Boots Promotional Labels

We have all seen these label panes and I guess the majority of us have a selection of them in our collections. They first appeared 1994 , at Boots the Chemist stores in the UK , sold together in a pack with a greetings card.

Two versions of the label, one with Yellow phosphor and the Boots logo and a reprint without the logo with blue phosphor

Eventually ( after a big moan from collectors ) they were made available by Royal Mail from the majority of the main Philatelic Outlets.

The original label with yellow fluor was printed by Jon Enschede of Holland ONFP/PVA with 2 bright yellow phosphor bands. A second series was introduced without the Boots logo between 1995 - 1998. These also differ in size to the originals and were printed by either Enschede or Questa on OFNP/PVA with 2 blue phosphor bands.

I will add more details of these at a later date, including ellipse types, inset bands and other factors. Be sure to return for this information.

Due to demand and a growing shortage of the Boots Labels , continuing the trend, labels without the Boots logo were also used as promotional labels. There are many to collect and as the popularity for them grows new designs are appearing on a regular basis.

A full list of these labels (including the Boots versions) will be listed shortly.

List of De La Rue Byfleet Printings

Above: First day cover

The Machin high values, notice the missing £ sign on the £2. 00 stamp

The Prices given for these issues are for information only and are based on current auction / dealers selling prices . They are also subject to change depending on market trends. The stamps are listed from 1p - £5 and prices are in in GB Pounds Sterling

These are in order of Value / colour of stamp, Cyl and Phos numbers, Paper and gum. List prices given are in order of the No Dot and Dot cylinder blocks of 6 ( format 2 x 3) x denotes that the dot block does not exist. Dates known have been added below the listing.

1p Crimson

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 1.35 1.35

19/-03/03 - 03/09/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 1.35 1.35

16/05/03 - 19/05/03 - 18/09/03 - 02/ 03/04 - 08/03/04 - 08/04/04 - 13/04/04 - 03/09/04

2p Deep green
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 2.00 2.00

25/03/03 - 08/04/04 - 19/04/04 -24/08/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 1.40 1.40

01/05/03 - 15/05/03 - 05/11/03 - 15/03/04

4p New blue
D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 8.00 8.00

01/04/03

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 4.40 4.40

01/04/03

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 3.50 3.50

18/09/03

5p Claret
D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 6.50 6.50

02/04/03

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 3.50 3.50

03/04/03 - 23/08/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 1.65 1.65

29/04/03 - 16/05/03 - 17/09/03 - 03/11/03 - 04/11/03 - 05/11/03 - 22/03/04 - 16/04/04 18/04/04 - 23/08/04

7p Magenta
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 62.00 62.00

02/09/04 - 03/09/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 3.00 3.00

10/02/04 - 01/03/04 - 22/03/04

8p Deep yellow
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 3.00 3.00

31/03/03

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 4.50 4.50

04/11/03

9p Bright Orange

D1 D1 Bright Paper 2.75 2.75

12/11/04 - 15/11/04 - 31/03/05

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 14.00 14.00

15/11/04

10p Deep orange
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 2.90 2.90

20/03/03 - 25/08/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 2.15 2.15

30/04/03 - 18/09/03 - 03/11/03 - 24/03/04 - 13/04/04 - 19/04/04 - 25/08/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum (dark shade) 14.25 14.25

16/05/03

20p Bright green
D1 D1 Dull paper - PVA layflat gum 7.35 7.35

26/08/04

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum ( pale shade)33.50 33.50

25/03/03

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum (dark shade) 3.00 3.00

04/03/03 - 15/04/04

D1 D1 layflat gum (dark shade) 48.00 48.00

04/03/03

D1 D1 (layflat gum (phosphor wash) 45.00 45.00

04/03/03

D3 D3 Bright paper- tinted gum (dark shade) 4.00 4.00

15/04/04

D2 D1 Dull paper - PVA layflat gum (normal shade) 7.00 (no dot only)

12/02/04

D3 D3 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 6.00 6.00

02/03/04 - 15/03/04

33p Slate grey
D1 D1 Dull paper - PVA layflat gum 9.00 9.00

04/03/03

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 8.00 8.00

25/03/03

34p Lime green
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 10.00 10.00

04/03/03

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 5.40 5.40

28/04/03 - 17/09/03

D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 35.00 35.00

28/03/03

35p Sepia-brown
D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 4.95 ( no dot only)

