Smilers Stamps

British stamps were first made available for 'personalisation' - the addition of a customer's photograph printed on a label alongside the stamp - at the London International Stamp Show 2000. The stamps chosen were the "Smiles" Greetings stamps first issued in booklets in 1990, and Royal Mail adopted the name 'Smilers' as their trademark for all future personalisation offers. For each set of stamps available for personalisation Royal Mail produces, for collectors, what they term a 'generic' sheet with slogan labels.

Although some collectors bought these when they were first issued, they were not separately listed in catalogues and many collectors chose not to buy them. Several things changed the market. Firstly, some of the stamps in the Smilers sheets were noticeably different to those originally produced in booklets or counter sheets (perhaps a different printer). Secondly, some album producers included space for these 'different' stamps in their albums. Thirdly, Royal Mail produced album pages for Smilers Sheets. The last of these caused some difficulties even for collectors who had been buying when it became clear that the 1st class Father Christmas and 19p Robin Christmas Smilers sheets issued in 2001 were not the same as those issued in 2000: the trade mark 'Smilers' was added at the top left of the sheets and the copyright notice at the bottom right was changed from 'Post Office 2000' to 'Consignia plc 2001'. This change had not been announced by the Philatelic Bureau and Post Office philatelic counters were not aware of it initially. The final event to spur the market is the inclusion, from April 2004, of these sheets in the Stanley Gibbons GB Concise Catalogue.

The Smilers Generic Sheets were sold by the Post Office at a very small premium over the face value of the stamps - so small, in fact, that many collectors used individual stamps or blocks from the sheets for postage, and this is still the case at least while the stamps are on sale at the post office. Stampex Smilers Sheets are not sold by the Post Office but by the Philatelic Traders Assocation at the twice-yearly stamp show in London. As these are available at a reasonable price to collectors visiting Stampex, they are listed here. Other Smilers sheets produced for sports organisations or individual stamp dealers are not listed as we do not deal in them.

