PHQ card
PHQ cards are postcards issued by the British Post Office depicting the designs of their commemorative stamps. They are generally available to buy in main post offices about two weeks prior to the release of each new set of stamps.
Description
The 'PHQ' stands for Postal Headquarters. All items published by the Post Office are given a number which is prefixed by letters. The first card issued, on 16 May 1973, was numbered PHQ1, and the numbering sequence has continued to the present day.
There are however two gaps in the sequence, and two duplications. The number PHQ24 was originally set aside for the 9p Silver Jubilee card (issued after the rest of the set), but when it was issued the card was numbered PHQ22E. The next set (Wildlife cards, issued 5 October 1977) had already been allocated the number PHQ25, and so the number PHQ24 was never used.
The London 1980 Exhibition card, issued 9 April 1980 to commemorate the 1980 International Stamp Exhibition, and the set of five cards for London Landmarks, issued 7 May 1980, both had the reference number PHQ43.
The set of five cards for Gallantry, issued 11 September 1990, and the set of four cards for Astronomy, issued 16 October 1990, both had the reference number PHQ129. Consequently, the number PHQ130 was unused.
History
The first card issued was the 3p W.G. Grace stamp from the set of stamps commemorating County Cricket, issued on 16 May 1973, but not released until mid-July. Subsequent cards have been issued about two weeks prior to the release of the stamps. This enables collectors to obtain the cards before the issue of the stamps so that they can attach the relevant stamp and obtain First Day of Issue postmarks.
When they were first issued, the PHQ cards were intended to be just an occasional picture postcard for sale to the public at Post Offices and Philatelic Counters. However, right from the first card issued, some enterprising Stamp Dealers realised that there was a potential new Stamp collecting area, and stamps were fixed either to the face of the card, or the back, and postmarks for various cricket matches played between July and September 1973 were obtained.
In August 1973 a second card was issued for one of the stamps in the set to mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of Inigo Jones, architect and designer. Over the next three years several more single cards, and a few sets were issued, from July 1976 onwards there has been a set of cards issued for every new set of commemorative stamps that has been issued.
The first two cards issued, 1973 Cricket and 1973 Inigo Jones, are larger than the current cards, measuring 120 mm x 172 mm in size, while all cards issued from PHQ3 onward are 104 mm x 148 mm in size. This can be confusing for new collectors coming across the first two issues for the first time, if they are not aware of the size difference, they tend to think they are worthless copies.
Collecting PHQ cards
There are three main areas of collecting interest. Many collectors like to collect only the unused cards, but some like to obtain them with first day of issue postmarks. Others like to obtain them with special handstamps that have some connection to the stamp subject matter. Also, stamp collectors will usually put the stamp on the back of the card, but a very popular variation is for the stamp to be applied to the face of the card, so that the postcard picture, stamp and postmark are all visible on the same face.
Postmarks and handstamps
The first card was not put on sale until two months after the issue date of the stamps, so would not have been eligible for a First day of issue postmark. However the card is known to exist with 16 May 1973, Birmingham FDI cancellation (back-dated by favour), but it is much more collectable with the July and September pictorial cricket postmarks. The cricket postmarks to look out for are 21 July, Benson & Hedges, and 1 September Gillette Cup.
The early issues
Below are the issue dates of all the early cards, issued up until July 1976. Since this date a full set of cards has been issued for every commemorative set, and for some of the definitive issues.
| Stamp issue date | Stamp set | #cards | Card set ref | Qty. Issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 1973 | County Cricket, 1873–1973 | one | PHQ 1 | 20,000 |
| 15 August 1973 | 400th Anniversary, birth of Inigo Jones | one | PHQ 2 | 20,000 |
| 12 September 1973 | 19th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference | one | PHQ 3 | 15,200 |
| 14 November 1973 | Royal Wedding (The Princess Anne) | one | PHQ 4 | 290,000 |
| 27 February 1974 | British Trees | one | PHQ 5 | 16,750 |
| 24 April 1974 | Fire Service Anniversary | one | PHQ 6 | 30,000 |
| 10 July 1974 | Medieval Warriors | four | PHQ 7 | 31,750 |
| 9 October 1974 | Winston Churchill Centenary | one | PHQ 8 | 114,430 |
| 19 February 1975 | Bicentenary, birth J. M. W. Turner | one | PHQ 9 | 46,250 |
| 23 April 1975 | European Architectural Year | three | PHQ 10 | 51,000 |
| 11 June 1975 | Sailing | one | PHQ 11 | 41,350 |
| 13 August 1975 | 150th Anniversary of Public Railways | four | PHQ 12 | 47,500 |
| 22 October 1975 | Jane Austen Bicentenary | four | PHQ 13 | 27,330 |
| 28 April 1976 | Social Reformers | one | PHQ 14 | 38,350 |
| 2 June 1976 | American Bicentenary | one | PHQ 15 | 60,950 |
| 30 June 1976 | Roses | four | PHQ 16 | 34,250 |
All subsequent issues of British Commemorative Stamps had a set of PHQ Cards issued.
