Outside the mailbox stamp ideas

UK's Stamp Magazine reports there have been some intriguing suggestions for next year's Royal Mail stamps.

The Royal Society of Arts Design Directions competition has had a postage stamp section for nearly 30 years. This year it asked for designs on two subjects: 'The 150th Anniversary of the Science Museum' and 'Beside the Seaside'.

One suggestion was interactive stamps which could be printed on special pH-testing paper, to check the acidity or alkalinity of rainwater. Another idea was for human body stamp has a layer of ink which can be scratched off the image to reveal internal organs.

It was also proposed to have double-sided seaside stamps, to represent the complicated relationship the British have with seaside holidays. Each has a 'heaven' side in colour and a 'hell' side in black and white, and is gummed on both sides so you can choose which to use.

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