This issue is part of the Special Occasions stamp issue, produced at regular intervals for use on postage relating to commemorations of personal milestones. These stamps comprise part of the Personalised Stamps™ program, in which a personal photograph may feature in a tab alongside the designed stamp.
The Romance stamp issue coincides with Valentine’s Day, and engages two chief symbols that convey the theme of romance ¬– the heart and the rose – making them perfect emissaries for messages of affection.
Designer
In 2000, Melinda Coombes co-founded Coombes Whitechurch Design. She has created many stamp issues for Australia Post, and is responsible for the distinctive look of the Through the Years stamp issues, which began with Driving through the Years (2006).
Andrew Hogg has also designed many stamp issues for Australia Post, including Life Saving Australia, which featured our only lentincular stamp design, and the recent four-year series commemorating the centenary of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition.
Products released in this issue
- Stamp pack
- First day cover
- Maxicard set
- Postal and numismatic cover
- Booklet of 10 stamps
- Sheetlet of 10 stamps
- Booklet of 20 stamps
Technical specifications
- Issue date
- 4 February 2014
- Issue withdrawal date
- 28 February 2015
- Denominations
- 2 x 60c
- Stamp design (hearts)
- Andrew Hogg design
- Stamp design (rose)
- Melinda Coombs, Coombs Whitechurch Design
- Product design
- Lisa Christensen, Australia Post Design Studio
- Paper - gummed
- Tullis Russell
- Printer - gummed
- EGO
- Paper self-adhesive
- B100
- Printer self-adhesive
- EGO
- Printing process
- Lithography
- Stamp size
- 26mm x 37.5mm
- Perforations
- 14.6 x 13.86
- Sheet layout
- Sheetlets of 10
- FDI postmark
- Rosebud, Vic 3939
- FDI withdrawal date
- 4 March 2014
The heart-shaped ideograph is a visual shortcut to emotional life, although the “love” it symbolises is not necessarily of a romantic nature. Still, romantic love that looms large in this graphic sign, and its first use in this context dates back to an illustrated initial in a 13th-century French manuscript, Roman de la poire, in which a lover offers his heart to his beloved.
The rose is a familiar bearer of love and romantic yearning, although the different colours of roses symbolise a range of meanings. The rose is long associated with the cultural traditions of Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. In Greek mythology the red rose in particular is tied to love through Aphrodite, whose blood spilt onto white roses, turning them red, as she helped her wounded over, Adonis.
This content was produced at the time of the stamp issue release date and will not be updated.
