The batch of 10 first-class stamps, entitled "Get ready for 2012", will go on sale on Wednesday (July 27) as part of the celebrations for the the One Year to Go landmark.

They feature depictions of classic Olympic sports such as athletics and gymnastics as well as more recent additions to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including triathlon, handball and wheelchair rugby.

The stamps are the third and final set to be issued during a three-year Games countdown, with the total of 30 representing the largest Royal Mail commission since the Millennium series in 1999 and 2000.

Jeanette Kwakye, a Team GB 100-metre sprinter, said they were "beautifully designed".

"All three sets provide a fitting tribute to the Olympic and Paralympic Games," she said.



Stephen Agar, director of regulated business at Royal Mail, said the stamps were a celebration "of what is set to be a great event in UK sporting history".

The creation of 30 stamps marks the fact that 2012 will be the start of the 30th Olympiad.

It also represents every one of the 29 sports in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the exception of athletics, which will be featured across two stamps as "Athletics: track" and "Athletics: field".

The designs are by 30 different artists, and will all feature either the 2012 Olympic Games or Paralympic Games logo.

Two sets were issued in 2009 and 2010 and this final set of ten known as Get Ready for 2012, by Studio David Hillman, completes the series.

"Three years ago I was asked to find 30 image-makers and we hoped that would include artists illustrators and photographers, but photography became a problem because you can't show peoples faces – it would have to be a dead person," said David Hillman, of Studio David Hillman.

The Queen is the only living person who can appear on stamps.

Artists in the Get Ready for 2012 set include Anthony Pike, Lara Harwood, David McConochie and Adam Simpson.

To buy the stamps click here.

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