Great Britain celebrates Harry Potter in Oct. 19 set

By David Hartwig

Great Britain’s Royal Mail returns to the wizarding world of Harry Potter with 16 stamps in an Oct. 19 issue.

“The Harry Potter stories and films have become a modern classic around the world,” David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said. “For more than two decades the characters in the Harry Potter series have captivated us and kept us enthralled. Each stamp is a miniature masterpiece, a fitting tribute to mark the climactic end to the Battle of Hogwarts.”

The Harry Potter film series consists of eight movies based on the novels by British author J.K. Rowling. They tell the story of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The first film was released in 2001 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone), and the conclusion came out 10 years later (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, 2011).

“The main set of 10 stamps feature atmospheric images of characters — both good and evil — presented in the darker tone used for the later films, in which the Battle of Hogwarts reaches its climactic finale,” Royal Mail said in its Oct. 5 press release announcing the stamps.

Royal Mail divides this set of 10 first-class stamps in two horizontal se-tenant (side-by-side) strips of five. Each stamp shows a character in the foreground and one or more in the background.

The strip of stamps with red tones portrays Harry Potter and fellow members of the Order of the Phoenix, the good characters from the film franchise.

Pictured on these stamps are Ron Weasley, the Weasley twins, Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger and Molly Weasley.

The strip of stamps with teal tones pictures the evil Lord Voldemort and his followers: Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, Fenrir Greyback, Scabior, a Death Eater, Severus Snape, Alecto Carrow, Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle.

A souvenir sheet includes six illustrated stamps showing magical characters from the franchise: Harry’s beloved owl, Hedwig; magical spider king Aragog; house elf Dobby; Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks; Buckbeak, the hippogriff; and Fawkes the phoenix.

Each of the 16 stamps is denominated at the first-class rate (currently £1.25). The “1st” designation on these stamps mirrors the font used in the movies.

The Harry Potter stamps and related products can be ordered from Royal Mail. Ordering information also is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland.

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