|
Back to 2013 Menu |
|
Royal Mail, Dr Who Issue 2013-03-26
Issue Date - 26th March 2013
In honour of everything the Time Lord’s done to protect us over the last 50 years, Royal Mail created the ultimate Doctor Who Stamp Book.
Issue Products
Stamp Set
The Mint Stamps feature all 11 doctors. |
|
The Doctor Who Prestige Stamp Book
The book contains all the Doctor Who stamp collections in one unique collector’s edition – the TARDIS sheet, the Monsters' Mini Sheet and the complete set of eleven Doctors’ stamps. Written by Gary Russell, author of numerous Doctor Who novels, the book beautifully shows the progression through all eleven Doctors as well as a section dedicated to the monsters. |
|
|
The First Doctor - William Hartnell
From the show’s start in 1963 through to 1966, Hartnell played the Doctor as an irascible old man in Edwardian dress. Initially accompanied by his granddaughter Susan (Carol Ann Ford) and her teachers Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) and Ian (William Russell), their adventures through time and space were intended to educate young viewers about history and science. The introduction of the Daleks in the second serial secured the show’s success, leading to it becoming on the world’s longest running science fiction series. Hartnell’s Doctor later met the Cybermen and was joined by orphan Vicki (Maureen O’Brien), space pilot Steven Taylor (Peter Purves), ancient Trojan Katerina (Adrienne Hill), Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh), Dodo Chaplet (Jackie Lane), Polly (Anneke Wills) and sailor Ben Jackson (Michael Craze). |
|
The Second Doctor - Patrick Troughton
Regenerating from William Hartnell in The Tenth Planet, Troughton’s tenure as the Doctor between 1966 and 1969 saw the show move towards faster paced stories with more monsters. Often described as a cosmic hobo, Troughton’s Doctor favoured a baggy suit and bow tie and often played the penny whistle. During his travels he was assisted by Polly (Anneke Wills), sailor Ben Jackson (Michael Craze), Highlander Jamie (Frazer Hines), Victoria (Deborah Watling) and future astro-physicist Zoe (Wendy Padbury). |
|
The Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee
Between 1970 and 1974, Pertwee’s Doctor was a 1970s dandy in frilled shirts and velvet suits, and the first Doctor to be filmed in colour. He was also a bit of an action man. Stranded on Earth and forced to regenerate as a punishment by the Time Lords, Pertwee’s Doctor worked with the military taskforce UNIT to save the planet from creatures like the Autons, Silurians, Sea Devils, Sontarans and renegade Time Lord, the Master. He was assisted by Liz Shaw (Caroline John), Jo Grant (Katy Manning) and journalist Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen). |
|
The Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker
The longest serving incarnation of the Doctor to date, Tom Baker played the role from 1974 to 1981. A tall figure with boggling eyes and wild curly hair, Baker’s Doctor favoured an absurdly long scarf and a frock coat with pockets stuffed full of useful junk and bags of jelly babies. Brooding and eccentric, Baker’s Doctor is the one most frequently referenced in popular culture. His assistants included Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter), the savage Leela (Louise Jameson), robot dog K-9, Time Lord Romana (Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward), Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) and air hostess Tegan (Janet Fielding). |
|
The Fifth Doctor - Peter Davison
Davison took on the role between 1981 and 1984. His costume was based on an Edwardian cricketers’ outfit, down to the cricket ball carried in his pocket. More of a team player than previous Doctors, Davison was assisted by Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), air hostess Tegan (Janet Fielding), alien assassin Turlough (Mark Strickson), the android Kamelion (Gerald Flood) and Peri (Nicola Bryant). |
|
The Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker
Kitted out in a multi-coloured frock coat, yellow trousers and orange spats, Baker’s Doctor was bombastic and overbearing egoist. However, beneath this brash exterior he retained a strong sense of morality and empathy. Playing the role between 1984 and 1986 he was assisted by Peri (Nicola Brown) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) and was put on trial by his own people, the Time Lords. |
|
The Seventh Doctor - Sylvester McCoy
McCoy played the Doctor from 1987 to the series cancellation in 1989. This Doctor began as an outwardly bumbling eccentric with the habit of playing the spoons, but developed into a cunning manipulator of his enemies. His assistants were Mel (Bonnie Langford) and later Ace (Sophie Aldred). McCoy made a brief appearance as the 7th Doctor in the 1996 TV Movie before regenerating into Paul McGann. |
