Airmail Machins (Clarification)

Updated

DGR86 is now available on line from The Deegam website

Details of the April tariff changes and new stamp colours are explained. There is also information about the stamps with 4 security ovals.

Ian Billings has kindly replied to my request for more information. He clarifies the position and adds to the debate by announcing that the 9p value will be amongst the Machin Values on sale.

"The new 20gr booklet stamps are same as the 40gr stamps but in new colours. The 20gr airmail stamps will be: Europe - emerald green World - mauve."

Ian continues :"This is the same same colour as the valued stamps, and in same design as the existing airmail stamps. The 9p will continue in use being the difference between 1st & 2nd class basic letter rate.

Full range is:

1,2,5,9,10,20,50,60,67,99,97,£1,£1.46 and the 4 high values."

Thanks Douglas and Ian for swift replies. It did not surprise me that the new 20 gr Airmail Machins would be a different colour to the existing 40 gr sister stamps.

Smilers Airmail Stamps

Up to today there are nine comments already to the last blog post.

This proves to us that some people are actually reading these reports. Please do keep your comments coming, I think it makes the blog more interesting for all who visit.

Someone (Robert I think) suggested that the new 20 gr self adhesives may not be Machins after all, and thinking about the comment it is quite possible. The reason being no one to date has indicated that the stamps are actually of the Machin head type. Could he be right?

"Could the two new airmail booklets possibly contain the two NVI Smilers stamps covering these 20g rates which have just appeared in the Smilers Business & Consumer miniature sheet?"


As these are not of the Machin design we have not shown these stamps on this blog.

For those who are interested I have found a couple of pictures.

Perhaps Ian Billings or Douglas Myall has up to date information on this subject.

Your views are welcome.

April Price Rise

New stamp values for the rate rise on 6th April.
Issue date 30th march.

There will be 15 new stamps in total

New Machin values will be 60p, 67p, 88p, 97p, £1.46.

New Country Pictoral stamps (8) will be 60p & 97p. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Two new Booklet Airmail stamps Europe 20 gr and Worldwide 20 gr

Universal Stamps Continued

Via email, Douglas Myall informs us

"The books of four 40g universal stamps will cease when the April tariff comes into effect. This is why the 88p and £1.46p are being issued in sheet form. The books of 40g stamps will be replaced with books of 20g stamps."

Much appreciated, Thanks Douglas

Five International Stamp Booklets

Ian Rose has made an observation and comment that there will be five different International Stamp Booklets when prices go up on 6th April this year. Since 2004 there have only been three booklets listed in Royal mail Stock sheets. So we have two extra.

From section 49 (page 32) of the Royal Mail document.

These booklets (all self adhesive) are listed as:

£2.68p Postcard
4 x stamps with a face value of 67p each

£2.40p Europe Letter up to 20 gr
4 x stamps with a face value of 60p (new)

£3.88p World Wide Letter up to 20 gr
4 x stamps with a face value at 97p (new)

£3.52p Europe letter up to 40 gr
4 x stamps with a face value of 88p

£5.84p Worldwide Letter up to 40 gr
4 x stamps with a face value of £1.46p each

ThankS Ian

Free Publications

Sometimes I ask myself is this blog worth the trouble, and 99% of the time the answer is always yes. I have no idea of the amount of visitors we receive. Judging by the comments and emails I get it is a few, but I would like to see more. It is great to see people are now sharing their views on Machins also ideas and details of collecting habits etc on the web.

Something for Nothing

An old saying is "they say that there is no such thing as a free lunch". Well I can inform you that this saying is now defunct. There is lots of interesting stuff out there if you look, this blog and many other Machin related websites do not run for profit they are here to serve the philatelic
interests of normal collectors.


I know I keep harping on about "stuff " that we can get for free on the web, but if you are willing to spend a bit of time its amazing what you come up with.

Please DO keep your comments coming and also the emails, without them we would not have a blog.

An email from Postal Heritage informs me " If you would like a free copy of the 2nd and 3rd postcards in this series they are available from the British Postal Museum & Archive Search Room. The 1st postcard is in very short supply and is no longer available, but we will be selling complete sets in the future."

Machin publications that were originally only available if you paid for them are also FREE if you visit the search room of Postal Heritage.

A Timeless Classic: The Evolution of Machin's Icon and Elizabeth: Queen & Icon are just two of the publications that you can download FREE in pdf form. There are many others too and tons of other information. A great website and a brilliant service. To cap it all a summary of information is also available in Welsh, German, Spanish and French.

