Cornflakes for Breakfast

When I woke up this morning Machins in particular were the last things on my mind. Here in Spain, at Playa Flemenca it is Market day (Saturday). I was looking ahead to the mornings agenda, strolling down to the front and having a cool beer, buying some fresh fruit and browsing the stalls for bargains.


My afternoon was also planned out, my intentions were to watch the qualifying round for poll at the Silverstone Grand Prix, another cool beer, then lounge around (more beers) while I watched the Williams sisters battle it out at the Women's final at Wimbledon, then join forces for the attack on the Doubles trophy.


However all good plans do not seem to work out no matter how much one plans their day. I had a mail delivery from the UK (which was a few days late arriving) so decided to open the envelopes first. Some run of the mill stuff, a delivery of a win from eBay and a rather big envelope from Scotland with contents ranging from some early vending, counter and GB window Booklets.


Now I am distracted and have Machins on my mind. Breakfast, I thought to myself, then off too the market. A bowl of cereal, coffee and some fruit juice and half hour later Machins are still on my mind, so unintentionally its back to the envelope delivered earlier that morning. Now I do not know why, perhaps because I had cornflakes for breakfast, but my attention was drawn to the barcode booklets in particular, of these I selected the ones known as The "Kelloggs Overseas Rate booklets"

First issued 28 Jul 1992, Printed by Walsall Security Printers Ltd, Contents 2 x 39p amethyst, Perforation 3¾ x 14, ACP/PVA. Sold at philatelic counters for 78p. The barcode reads 100661. These booklets were originally a joint promotion between Kelloggs and Royal Mail, which the general public could receive by saving coupons from packs of Bran Flakes, which then in turn could be redeemed for a free booklet.

Of interest TO ME this booklet (above) only contained two x 39p stamps with cylinder W2, whereas the normal post office booklet issued 19th September 1991 contained four, the only cylinder available for the 1991 booklet was W1 W1 W1 W1. This one has cylinder W2. Another differing fact with the Kelloggs booklets is that there is no large letter 2 at the left of the front cover and the Royal Mail logo is displaced to the left to compensate.

Of the other booklets in my parcel, were the booklets x4, plate numbers W1 W1 W1 W1, there were also two different perforation types which pleased me. Type E3 which is normal (below) and type E3 blind at base. I mentioned Blind at base booklets some time ago.

Now the real reason for ordering these booklets in the first place other than differences above was the actual stamp content, (you will notice that these stamps are imperf top and bottom) these differ from the cylinders used. The actual stamps are also of interest just cos I read this. A quote from the Deegam Handbook

" Stamps from DP183 (W2 pale shade) are deliberately a much lighter shade than those from from DP176 (W1 dark shade). Walsall use more than one plate to achieve the separation of the head from the background that gives the relief effect of the design. In general some print the head only, some the background only and some both. Of the four plates used to print DP176, two printed a dark colour, one a mid colour and one a pale colour, of those for DP183 one printed the dark colour, two the mid colour and one the pale colour".

OK Douglas, I am not blaming you but that's my day over! Now can anyone tell me about the tennis?