Product Description
Centenary of Nobel Prizes - 2 October 2001 - SG 2232-7
Royal Mail celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Nobel Prizes with a remarkably diverse set of 6 stamps.| 2nd class - Chemistry Carbon 60 molecule - co-discovered by Harold Kroto (Prizewinner 1971). The disappearing thermochromic ink reveals an image of an ion when warmed. | 1st class - Economics showing a globe centred onmid-Atlantic. | E rate - Peace shows a single colourless embossed dove holding an olive branch. |
| 40p - Physiology/Medicine This is Britain's first 'scratch and sniff' stamp designed to produce the 'medical' smell which of eucalyptus | 45p - Literature This shows a book of poetry open at the page showing 1942 prizewinner T.S. Elliot's "The Addressing of Cats". The entire text has been reproduced by means of microprinting | 65p - Physics This stamp contains a hologram, invented by Dennis Gabor (1971 prizewinner) showing a boron molecule. |
Technical details: the stamps are printed by Enschede, perf 14.8x14.1 using a variety of printing processes as detailed:
Chemistry - The inscriptions and head (and ion image?) are printed by lithography followed by two runs of silk-screen printing, one for the thermochromic ink and one for UV absorbing ink to prevent the thermochromic layer from fading.
Economics - The continents are printed by intaglio (recess), engraved by Inge Madle, and the oceans are printed by lithography, as is a security pattern of blue lines created by one of Enchede's computer programs.
Peace - the inscriptions are litho and the dove embossed on a letterpress machine.
Medicine - stamp design litho (silver, black & green) and silkscreen was used to apply the invisible scented ink, which consists of a carrier material containing minute capsules of eucalyptus scent.
Literature - The entire text has been reproduced by means of microprinting lithography. A second litho run applies the phosphor ink to all but the central area.
Physics - holograms produced by Swiss company OVD areapplied to the litho printed stamp by a letterpress process.
