Country Definitive Playing Cards
Modern British regional postage stamps on a set of playing cards.
Regional stamps (later called country definitive stamps) were introduced for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as long ago as 1958. In 1999 it was decided that England too should have its own regional stamps. Conveniently, that now made four regions each with their own stamps, one for each of the four suits. New designs were created, as featured on the present set of cards. Individual stamps for England (S), Scotland (C), Wales (H), and Northern Ireland (D) are depicted on the court cards and Aces. Complete sets of four stamps for each respective country are displayed down the middle of the pip cards, with the Royal Mail coat of arms in the background. The Joker shows the four stamps in use for European destinations (“E”). A curious quirk or anomaly (or error?) is that the top-value stamp in the Scottish and Welsh sets is 64 pence, whereas the top-value stamp in the English and Northern Irish sets is 65 pence! True, postage rates were changing from 1999 to 2000; however, they have always been the same for all parts of the UK. See the box►



Above: Country Definitive Playing Cards printed by Carta Mundi for Royal Mail, c2000. 52 cards + 3 Jokers (2 red, 1 black) in tuck box. Size: 67 x 97 mm.

By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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