This isn’t really something I learned today, so it’s kind of cheating.
I did learn a bit more about it though, so I think it counts. Also, it’s a double post day so I think it can be a bit weaker.
To me a postbox is a big red thing with a whole in the front and the letters ER on the side. Turns out they’ve been around for ages (if I thought about it I would have known this), and the ER is the royal cypher for the current monarch – Elizabeth II, god bless her.
There are, it transpires, 6 different Royal Ciphers to be found and now I’ve found there is even a points system. I love points systems so here it is
Victorian (VR or blank) – 10 points
Edward 7th (EVIIR) – 5 points
George 5th (GR) – 2 points
Edward 8th (EVIIIR) – 10 points
George 6th (GVIR) – 2 points
Elizabeth 2nd (EIIR) – 1 point
There are bonus points available, it seems, for particularly unusual postboxes but the rules around them aren’t very clear.
I’m off to collect some extra points…
