They were issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of The Magic Circle, a society of magicians founded in London in 1905 by a small group of amateurs and professionals.
What was unusual was the design of the five stamps. They featured optical illusions that included a jumping rabbit and disappearing dots.
The Magic Circle was thus the the first society of magicians to be recognised on a stamp. Alan Shaxon, then president of The Magic Circle, said at the time: “We’re thrilled with the way the stamps have captured precisely what magic is all about, entertainment and fun.”
The first-class stamp depicts a blank coin, which reveals a “heads” or “tails” when a coating of varnish is rubbed off.
A rabbit on the 40p stamp appears to jump into a hat once it is brought closer to the face.
Rubbing a spotted scarf on the 47p stamp makes the spots disappear, while staring at a dot in the middle of a heart on the 68p stamp for 30 seconds, and then looking at a blank wall, is designed to make you see a heart.
On the £1.12 stamp, rubbing a fez reveals a hidden object.
