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Thursday 7 January 2010

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.

5 comments:

Robert said...

I know that fonts tend to go under several different names, especially when they are included on computers, but I don't really think the new value font is Garamond (this was RM's in-house font for several years during the window book era). On an old computer, I have a font which has numerals somewhat similar to the new ones and is called AmeriGaramond (not quite spelt that way but close enough. However, another one called 'Gourmand' (French for 'greedy') is much much closer to the one employed for the 54 on these definitive stamps.

Anonymous said...

"'Gourmand' (French for 'greedy')" fits the bill perfectly.

Dave Barter said...

I assume you took the quote verbatim and if so the double negative informs us we'll be seeing more than 4 PSBs. Devious these RM folk.

Anonymous said...

"In any given period of one year..."

Do they mean no more than four prestige booklets within a four-week period, or what?

--Larry

MERVIN said...

I have read a lot of technical stuff about the Cartor change of typeface recently, but the facts are simple enough. The face they used is Garamond but from the Adobe stock range, this is slighlty different therefore to the Garamond Oldface. I think the change was not thought as being a crime against humanity. I really liked the fresh new look which compliments Machins printed EME Gravure and now Litho issues of a similar high quality look. But Cartor have had to change back, pushed no doubt by our Post Office.