2015 1st Class Dull Phosphor (Inset Right)

I always like to see something different, and thought some of you may be interested in this too.


It was only a matter of time before reports came in with Machin stamps with dull phosphor incorporating an error. In this case it is an inset band right (DGN12). I was however surprised to see this with a 2015 printing date.

I spotted it on eBay this morning.

Described as 1st class printed by Walsall with a code of MA15/ MBIL from a business sheet, dated 28/05/15.

Buy it now price is £2.50 with £1.00 Postage and Packing.

Going through the the sellers other sales I noticed he has many stamps for sale with dull phosphor.

In among these he has a second listing for sale (inset right).

He does not state if these issues are on security backing paper or plain backing paper, so I am assuming they are on plain backing paper.

The second Machin is a business sheet header 4 x 1st class value (inset right) for sale at the higher price. Buy it now £13.75 with the  date of 25/08/15, The seller charges postage and packing at £1.20 for this item.

Two nice items if you are interested, just do an eBay search for dull phosphor.

One We Missed And Some Machin Gems

Due to internet coverage (what would we do without it?) we all now know about of the font / text change on the booklet covers that were rolled out on 20th October 2016. Or do we?

The Padlock design booklet 6 x 1st was released in July as a fore runner, The first red Machin with Ml16 / MSIL coding. This cover still had the old type font.

Thanks to Alan B who drew my attention to to it I can now report that A new padlock design booklet 6 x 1st  was also released on the 20/10/16 with the Chevin font on the cover. Have you got your copy?

old type font / text

new Chevin font / text

Machin Gems

Last week I had a virtual trip around some of the main auction houses, something I do now and again just to see what has come on to the market that is different from the norm or unusual.

Here is my pick of the bunch, I hope you enjoy them.

Number 1:

Booklet pane 20p/26p x 7 se-tenant Questa Pane DP278, five and half panes together in a part uncut booklet pane sheet with binding margin at the top showing Q1 Q1 above the third pane. Price realised £380.

Number 2:

Multi value pane DP123 from the 1989 Scots Connection prestige booklet. A variety that is completely imperforated. Price realised £820. 

Number 3:

Booklet pane 6p/25p multi value pane DP216 from the Northern Ireland prestige booklet. The 6p value displaying a 22mm shift to the left. SG UH15A. Price realised £3200

Number 4:

Booklet Pane 19p/25p multi value pane DP226 from the National Trust prestige booklet, partly imperfororated, top row completely imperf, The second row partly imperf, and the third row normal. Price realised £1250.

Number 5:

World Changers se-tenant pane DP296 with the right hand column imperforated, and the central column partially imperf due to a perforation shift, The phosphor bands are misplaced and the rouletting is also misplaced with one line through the right hand column. The pane is slightly larger vertically than issued and without stitching holes. This could be printers waste. Price realised £800.

Number 6:

Another se-tenant pane from £5.00 Scots Connection prestige booklet, imperforate to the top row and half the middle  row. The lower row normally perforated, small band at foot.Price realised £450

Number 7:

Booklet pane 13p x 9 Machins. DP97 from P&O prestige booklet. Miscut horizontally. Price realised £270

 Number 8:

My last pick of the bunch is A
pane from the 1980 Wedgewood Prestige booklet. Pane DP42. The booklet value and inscription are omitted from the label. This rarity is cat at £1800. Price realised UNSOLD

I hope you enjoyed seeing these. A nice bunch eh?

Dull Phosphor Update

Since the last report on I can now confirm that several more stamps with dull phosphor coded 2015 have been reported.

These are as follows:

£1.00 value from counter sheet

1st class large from counter sheet
1st class large from booklet of 4
2nd class large from counter sheet
2nd class large from booklet of 4
2nd class from business sheet
1st class from business sheet
2nd class from booklet of 12
1st class from booklet of 12

The Chevin Font

What do you as a stamp collector think of the new Chevin font that has been rolled out by Royal Mail on new booklets and Business sheets ? This is just my opinion but I myself prefer the old type font, saying that I like the darker red colour of the products (and stamps) very much.

What is Chevin font?

According to one website dealing with fonts.

Chevin is a contemporary rounded type family in 6 weights which was desined with functionality and legibility in mind. With open counters and slightly condensed style Chevin can be used for text and is particularly suited to signage.

Erik Spiekerman is a fan noting that Chevin "is charming without being cute, and very legible even in small sizes because of its restrained shapes and simple construction."

Chevin is reported to be  named after a hill on the outskirts of Otley in West Yorkshire. Since 2007 the type family has been prominent in the UK as Royal Mails corporate font and the typeface adorns every post office in the country. I did not know that fact! You learn something every day.

It now adorns every new booklet and business sheet, something we all now know. I might add, and some of us are not overwhelmed or happy with!