Postman Pat Booklets & Panes:

This posting is a copy of text written and used for part of my eBook A profile on the Millennium Machin. There are many more pages to this book which describe each and every issue of the Millennium Machin in turn and in detail. This eBook is highly recommended, and is not available on the web.

If you would like a copy these are still available. If you wish to obtain it, this is only available via Pay Pal: Price £3.90 click on the link to pay direct. You will receive the book by a return of email in the form of a zip file.

Postman Pat

Another one of my favourites. These retail booklets ( issue date 21/03/2000 ) were also available to the public as an unfolded pane. They are both known with cylinder numbers in the margin or as just a plain label without the cylinder numbers. Official & private first day covers were also produced to commemorate the issue and the Stamp Show.

(Left ) Images of the booklet cover printed by Walsall (front and back). The front shows the wording:

4 First Class Stamps above the Royal Mail Cruciform Logo and a 3 D picture of Postman Pat superimposed in front of a mock up picture of the booklet contents.
The rear of the cover bears a blue vertical bar code , with the number 5 014721 100180

The Horizontal wording reads
See Postman Pat at the Stamp Show 2000 Earls Court , London from 22 - 28 May 2000
For FREE tickets call 0845 072 2000

The booklets contained 4 x Millennium Machins and a label ( below ) the label depicting postman Pat and Jess his black & white cat.

This was folded in the middle, between the label and the stamps. Both plain and cylinder booklets W1 W1 W1 W1 W1 W1 are known.

They have a security ellipse at each side of the stamp, this is set 2 full perforations from the bottom and is three perforations in length.

The ellipse is known to specialists as type 2 (R ). This resembles a shape of a Rugby ball. Type 1 ellipse resembles a sausage or cigar shape.

The stamps have 2 blue phosphor bands which have a afterglow.

The pane has a single extension hole in the margin at the top, centre and bottom of the panes. The direction of print on this issue is inverted, this can be seen as tiny spikes of ink running in the direction of the print. This is displayed when viewed with a microscope or x 10 magnifying glass as tiny spikes of ink running in a down direction. As there are no inter stamp margins, (no borders ) although difficult at first, this is best seen on at the bottom of the chin and the figure 1 in the value tablet.

The Inside cover

To the right of the the inside of the booklet cover there is a vertical bar printed in yellow, the text on the bar reading vertically top to bottom Postman Pat Label Inside, this is printed on this portion of the inner cover. A cut out in the shape of a half crescent is also evident, this is used to keep the booklet closed.

To to left of the yellow bar are lines of more text which read: These stamps are valid whatever the current postage rate and may be used for First Class items up to 60g within the UK. Please note that the First Class rate is no longer valid to Europe. However, these stamps can be used as part payment for postage on any item to any country provided the full cost of postage is paid. Information on postage rates is available from post offices.

The text continues: Post code inquiries www.postcodes.royalmail.co.uk or tel: 08457 111 222
Customer Service Help line tel: 08457 740 740 Text phone 0845 600 0606 (for the deaf or hard of hearing). Product and service information: http://www.royalmail.co.uk/

To the left of the fold the text reads:

This Postman Pat Label is issued to mark the Stamp Show 2000 hosted by Royal Mail. For further information and Free tickets write to: Royal Mail 20 Brandon Street, Edinburgh EH3 5TX.

The text continues: Please note this Postman Pat label is not a stamp and is not valid for postage. POSTMAN PAT (TM)
(C) WA Ltd 1999

To the left of the cover, printed left to right vertically is the text: Printed by Walsall Security Printers Limited, UK.

Great Britain Decimal Stamp Book Study Circle Souvenir Pane

The (GB DSB SC ) issued a special pane, ( shown left ) .

The original unfolded cylinder panes were heat encapsulated in a clear plastic wallet and were issued to members only as a Special Issue Souvenir Sheet.

The rare souvenir pane was issued to celebrate and commemorate a joint meeting between the booklet association and the BDSSC The British Decimal Stamp Study Circle * which was held at the Earls Court, London Exhibition on January 27th 2000.

* Note On January 1st 2006, the two well known specialist circles joined forces and united as one study group. They are now known as the ( MBSC) Modern British Study Circle.

: A Royal Mail First Day Cover

(Above) This is just one cover that was issued to commemorate the London Stamp Show 2000. ( Right ) : This shows a the postmark related to the 1st day cover enlarged.

As I said earlier if you wish to read the rest of this book, this is only available to you via Pay Pal: Price £3.90