		KEY Printers: H = Harrison & Sons Ltd; Q = House of Questa Ltd; W = Walsall Security Printers; E = Joh Enschede en Zonen; D = De La Rue; C = Cartor. Process: G = (Photo)gravure; L = Litho; SA = self-adhesive. DC = Die-cut perforations; AOP = All-over phosphor.
.		Printer	Process	Perf	Phosphor	Notes
LS1 Stamp Show 2000 [22 May 2000] sheet of 10 'Smiles' (1991) with StampShow 2000 logo labels	Original SG1550-9	H	G	15x14	2 bands
	Smiler	Q	G	15x14	2 bands
Christmas 2000 [3.10.2000] LS2 1997 Robin 20 x 19p sheet of 20 Christmas Greetings labels. Imprint (C) Post Office 2000	Original SG1896	H	G	15x14	1 centre
	Smiler	Q	G	15x14	1 centre	Band 1mm wider than on original stamp.
Christmas 2000 [3.10.2000] LS3 1995 Father Christmas 10 x 1st class - Christmas Greetings labels. Imprint (C) Post Office 2000	Original SG2007	H	G	15x14	2 bands
	Smiler	Q	G	15x14	2 bands	Band 2mm wider than on original stamp.
LS4 Occasions - Hallmarks [5 June 2001] 4 each of 5 x 1st	Original SG2007	E	G	14x14˝	2 bands
	Smiler	Q	L	14x14˝	2 bands
LS5 Smiles [3 July 2001] sheet of 10 'Smiles' (1991) Greetings stamps with slogan labels	Original SG1550-9	H	G	15x14	2 bands
	Smiler	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands
Christmas 2001 LS2a 1997 Robin 20 x 19p sheet of 20 Christmas Greetings labels. [9.10.2001] Imprint (C) Consignia 2001 This sheet has the words Smilers at the top left.	Original SG1896	H	G	15x14	1 centre
	Smiler	Q	G	15x14	1 centre	Band 1mm wider than on original stamp.
Christmas 2001 LS3a 1995 Father Christmas 10 x 1st class - Christmas Greetings labels. [9.10.2001] Imprint (C) Consignia 2001 This sheet has the words Smilers at the top left.	Original SG2007	H	G	15x14	2 bands
	Smiler	Q	G	15x14	2 bands	Band 2mm wider than on original stamp.
LS6 Cartoons 1996 [18 Dec 2001] 10x1st class Rapidly out of stock, this sheet may have been reprinted in Spring 2002	Original SG1905p-14p	W	L	14x14˝	2 bands	Original booklet stamp has eliptical perf at sides Smilers sheet has no eliptical perfs.
	Smiler	Q	G	14x14˝	2 bands
LS7 Occasions - baby, Love, hello, best wishes, moving house [23 April 2002]	Original SG2260-4	Q	L	15x14	2 bands	Original stamps issued 5 March 2002 - Smilers differences too small to be an aid to identification without the labels.
	Smiler	Q	L	15x14	2 bands
LS8 Football World Cup with 16 labels including 4 double height [21 May 2002]	Original SG MS2292d	W	G	15x14	2 bands	First Smilers issued simultaenously with original. Phosphor solid on Smiler, graded on MS.
	Smiler	Q	L	15x14	2 bands
Christmas 2002 [1 Oct 2002] LS9 1991 Teddy Bear/Dennis the Menace smiles, 20x1st class - 'Knock knock' jokes	Original SG 1550-1	H	G	15x14	2 bands	Smilers phosphor band 1mm wider than on original booklet.
	Smiler	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Smilers phosphor band 1mm wider than on original booklet.
Christmas 2002 [1 Oct 2002] LS10 1995 Father Christmas/Jingle Bells 20 x 1st class	Original SG 2007	H	G	15x14	2 bands	Smilers phosphor band 6mm wider than on original booklet.
	Smiler	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands
LS11 Greetings stamps Flowers 1997 20 x 1st (2 sets of 10) [21 Jan 2003]	Original SG 1955-64	W	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Eliptical perforations on original booklet; plain on Smilers Sheet
	Smiler	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands
LS12 Occasions Greetings stamps Multiple Choice 20 x 1st (2 sets of 10) [21 Jan 2003]	Original SG 2337-42	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Simultaneous with ordinary issue.
	Smiler	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Simultaneous with ordinary issue.
LS13 Cartoons Crossword 1996 stamps reissued in Smilers sheets of 20 with crossword puzzles on the labels and clues in the lower margin. [29 July 2003]	Original SG1905p-14p	W	L	14x14˝	2 bands	Original booklet stamp has eliptical perf at sides Smilers sheet has no eliptical perfs.
	Smiler	Q	L	14˝x14	2 bands
LS14 Christmas Robins 2001 stamps [30 Sept 2003]	Original SG 2239	D	SAG	14˝ DC	2 bands	Self-adhesive die-cut perfs.
LS14 Christmas Robins 2001 stamps [30 Sept 2003]	Smiler	D	SAL	14˝DC	2 bands	Self-adhesive die-cut perfs.
Christmas - Ice sculptures [4 Nov 2003] LS15 20 x 2nd class with (4 sets of 5) ice sculptures of arctic wildlife	Original SG 2410	D	SAG	14˝ DC	2 bands	Self-adhesive die-cut perfs.
	Smiler	D	SAL	14˝DC	2 bands	Self-adhesive die-cut perfs.
Christmas - Ice sculptures [4 Nov 2003] LS16 20 x 1st class with (4 sets of 5) photographs of arctic wildlife	Original SG 2411	D	SAG	14˝ DC	2 bands	Self-adhesive die-cut perfs.
	Smiler	D	SAL	14˝DC	2 bands	Self-adhesive die-cut perfs.
LS17 Hong Kong Stamp Expo 04 [30 Jan 2004]	Original SG 2262	Q	L	15x14	2 bands	This Smiler is a quite distinct shade; Bands are solid.
LS17 Hong Kong Stamp Expo 04 [30 Jan 2004]	Smiler	W	L	14˝x14	2 bands	This Smiler is a quite distinct shade; Bands are solid.
LS18 Entertaining Envelopes [3 Feb 2004]	Original SG 2424-8	D	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Originals in horizontal strips, Smilers in vertical strips.
LS18 Entertaining Envelopes [3 Feb 2004]	Smiler	D	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Originals in horizontal strips, Smilers in vertical strips.
LS19 Royal Horticultural Society Bicentenary. [25 May 2004]	Original SG 2457	E	G	14˝	AOP
	Smiler	W	L	14˝	AOP
LS20 Rule Britannia. [29 July 2004]	Original SG MS2206b	Q	G	14˝	2 bands	Shade difference; bands almost invisible on original MS, graduated but more visible on Smiler.
LS20 Rule Britannia. [29 July 2004]	Smiler	W	L	14˝	2 bands
LS21 Raymond Briggs Father Christmas. [2 Nov 2004]	Original SG 2495/6	D	SAG	14˝x14DC	1cb/2 bands	Bands on 1st class Smiler are more solid than on sheet stamps
LS21 Raymond Briggs Father Christmas. [2 Nov 2004]	Smiler	D	SAL	14˝x14DC	1cb/2 bands
LS22 Farmyard Animals. [11 Jan 2005]	Original SG 2252-11	E	G	14˝	2 bands	Bands on Smiler are more solid than on sheet stamps
LS22 Farmyard Animals. [11 Jan 2005]	Smiler	W	L	14˝	2 bands	Bands on Smiler are more solid than on sheet stamps
LS23 Magic Circle Centenary. [15 Mar 2005]	Original SG 2525	W	G	14˝x14	2 bands	Graduated bands on Smiler more solid than on sheet stamps
LS23 Magic Circle Centenary. [15 Mar 2005]	Smiler	W	G	14˝x14	2 bands	Graduated bands on Smiler more solid than on sheet stamps
LS24 Pacific Explorer 2005 Expo. [21 April 2005]	Original SG 2262	Q	L	15x14	2 bands	Third shade and phosphor band variation.
LS24 Pacific Explorer 2005 Expo. [21 April 2005]	Smiler	C	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Third shade and phosphor band variation.
LS25 The White Ensign. [21 June 2005]	Original SG MS2206a	Q	G	14˝	2 bands	Phosphor almost invisible on original MS, solid on Smiler
LS25 The White Ensign. [21 June 2005]	Smiler	C	L	14˝	2 bands	Phosphor almost invisible on original MS, solid on Smiler
LS26 Emmerdale - ITV 50th Anniversary. [15 Sept 2005]	Original SG 2562	D	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Bands slightly less solid on Smiler
LS26 Emmerdale - ITV 50th Anniversary. [15 Sept 2005]	Smiler	W	L	14˝x14	2 bands	Bands slightly less solid on Smiler
LS27 Christmas Robins (2001). [1 Nov 2005]	Original SG 2238/9	D	L	14˝x14	1cb/2 bands	Bands more solid than on original Smiler (LS14)
LS27 Christmas Robins (2001). [1 Nov 2005]	Smiler	W	L	14˝x14	1cb/2 bands	Bands more solid than on original Smiler (LS14)
LS28 Paddington Bear. [10 Jan 2006]	Original SG ?2589	D	G	14˝	2 bands	Bands much stonger on Smiler.
LS28 Paddington Bear. [10 Jan 2006]	Smiler	C	SAL	14˝x	2 bands	Bands much stonger on Smiler.
LS-- Fruit & Veg (2001). [7 Mar 2006]	Original SG 2349-57	W	G	14˝x14DC	2 bands	Not yet issued.
LS-- Fruit & Veg (2001). [7 Mar 2006]	Smiler	C	L	?	?	Not yet issued.

