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Great Britain 1991 Scientific Achievements Presentation Pack

1991 Royal Mail Scientific Achievements stamp presentation pack featuring Faraday, Babbage, radar, and jet engine stamps. - view 1
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Estimated value

$5 - $12

Rarity

Common(2/10)

Category

Stamps

Brand

Royal Mail

Era

1991

Origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Authenticity

Very High(95%)
53

GREAT BRITAIN 1991 SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS PRESENTATION PACK: IDENTIFICATION

A Royal Mail Mint Stamps presentation pack containing a set of four commemorative stamps issued to celebrate British scientific achievements. The set features 22p Michael Faraday (Electricity), 22p Charles Babbage (Computer), 31p Robert Watson-Watt (Radar), and 37p Frank Whittle (Jet Engine). The stamps are mounted on a black background within a protective sleeve, accompanied by an illustrated carrier featuring mathematical equations and a jet engine motif.

Compare with other stamps in the archive: 10-Cent Pan-American Union Air Mail Stamp (Scott #C25), Belgian Congo, Queen Elisabeth Mask Issue (1928-1930) - 6 Francs, Belgium 1912 definitive series postage stamp, 10-centime carmine on blue frame, cancelled 'MONS S-GENERAL'.

CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS

Where This Object Echoes

British Industrial History18th-20th Century

Celebration of the 'Heroic Age' of British invention through a 20th-century philatelic lens

Ritual & Ceremonial Use

  • •Philatelic collecting of annual presentation packs as a standard hobby practice in the UK

Meaning Through Time

1991

Stamps served as both functional postage and educational collectibles for the general public

POSTAL HERITAGE

Issued on March 5, 1991, this set commemorates the bicentenary of the births of Michael Faraday and Charles Babbage, as well as the 50th anniversaries of the development of radar and the first British jet aircraft flight. These issues were part of the Royal Mail's strategy in the 1990s to ...
Issued on March 5, 1991, this set commemorates the bicentenary of the births of Michael Faraday and Charles Babbage, as well as the 50th anniversaries of the development of radar and the first British jet aircraft flight. These issues were part of the Royal Mail's strategy in the 1990s to celebrate British innovation through high-quality graphic design, utilizing the photogravure printing process by Harrison & Sons.

PHILATELIC NOTES

1

This set was issued specifically to mark the double bicentenary of Michael Faraday and Charles Babbage, both born in 1791.

2

The 37p stamp depicts the Gloster E.28/39, which was the first British aircraft to fly with a jet engine on May 15, 1941.

SCARCITY

Common20-40%
CommonLegendary

Older mass-produced items still widely available. Easy to find on eBay, antique malls, and estate sales in large quantities.

Rarity 2/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 19 stamps items at rarity 2 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Mass produced historically
  • High survival rate
  • Readily available everywhere

Confidence Factors

  • Standard mass-produced modern philatelic product
  • Official Royal Mail typography and branding visible
How does authenticity detection work?

PHILATELIST'S VERDICT

Philatelist

Stamp Specialist

The item is a well-documented modern commemorative issue with clear identifiers, branding, and standard philatelic presentation characteristics.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Visible denominations of 22p, 31p, and 37p correspond to 1991 postal rates.
  • 2Presence of the Queen's silhouette (Machin head) in the upper right corner identifies Great Britain origin.
  • 3Text 'Scientific Achievements' and year '1991' clearly printed on the stamp margins.
  • 4Harrison & Sons perforation style (gauge approx 14 x 15) visible in high-resolution shots.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Verify the presence of the descriptive folder inside the blue binder
  • →Check for original gum on the reverse of one stamp to confirm Mint Never Hinged status

CONDITION & GRADE

Very Fine (Mint)

Grading breakdown

Stamps are well-centered within the perforations and protected from environmental handling; the presentation card shows sharp corners and no significant toning.

Condition

The stamps appear to be in Mint Never Hinged (MNH) condition as they are still housed in the original Royal Mail presentation pack. Centering appears consistent with standard 1990s Harrison & Sons production, and colors remain vibrant with no visible foxing on the carrier card.

PHILATELIC VALUATION

$5 - $12

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

Topical collectors focused on science/technology and general Great Britain decimal stamp collectors.

What increases value

  • •Completeness of the presentation pack including the outer sleeve
  • •Lack of sun-fading on the carrier card
  • •Preservation of original gum (MNH) status

What lowers value

  • •Extremely high surviving population limits appreciation
  • •Humidity damage (toning/foxing) to the paper carrier

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Perfectly crisp card corners
  • •Absolute absence of handling marks on the protective film

Grade & condition

Centering of the design within the perforations and the integrity of the phosphor bands.

Rarity & demand

CommonModerate demandSells quickly
Browse similar stamps objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

CA

cajavanderwoude
Wonderseeker•5 items

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