LOG ON AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND Do not forget to add it to your favourites folder as you will want to visit over and over again.

The Royal Mail Archive is based at Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL. This is also the main office for The British Postal Museum & Archive. The British Postal Museum Store is located in Debden, Essex.

Opening times: The Royal Mail Archive is open Monday to Friday, and on selected Saturdays. They are closed on all public holidays and Christmas Eve.

Monday to Wednesday
10.00am - 5.00pm

Thursday
10.00am - 7.00pm

Friday
10.00am - 5.00pm

Saturday (certain days only)
10.00am - 5.00pm

Interesting Figure by Arnold Machin "Sea Horse"

Just a short post today

By now we are all familiar with the 1990 anniversary miniature sheet depicting Sea Horses and the double headed Machin. But here is something else Machin related depicting a Sea Horse which recently caught my attention.

This is an interesting Wedgwood Figure designed by Arnold Machin, the figure depicts a Sea Horse and Nymph.

For those of you that are into antiques this come to be known as the Rust glaze. It was created by Norman Wilson and is used on the figure. Indeed Wilson’s initials are on the base along with the Wedgwood Barlaston backstamp. This piece is also signed on the back by Arnold Machin.

Machin started his working life as an apprentice, hand-painting china at the Minton Pottery at the tender age of 14, staying for seven years. He widened his talents into sculpture at the Stoke on Trent Art School during the Depression, thence to the Derby School of Art and this path led him to the Royal College of Art and eventually Wedgwood.

A Bargain On eBay

Someone with the name (be-beutiful) on eBay has been selling Mint Gold Horizon Machin Labels unused at £10.49 + £2.99p postage for a pair.

However unused sheet-lets should not be available, so where have they come from? I can only assume that they have been left over from the original trials.

Officially these should only appear as single stamps, used , affixed to a cover. They were only available for the Special Delivery Trial that took place in High Street, Camden Town last year.

I checked out the seller who says "I will be adding the stamps as I can get my hands on them. They are now really hard to find but I will do my best to find some more, but these may be the last stamps I can get"

I would like to say you seen it here first, but can not, thanks must go to Brian Sinnott who reported it on his website yesterday.

Royal Mail Jump On The eBay Band Wagon

Garyhony recently reported via the Machin Forum that Royal Mail are now selling stamps and other products direct from a eBay shop.
"In my search for the prestige booklet I saw that the Royal Mail are now on ebay"

Booklet Classic Album Cover & A Bit of Snow

I think you may enjoy this, Just for fun, I had a play about today. My daughter emailed complaining about the snow and cold British weather.

She found this image (above left) on the web and sent it to me as a joke. "Thought you might like some cheap snow". I could not resist sending her one back, see the bottom of this post.

In the mean time here is the cover of the latest Prestige Booklet, Classic Album Covers. First issued 7 Jan 2010. the panes which we reported on earlier are printed by Cartor Security Printing in Lithography. The booklet sold at £8.06.

Scroll down to see my own Machin Overprint

Well it was a shame to see all that snow go to waste. Neat eh?

Private Machin Overprints

Its amazing what you can find on the World Wide Web. Have you ever been tempted to make your own overprints? Well I can tell you after visiting the website of The Overprints Society it is nothing new, even Machins have attracted private productions.

One such Machin is that of this 6p value available from the 1995 Congress at Hayling Island "overprinted" for the occasion when Francis Kiddle signed the "Roll
of Distinguished Philatelists".

These were produced by Victor Short, and several can be found illustrated in "100 years of the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain, 1909-2009" by Colin Searle, which is available via the ABPS.

It is obviously very easy for anybody to manufacture their own overprints on any stamp. This is done mostly to gain publicity for stamp dealers, stamp associations and I will not rule out although I have no positive proof of this ,occasionally to hoodwink serious collectors. Most have been manufactured for gifting as souvenirs to collectors.

Apparently it is not against the law to do this, but (I have read) " it does render the overprinted stamps invalid for postage"

Early in the 1980s the late Ken Gibson (who at that time ran the Lundy Philatelic Bureau on behalf of the Landmark Trust) gave out as souvenirs of certain values of the then current Machin definitives overprinted.

Although it is not illeagal, Ken did not get away with it lightly. As a result of these unauthorised overprints (and many others on Lundy stamps) his contract was terminated. These shown above are on phosphorous paper; it is said "that other values may also exist"

Other overprints in private hands were issued to those who attended the Scarborough: Philatelic Congress of GB in 1998.

