A Difficult Single

Difficult 10p Type 11


Type two values are designed with the newer Jeffery Mathews sleeker style numerals. Earlier numerals were more rounded.


Because of the ever increasing values and the size of the denominations set on the value tablet, the powers that be at the Royal Mail decided that a new set of value tablets would be drawn up. Jeffrey Matthew’s was chosen to design a sleeker set of numerals. Each value in turn was reprinted with this new ( narrower ) more modern style, later the denominations were also repositioned onto a uniformed grid in the bottom left hand corner.

The change started to take place on 30th March 1983 and carried on for a period of about 5 years. 1988 saw the change over completed right through the whole of the Machin range. Newer ungraduated colours were also added during this time to improve the look.

There are several 10p value Machins catalogued, but the variety SG X886 bi coloured 10p Greyish - Orange - Brown (Type 11) with 2 side phosphor bands is very difficult and is now catalogued as a single by Stanley Gibbons at £22.00 ( mint and used ) .

Printed in Photogravure by Harrison and Sons perforation 14¾ x 14 it is only available from the mixed setenant pane ( see below) incorporated in the Christian Heritage Prestige booklet issued 14 December 1984.

How do I verify this single stamp?

It has two side phosphor bands without ellipses . The value tablet is set high above the drapery .


When purchasing single stamps do not get confused with later stamps from vending and retail booklets . Type 1 10p values have the value set lower ( nearer the drapery) see image left.


Check your booklets

If you have the Heritage booklet(s) and have just stored it (them) away without checking the panes it may just pay you to dig them out and inspect the contents.

This stamp pane is also known with missing phosphor but you will hard pressed to find a single 10p non phosphor value .

It is usually collected setenant (vertical or horizontal) with a 17p as to prove provenience . A setenant pair with missing phosphor is catalogued at around the £2,000 mark. Or if your names Rothchild or Bill Gates and can afford it, a massive £8,000 - £10,000 for a complete pane.

Get checking , you may just have the deposit for that BMW lurking away in an album.

A Basic Collection of 400 Machins

Check it out here. http://mysite.verizon.net/ktk.lange/395Machins

Kurt the webmaster is still adding varieties to this list, next to be added (on his agenda) are the straight edged Machins from trimmed booklets.

Please give it a minute to load completely - Each and every stamp is different! (and if your browser allows it, like I.E. , use the "F-11" key for an even better full-screen mode)

This certainly makes non-Machin collectors understand why they are a fun series to work on (and in case you didn't know) multiply by at least 6 if you are into the sub-sub-varieties with inset, short bands, perfs, printing process, phosphors, coils, sheets, booklets etc,

OK I think you get the idea!

Millennium Machin Variety

Collect Some Millennium Machin Varieties

This is the only Millennium Machin definitive Prestige Pane that was printed by the House of Questa. It originates from the Prestige Booklet " A life of A Century" commemorating the life of Queen Mother Issued on 04.08.2000.

The stamps are different from those Millennium Machins available from normal Questa retail booklets, having a bright blue fluor with a long wave afterglow.



The Ellipse is Type ( S ) resembling a sausage or cigar shape.

What is also noticeable to the trained eye, under magnification it can be determined that the panes are printed sideways left, all the Millennium retail booklet panes of 10 printed by Questa ( and Walsall ) were printed inverted. So these are unique and are listed in Machin catalogues as a specialised single.

The perforations are also different on this pane , 15 x 15 compared to 14 x 14 on the retail booklet stamps. Stamps from this pane also have a wider phosphor band 9.5 mm compared to 9 mm on the retail booklet stamps.

Look for error panes

Due to a phosphor shift stamps from positions 1, 4 and 7 are known with phosphor inset left from the perforations. These inset stamps are very desirable and will no doubt become rarities of the future.

Alternative GB

This is your chance to obtain some quality Machin Stamp books at quality prices, just log on to my website and browse through the pages on alternative GB.







Even if you you do not wish to purchase, I can guarantee you a good read, this information ( as far as I know ) can not be found anywhere else on the web.

Just email me with your enquiry and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

http://www.gbmachins.co.uk/html/alternative_gb.html

Sample Booklets

Firstly Thanks to Michael Dodd CDD Stamps ( his link is above ) for the mention and sending some of his readers to Machin Mania. Please pay him a visit. He has a very infomative blog, that reaches into the bowels of philataly and more.

His musings at the moment are of Post boxes. You will find it interesting I assure you. Also do not forget to recommend us to all your pals and aquaintances.

Its a funny old game !

I am not referring to Jimmy Greaves ( soccer pundit ) but the amount of Machin oddities that can be found. If you are collector of Bar Code booklets you may be familiar with sample booklets. If not I will try to show you what is what.

These samples are empty bar-code booklet covers ( only ) front and back and contain no stamps. They were supplied to retailers by the Royal Mail to display on shop counters in place of normal booklets which were being pilfered by unscrupulous customers.

The sample booklets were a futile attempt to combat the theft of stamps which was becoming a big problem for small shops.

At the offset when shops and supermarkets started selling stamps, in order to publicise the service to the public, Royal Mail originally supplied stamp display racks and advised retailers to show them in a prominent position for self service. People helped them selves alright, but did not pay for the stamps.

Most Stock, now that the public have been educated to the fact that retailers sell stamps, are kept out of site under the counter. So sample booklets were not needed any longer. Stamp collectors, being collectors aquired some. They eventually found their way onto the Philatelic market via trades and sales.

There are several different types of Sample booklets to collect. Easy to spot, each booklet has "SAMPLE" printed in the yellow strip to the right.

Shown below are 4 x 1st class and 4 x 2nd class.














Other Sample Booklet Types

Christmas, Greetings, advertising booklets, such as WH Smith and Sainsbury's are available to collect, also in addition to the above, 10 x 1st class and 10 x 2nd class are available from certain quarters. Machin stamp dealers often have these on offer, they are also sometimes listed on eBay or Yahoo auctions.

These booklet covers are reasonably cheap to acquire and add a nice touch to a booklet or Machin collection. They show something that is a little different from the norm and will eventually become a (rare) important part of Postal History.

Get yours now whist the going is good.