From The Horses Mouth

Thanks Larry for the update on slit Machins. Here is a little more information which confirms that it will near impossible to remove these stamps from the envelopes once used.

(Thanks to John of Stamps of Great Britain)

Here is an extract from a quote from Royal Mail about the new Security Stamps due to be issued in February.

" The slits do not affect removal of the stamps from the backing sheet or from stamp books. An additional iridescent print working repeats the words 'Royal Mail' in a wave design in the background. The text is designed to be prominent only when viewed at an angle.

The new features will affect collectors of used stamps, as the new self-adhesive laminate does not allow stamps to be soaked from substrate. Whilst this is unfortunate for collectors of used stamps, it does reflect the need for Royal Mail to ensure that postal revenues are protected and costs are controlled. "

Regards
John
STAMPS of GREAT BRITAIN

Slit Stamp Image

The above image of the upcoming security Machin was sent to me by my friend David Alderfer, who got it from Linn's Stamp News, who in turn got it from Royal Mail.

There are two things I find of interest. First, the location of the ellipses is different than on previous illustrations, most notably they are pretty well clear of the portrait, overlapping only the lower right corner.

Second, the security overprint of the words "ROYAL MAIL" covers both the background and the portrait, but with separate layouts.

David also sent me a copy of Royal Mail's news release dated December 8. (Presumably this is available on the Royal Mail web site, though I haven't checked.) The only information there that I haven't yet seen is that there will be two official first day covers, a low value one selling for £4 and a high value one selling for £13.69. The news release also confirms that the stamp rolls (coils) will not be self-adhesive.

--Larry

More On The 2009 Rates

I have just found five minutes to look again at the new postage rises for 6th April 2009. Just a quick run down on how these will affect us.

Of the new values in the pipe line the 17p and 22p stamps will be the make up values for normal sized letters from standard to to large, 17p being the make up for 2nd class large and 22p the make up for 1st class large.

Large 1st class stamps will be rising to 61p and large 2nd class stamps rising to 47p

The new 54p value will cover international surface mail and the new 62p value will cover postcard and air letter letter rates up to 10gr. The new 90p value will cover postcard and air letter rates up to 20gr.

European airmail up to 20gr will be serviced by the existing 56p value stamps , the original E NVI stamps are still valid for this service.

Your comments are welcome.

.....Roy

April 2009 Postage Stamp Price Rises

The cost of posting first and second class letters is to increase from 36p (1st class) by 3p to 39p and from 27p (2nd class) to 30p from April 2009.

I have not had chance to digest international price rises at this time , but for your information current 2008 International rates at this time are:

Basic Europe rate 10gr and postcards: 50p (earlier 'E' rate stamps still valid).

Basic Worldwide rate (now only 1 zone) 10gr and postcards: 56p

Worldwide 20gr rate: 81p

Worldwide 40gr rate: £1.22 only one zone now covered by airmail NVI.

The Surface mail 20gr is at present 48p.

A link has been provided here which displays all Royal Mails prices for 2009.

It is Possible that five new Machin values will be added to the list. It seems as though these will be sold in sheets of 100. These are the values that will be available from April 2009 at the post shop.

Note that acording to the information supplied they are all in sheets of 100 which may suggest that they will be all self adhesive with new security slits.

First Class self-adhesive stamps £39.00 per sheet,
Second Class self-adhesive stamps , £30.00 per sheet

First Class Large Letter self-adhesive stamps, £30.50 (sheets of 50)
Second Class Large Letter self-adhesive stamps £23.50 (sheets of 50)

1p value , 2p value , 5p value , 9p value , 10p value , 17p value ( new stamps) , 20p value , 22p value ( new stamps) , 50p value, 54p value (new stamps) , 56p value , 62p value (new stamps ), 90p value (new stamps) , £1.00 value.

High values

£1.50 stamps , £2.00 stamps, £3.00 stamps, £5.00 stamps.

Stamp Rolls

500 x First Class stamps : £195.00
500 x Second Class stamps: £150.00
1000 x First Class stamps: £390.00
1000 x Second Class stamps: £300.00
10000 x First Class stamps: £3,900.00
10000 x Second Class stamps: £3,000.00

Which of these new values will also be extended to new Country Regional values?

The stamp price rises follow increases last April, when first class stamps rose by 2p to the current 36p and second class by 3p to the present 27p. Business customers will see average price increases of 4.2%, although there will be smaller rises for firms using franking machines and pre-paid accounts.

