Isle of Man - 80th Anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to Malta - 2022

First day cover details

FDC image
FDC reverse image
Country	Isle of Man
Country code	IM
Issue title	80th Anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to Malta
Date of issue	18 April 2022
Withdrawal or invalidation date	Not specified
Stamp type	Commemorative stamp
Stamp subtype	Joint commemorative cover
Theme or subject	George Cross; Malta; Second World War; Siege of Malta; Malta Siege Bell Memorial; Michael Sandle
Text credit
Designer or artist	Michael Sandle RA
Printer
Printing process	Offset lithography
Colours
Paper and gum
Perforation
Stamp dimensions
Issue format	One Isle of Man stamp and one Malta stamp
Number of stamps	2
Cover type	Official signed joint commemorative cover
Cover producer	Isle of Man Post Office and MaltaPost
Cover reference	ABE94
Limited edition	Yes
Edition limit	300
Copy number	86
Cachet or cover design	Sculptures of Michael Sandle RA cover design featuring the Malta Siege Bell Memorial stamps and Michael Sandle’s signature
Addressed	No
Postmark type	Two special commemorative handstamps
Postmark location	Douglas, Isle of Man; MaltaPost Philatelic Bureau, Malta
Postmark date	15 April 2022 (Isle of Man); 18 April 2022 (Malta)
Postmark inscription	The 80th Anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to the Island of Malta
Postmark notes	The Isle of Man postmark is dated 15 April 2022. The MaltaPost postmark is dated 18 April 2022 and depicts the Malta Siege Bell Memorial.
Postmark image
Signed	Yes
Signed by	Michael Sandle RA
Signature details	Hand-signed in black ink on the front of the cover
Information sheet included	Yes
Information materials	Information leaflet shared with the Sculptures of Michael Sandle RA issue and a separate double-sided certificate of authenticity containing information about Malta during the Second World War and the Malta Siege Bell Memorial
Information sheet title	Sculptures of Michael Sandle RA information leaflet
Information sheet image
Information sheet reverse image
Information sheet notes	The standard issue information leaflet and reverse of the cover are shared with cover ABE91. The reverse of the separate certificate contains additional information about Malta during the Second World War and Michael Sandle’s Malta Siege Bell Memorial.
Certificate of authenticity included	Yes
Certificate of authenticity image
Certificate of authenticity reverse image
FDC owned	Yes
Condition	Excellent
Collection Comment	Limited-edition copy 86 of 300

Image notice: Images on these pages may depict copyrighted stamp designs, cover artwork, text or photographs. Unless otherwise stated, they are scans of physical items in the collection of PhantomSteve. Rights in the depicted material remain with their respective rightsholders. See Copyrights.

This signed joint commemorative cover marks the 80th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta. King George VI awarded the decoration to the people of Malta on 15 April 1942 in recognition of their courage during the siege and intensive bombing of the island in the Second World War.

The cover was produced by the Isle of Man Post Office in association with MaltaPost. It combines an Isle of Man stamp depicting Michael Sandle’s Malta Siege Bell Memorial with a €0.26 Maltese stamp showing the cruise ship Riviera in Grand Harbour. The Maltese stamp was originally issued as part of Malta’s 2013 European Maritime Day set.

The Isle of Man stamp forms part of the Sculptures of Michael Sandle RA issue released on 8 March 2022. The stamp depicts the Malta Siege Bell Memorial in Valletta, which was designed by Michael Sandle.

The George Cross Island Association records that the Malta Siege Bell Memorial was inaugurated on 29 May 1992 overlooking Grand Harbour. Michael Sandle was its sculptor, and the memorial commemorates more than 7,000 civilians and service personnel who died during the siege of Malta.

The cover bears two special commemorative handstamps. The Isle of Man postmark was applied at Douglas and is dated 15 April 2022, the 80th anniversary of the award. The MaltaPost handstamp was applied by the MaltaPost Philatelic Bureau on 18 April 2022 and depicts the Malta Siege Bell Memorial. MaltaPost announced that its commemorative cover and special handstamp would be issued on that date.

The cover is hand-signed by Michael Sandle RA and was produced in a limited edition of 300. This example is numbered 86. It is accompanied by a double-sided certificate of authenticity signed by Stu Peters, Chairman of the Isle of Man Post Office. The reverse of the certificate describes Malta’s experience during the Second World War and the creation of the Malta Siege Bell Memorial.

Stamps on this cover

Image	Identifier	Face value	Subject	Format	Other catalogues	Notes
	MT-SG-U1838	€0.26	Cruise ship Riviera in Grand Harbour, with the Malta Siege Bell Memorial in the foreground	Stamp	Scott 1488 (unverified); Colnect 450756	Malta stamp from the 2013 European Maritime Day — Cruise Liners issue. SG 1838 and Scott 1488 are reported by secondary sources but have not yet been checked directly against the catalogues.
	IM-SG-P2746	EU	Malta Siege Bell Memorial, Valletta	Stamp		Isle of Man stamp from the 2022 Sculptures of Michael Sandle RA issue; provisional Stanley Gibbons number