Isle of Man – 150th Anniversary of Royal National Lifeboat Institution – GPO cover (pictorial postmark) – 1974
| FDC image | No image uploaded |
|---|---|
| FDC reverse image | No reverse image uploaded |
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Country code | IM |
| Issue title | 150th Anniversary of Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Date of issue | 4 March 1974 |
| Withdrawal or invalidation date | 3 March 1975 (SG42–45 withdrawn from sale)
|
| Stamp type | Commemorative stamp |
| Stamp subtype | Anniversary |
| Theme or subject | Royal National Lifeboat Institution; lifeboats; maritime rescue; Sir William Hillary |
| Text credit | |
| Designer or artist | J. Nicholson |
| Printer | Courvoisier |
| Printing process | Photogravure |
| Colours | Multicoloured |
| Paper and gum | Granite paper |
| Perforation | 11½ |
| Stamp dimensions | |
| Issue format | Four stamps, each issued in sheets of 100 (10 × 10) |
| Number of stamps | 4 |
| Cover type | Official first day cover |
| Cover producer | Isle of Man Post Office Authority |
| Cover reference | |
| Limited edition | No |
| Edition limit | N/A |
| Copy number | N/A |
| Cachet or cover design | Large coloured RNLI badge with crown and anchor, “150th ANNIVERSARY R.N.L.I.” and the dates 1824 and 1974, with “OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVER” and the Isle of Man Post Office Authority name below. |
| Addressed | No |
| Postmark type | Pictorial anniversary handstamp |
| Postmark location | Douglas, Isle of Man |
| Postmark date | 4 March 1974 |
| Postmark inscription | RNLI 150th Anniversary 1824–1974 / 4 MAR 74 / DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN |
| Postmark notes | The pictorial handstamp shows an RNLI flag with an outline map of the Isle of Man. It ties the four stamps arranged in a two-by-two block to the cover. |
| Postmark image |
No postmark image uploaded
|
| Signed | No |
| Signed by | N/A |
| Signature details | N/A |
| Information sheet included | Yes |
| Information materials | |
| Information sheet title | |
| Information sheet image | No image uploaded |
| Information sheet reverse image | No reverse image uploaded |
| Information sheet notes | |
| Certificate of authenticity included | No |
| Certificate of authenticity image | N/A |
| Certificate of authenticity reverse image | N/A |
| FDC owned | No |
| Condition | |
| Collection Comment | Wanted. The supplied reference photograph shows an unaddressed example bearing all four stamps and a Douglas cancellation dated 4 March 1974. The photograph is illustrative and is not reproduced on this page. The reverse has not been examined; the condition and accompanying material of a future acquired copy remain unconfirmed. |
The Isle of Man issued four stamps on 4 March 1974 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The stamps are catalogued as SG42–45, and a first day cover was issued.[1]
The issue date marked exactly 150 years since the Institution's foundation on 4 March 1824, following the campaign of Sir William Hillary.[2]
Designs
- SG42, 3p: RNLI badge, citation and Sir William Hillary, founder.
- SG43, 3½p: Wreck of the St George, 1830.
- SG44, 8p: Manchester & Salford lifeboat, 1868–1887.
- SG45, 10p: RNLB Osman Gabriel.[1]
Production details
The stamps were designed by J. Nicholson and printed by Courvoisier using photogravure. They are multicoloured, printed on granite paper, with perforation 11½. Each value was issued in sheets of 100 stamps, arranged in 10 columns and 10 rows.[1]
Sales and withdrawal
The catalogue records the following quantities sold for the individual stamps:[1]
| Stamp | Face value | Quantity sold |
|---|---|---|
| IM-SG-42 | 3p | 674,984 |
| IM-SG-43 | 3½p | 849,990 |
| IM-SG-44 | 8p | 374,941 |
| IM-SG-45 | 10p | 375,043 |
All four stamps were withdrawn from sale on 3 March 1975. These sales figures and the withdrawal date describe the stamps, rather than the physical first day cover.[1]
Cover design and reference example
This version uses the same official RNLI badge envelope as the GPO cover with the circular first day postmark. The supplied reference photograph shows an unaddressed example bearing SG42–45 in a two-by-two arrangement. Its pictorial Douglas handstamp depicts an RNLI flag with an outline map of the Isle of Man and commemorates the 150th anniversary, with the date 4 March 1974.[3]
This is a wanted cover. A collection scan is not yet available.
Related covers
- Isle of Man – 150th Anniversary of Royal National Lifeboat Institution – GPO cover – 1974
- Isle of Man – 150th Anniversary of Royal National Lifeboat Institution – Cotswold cover – 1974
Stamps on this cover
| Image | Identifier | Face value | Subject | Format | Other catalogues | Notes
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No image | IM-SG-42 | 3p | RNLI badge, citation and Sir William Hillary, founder | Stamp | Quantity sold: 674,984. Withdrawn from sale on 3 March 1975.[1]
| |
| No image | IM-SG-43 | 3½p | Wreck of the St George, 1830 | Stamp | Quantity sold: 849,990. Withdrawn from sale on 3 March 1975.[1]
| |
| No image | IM-SG-44 | 8p | Manchester & Salford lifeboat, 1868–1887 | Stamp | Quantity sold: 374,941. Withdrawn from sale on 3 March 1975.[1]
| |
| No image | IM-SG-45 | 10p | RNLB Osman Gabriel (Port Erin) | Stamp | Quantity sold: 375,043. Withdrawn from sale on 3 March 1975.[1]
|
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Stanley Gibbons.Channel Islands and Isle of Man 2022 Edition Stamp Catalogue(31st combined edition).Stanley Gibbons.2022.Section: Isle of Man.p. 199.Catalogue system: Stanley Gibbons.Catalogue number(s): 42–45.ISBN: 978-1-911304-89-0.
- ↑ “1824: Our foundation”. Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
- ↑ 150th Anniversary of Royal National Lifeboat Institution – GPO cover (pictorial postmark)(Reference photograph).Reference: Collector-supplied image(20261011-224517).png, examined 11 October 2026..Illustrative reference for a wanted cover; not a scan of an owned example. The reverse and accompanying material have not been examined.