Various stamps were overprinted "PCGB SCARBOROUGH 1998"in different formats. These were only available to delegates attending the congress. I believe that similar items were produced for other Congresses also.

I remember when we first started this blog (many moons ago now) I reported on a private 1st class Machin upside down overprint from Australia. Sorry , you will have to plough through the archives to find it.

We also showed other Machins overprinted Somalia. Again go back through the archives for this one. Another post reported on a government Machin which included pictures of a 2d overprint also another early post which shows some rather nice Boots labels.

What ever next: A Machin Mania overprint perhaps :-)

Festival Of Stamps Booklet

Release date March 30th The retail stamp book for London 2010 - six 1st class Machins, inside cover advertising the exhibition.
Not everyone is pleased at the way Royal Mail are exploiting stamp collectors and Simon Heffer from the Telegraph does not hold back his views when he informs his readers of reasons why.

"The Royal Mail's tawdry issues and designs are making philately, once a hobby fit for a king, into a slightly seedy investment business."

He argues that the rot of exploitation actually goes back to the Philatelist King and set in during the reign Of George V, with the invention in 1924 of the commemorative stamp, to mark the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley.

The Universal Postal Union Congress set of 1929 included a £1 stamp – "its face value equivalent to a week's wages at the time for an under-housemaid – which is probably the most beautiful stamp ever issued in this country"

A used example of this stamp (left) can be purchased for approx £400 - £500, just a days expenses if you are a British MP :-) Interesting Reading and comments, "The 2010 stamp programme contains 16 commemorative issues, the same number as issued between 1924 and 1960."

These comments interested me in particular:

"Classic British stamp design died with the introduction of the "Machin" heads , if I remember correctly around 1964-65. Then the Commonwealth went the same way. All design to the present day I consider to be tat."

Someone sticks up for the Machin

" You are very knowledgeable about your subject Mr Heffer. Perhaps you are a collector or former collector yourself. However, if I may take issue with one of your points, I believe the current definitive series by Arnold Machin introduced in 1967 is still very popular, including with the subject herself."

Take a look and lets see your comments here.

More On Price Increases

The new prices come in to effect on Tuesday 6th April 2010. If you would like to look up the new prices, just view the document below to get straight to the updated price table for that particular service.

One stamp we did not mention in the last post was in fact left in the comments, a £1.46p value. This is indicated in the table. There is no mention of make up 19p or 25p values, how unusual is that?

Dated December 2009, page 30 of this document suggests which stamps will be available (from which source). No new security self adhesive values are mentioned. Page 32 indicates the prices of stamp booklets x 4 that will on sale after the increase.

Read more about the new prices (PDF 432KB (opens in a new window)

Spare a thought for the good old British Postie.


For the past four weeks the UK has been hit with tons of white stuff , the coldest snap for 30 years.
Transport and airports came to a halt, schools closed. But the trusty postman gets through.
Sending and receiving letters in this kind of weather is well worth 41p of anyone's money I would have thought :-)

April 2010, Price Rises

Royal Mail have announced that from April 2010, the price of a first class stamp will increase from 39p to 41p (up 5.1%). Second class will increase from 30p to 32p. For businesses sending meter and account mail, prices remain the same at 36p and 25p respectively.

The news for those sending out goods through the post is worse. 1st class Large letter prices will increase from 61p to 66p for up to 100g (up 8.2%).

Packets will start at £1.39 for up to 100g, an increase of 11p (up 8.6%). Second class Large letters will increase by4p from 47p to 51p. Recorded (signed for) will go down a penny from 75p to 74p.

Source BBC website

It is not known how many new Machin values will appear, speculation only at this time but we may see a return of the 19p and 25p, and two new stamps 67p and 97p values.

The Royal Mails literature (2010 price guide) does indicate new values of 60p (sheet 100) , 67p (sheet 100), 88p (sheet 100), and 97p (sheet 100. It is possible these my refer to Country definitives. I will let you know whats what when more news arrives.

New London 2010 Postcard

For those who are interested the Birmingham City v Man United result was 1 - 1)

Now back to stamps as promised. Again this is not a Machin related post, but one which I think deserves a mention here as it will help promote stamp collecting as a hobby, and The London 2010 Festival of Stamps.

We all like something for nothing

If you purchase the next issue of of Stamp & Coin Mart magazine,this is what you will get. This free gift, described as: " A postcard, which features the original metal master die for Bertram Mackennal’s ‘Seahorse’ design along with three images of colour trials." I believe the magazine it is being sold in WH Smith from 8 January 2010, and the postcard is actually only available from this one source at the moment.


