Welcome to First Day Covers – The Home of Cotswold and Stuart FDCs

Cots-Classic-Toys-FDC-Aug-2017Cotswold Covers has been in existence since Christmas 1970 and is easily recognisable by the gold frame in the form of a capital C to the left of the envelope.

Cotswold collectors are a loyal band of collectors who remain true to the brand. The envelopes are of good quality, engraved and die-stamped in its time-honoured way. Historically they have always been printed this way so when I took over the company in late 2003, I decided that there was no improvement on this tried and tested method.

Formed in 1970 by Paul Smith and his wife, then living in the Cotswold area, the brand is internationally recognised as the standard for collectors.

Cots-Mr-Men-Little-Miss-FDC-Oct-2016 Since taking over the company on Paul’s retirement at the end of 2003, we like to think we have brought this venerable cover up to 21st century freshness without losing any of its classic appeal.  We take a lot of time and trouble over the designs for each new stamp issue – a new First Day Envelope is designed for each stamp issue and blank First Day Envelopes are available to retailers, traders and collectors alike.

Much thought goes into the amount of space available to us given the size and number of stamps in each issue. It can be a bit of a tight squeeze.

None of our first day covers carry any addresses.

When starting a stamp collection with us, or collecting additional items to your already amazing collection,  all our stamp collectors receive:

  • an information sheet giving plenty of background information on the latest stamps and reason behind the issue
  • an illustrated Newsround with additional articles related to the stamp issue, information on forthcoming new stamp issues by Royal Mail, and more from the world of Philately
  • flyers for exclusive products

Take a look at some of the stamp categories below, to see the differences between the Cotswold, Stuart, and Royal Mail FDCs, featuring the latest stamp releases and also some vintage stamps from the archives!

If you wish to subscribe to any of our services, do please complete the Order Form and let us know when you wish to start – bearing in mind that we mail out material approx. 2-3 weeks after each stamp issue. This gives us the opportunity of receiving covers back in the office for sorting to ensure that only the best go out. Stamps are for much more than just posting. Happy collecting!