I call the âHey, look at me, stamps. Hey, weâre still relevant. Weâre still a big, big deal. Everybody wants our stamps. Everybodyâs talking about us.ââ
Such a quest for relevance is a far cry from traditional stamp issues that celebrated noted historical figures, art or literature.
âThe silver lining in this bloated, wretched excess issue from Britain is it puts some of the American issues that I and others have complained about in perspective,â Mr. De Vries said. The recent USPS commemoratives featuring âBackyard Games,â with a face value of $4.40 when issued, was far less of a commercial venture, he said.
âHad you bought one of every postal productâ for the August U.S. release, it would have cost âless than $100,â Mr. DeVries said. âIt kind of makes us appreciate the [USPS] a little bit more.â
Asked about the eye-watering price for a complete range of DC Collection items, a Royal Mail spokesperson said via email, âMany of the products â" such as the framed stamps are designed to appeal outside the philatelic community and have long been available across previous stamp issues. ⦠The stamps and other products in the range are designed to be sold on a modular basis to ensure they can be enjoyed at an affordable price for all.â
One individual who questions the affordability of the latest collectibles is Eric Friedman, an executive with Rushstamps, a 55-year-old stamp firm in Lyndhurst, a large village in the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, England.
âAfter this year, we wonât sell new issues from the Royal Mail,â Mr. Friedman said in a telephone interview. âItâs just not worth it.â
Sign up for Daily NewslettersNew and improved commenting system coming soon.
0 Response to "Pow Price tag for UKs new superhero stamp collection packs punch"
Post a Comment