News 02

Stamps on the Move

Investments in GB Decimal stamps are paying off for forward thinking collectors that pick up the right issues on the date of release. Buying at face value or just above is proving to be the best method of adding to an investment portfolio.

Early self adhesive special issues from booklets are continuing to rise. The 2002 Bridges self adhesives have joined the ranks of decimal stamps on the move, continuing to rise in the 2005 Concise to a mint price of £4.25 per stamp. Punch & Judy, Submarines and the Flags & Ensigns stamps also continue to move upwards.

Last year we saw the £1 Wilding from the Coronation booklet pane shoot up, this year its se-tenant partners 47p & 68p decimal Wildings from the same pane , these are now listed at £5 each.

Miniature sheets have always been a favorite with collectors, these are also proving to be a good investment. The 1999 Solar Eclipse sheet has jumped to a staggering price of £21 and the timekeeper sheet £24, Timekeeper Stamp Show 2000 overprint goes one better at £35.

Another rise for the Jeffrey Matthews miniature sheet, now listed at £18. H.M Miniature sheet 2000 also takes a jump to £21 mint and used. One to look out for is the Ocean Liners miniature sheet these are trading on eBay for £10-£12 catalogued in the 2005 concise at £18.

We are also see a big demand for the Classic Locos miniature sheet, selling price on eBay £26, this is above the catalogue price of £25.

Presentation packs for the above in sets are £15 and the miniature sheet packs (£29) are also in big demand, one other pack to hold on to is the Entente Cordiale these are in short supply and are at this time attracting dealers buying prices of over double catalogue (£4.50).

Tipped for this year is the end of the war miniature sheet, and possibly the Castles sheets, make sure of your copies whilst the going is good.

New Look Smilers

Royal Mail are to issue a set of new look Smilers stamps, these will be available in the form of a booklet containing 6 x 1st class self adhesive definitive size stamps. The date of issue has been given as 4 October 2005, they will printed in Litho by Walsall

It depends on the print run, but as in the past, any new booklet product is worth investing in (look what happened with the submarines booklet)! Make sure of your copies if you deal in this type of material.

Previous “Smilers”stamps are longer horizontally and the majority have been printed on conventional gummed paper attached to a stamp sized label. It has been established that new Smilers sheets printed after October will also take on the old format. More reason to hold on to a few of these booklets.

THE BRITISH DECIMAL STAMPS STUDY CIRCLE

has merged with the GB DSB SC to form the

Modern British Philatelic Circle

MBPC was inaugurated on 1st January 2006

It came about as the result of a merger between the two eminent specialist societies, the Great Britain Decimal Stamp Book Study Circle ( GB DSB SC ) and the British Decimal Stamps Study Circle ( BDSSC )

http://www.mbp-circle.co.uk

Trafalgar Prestige Booklet

Interestingly the Trafalgar prestige booklet was printed by Walsalls subsidiary “Cartor” in Litho. Except for the Machin Pane which was produced by Walsall Security Print in gravure.

Difinitives shown right (all 2 phosphor bands ) from top and bottom rows are 1st class NVI , 50p, and 1st Class NVI.

The middle row consists of 2 x 68p Machins separated by a label depicting a bronze bust (life mask) of Nelson).

Brunel Prestige booklet


	This is the first of the 2006 prestige books “Isambard Kingdom Brunel” released February 23rd 2006. printed by Enschede. The Machin pane is printed in Gravere and the special issue panes in Litho.

Machin Definitives: top and bottom rows are 1st class NVI surrounding 35p stamps.

The middle row shows 2 x 40p stamps separated by a label depicting a bust of Brunel.

All have two phosphor bands. This is the first time Enschede have printed the 40p value. The 35p has been issued before in sheet form , but carried only a centre phosphor band

New Postal Rate Change 03/01/06 will give us 4 new stamps to collect and study, they go on sale at post offices and Philatelic counters from March 28th 2006.

Printed by De La Rue at Dunstable on the ATN press, they will be printed on OFNP (dull paper) with PVA cream gum and 2 phosphor bands. It is expected that cylinder numbers will be D1 phD1 dot and no dot.

The definitives are 37p, olive green, which is the 2nd class second weight step, 44p ultra marine, which will be the new European basic weight, 49p, rust red, UK 1st class second weigh step and 72p, Post Office red, air mail second step weight.

The new UK basic rate for 1st class rates (60gr) will be 32p, 2nd class, 23p. No new Machins will be needed for these as they are covered by existing 2nd and 1st class NVI stamps.

Withdrawal of current definitives

35p, 40p, 46p, 47p and 68p Machine definitives will be withdrawn along with 42p and 68p country pictorial definitive stamps on 1st April 2006. They will remain on philatelic for one year.

Wembly Stadium Miniature Sheet.

Sadly no new stamps in the Machin design are planned for this sheet. Due to delays in the construction of the stadium , this sheet has been postponed and will not be issued on May 11th 2006 as originally planned, a new date will be given in due course.

Stamps planned for this sheet are England Country definitives 2 x 2nd class (Three Lions) and 2 x 72p 2nd class English Rose) a third 1st class stamp showing the re issue World cup definitive of a crowned lion will make up the value of the sheet to £2.22p

Left is a artists impression of the sheet at proof stage, reduced size, the actual size 112 mm x 102 mm.

The background to the sheet shows the arch of the new stadium please note the Crowned lion stamp will be perforated on the issued sheet. The sheets will be printed by De La Rue in gravure.


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