Changing Pace, Changing Face

You were warned way back (early) in 2009 that due to the Festival of Stamps programme 2010 it would be another expensive year. Royal Mail have always taken these opportunities to top up their coffers and this year as expected it will be no different.

Added to the long list of products already announced there will be a Machin Souvenir Sheet. It has been reported that the sheet will contain all the valued non-security stamps currently available on that date.

1p, 2p, 5p, 9p, 10p, 20p, 60p, 67p, 88p, 97p, £1.46, + a label with the London 2010 Logo.

Who was it that said "The Machin has run its course and has had its day?"

With new values appearing each time there is a rate rise, and prestige booklets, now issued up to four time per year, The Machin series clearly has a lot of life left in it still. Count the constant appearance of new varieties from Cartor and the new sheet stamps from the De La Rue plant and we can expect the list of new issues to keep the serious specialist on his or her toes for a long time to come.

For instance : News of the Machin pane from The Prestige Stamp Book: Due for release on 8th May. This will incorporate self-adhesives with security features.

Ian Billings (Norvic Philatelics) informs us via his blog. " it may consist of 4 x 1st, 4 x 2nd and 2 x 50p stamps" and continues to say " but that makes 10, so I have an error there."

If his information is near correct they are more likely to be 3 x 1st, 3 x 2nd and 2 x 50p + a label. Of great interest is the fact all these will be new stamps (Cartor or De La Rue? ) Ian also implies the the wavy background security code will show a P for Prestige !

Several other products are also lined up (added) over the course of the Festival. For full details of these and a fuller account of the news above please visit Ian's Pages