1st Class Definitive

The Mint Stamps feature some of the best known portraits of the featured Monarchs together with the dates of each one's reign.

Miniature Sheet

The Diamond Jubilee Miniature Sheet also brings together the most iconic portraits of the Queen as she appears on coins and banknotes, as well as stamps. Since the Penny black, Royal Mail Definitive stamps have featured an image of the monarch facing to our left. Royal Mint has a different convention as succeeding monarch’s alternate the direction in which they face. Her Majesty the Queen faces to our right on coins. This is why the two Definitive stamps featuring the coin imagery will be the only Definitive stamps where the monarch faces this direction.

1st Class - Dorothy Wilding Definitive

The first stamp on the Miniature Sheet has been inspired by the Wilding Definitives first issued in 1952, featuring a photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding and a decorative frame design, inspired by the early frame designs by Edmund Dulac.

1st Class - Robert Austin Banknote Portrait

Austin designed the first Bank of England notes to bear the monarch’s head. The engraving was based on a pencil sketch taken from a photographic portrait. The first note, £1, appeared in 1960. Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to be depicted on Bank of England notes.

1st Class - Harry Eccleston Banknote Portrait

A new series of notes, designed by Harry Eccleston, began to appear in 1971. His portrait of the Queen on the £5 note showed her wearing the robes of the Order of the Garter, as on the subsequent £1 in 1978.

1st Class - Mary Gillick Coinage Portrait

Coins with Mary Gillick’s design were first issued in 1953. This image is still used on Maundy Money to this day.

1st Class - Arnold Machin Coinage Portrait

First issued in 1968, Machin’s design was created for the new decimal currency, and subsequently provided the basis for the stamp image. The Machin coin image is printed next to the Machin stamp image
in the sheet.

1st Class – Diamond Jubilee Machin

The classic Definitive portrait by Arnold Machin issued in a new colour specifically for the Diamond Jubilee Year. It features iridescent ink highlighting the words ‘Diamond Jubilee’.

MBND

Business Sheets

MTND

Retail Book of 12

MOND

Counter Sheets

From 6 February 2012 this new Diamond Jubilee Definitive 12 x 1st Class book will be available and remain so throughout the Queen’s jubilee year thereby replacing the gold Definitive.

On 27 March the 4 x 1st Large book, 1st Large Counter sheet and the 50 x 1st Large Business sheets will be issued.