The King's Birthday First Day Cover (Gummed)
This First Day Cover (Gummed) features The King's Birthday stamp and postmark on a decorative envelope.
Overview
His Majesty Charles III celebrates his 76th birthday on 14 November 2024. Charles was born in 1948 at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI. He acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022 and was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023.
Since 1980, Australia Post has honoured the monarch’s birthday with a postage stamp issue released on the date of the queen or king’s actual birthday, rather than the official birthday. In most Australian states and territories this falls on the second Monday in June; in Western Australia the date varies and in Queensland the King’s official Birthday is marked on the first Monday of October.
Technical specifications
| Issue date | 12-Nov-24 |
| Issue withdrawal date | 1-Jun-25 |
| Denomination | $1.50 |
| Stamp & product design | Simone Sakinofsky, Australia Post Design Studio |
| Paper: gummed | Tullis Russell 104gsm Red Phosphor/Blue PVA Stamp Pape |
| Printing process | Offset lithography |
| Stamp size (mm) | 26mm x 37.5mm |
| Minisheet size (mm) | 135mm x 80mm |
| Perforations | 14.6 x 13.86 |
| Sheet layout | 156mm x 101mm |
| FDI postmark | Charlestown NSW 2290 |
| FDI withdrawal date | 12-Dec-24 |
Stamps in this issue
The King's Birthday
This is the second Australian issue honouring the birthday of King Charles III. It features a photographic portrait of Charles taken in December 2023 during the recording of His Majesty’s Christmas message at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Christmas message is a much-loved tradition, first broadcast on radio in 1932 by George V. In 2023, Charles’ Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth communicated his personal sentiments, including his hopes for world peace and our shared obligations to protect the Earth and the natural world.
The portrait on the minisheet was taken in November 2023 during Charles’ attendance at COP28 UAE, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. In his opening address to a gathering of global leaders, Charles reiterated his long-held commitment to tackling the climate crisis: “We need to remember that the indigenous world view teaches us that we are all connected. Not only as human beings, but with all living things and all that sustains life. As part of this grand and sacred system, harmony with Nature must be maintained. The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth.”
The stamp photograph is by Jonathan Brady/WPA Pool/Getty Images. The minisheet photograph is by Chris Jackson/Getty Images.
Shop our Stamp Collectables
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Minisheet
This minisheet is from The King's Birthday stamp issue and presents the two stamps.
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The King's Birthday Stamp Pack
This The King's Birthday Stamp Pack includes a sheet of 10 stamps and minisheet from the stamp issue presented in a high-quality folder.
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The King's Birthday Maxicard
This maxicard is from the The King’s Birthday stamp issue.
Additional collectables:
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The King's Birthday First Day Cover (Minisheet)
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The King's Birthday Sheetlet of 10 Stamps
This content was produced at the time of the stamp issue release date and will not be updated.