Pricing in Proportion

Pricing in Proportion is aguide to the issues released to date. I wrote this and posted it to a couple of the online groups, for ease of reference it has been reproduced here

Well its been a short while since August 21st, the date when Royal Mail introduced the revision of the inland Mail Rate to reflect what we are now calling Pricing in Proportion ( POP )
To cope with the new tariff several new stamps have already been released. These have been separated into two main groups ( standard and Large) and then (to date ) to help with identification divided into 5 sub groups.

MAIN Group A
These stamps are the standard letter versions for 1st class (32p) & 2nd class (23p) for letters up to 5mm thick 240 mm x 125 mm (up to 100 gr ). These are sized the same as current definitives with a bigger value tablet in the top left corner.

MAIN Group B
Large versions which are wider than the standard have been released for the bigger letters over 5mm thick and over 240 mm x 125 mm up to 353 mm x 250 mm and 25mm in thickness. It should also be noted that all of these new Machins show a smaller head (including the ones described above). The large rate (horizontal stamps) show a much bigger value tablet at the top left and the word large in the bottom left.

The full range of Machin Definitive Products to date are listed below:

SUB Group One

Conventional Sheets PIP Printed by De La Rue Dunstable. Issue date 01/08/06

Standard 2nd class PVA (centre bands) cyl DI pD1

Standard 1st class PVA (two bands) cyl DI pD1
Large 2nd class PVA (two bands) cyl DI pD1 *
Large 1st class PVA (two bands) cyl DI pD1

SUB Group Two
Coil Stamps ( 500,1000 & 10000) Printed by De La Rue

Standard 2nd class PVA Centre band 15/08/06
Standard 1st class PVA two bands 14/11/06

SUB Group Three
Booklets (self adhesive) Printed by Walsall

Large 4 x 1st class two bands W1pW1 15/08/06
Large 4 x 2nd class centre band W1pW1 15/08/06
Large 4 x 2nd class centre band cyl W1pW1 12/09/06
Large 12 x 1st class two bands cyl W1pW1 12/09/06
Standard 12 x 2nd class centre band W1pW1 12/09/06

SUB Group Four
Prestige Stamp Books

( Victoria Cross ) printed by Jon Enschede of Holland 4 x Standard fist class (ex multi value se-tenant pane) PVA gum 21/09/06

(World of invention) printed by De La Rue Dunstable 4 x standard 1st class(ex multi value se-tenant pane. PVA gum 01/03/07

SUB Group Five
Business sheets of 100 (self Adhesive) Walsall dates on reverse of top panel

Standard 2nd class centre band
Standard 1st class two bands
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New gummed sheets

12p and 14p Machin Definitives were also been issued on 01/08/06 as make up values between the rates for large size 1st and 2nd class letters. These are in gravure on conventionaly PVA gummed paper, printed by De La Rue. Cylinder numbers are D1 phD1.

Notes
* Conventional Sheets PIP Printed by De La Rue issue date 01/08/06. Large 2nd class PVA (two bands) cyl DI pD1 unusually this has two bands, it is said " It is an aid so it can be used as first class if used on a standard letter ".

If you can add to this this list with short or inset bands please feel free to do so, perhaps we can also add to it with every subsequent issue, I am sure with new prestige booklets and the 40th anniversary of the Machin next year (2007) there will be many more to come.

It has been confirmed that the Machin pane from the inventions Prestige booklet will have 4 x standard PIP 1st class stamps and 4 x 5p (plum) in a se-tenant pane. The centre label will show a pic of Rowland Hill. This has been added to the listing above.

Be sure to come back for information on the contents of the NEW anniversary of the Machin Prestige booklet due in June 2007, which will be added shortly. This information is available now in snippets but it is still under Royal Mail embargo until January 17th 2007. You will not be dissapointed!