TCTC Notations

Happy New year

For my fist post of 2010 I give credit to someone else's work (actually three peoples work).

I was visiting the CDDstamps on stamps blog earlier this week and found this rather interesting article written by Michael Dodd who is the the blog owner.

There is also a interesting comment (which I missed on my original visit) left by Charlie explaining the differences between coil, booklet and sheet stamps. As I missed it I thought other visitors may have done the same so I have copied it for you.

I know Michael and Charlie wont mind me copying it and pasting it here as they will want to share it with you.

Determining coil from a sheet is simple with either sharp young eyes or a 10x glass
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The stamps are printed in sheets and then the strips are cut either top and bottom or left and right sides. The cutting runs down the center or nearly the center of the line of perforations. That gives the tips of the perfs a distinct sharp straight line cut.
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The other two sides are torn which means the separation of the tips of the perfs is somewhat raggedy.
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As a shorthand, Doug Myall has devised the TCTC notation with "T" being "torn" and "C" being "CUT". A sheet stamp is "TTTT" since it is torn on all four sides. A coil is either "TCTC" or "CTCT". That is the top, right side, bottom and left side in order.
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On the other hand a booklet mini sheet may also have some "Cut" perforations, but will never be the two opposite sides. Depending on where the stamp is, or was, in the sheetlet that notation will be;
"CTTT" from the top middle,
"CCTT" from a top right hand corner,
"TCTT" from the right middle,
"TCCT" from a bottom right corner,
"TTCT" from the bottom middle,
"TTCC" from the left bottom corner,
"TTTC" from a left middle and finally
"CTTC" if the stamp was on a left top corner.
These possibilities exist because a booklet mini-sheetlet can consist of four, six or more stamps arranged either vertically or horizontally.
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So with a little practice it becomes quite easy to determine if a stamp is from a sheet ---"TTTT", a coil ---"TCTC" or "CTCT", or a booklet which will have either a single cut side or two adjacent cut sides as listed above.
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Suspect Stamps

"Stolen material" would make a great topic.

But it is one of those subjects if written about it may (or could) get a lot of people into trouble.

Royal Mail actually claimed (not so long ago) that it was confiscating certain material put up for sale on auction sites. Some of this material is still offered on these auction sites.

I do however agree that there are an awful lot of suspect stamps in collections and about the market place.

The blocks of 1972 £1.00 high values un-perforated are one lot that come to mind. Not a rare stamp as you can buy them now for £65.00. As Larry mentioned, there are others too the silver 1st class and 00 values are suspect also.

I know of a block of 40 Millennium Machin stamps printed by Walsall (purchased legit from a genuine high street retailer) which are also unique in the fact that they were never issued for sale in this format.

What else is out there in the wings waiting to be discovered?

Got Any Small Change Guv?

Have you got a spare £11 grand hanging around that you would like to part with? Not exactly small change for anyone, never mind us poor Machin collectors.

If you do have a few bob and the answer is yes, you may like to purchase something quite unique in the Machin world.

I was browsing a well known Machin dealers website recently and came across these two items described as: 1990 Anniversary of the 1d Black. ERRORS '19p' instead of '20p' and printed in blue, and '19p' instead of '20p' and printed in orange".

The dealer in question invites potential buyers to make an offer in the region of £5,500 for each lot.

His description: "Just one group of four stamps in different colours existed in private hands (black,black/cream,blue & orange) each stamp as a consequence being Unique. Apparently they are listed in the Pierron Book of errors and described as - " A Magnificent. SG1469 variant"

I agree they are very nice, exquisite and very unusual, but I think to myself no thanks. I know I am a Machin nut but not an insane one. Even if I had this kind of loose change tucked under my mattress, her indoors would hang me out to dry by my proverbials or just kill me if I spent it on a few stamps.

My inner self tells me , if I want to hang on to my manhood and live just that little bit longer it would make perfect sense to keep her happy and continue to sleep on my rather lumpy bed for the time being.

Then again I can take that world cruise I promised myself or better still , coming back to reality pay it off my mortgage.

Secu - ripped

It was big news at the time, over the course of 2009 Royal Mail spent a fortune incorporating new security measures and changing methods of production into certain Machin products.

The reason for all the changes was , according to a R.M source to combat fraud and the re-use of their products.