Business Sheets: sold only by private companies and organisations, not sold over PO counters We list here only the sheets which were generally available at close to face value, or sold at Philatelic Events.
S1 Stampex 50th Anniversary [26 Feb 2003] Hello stamp x10	Original SG 2262	Q	L	15x14	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
	Smiler	Q	L	?	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
S2 Stampex 50th Anniversary [19 Sept 2003] Teddy Bear stamp x10	Original SG 1550	H	G	15x14	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
	Smiler	W	L	?	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
S3 Spring Stampex - 300 years of British Gibraltar Love stamp x 10 [25 Feb 2004]	Original SG 2261	Q	L	15x14	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
	Smiler	W	L	?	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
S4 Autumn Stampex - British Philatelic Competitions Union Flag x 10 [15 Sept 2004]	Original SG 2261	Q	G	14˝	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
	Smiler	?	?	?	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
S5 Spring Stampex - Rotary International Centenary Hello x 10 [23 Feb 2005]	Original SG 2262	Q	L	15x14	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
	Smiler	C	L	?	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
S6 Autumn Stampex - Bicentenary of Battle of Trafalgar & Death of Lord Nelson White Ensign x 10 [14 Sept2005]	Original SG MS2206a	Q	G	14˝	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked
	Smiler	C?	L	?	2 bands	Smiler perf and phos to be checked

For prices and other enquiries, e-mail Norvic, or visit our online shop.

H O M E

This page created 21 January 2006 - Copyright Norvic Philatelics. This information is researched from a variety of sources some of which conflicted. The information here is correct to the best of our knowledge and we would be interested in knowing of any errors, or disagreements with what we have listed.