Description: This commemorative philatelic item is a post-office-fresh marginal block of four stamps released by the Royal Mail as part of their popular British Pub Signs series. The dynamic design by artist George Mackenney showcases a traditional painted tavern sign depicting Saint Peter cradling a pair of massive crossed golden keys against a deep teal backdrop. Balancing this religious heraldry is the silver-foil silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II in the upper left corner and a crisp "42" designation tracking the era's standard airmail letter postage rate. What gives this particular block its immense appeal to collectors is the intact right-hand salvage margin. This border proudly displays four stacked, multicolored registration dots—vibrantly mimicking a miniature set of street traffic signals—which technical press operators used to ensure perfect alignment of the separate cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink layers.
Circa: 2003
Condition: Mint block of 4 with right selvage and traffic lights.
Notes:
The "Cross Keys" tavern sign design carries historical significance because it draws directly from ecclesiastical heraldry, honoring Saint Peter as the traditional keeper of the gates of heaven.
The presence of these colorful marginal printing circles, universally known to philatelists as "traffic lights," turns a standard group of stamps into a highly sought-after sheet position piece. Because millions of these sets were broken down into individual singles for standard letter postage, finding intact, post-office-fresh marginal blocks with complete technical markings is relatively scarce.