Differences and errors
Like the stamps they depict, because of the printing processes involved, errors and differences will occur in the printings. Some of the notable differences and errors are listed here.
| Card set ref. | Issue date | Stamp set | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHQ 7 | 10 July 1974 | Medieval Warriors | 10p card known to exist with missing red. |
| PHQ 8 | 9 October 1974 | Winston Churchill | 5½p card known to exist with missing gold. |
| PHQ 9 | 19 February 1975 | Turner Bicentenary | 5½p card known to exist with missing black |
| PHQ 11 | 11 June 1975 | Sailing | 8p card known to exist with missing red. |
| PHQ 13 | 22 October 1975 | Jane Austen bicentenary | 10p card gold head & border, upward shift of 5 mm 13p card, black and yellow shifted upwards. |
| PHQ 16 | 30 June 1976 | Rose Society Centenary | 8½p upward shift of yellow by 2 mm |
| PHQ 18 | 29 September 1976 | 500th anniversary of British Printing | 10p card upwards shift of olive & dark green by 5 mm |
| PHQ 21 | 2 March 1977 | Centenary, Royal Institute of Chemistry | 8½p card with picture printed on matt {reverse} side 8½p card with upward shift of yellow & blue by 1 mm 10p card, missing red & black |
| PHQ 22 | 11 May 1977 | Silver Jubilee | 8½p card with missing pale blue 8½p card with pale blue shift to right by 2 mm 8½p card with grey shifted to left |
| PHQ 25 | 5 October 1977 | British Wildlife | Badger card missing brown value and description Hare card missing brown value and description Otter card with bistre frame shifted upwards |
| PHQ 29 | 31 May 1978 | Anniversary of Coronation | 13p card with doubling of gold & purple |
| PHQ 30 | 5 July 1978 | Shire Horses | 13p card with missing brown |
| PHQ 33 | 7 February 1979 | British Dogs | 10½p card printed on matt {reverse} side 10½p card, blue & yellow shifted 12 mm to right 13p card printed on matt {reverse} side |
| PHQ 37 | 11 July 1979 | International Year of the Child | 9p card with downward shift of yellow, blue, silver & bistre by 6 mm |
| PHQ 39 | 26 September 1979 | 150th Anniversary of Metropolitan Police |
10p card with red & black shifted down and to left by 1 mm |
| PHQ 42 | 12 March 1980 | 150th Anniversary of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway |
Goods Train & Mail Coach card missing bistre border |
| PHQ 43 | 7 May 1980 | London Landmarks | 13½p card printed on the matt (reverse) side 13½p card with black print missing from reverse |
| PHQ 47 | 10 October 1980 | Sports Centenaries | 12p card with missing magenta, black, bistre & gold 17½p card printed on matt (reverse) side |
Other notable differences
| Card set ref | Issue Date | Stamp issue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHQ 18 | 29 September 1976 | British Printing | The caption on 8½p card incorrectly states the woodcut is of the Knight, when in fact it is a woodcut of the Squire. |
| PHQ 24 | N/A | NOT ISSUED | See explanation in "Description" section, above. |
| PHQ 25 | 5 October 1977 | British Wildlife | there were two printings of this issue, with slight colour variations |
| PHQ 31 | 2 August 1978 | Cycling Centenaries | The 11p card also exists with a completely different back about the Cycling Proficiency Test. |
| PHQ 38 | 22 August 1979 | Rowland Hill Centenary | The 10p card also exists with a completely different reverse, which states "With the Compliments of the British Post Office", in both English & French. This card was produced for the 1979 UPU Conference in Brazil. |
| PHQ 47 | 10 October 1980 | Sports Centenaries | The Post Office's National Postal Museum overprinted a small number of the 12p card for their Exhibition of Elizabethan Sports Stamps, and sold these cards with the 12p Sports stamp affixed to the reverse. |
| PHQ 50 | 1981 | Disabled | Card (a) had card (d) description printed upside down as well as regular (a) description |
| PHQ 199(a) | 21 July 1998 | Magical Wolds (The Hobbit) | Tolkien was spelt incorrectly on the postcard when initially released as Tolkein. It was subsequently re-issued with the correct spelling.
