Royal Mail has released a six‑stamp set, plus a four‑stamp miniature sheet, to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. These ten stamps together tell a rich story of astronomy, navigation, and timekeeping across centuries
Release Details
- Release Date: 12 June 2025
- Available via: Royal Mail shop
- Formats: Stamp set, miniature sheet, presentation pack, prestige book, First Day Covers, framed editions, souvenir sheets, panes
Time, Space and Stamps
Being super existential, I’ve always been drawn to space and time, not in always in strictly scientific way. Sometimes in that sort of scary, personal way where you suddenly feel very small. The universe keeps expanding, clocks keep ticking, and centuries pass whether we want them to or not. That sense of quiet vastness can be beautiful, but also a pretty overwhelming. This stamp issue manages to tell the story of centuries in tiny frames.
Six landscape-format stamps depict:
- Flamsteed House, founded in 1676
- Airy Transit Circle Telescope (1851)
- Great Equatorial Telescope (1893)
- Shepherd Gate Clock (1852)
- Prime Meridian line (1884)
- Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope (2018)
The Royal Observatory is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the historic site of Greenwich Mean Time. These stamps bring that legacy to life. From Flamsteed House to modern telescopes, the visuals highlight how Greenwich helped shape our understanding of time, longitude, and the sky above.
This issue is a perfect example of thematic stamp collecting! A modern tribute to centuries of scientific exploration, it appeals to history buffs, astronomy fans, and anyone interested in stamps that tell a story.
Royal Mail offers several ways to collect:
- Six‑stamp sheet (landscape, first-class)
- Four‑stamp miniature sheet with chronometers
- Presentation pack & prestige stamp book, which include all ten plus commentary and context
- First Day Covers franked with the six-stamp set, the miniature sheet, or a pane of King Charles III definitives with your choice of SE10 (Greenwich) or Tallents House postmarks
- Framed editions, souvenir sheets, full/half panes, and even coin covers up to £102
If you’re thinking about display, my guide on stamp mounts and hinges could help.
Space has always been one of my thematic interests. Whether it’s vintage lunar missions or modern satellites, and everything in between. I’m still working on building out my space collection but I do have this on Space Research Stamps—including a Czechoslovakian set depicting the Soviet Sputnik 1.
