Royal Mail unveils new stamps celebrating 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons

Royal Mail has unveiled a set of 14 stamps featuring monsters and characters from Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the fantasy game’s release.

The tabletop role-playing game, first published in 1974 and introduced to the UK a year later, allows an estimated 64 million fans worldwide to embark on player-driven adventures with friends.

Fourteen special stamps were displayed on Thursday, depicting the game’s most famous monsters, including Vecna and Mind Flayer, alongside images of a party of adventuring heroes.

Shining an ultraviolet light over the eight pictures of monsters will reveal the D&D logo on four of the stamps and a graphic related to the monster on the other four.

All of the artwork was illustrated by British artist Wayne Reynolds and features 11 images commissioned for the set.

David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: “For fifty years, Dungeons & Dragons has enabled millions of fans across the world to enjoy using their imaginations and immersing themselves in a magical world.

“We are delighted that this creative and exciting role-playing game is celebrated using Britain’s Wayne Reynolds’ unique illustrations.”

D&D’s fantasy world and monsters have influenced fantasy tropes in film, television and video games to this day.

A movie based on the game, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, was released in 2023.

A video game set in its universe, Baldur’s Gate 3, was also published last year and won five Bafta Game Awards in April.

Dan Rawson, global play lead of D&D at Wizards of the Coast said: “Building on Hasbro’s existing work with Royal Mail, we’re honoured to release this beautiful collection of stamps, officially approved by HM King Charles III, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game.

“With stunning art from long-time Dungeons & Dragons artist Wayne Reynolds showcasing our adventuring heroes and fearsome creatures, we’re sure these items will be treasured by D&D fans and stamp collectors alike.”

The collection is under licence by D&D publisher Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro.

Mr Reynolds, a long-time fantasy artist, said it was a “massive honour” to create the set’s artwork and have “the opportunity to see my artwork on a stamp”.

D&D was originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in Wisconsin, in the US, but has since become a fan favourite among table-top gamers in the UK.

The monsters featured on the main set of eight stamps are Red Dragon, Vecna, Mimic, Beholder, Gelatinous Cube, Mind Flayer, Displacer Beast and Owlbear.

Shining an ultraviolet light on any of the first four reveals a special graphic.

The six images of a party of adventuring heroes feature Tiefling Rogue, Human Bard, Halfling Cleric, Elf Fighter, Dwarf Paladin and Dragonborn Wizard.

The stamps are available to pre-order on Royal Mail’s website from Thursday before going on general sale from July 25.