11/02/04

D2 D2 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 6.25 6.25

03/03/04 - 04/03/04 - 12/03/04 - 07/04/04 - 23/08/04

D2 D2 Bright paper - tinted gum 35.00 35.00

23/08/04

35p Lime Green (Centre band)

D2 D1 Intermediate paper tinted gum - 5.00 5.00

05/04/05 - 06/04/05

37p Grey-black
D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 6.85 6.85

04/06/03

39p Light grey
D1 D1 Dull paper - layflat gum 25.35 (no dot only)

12/02/04

D2 D2 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 5.75 5.75

04/03/04 - 23/08/04

40p Greenish-blue
D1 D1 Dull paper - layflat gum 6.00 (no dot only)

12/02/04

D2 D2 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 7.00 7.00

D2 D2 Bright paper 7.50 7.50

31/08/04 - 04/04/05

41p Red D1 D1
Bright paper - tinted gum 41.00 41.00

42p Sage green
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 18.00 18.00

24/03/03 - 25/03/03 - 13/05/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 5.40 5.40

01/05/03 - 14/05/03 - 15/05/03 - 17/09/03 - 31/08/04 - 01/09/04 - 02/09/04

43p Pale emerald
D1 D1 Dull paper - layflat gum 8.50 (no dot only)

11/02/04

D2 D2 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 5.25 5.25

02/03/04 - 14/03/04 - 08/04/04

46p Old Gold

D1 D1 Intermediate paper- tinted gum 8.00 8.00

15/11/04 - 16/11/04

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 8.00 8.00

16/11/04 - 01/04/05 - 04/04/05

47p sea-green
D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 6.75 6.75

29/03/03

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 7.25 7.25

15/05/03 - 24/08/04 - 12/04/05

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 35.00 35.00

29/-3/03 - 12/04/05

50p Ochre
D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 10.00 10.00

31/01/03 - 15/04/04 - 24/08/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted 09.50 09.50

30/04/03 - 16/09/03 - 04/11/03

68p Stone
D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 14.00 12.00

03/06/03

£1 Bluish-violet
D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 50.00 50.00

26/03/03

D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 16.00 16.00

26/03/03 - 19/04/04 - 26/08/04

D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 10.00 10.00

29/04/03 - 19/05/03 - 20/05/03 - 16/09/03 - 05/11/03 - 06/11/03 - 23/03/04 - 26/08/04 - 07/04/05

£1.50 Rust-red
D1 D1 D1 Intermediate paper - layflat gum 18.50 18.50

11/04/03

£2.00 Indigo
D1 D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum missing £ sign* 200.00* 42.00

27/03/03

D1 D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 40.00 40.00

27/03/03

D2 D1 D1 Bright paper - tinted gum 25.00 25.00

13/05/05

£3 Purple
D1 D1 Dull paper - tinted gum 32.50 32.50

28/03/03

£5 Sepia
D1 D1 Intermediate paper - tinted gum 50.00 50.00

30/04/03

Do not forget to visit my website:
Roy Simpson
Machins Made Easy
http://gbmachins.co.uk

Byfleet & Dunstable Printings

I have recently had a lot of mail asking about the different papers/ gums originating from De La Rue Machin printings from Byfleet and Dunstable.

Hopefully this will help.
----------------------
RMS Paper known as (Royal Mail Standard ) or (Specification)
This is the paper currently used at Dunstable for all current printings , Known in certain circles as ATN (c) This has a cream PVA gum and is dull in appearance, developed and designed by order of The Royal Mail to get near to that of HS2 used previously by Harrison's at the High Wycome plant.

TR3: This is the main term for paper used by Royal Mail for the Byfleet printings, there are 3 types found to date with variations of OBA (Optical Brightening Agent) in the coating.

These are listed and known to specialist collectors as Dull, Intermediate and Bright papers

these are given secondry codes by collectors as - d, - i, and - b.

TR3-d = DULL
TR3-i = INTERMEDIATE
TR3-b = BRIGHT (it is believed by some that this paper was also used for a very short period at dunstable, but others disagree)

These above can be sub categorised into (with) different 2 gums
ATN (1) - Layflat gum
ATN (t) - Tinted Gum

HSC is another paper used at Byfleet, a single paned dull paper with Layflat gum (imported from Jon Enschede of Holland). Due to the fact only single panes could be used on the ATN press, only no dot cylinder blocks were available from this printing.

A list of all Byfleet printings, cylinder numbers, paper types and gums will be given shortly. A List of Dunstable printings will follow when more information is available.


Roy Simpson
Machins Made Easy
http://gbmachins.co.uk