To quote RM "These initiatives are part of the on-going development of security features for Stamps. The slits are designed to inhibit the removal of these Stamps for fraudulent sale and re-use."

Collectors have tried and tested many methods to remove these used security stmps in order to add them to their collections, some have found success I might add.

Anyway to cut to the chase, it seems that these changes above make not an iota of difference to post office staff. As you can see from the image, stamps with damaged security slits manage to get though the system with no bother at all.

So whats the point?

Thanks go to Johnfevs who posted this news and images to The Machin Forum .

Are Machins Boring?

I used to say that "nothing in the world of collecting Machin definitives surprises me anymore." Over the years we have seen many changes, to design and make up of this definitive. Excluding errors, new varieties of existing stamps still seem to turn up with nearly every new issue.

It is no wander there are now thousands of philatelists devoting their time to study and collect this type of material. Over the years more and more people have caught the Machin collecting bug, and each month many many more are joining the fold .

In the year 2009 alone, new varities have enabled specialists to write several new chapters to the ongoing saga re: the development of this popular (classic) modern definitive. The latest chapter to be recorded is now in draft form and it seems it will continue further into the year of 2010. This new chapter I refer to will be written about that of a change from the Jeffery Matthews font.

A lot of collectors have all expressed concern about the increasing amount of Prestige Booklets issued per year , these are steadily increasing, from four in 2009 to (reportedly) six in 2010.

A question being asked by many is "why the change to the font?" Perhaps a ploy by Royal Mail to encourage us to purchase these. This can not be the reason , can it?


To continue with the news.

It has been noted that the change of font has been incorporated to the the 5p values and the 54p values in the the two mixed panes from the Classic Album Covers Prestige Booklet. The booklet due to be released 7 January 2010 is printed by Cartor in Litho.


This new Machin discovery was spotted by a keen eyed collector in Australia, and was first reported to GB collectors via the Norvic Philatelic Blog written by Ian Billings.

Both of stamp values,on two separate panes (5p and 54p) carry a new font, and are totally different to any of the regular sheet or booklet stamps produced previously.

The 54p definitive shows a double alteration and has in fact both of figures of the numeral dramatically changed from the norm.

Looking at Royal Mails publicity images for future issues this change to the 54p value may be returned to the norm on the Prestige Mixed Machin Pane 4 x 22p + 4 x 54p to be issued for 350th Anniversary of the Royal Society on 25 February 2010.

Why do some people still insist that "Machins are boring? " I guess they do not read this or the Norvic column. Are they still waiting for a pay rise in order to be able to afford them? Either that or they are still in the process of being converted.

Christmas Greetings

This will be my last post of the year, so what better way to finish it off than with a little Machin nostalgia. Some of you may remember the 10p stamps (2B) top row and 8p stamps (CB) bottom row had short phosphor bars (both top and bottom).

This booklet (contents and cover) is of a 30 year old design, it was one of my favourites at the time of issue. I have adjusted the date to wish you all what it says on the front.

Thank you all for taking the time out to visit, leave comments and contribute by email. May you have a wonderful yuletide holiday and a prosperous, peaceful new year.....Roy & Larry

Reprint of 12 x 1st-class - No Printers Imprint

Unless you are a devoted Machin booklet collector this may not interest you, but I am adding it to the blog as many people do still collect this type of material.

Recently Ian Billings informed us of a change to the back of 12 x 1st class booklet cover. "On 15 December the 12 x 1st Machin booklet will be available with no printer's name on the back cover."

I can now show you a picture of these changes. You will notice when comparing the image left with the booklet above, left of the bar code the words " Walsall Security printers UK" have been removed.

We have been informed that the contents of the booklets will not be affected they will still carry the same security slit type and hidden (T)codes for x 12 1st class as previous security stamps from this source.

If you have any information (or pictures) of changes to future booklet covers, please let us know and if possible send a scan. I will then add them to the blog.

Thanks in advance.

2nd Machin Cast Sells At Auction

I recently informed readers of a remarkable find in the Machin world.

Early in November 2009 Managing Director & Head Auctioneer of Cuttlestones, Ben Gamble was presented with a large cast of the Queen's head for valuation. He recognised it instantly as one of the original casts originally crafted by the late sculptor Arnold Machin. What was more amazing to Ben this was the second such plaque Cuttlestones has been graced with selling.

