The Royal Mail is celebrating the best of British retro gaming and software ingenuity with a special collection of postage stamps. Designed by Supple Studios and Bitmap Books and created in conjunction with the UK Interactive Entertainment Association, the stamp collection is a heartfelt tribute to the early days of the British gaming industry and features classic games from the 1980s and 1990s, including Lemmings, Micro Machines, Populous, and, of course, the Tomb Raider series.

One of the collectable items on offer is a four-stamp miniature sheet set, which pays homage to some of Lara Croft’s greatest adventures, her enduring legacy, and the ground-breaking work of defunct Derby-based developer, Core Design. This set costs £4.50 (plus postage) and includes two First Class stamps commemorating the original 1996 game and the 2013 reboot and two £1.55 stamps commemorating 1998’s Tomb Raider III and 2000’s Tomb Raider Chronicles.

Royal Mail's Tomb Raider miniature sheet stamps

There is also a Tomb Raider collector’s sheet, which consists of 10 miniature sheet stamps and a Shadow of the Tomb Raider-themed display sheet. This souvenir set costs £11.40 (plus postage) and ships internationally.

The announcement has not been without its controversies. Tomb Raider fans have questioned some of the choices made, with many feeling that the fourth stamp should have commemorated the divisive cult classic Angel of Darkness or any of the other three Core Design Tomb Raider games instead of the 2013 reboot, a game that was not even developed in the United Kingdom. Other game enthusiasts highlighted the exclusion of other classic British-made games, such as Grand Theft Auto and Manic Miner.

Royal Mail's Tomb Raider collectors sheet

Nevertheless, it’s fantastic to see our favourite video game franchise being honoured in this fashion and either Tomb Raider stamp set would make an excellent addition to any Tomb Raider fan’s collection.

All of the items in the Royal Mail’s action-packed “Video Game” collection are currently available for pre-order and will go on sale on January 21, 2020. Full details about the collection’s various stamp sets, bundles, and presentation packs can be found over on the Royal Mail website.

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