Lets Play Catch Up

This information was printed in the January 2006. Vol. 43 number 05 edition of the British Philatelic Bulletin, I found it very useful, so have decided to include a few snippets from the original copy. Only information on the Machin series is included.

The items listed were released for sale during January - December 2005

It is hoped the information will allow collectors to complete any missing gaps that appear in their holdings

Some of the stamps were only issued in prestige booklets as individual panes and normal self adhesive booklet form.

Inset & short bands from sheet material may originate from later printing dates.

January 27th

6 x 1st class gold self adhesives in booklet form showing Smilers advert (Hello stamp) on the front cover (available by standing order from 22nd)

February 24th:

39p Light grey and 42p sage. Printed by Walsall in the Bronte sisters prestige booklet.

Note: These issues were previously printed by De La Rue in sheets.

A pane of 4 x 2nd class, 2 x 39p and 2 x 42p with a central label of a Bronte Museum Handstamp. Printed by Walsall available from the Bronte Prestige booklet.

April 05th:

9p orange two bands , De La Rue in sheets. This stamp is known with the left band inset from the perforations on bright and intermediate paper. It has also been reported on bright paper with short bands top.

35p lime green, one centre phosphor band .  Enschede in sheets. Known to exist with inset band right: The 35p value (Enschede) was short lived as a reprint was ordered (see below)

April 26th:

 A reprint of the 35p lime green value one centre phosphor band, intermediate paper  in sheets from De La Rue. This has been reported with short bands bottom.

46p gold two phosphor bands also issued on the above date.

5th July:

Miniature sheet printed by Enschede depicting the 60th anniversary of the end of the second world war. 5 x gold 1st class NVI Machins. A 6th 1st class stamp showing the design of St. Pauls Cathedral and search light was also included on the sheet

26th July:

6 x 1st class gold self adhesives in booklet form showing Smilers advert (Love  stamp) on the front cover.

6th September

Presentation Packs: 1p, 2p, 5p, 9p, 10p, 20p, 35p (lime green), 40p, 42p, 46p, 47p, 50p, 68,p  plus a £1 value. Also in this pack were self adhesive varieties from special coils printed on card with a white background. Europe E, 40gr,  Worldwide and Postcard airmail stamps up to 40 gr.  1st class, 2nd class self adhesives were included and it a note informs the buyer (these are only available in this pack). Could be sleepers theses recommend you get them whist the going is good.

A second Presentation Folder was issued on the same day this includes the stamps above and High Value definitives, plus 4 x Country pictorial packs (one for each region).

18th October:

4 x 1st class gold  , 2 x 50p sand and 68p stone printed by Walsall in the Trafalgar prestige booklet. These were previously known from sheets printed by De La Rue.

Pricing in proportion

Several new definitive stamps will be issued in the near future, due to the UK following in the footsteps of other overseas postal authorties and altering the structure to accommodate pricing in proportion. The new cost will depend on the size and weight of the item. The change over to reflect these new rules will take effect on 21st August 2006. This is in effect the second hike of the year. To combat inflation , prices rose by 2p for all rates on April 1st 2006.

For smaller sized letter the rate for 1st and 2nd  will stay at 33p and 22p respectively, the basic rate weight increasing to 100 grams.  Guide lines for this are letters no wider than 165 mm and longer than 240 mm. It has also been announced that the letter should be no thicker than 5 mm.

New definitive stamps will be issued to help the public transgress into the new system. A new 1ST & 2ND class design with a clearer value will be issued the same size as current definitives at this time. For letters and packets above this size A5 a rise of 12p  per item will be incurred, the new Machin definitives inscribed Large ST or 2ND will cover this category.

These will be in the style of the pictures below, small format for the basic size and a horizontal larger format for the larger sizes. Packets and parcels will fall into a third category, these will continued to be weighed at post office counters, stamps or postage labels will affixed at the appropriate rate.

 It has been suggested that packets under 500 grams will increase in price while anything over this weight will decrease. This new structure of pricing heavier items will be favored by sellers of large items who use this system for sending mail order products and eBay wins.

Speculation is, that these new stamps will available in self adhesive booklets and business sheets of 100.  It has also been suggested that Walsall security printers will print the booklet and business sheets.

It has been said that counter sheets of all the designs ) 1st & 2nd class) on conventional PVA gummed paper will be printed by De La Rue." More about this when the information has been confirmed. It is not known if European rate stamps, world post card and letter airmail stamps will change at this time.

New gummed sheet 12p and 14p Machin Definitives have also been issued as make up values between the rates for large size 1st and 2nd class letters. these are in gravure printed by De La Rue. Cylinder numbers are D1 ph D1.