Royal Mail launches Sherlock Holmes stamps that reveal secret storylines under UV light

A new set of high-tech stamps celebrating Sherlock Holmes is being launched by the Royal Mail.

The collection will feature images from the award-winning BBC TV series and other stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Six stamps will show iconic characters from the TV show Sherlock, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Amanda Abbington and Andrew Scott.

They include Sherlock Holmes, Doctor John Watson, Jim Moriarty and Mycroft Holmes.

But, these aren’t just any ordinary stamps. The Royal Mail has added an extra touch to the new collection, which will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the mystery series.

According to the postal company, when UV light is shone over the stamps, hidden details from a storyline will be revealed.

A further four stamps are also included in the collection, presented in a miniature sheet, and feature new illustrations of other stories written by Conan Doyle, such as The Adventure Of The Speckled Band, The Red-Headed League, The Adventure Of The Second Stain, and The Adventure Of The Dancing Men.

Sherlock producer Sue Vertue said: “We are terribly proud of our Sherlock TV series and now I am ridiculously excited about these Royal Mail stamps. I’m going to immediately book a UK holiday so I can send all my friends postcards using them.”

Richard Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s great nephew, said: “In the first chapter of my great uncle Arthur’s famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Sign Of Four, Sherlock remarks upon the sheet of stamps in Watson’s desk – imagine his consternation if it turned out to be this sheet of stamps! What would he have deduced from what he observed?

“I hope those who take a close look at these fascinating stamps, observing not just seeing, are inspired to read the original stories and novels written by my great uncle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”

Philip Parker, head of stamp strategy at the Royal Mail, added: “We celebrate the enduring fascination with the world’s most famous fictional detective.

“Our stylish new stamps mark the acclaimed and award-winning TV series and are complemented by illustrations of some of the stories Conan Doyle considered among his best.”

Earlier this year, the Royal Mail created a series of stamps dedicated to another fictional character, James Bond.

To celebrate the release of the 25th Bond film, No Time To Die, in April the postal service launched a set of 10 postage stamps that featured the six actors who have played Bond as well as a host of Q branch’s best gadgets and cars.

The Bond stamps also included a hidden secret feature, with the words “We’ve been expecting you” showing when exposed to Uv light.

The new Sherlock Holmes stamps go on sale on 18 August.