JAMES BOND is to serve in Her Majesty’s postal service, with a special issue of stamps to mark the centenary of the birth of his creator, Ian Fleming.

Royal Mail will this week put on sale a series of stamps bearing the covers of six of Fleming’s most popular books.

Two first-class stamps feature Fleming’s debut novel, Casino Royale, and Dr No, the first Bond novel to be adapted for the big screen in 1962.

The covers of Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever will appear on 54p stamps, while the 78p pairing features For Your Eyes Only and From Russia with Love. Each stamp, which is wider than usual, shows four incarnations of the book, the original hardback and three paperbacks.

Two of the original covers, those for Casino Royale and From Russia with Love, were designed by Fleming himself with low-key illustrations. Later covers are more flamboyant, reflecting the tendency of the films to place Bond centre stage.

The stamps, which go on sale on Tuesday, will be followed by 14 other Royal Mail special editions this year. Next month it will feature working dogs and monarchs from the houses of Lancaster and York.

Other stamps will present a tribute to coastguards, endangered insects, famous cathedrals and a celebration of the Carry On and Hammer horror films. Royal Mail stamps will also feature air shows, Olympic Games, women of distinction and RAF This means the public is unaware of the event being commemorated.

Steve McQueen, Britain’s official war artist in Iraq, complained that Royal Mail refused to issue stamps of British soldiers killed there, while last year it honoured Harry Potter, seaside holidays and the Beatles. uniforms, as well as commemorating the end of the first world war.

Julietta Edgar, head of special stamps at Royal Mail, said that they “are a national institution”.

Critics say there are too many of them and most are sold to collectors to boost profits, not used for postage.

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