All FDI's will have the incorrect spaelling |
Other postcard issues
Occasionally the post office issues Stamp Cards of stamps that are not listed as PHQ. This also includes copies of Definitive Issues.
| Issue No. | Issue Date | Issue Title |
|---|---|---|
| PSM01 | 1999-Jun | Royal Wedding |
| PSM02 | 1999-Dec | Millennium Timekeeper |
| PSM02 | 2000-May | Her Majesty's Stamps |
| PSM04 | 2000-Aug | Queen Mothers Birthday |
| PSM05 | 2001-Feb | Occasions |
| PSM06 | 2001-May | British Double Deckers (also No. PHQ231) |
| PSM07 | 2001-Oct | Royal Navy Flags |
| PSM08 | 2002-Mar | Occasions |
| PSM09 | 2003-Feb | Occasions |
| PSM10 | 2004-Feb | Occasions |
| Celebrating Great Britain | ||
| CGB01 | 2006-Nov | Celebrating Scotland |
| CGB02 | 2007-Apr | Celebrating England |
| CGB03 | 2008-Mar | Celebrating Northern Ireland |
| CGB04 | 2009-Feb | Celebrating Wales |
| Greetings | ||
| GS1 | 1993-Feb | Gift Giving |
| GS2 | 1994-Feb | Messages |
| GS3 | 1995-Mar | Art |
| GS4 | 1996-Feb | Cartoons |
| GS5 | 1997-Jan | Flowers |
| Other | ||
| PHQHP | 2007-Jul | Harry Potter |
| PHQOGH | 2008-Aug | Olympic Games |
| Definitives | ||
| D1 | 1993-Mar | Britannia |
| D2 | 1993-Mar | £1 Carrickfergus Castle |
| D3 | 1993-Mar | £1.50 Caernarfon Castle |
| D4 | 1992-Mar | £2 Edinburgh Castle |
| D5 | 1992-Mar | £5 Windsor Castle |
| D6 | 1993-Oct | Machin 1st |
| D7 | 1995-Aug | £1 Machin |
| D8 | 1995-Aug | £3 Carrickfergus Castle |
| D9 | 1994-Jul | Bank of England |
| D10 | 1995-May | Mitchell |
| D11 | 1996-Apr | Queens 70th |
| D12 | 1999-Jun | Scotland |
| D13 | 1999-Jun | Wales |
| D14 | 1999-May | Airlift |
| D15 | 1999-Oct | Rugby |
| D16 | 2000-Mar | Millenium |
| D17 | 2000-Mar | Postman Pat |
| D18 | 2000-Apr | Botanic |
| D19 | 2001-Mar | Northern Ireland |
| D20 | 2001-Apr | English Definitives |
| D21 | 2002-Dec | Wildings |
| D22 | 2003-Mar | Machin Gold 1st |
| D23 | 2003-Mar | Universal European |
| D24 | 2003-Oct | England |
| D25 | 2003-Oct | Scotland |
| D26 | 2003-Oct | Wales |
| D27 | 2003-Oct | Northern Ireland |
| D28 | 2005-Mar | Castles |
| D29 | 2006-Oct | Smilers |
| D29 | 2008-Sept | Country Definitives |
| D30 | 2008-Sep | Machin definitives |
| D31 | Smilers | |
| Prepaid Postcards | 2007-Jul | Scouts (postal stationery) |
| Postcard and Stamp Set | 2008-Jun | Films-Off The Wall (brick wall background) |
| Special Edition Cards | 2009-Jan | British design Classics (flag background) |
Sources
- Stanley Gibbons Concise Stamp Catalogue
- Collect Post Office Cards (Published by Rosendale Stamps)
- Gibbons Stamp Monthly
- Royal Mail Stamp GuideRoyal Mail British Philatelic Bulletin