|
The Eighth Doctor - Paul McGann
Taking on the role for the 1996 made-for-television film, McGann’s Doctor regenerates in a San Francisco hospital mortuary after being caught in a gangland shooting. The Doctor fought his old enemy the Master for the fate of the earth on Millennium Eve, and shared a kiss with Dr. Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook). Although critically well received, this one off adventure was ultimately unsuccessful as a pilot for a new series. |
|
The Ninth Doctor - Christopher Eccleston
With his leather jacket, jeans and Northern accent, Eccleston’s Doctor was a radical departure from previous incarnations. He ushered in the rebooted 2005 series, with his companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) at his side and a brand new TARDIS set. The series also saw the reintroduction of the Daleks and the Autons, alongside new villains like the Slitheen. |
|
The Tenth Doctor - David Tennant
Kitted out in a slim-fitting pinstripe suit, long brown coat, spiky hair and trainers, Tennant’s Doctor was a garrulous extravert with a tendency to babble. He also had a darker, more ruthless side when dealing with enemies. Regenerating from Christopher Eccleston at the end of the 2005 series, Tennant’s Doctor’s companions were Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). Returning villains included the Cybermen, Dalek leader Davros and the Master alongside new aliens like the Ood and the Weeping Angels. |
|
The Eleventh Doctor - Matt Smith
With his trademark tweed jacket and bow tie, Matt Smith was the youngest actor appointed to play the role. Regenerating from David Tennant in the 2010 Christmas special, Smith’s Doctor’s original companions were Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and her boyfriend Rory (Arthur Darvill) until 2012. His present companion is Clara (Jenna-Louise Colman). The series marked the return of the Silurians, new villains like the Silence and regular appearances from Alex Kingston as the Doctor’s wife, River Song. |
|
The TARDIS
Or to give it its full title: Time and Relative Dimension in Space. The TARDIS is a time machine, a spacecraft, the Doctor’s home and how he travels to all his adventures. It’s also faulty, stuck in the shape of a 1960s London police box. |
|
The Daleks
No Doctor Who monster collection would be complete without them. Daleks first appeared in 1963, created by Davros when he implanted mutant Kaled bodies into tank-like robotic shells during the thousand-year war.
|
|
Weeping Angels
One of the most feared and memorable villains ever, the Weeping Angels appear as stone statues when viewed by anyone, but look away for a nanosecond and with devastating speed they destroy their victims. Whatever you do, don’t blink. |
|
Cybermen
Originally humanoids, Cybermen implanted artificial parts into their bodies transforming them into cold and calculating cyborgs. They first appeared in 1966 and most recently in Closing Time in 2011.
|
|
The Ood
Originating from the Ood Sphere, the Ood are humanoid in appearance but with coleoid tentacles on their faces and no vocal cords, communicating instead by telepathy. They first appeared in 2006.
|
Miniature Sheet, the source of the Alien Stamps. The 50th anniversary is not just about the Doctor, it’s about his iconic foes too. The Mini Sheet celebrates the best of these – the Ood, Cybermen, Weeping Angels and of course, the Daleks. The sheet also includes the TARDIS at its centre. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Technical details:
The 11 Doctor Who 41 x 30mm stamps with ordinary gum are designed by GBH and printed in lithography by Cartor Security Print, France, perforated 14.5 x 14.
The miniature sheet is also designed by GBH. It is self-adhesive, and printed in gravure by Joh Enschede Stamps, in the Netherlands.
The self-adhesive retail stamp book will be printed in gravure, probably by Walsall Security Print.
Prestige stamp book
Doctor Who panes on ordinary gum printed in lithography by Cartor Security Print.
Miniature sheet pane is self-adhesive, and printed in litho by Cartor Security Print.
Machin/Tardis pane on ordinary gum printed in gravure by Walsall Security Print. Only the Machin stamps have security print - expected to be MPIL and M13L.
Acknowledgements: BBC, DOCTOR WHO (word marks, logos and devices), TARDIS, DALEKS and CYBERMAN (word marks and devices) are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used by Royal Mail under licence. BBC logo © BBC 1996. Doctor Who logo © BBC 2012. Dalek image © BBC/Terry Nation 1963. Cyberman image © BBC/Kit Pedler/Gerry Davis 1966. Licensed to Royal Mail by BBC WW Ltd. All stamp images © Royal Mail 2012/13
|
|