In 2008, Cuttlestones were commissioned to sell the contents of Machin's family home, one of the lots included in the sale was of a similar relief mould carved by Machin in 1967, and which finally sold for over £15,000 to a London Institute.

Ben has recently wrote me with information on the realisation price of the second discovery. Described as "LOT 353: An Original Arnold Machin Plaster Rectangular Relief Cast 46cm x 41cm Excluding Frame "

It was auctioned in the Cuttlestones November 27th sale. The realisation price of this masterpeice ,attracting lots of interest was £18,000 plus premium.

The Little Fairy

December 2009, some of you may have guessed that is almost that time of year again, Christmas, less than two weeks away. A time for all to be jolly, the season of goodwill to all men.

Santa has already began to get ready for his annual trip, but has encountered a few problems. Four of his elves have reported in sick and the trainee elves have not produced enough toys to date for the little boys and girls. Mrs Clause informed him that his mother in law was coming to visit which stressed him a little more.

The pile of 30,000 stamps from children's letters he had soaked and meticulously sorted fell from the shelf and had become a muddled mess in the middle of the floor. So frustrated Santa took time off for a festive drink, and a slice of yuletide chocolate log.

When he went to the drinks cupboard he found the sick elves had consumed all his Christmas spirits so there was nothing to drink. The larder was also empty as the reindeer had ate all the festive goodies.


In his frustration he knocked over from the table his prized collection of Machin cylinder blocks, which in turn became creased and dirty, many were soiled. He went for his stamp tweezers to salvage what he could and discovered the tweezers were missing, Mrs Clause had used them to pluck her eyebrows.

Santa was not to pleased with her.


Just then the doorbell rang, Santa cussed all the way across the room to open the door. On the front step was the little fairy from Royal Mail with a very big Christmas tree and a products list for stamps to be released in 2010. The fairy said very cheerfully "Merry Christmas Santa, a lovely day isn't it. I have this beautiful tree for you and all these goodies ( including no less than six prestige booklets ) to be released next year, where would you like me too stick it".

Thus began a new tradition of more and more cancelled philatelic orders from Royal Mail, not to mention a return of the fairy on top of the Christmas tree.

HO! HO! HO! Merry Christmas everyone

1st class gold with four security slits.

Machin definitives are not every one's cup of tea, but for those of us who do collect and study them some amazing stuff still comes to light. Sometimes one can be lucky and come across a special find, perhaps it is just one of the reasons why the Machin has so many followers.

log on to Norvic Philatelic Blog for details of this find and other amazing finds concerning the new slit security stamps.

It just goes to show that it pays to check everything when a new design (s) comes to the market place.

Great stuff, and once again, many thanks go to Ian for sharing this with us.

Walsall D1 D1 D1 D1 D1 ??

Interesting stuff if you are into booklets!

We certainly have some eagle eyed readers on this blog. This (below) was written by Robert as a comment to the last post. Just one instance of something I missed completely.

"It is also interesting to note that, despite the fact that the Olympic book is almost certain to be printed by Walsall, the image shown shows a series of D1 cylinder numbers, which would suppose that De La Rue is the printer!

Robert also left information regarding a reprint of the 6 x 1st book

"This will be reissued with a major change on 26 January - the capital 'P' in 'Postcodes' on the website address on the label on the inside front cover will become a lower case 'p'!"

Ian added to the debate with this coment

"On 15 December the 12 x 1st booklet will be available with no printer's name on the back cover." Thanks go to both for their observations.

R S Prestige Pane & Cover

A new printing date has been reported for the £3.00 national definitive with security slits / self adhesive gum.

Printed by De La Rue, in gravure, 2 phosphor bands: date (23 2/09). The only Previous printing date date known for this value was was 20/01/09

Above are Royal Mail publicity images of the cover and Machin pane from the Royal Society Prestige Booklet (Cartor) due to be issued on 25th Feb 2010.

Below is a picture of the Olympic & Paralympic Games 6 x 1st-class mixed booklet (Walsall) also to issued on 25th February 210. The Special issues depict Athletics Track and Basketball. This booklet will be priced at £2.34.

Since their inception, the Machins have been....

enlarged, engraved, rotated, doubled-up, regionalized, millenified, phosphorized, syncopated*, digitized, verbalized and securitized.

Did I leave anything out?

--Larry

*The Scott catalog refers to the elliptical perforations as "syncopated."