The card : The fourth in a series of philatelic postcards promoting London 2010

NB: I have just been informed that although some of the previous cards issued (1 - 3) to date have sold out, complete sets of cards (limited editions) of all the London 2010 postcards will be available for purchase sometime later this year.

Nothing To Do With Stamps

Sorry about this but for sports fans you will not mind me diverting from the blog subject I hope.

Other than Machins another passion of mine is that of my home town football club Birmingham City, (I know sad bloke) Well someones got to support them!!

I have my beer on ice for this one, with 32 points already in the bag this season (from 20 games) I am really looking forward to The televised clash with Manchester United tomorrow ( Saturday). I am predicting that Birmingham who have surprised even myself by playing reasonably well this season will either win by one goal or draw.

I'm also looking forward to seeing them unveil their latest asset, who should be available for selection. Michel was in Birmingham today for his medical after Sporting Gijon finally signed-off the deal last night.

There had been a hitch that stalled the move, but that was resolved and the 24-year-old was able to get his St Andrew’s career up and running at last. Birmingham had watched Michel for over a year, and have now agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal, with a 12-month option.

“He is a holding midfielder in much the same way as we play Ferguson and Bowyer, very comfortable on the ball, good quality, young, 24, got good legs, he is for now and the future,” says Manager McLeish.

Who else is in the pipe in for Blues? It has been reported that the owners have made between 20 - 40 million pounds available to the manager for the remainder of this season to spend. The Blues boss is remaining coy about a raid on Sunderland for Kenwyne Jones. “I don’t want to confirm or deny a bid has gone in (for Jones).”

According to club sources, Blues are well down the line to securing his services and the Trinidad & Tobago international is keen to join.

Back to stamps after the game.

Come on youuuu Bluues!!!

Cartor Continue To Use Garamond Numerals

Following on from British Design Classics II Prestige Book it seems that the 54p Machin value from the next Prestige Booklets (Royal Society) will continue to be printed with the Garamond numerals.

No one seems to know why they have changed to this new script, I emailed Royal Mail recently for an explanation but they have not answered (as yet.)

I did receive am email from Douglas Myall confirming the above, he also points out that the letter "p" which is part of the value has not changed, it still conforms to the Matthews font. Myalls letter is reproduced below.

Just a quick note to let you know that the Garamond 54p appears on the definitive pane in the Royal Society prestige book to be issued on 25 February.

It is a mystery as all printers are supplied with the correct digital images. Also, why use Garamond numerals and Matthews letter `P'? I am endeavouring to find out.

Thanks Douglas for your note, I am sure every Machin collector will be interested in the answers to these questions.

It is also rumored that Royal Mail have now took notice of collectors (or read the complaints online) and have stated that "They will not be issuing no more than four Prestige Booklets in any given period of one year." This still remains to confirmed.

Machin News January 2010

Nothing really to report I'm afraid, we must have spoiled you with all the news last month.

Saying that one bit of news comes to mind

There was some confusion last month when Royal Mail released an image of the second Olympics booklet with D1 cylinder numbers. It has however been confirmed despite the cylinder numbers showing 'D', later publicity and a comment from the trade indicates that the printer is definitely Walsall.

Still it was an interesting debate and a interesting picture at the time.


Did you manage to get one?

RMSD Covers were only sent to UK addresses. The the last day of sale of the Horizon Gold Machin Head labels, from PO branch at Camden High Street, London, NW1 was on the 11th September 2009. So how many collectors actually managed to get one?

It was reported that " No other branches will sell the label or that any further extension will occur for the time being. Any further developments may utilise a different label to that used at Camden."

If anyone still requires a cover (either 1st day or last day of issue) your best bet is to contact Brian Sinnott who is a specialist in this type of material. Brian's Email address is postagelabelsuk@gmx.com).

I do not know for certain if he still has them available and if so, do not know his prices. It may be possible that he still has some for sale. If you did miss out email him to find out.

Design Classics II Prestige Book

Way back in October of last year I posted pictures of panes from the British Design Classics II Prestige Book which were the latest available at the time.

Thanks to Ian Billings up to date images of the actual panes are now online. If you visit here often you will remember we reported that it has been noted that the change of font has been incorporated to the the 5p values and the 54p values.


Thanks (once again) to Ian, here are the images of the complete Machin Panes. Top is pane 01 and bottom pane 04. For larger images please visit Norvic Philatelics