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Wednesday 30 May 2007

Machin News

No one has ever said collecting Machins is an easy task.

It certainly is not easy for the specialist who collects mint singles. Where he / she is concerned, they have to be on top of their game acquiring as much knowledge of any new printings that emerge.

Hopefully this post will help to a degree.

With new postage rates and sheet values (April 07) add the forthcoming 40th anniversary miniature sheets and Prestige books, coils , 1st / 2nd class counter sheets ( smaller font). Not to mention business sheets with large font we have our work cut out making sure that as singles (if one collects singles that is), one of each are acquired to keep our collections up to date and complete.

I have not examined the miniature sheet at this time, but have been informed that the ( mauve ) £1 stamp has been printed with Iriodin ink where as the £1 (Ruby) stamp has not.

I can also confrm to you that this miniature sheet was printed sideways, so both the £1 mauve & Ruby stamps differ from their counter sheet printings.

Business sheets with Large horizontal stamps ( 1st and 2nd class ) are printed by Walsall in sheets of 50, these stamps can be distinguished from normal retail booklet stamps by the difference of the backing paper. The business sheets are not printed on the reverse.

Reprints of the pre pricing in proportion 1st class and 2nd class counter sheets, I can confirm that 1st class (gold) has cylinder D2 and 2nd class (blue) has cylinder D3.


(CYLINDERS were also getting to be minefield). They seem to have reverted back to the norm and have been upgraded by one number. I do know that collectors have contacted Royal Mail about the non uniformity of cylinder numbers, so perhaps Royal Mail have taken notice of collectors comments in this department?

As for singles from the prestige booklet, it is recommended one keeps a portion of the selvedge attached to individulal stamps until the experts can examine them in detail.
If you collect Country pictorial definitives, you may be interested to know that the 1st class Lion & Shield stamp from the Celebrating England Generic Smilers sheet is the first country pictorial stamp to be issued with self adhesive gum. If you look closer ( left) you will also notice that it has no security ellipses.

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