Description

Hard-to-find sheetlet of privately produced Chipping Sodbury “Commemorative Stamps”, created by local jeweller Bruce Besant in 1985, and more recently featured on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.

The sheetlet comprises 16 different stamps, each featuring a lovely drawing of local buildings by Alan Roberts, and is individually numbered (this one is “1098”). The Queen-like silhouette was modelled on Mr Besant’s ten-year-old daughter, Elizabeth.

The sheets were available to purchase from Mr Besant’s shop, with some stamps also used by him on actual post – as an April Fool – on 1 April 1985. This prompted the Post Office to “look into the infringement”, at the same time as generating plentiful local and national press coverage for the endeavour and, as intended, helping to “put Chipping Sodbury on the map”.

U/M / Unmounted Mint / MNH / Mint Never Hinged.