Search This Blog

Saturday 3 January 2009

Pics of the new Security Stamps

So much happening on the Machin front these days, some have even stated that due to all the palaver of changes in the pipe line they are getting fed up of hearing about them and collecting them. I am sure that things will quiet down after April so for those who still crave for knowledge here is the latest from the net.

Thanks to Ian Billings of Norvic Stamps We now have some more pictures of the new security Machins.
However we still need more definite information on how many stamps will be produced in a post office sheet. Will they ( the sheets) contain printers information including cylinder numbers etc? Also no conformation has been given regarding the paper that will be used for stamp rolls.
Ian states
"Some announcements have stated that the rolls are conventionally gummed, some have not referred to this, with the implication that all the new stamps are self-adhesive." Ian also says: "Currently sheets of Machin stamps used at PO counters contain 200 stamps (Large Letters, sheets of 100). The new self-adhesive printings will be in sheets of 50.
If this is so, large definitives will surely be in sheets of 25? I am confused!!
This is not the first time Royal Mail have made a cock up on publicity material, (if they have made one).
I have already stated in a previous post that Royal Mail have announced on page 30 article 47 of the Prices for April 2009 document that all Machins will be in sheets of 100 and large stamps in sheets of 50. Take a look for your self here.
If you have any more information regarding these questions I'm sure our readers would love to hear from you, so do please leave your comments.
On a closing note for today.
Michael Dodd of CDD Stamps Australia has also penned a piece on Machins that you may be interested in reading.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

SHEETS WILL BE MADE UP OF 100 STAMPS. IAN REFERS TO LARGE SHEETS OF 50 IN HIS TEXT

J.B

Anonymous said...

The announcement in the January Philatelic Bulletin says "Future printings will all be self-adhesive (except rolls),...."

It also says there will be a "security pattern on the darker colour around the Queen's head" whereas the images show the security pattern over the portrait as well as the background.

Maybe we should all just take a break and reconvene on February 18th. (Just kidding.)

--Larry

Anonymous said...

Royal Mail Retail has long since offered its business customers definitive stamps in sheets of 100 stamps; presumably, they receive either the top or bottom half of a current sheet of 200. This is also the case on the RM website shop; I wanted to order a sheet of 100 x 1p but found the £5 handling charge somewhat dissuasive!

As for the forthcoming self-adhesive sheets of 50 or 100, it should not be overlooked that DLR already have two years experience here as the S-A Christmas stamps in definitive size have been produced this way. These are in panels of 50 in two blocks of 25 (see illustrations in Dec 2008 'Bookmark' Journal). However, they are obviously not printed in small sheets of just 50, but apparently in sheets of 300 for the standard size (indicated by a 3 x 2 pane indicator box in the left margin) or 200 (2 x 2 box) for the 'Large' stamps. It is therefore not a problem to supply sheets of 100 (ie two uncut panels of 50).

In RM parlance, through my experience with Tallents House over the recent Poppy trio, what may seem a full sheet to us, ie the 'counter sheet' of 30 of these stamps, is termed a 'half sheet' by TH and two joined sheets of 30 (ie 60 stamps) constitutes a 'full sheet'. All a question of viewpoints really!

Hope these remarks are of use.
Robert

Anonymous said...

Larry,
I don't think this was in the latest update on our page (which contained the new pictures) but was there earlier:
Currently sheets of Machin stamps used at PO counters contain 200 stamps (Large Letters, sheets of 100). The new self-adhesive printings will be in sheets of 50.

So, the counter sheets will be 50s, the business sheets will be 100s as now except for the Large stamps which will be 50s as now. Booklets will be 6 or 12.

All the above will be self-adhesive including the high values, but the coil stamps will be conventionally gummed.

Incidentally I was told that the high values will be available from Tallents House and Post Shops, and "from local post offices if they order them" (presumably at the request of collector customers who want to prepare FDCs, collect the stamps). Unfortunately my contact was not aware that there is no facility on the POs' Horizon restocking system to order any stamp with a face value over £1.

Whilst this is good for dealers - who will be able to supply FDCs to collectors at a premium - it shows the usual lack of joined-up thinking.

Incidentally we can supply any sheet position - cylinder single, cylinder block, date blocks, etc etc, and coil strips.