The ‘Discovery of Endurance’ stamps were slated for release on March 23, 2023, but the release was cancelled without explanations. Adam Paish (UK) informed us that finally these stamps were issued on November 5, 2024: the Falkland Islands Post Office in Stanley has placed the British Antarctic Territory, Falkland Islands and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands stamps and souvenir sheets on sale (see earlier description). 

For some inexplicable reason, the copyright holders of the images on which the designs are based would not allow any information about their release to be disseminated prior to the day of issue. The Heritage Trust holding the image rights is the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust. Its ‘Endurance22’ expedition, which successfully located Shackleton’s vessel, has licensing agreements with National Geographic (which is now controlled by the Disney organisation), as well as contractual arrangements with other media organisations. So, copyright issues remained until the stamps were finally recently released. All first day covers of this issue are dated from November 5, 2024. As a consequence, these stamps were reintroduced in the catalogue under the heading [D20241105].

Adam Paish (UK) reported also information about the Sir Winston Churchill (born on November 30, 1874) 150th birthday stamps to be released in November and December 2024. These include a United Kingdom (Royal Mail) issue on November 30, 2024. Territorial issues have been announced for the Falkland Islands (issue date: November 27, 2024), Tristan da Cunha (issue date: December 11, 2024) and Ascension Island (issue date: December 16, 2024), although the latter is in a different format. New stamp issues of all three postal administrations are coordinated by the same sales, marketing and distribution arm of Isle Of Man Stamps & Collectables, which took over operations from Pobjoy Mint (Falkland stamps) following its closure in late 2023. It may be possible that almost all Commonwealth countries may celebrate this anniversary, but unfortunately, even these first stamps cannot be considered as joint (different design, different dates). Let us see first what other countries will have to offer, before closing definitely this chapter.