The Royal Mail said "the increases will add less than 5p to the average UK household's weekly expenditure". It does not mention the extra expense for collectors of Royal Mail products. Far in access of 5p I guarantee you!

They (RM) go on to state "even after the increases, UK stamp prices would remain among the lowest in Europe, while quality of service was among the best. Stamped mail will still be loss making after the new prices come into effect", the company added.

Luisa Fulci, Royal Mail's director of marketing services, said: "Stamped mail remains very affordable and consumers are still receiving excellent value for money - most countries in Europe charge more to deliver less.

"Our over-riding priority must be to safeguard the currently loss-making six-days-a-week one-price-goes-anywhere universal service, a task which the current market makes much harder, as big business customers choose other forms of electronic communications or competing operators instead of continuing to subsidise consumers."

The Royal Mail have also said "the change in the way people communicated was accelerating the structural decline in market volumes, with the recent Hooper report into the postal market predicting that volumes could fall by between 5% and 7% a year".

Machin Trivia

It has been estimated that around five million fewer letters are being delivered every day compared with two years ago.

Christmas Greetings

Christmas is celebrated the world over and many people exchange gifts and wishes too. We present today to ALL MACHIN COLLECTORS THE WORLD OVER our own Christmas Greetings .

Merry Christmas & A Happy / Peaceful / Prosperous New Year to you all.

Below is a list of how to wish to your friends, neighbours, colleagues and loved ones, 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy New Year' or both in more than 100 languages.

God Bless All mankind have a wonderful yuletide holiday

Afrikaans Gesëende Kersfees
Afrikander Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Argentine: Feliz Navidad

Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian: Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Ruumsaid juuluphi
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian: Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese: Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian: Hristos se rodi
Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Regional Machin Symbols - Part 2A

In part 1 and part 2 of this series, I mentioned that the regional symbols on the early lithographed issues came from the 1976 presentation packs.

Shown above is the 1976 pack for Scotland. You can compare the symbol on the pack with the enlarged image of the stamp symbol in the previous post.

What I didn't know until I got these packs the other day is that they, too, were designed by Jeffery Matthews. However, we can't blame him for the inappropriate use that the printers made of his drawings. The text of the pack was written by his wife, Chris, who used the pen name Charity Boxall.

--Larry

Happy Birthday Douglas

I would like to take this opportunity to wish on behalf of all Machin collectors, A Happy Birthday to Mr Machin Man himself. Douglas Myall author of Deegam publications.

Above Douglas Myall left of the picture with Machinites Albert Farrugia and Larry Rosenblum when they met at stampshow 2000. Douglas, author of the Deegam Handbook has been writing about Machins for more than 40 years. He is a founder and life member of the GB Decimal Stamp Book Study Circle and the British Decimal Stamps Study Circle, which has now merged into the Modern British Philatelic Circle.

According to my information, Douglas was born in Essex, England in 1922, this means that Douglas has spent nearly half his life writing and cataloguing The Machin Stamp. He will also celebrate (if I have the birth date correct) being 86 years young on 17th December this year.

From all Machin collectors and everyone at MachinmaniaBlogspot

Many Happy Returns Of The Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUGLAS

Design And Darwin Prestige Panes

Thanks to John from Stamps of GB I now have pictures of the two Prestige panes mentioned on a earlier post these are:

13th January

Design Classics will be printed by Walsall Security Printers, priced at £ 7.68. In this Prestige booklet there will be a Machin mixed pane, this will have: 4 x 16p; 4 x 50p and a central label.

The Design illustrated Prestige Stamp book, will feature

Pane 1 : (below) The Mixed Machin's 4 x 16p & 4 x 50p


The other panes are Special issues. Although John produced these on his site I have not shown them here.

Pane 2 : 2 x Routemaster Bus stamps, 1 x Spitfire and 1 x Mini stamps,


Pane 3 : One of each - London Underground Map, K2 Telephone Kiosk, Penguin Books, Anglepoise Lamp, Polypropylene Chair and Mini Skirt stamps


Pane 4 : 2 x Concorde stamps from this issue together with 2 x Concorde stamps from the 2002 Airliners Issue.


12th February

Darwin: This booklet will be printed by De La Rue, and will be priced at £ 7.75 . It will also contain a mixed Machin pane : values 2 x 5p; 2 x 10p; 2 x 48p, 2 x 1st class NVIs and a central label.


