The first special editions of the Royal Mail's Lord of the Rings stamps have been presented to Oxford Philatelic Society at the Oxford pub where JRR Tolkien drank.

Oxford Philatelic Society members Dana Shaw and Bill Jackson, right, with the special Tolkien stamps and envelopes. Steve Lowbridge, manager of the Eagle and Child pub, is also pictured

The stamps, which are not officially released until Thursday, February 26, will be stuck on a limited edition envelope, featuring a picture of the Eagle and Child pub and its sign.

The envelope carries the caption, 'JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis were members of the Inklings, a group which used to meet in the Eagle and Child'.

It will be stamped with a special cancellation mark - the postmark used to show letters have passed through the postal system - which will state, 'Eagle and Child The Meeting Place of the Inklings, 26.02.04 Oxford'.

The envelope and cancellation mark, designed by stamp expert Mike Brazier, will be auctioned by the philatelic society to raise funds for Oxford's Sobell House hospice.

Steve Lowbridge, manager of The Eagle and Child, said: "We are delighted that the Eagle and Child has been featured on the envelope. It's a unique honour and will certainly provide another interest point for the thousands of Tolkien fans who already visit the pub."

Mr Brazier said the envelope, stamps and cancellation mark together made up a special first day cover.

Mr Brazier has designed three different envelopes, to be used for first day covers, and has only had 20 produced of each. The 10 stamps, featuring JRR Tolkien's original drawings, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1954 publication of the first two parts of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The original drawings are held in Oxford's Bodleian Library.