Stamps show great British designs

Special stamps will have a different theme during each month of 2009

Iconic British designs including the Mini, Concorde, telephone box, miniskirt and London Underground map feature on a new set of special stamps.

The Royal Mail said 10 stamps featuring classic British designs of the 20th century will go on sale on 13 January.

There will be a different set for each month of the year.

Sets will celebrate Wales in February, pioneers of the industrial revolution in March, the House of Tudor in April and plants in May.

Later sets will feature mythical creatures such as mermaids, post boxes, eminent Britons, Royal Naval uniforms and the fire service.

Julietta Edgar, head of special stamps at the Royal Mail, said: "Special stamps mark unique moments, great anniversaries and vital cultural themes.

"Next year's programme will take stamps further than before with a unique collection of fascinating images and subjects.

"For many, stamps are seen as one-inch square works of art, and we are confident that the 2009 stamp programme will live up to our customers' expectations."

The Royal Mail announced two additional releases marking milestones next year. The first goes on sale on January 22, three days ahead of the 250th birthday of Robert Burns.

Six jigsaw piece-shaped stamps celebrating the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection will come out on 12 February.