The Prestige Book entitled 'Charles Darwin 1808 - 1882' (above) contains four panes of stamps : two panes include three of each of the Special issue Darwin stamps in a gummed format, a third features the whole Miniature Sheet, together with the final pane of mixed Machins.

Another Thought On Security Machins

More information or speculation, on these new security Machins (I think this the general name that collectors have given to them)

Someone mentioned in a reply to a previous post that two new presentation packs containing these issues is also in the pipeline. It is now known that these will be sold, one with the 6 numerical values, and the other with the 4 NVI values.

Now comes the fun part:

As in the past it is quite possible that the stamps in the packs will be die-cut through on a plain backing paper, rather than cut from the actual booklets them selves.

This is only conjecture at this time, but if this is so (as with previous presentation packs) this may add even more varieties to the previous list.

More information will be added here when it is available.

Added 10/11/09

Robert Bostock has pointed out that these stamps ( presentation packs) will all be produced in new sheets of 50, so its quite possible that all of the pack contents will be on plain backing paper.

The booklet and business sheet stamps (Walsall) will however be on a paper printed on the reverse with the booklet design. It is not known at this time what the coils will look like.

Security Stamps Continued

Th e picture (left) is a composite (over elaborated) of what the security slits will look like. They will be hardly visible on the actual mint stamps.

Similar to a security price tag in the supermarket. They may also be of a slightly different shape. But the pic (thanks to Ian Billings) gives us a good idea of what to expect.

Also thanks to Ian we have another dilemma to think about.

This is : To soak or not to soak that is the question?

From Virtual Stamp Club

"I have read that there were suggestions shortly after their issue that the Christmas stamps (or at least the 1st & 2nd class) were impossible to remove from the paper paper when soaked" .

Ian Billings Replies

"I tried a single 1st class stamp shortly afterwards - leaving it for over 2 hours in hot water - and I was able to peel it off on my return. It certainly didn't float like others do.
Today I similarly left 4 x 1st class stamps in water with some washing-up liquid and after my return from the dentist 4 hours later the stamps were still firmly attached to the envelope.
I peeled them off - one left half the stamp behind, the other 3 took a layer of envelope with them. It seems that the water-soluble layer is NOT present on these stamps".

Are these stamps, which are unable to be removed a fore runner for the new security issues? It was suggested last month that it could be a possibility that the PVA layer over the self adhesive gum may be removed on these new security stamps.

Another quote from Royal Mail .

"The features are designed to prevent any stamps from removal."

I expect, if you collect used stamps YOU WILL need to keep these new security stamps on-paper in your collections.

VAT Reduction

It is not what we would call a fortune, but The British Government have announced (to help with the credit crunch and reduce inflation) that it will ( temporary ) lower the rate of Value Added tax from 17½% to 15%.

I have tried to digest how will this affect stamp collectors and stamp dealers that charge VAT.? Small dealers who trade under the VAT threshold do not have to register for VAT.

I have come to the conclusion that in reality it should affect us collectors quite a lot. But on a second thought after a small investigation I think it could turn out as just one big joke.

let me explain.

Well obviously this will mean that there will be lower prices for many stamp products (UK residents), but for how long. I suggest that you get your 2.5% discount NOW whilst you still can.

British stamps purchased from Royal Mail at the moment are zero-rated so it will not affect them, however presentation packs, Smilers Sheets, Smilers For Kids, albums, album pages, and so on are not, so these will be cheaper for a time. Perhaps until April when the price of stamp products are raised with the rate of inflation.

Smilers For Kids, for example, at the moment are reduced from £7.95 to £7.86, the reduction applying to the non-stamp element of the cost (stamp face value is £3.60).

Mint stamps from large dealers are not VAT exempt, but will they reduce or pass on the VAT reduction to its clients? By law they have to.

Philatelic literature, album and stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons are lowering the rate to 15% VAT, but they warn that its prices will be raised, following the rate of inflation in January 2009. I bet a pound to a penny this rise will be 2½%.

I guess this is purely a business decision so that they do not have to reprint their current catalogues. To comply with the law every stamp listed in their catalogues will have to be (should be) reduced by 2½%. There is no VAT when one buys actual catalogues, or handbooks, but there is VAT on all stamps, stamp albums, stock books and accessories.

What of other dealers and mail order companies that charge VAT, will they be reprinting their price lists? It is my guess they (and many other businesses) will follow in Gibbons footsteps. As I said earlier the VAT reduction for stamp collectors will eventually end up as zero, so if you intend to purchase anything, get in now whilst the going is good.