After a quiet year for decorated postboxes, Royal Mail has once again decorated postboxes for the festive season.  

The press release is not yet on the corporate website but the gist of it is in the media already.

Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “This is Royal Mail’s busiest time of the year.

“December sees about twice as many letters, cards and parcels as other months.

“At Royal Mail, we’re geared up to help with festive preparations, whether that’s delivering the nation’s love and best wishes through Christmas cards, or the presents that tens of millions of people will be shopping online for right now.

“This year we’re adding some extra festive joy and cheer for people sending their letters and Christmas cards to loved ones through our amazing singing postboxes.”

The postboxes are located in London’s Oxford Street, Glasgow’s George Square, Belfast’s Donegall Square West and Union Street in Swansea.

 

The postboxes are pictured on Royal Mail's X-account (formerly Twitter).  "Four of our Postboxes across the UK have been decked out for Christmas, and merrily respond to post with one of three festive tunes."

Belfast – Donegall Square West Singing Postbox

Glasgow – George Square Singing Postbox

London – Oxford Street (opposite John Lewis) Singing Postbox

From Google Street View, a view from the other side showing the John Lewis store.

London – Oxford Street (opposite John Lewis) Postbox - Google Street View

Swansea – Union Street Singing Postbox

An odd picture against a shuttered storefront. Was it a run-down part of Swansea? No, it was a jewellery store on overnight closure!

Swansea – Union Street  Postbox - Google Street View.

---

Machin Bargain Sales resume now

Observant readers will have noticed that the sales lists which I removed in August have not yet reappeared.

The list of Machin definitives with elliptical perforations (the Gibbons Y-numbers) have not previously been listed at all.

That list is now available on Dropbox.  Quantities available are shown and I will try to update this as soon as possible as stamps are sold.

List 8 - Machin Y-numbers with elliptical peforations. 

List 10 - Smilers Sheets and singles, including Smilers for Kids, and the very rarest normal Smilers. For many of these we have only a single copy.

Other lists, mostly revised versions of previous lists, will be added shortly. 

I'll also be producing a list of Smilers FDCs for sale at attractive prices. 

---

Old Smilers Sheets, still valid for postage, for sale at under face.

As part of my operation to run-down business stocks so as to be able to concentrate on my collections, I'm now offering a range of 'Hello' Smilers Sheets issued to mark Royal Mail's participation at philatelic events.

These are all valid for postage and each contains 20 x 1st class stamps, so face value £25.

For sale now at only £15 each plus postage.  They can be used with or without the labels.

Italia 2009

 Beijing Olympic Expo 2008

Washingtgon International Stamp Exhibition 2006.

Hong Kong Stamp Expo 2004.

Thaipex 2009

UPDATE: I found some more, not pictured, one of each: Pacific Explorer 2005,  Belgica 2006, Monaco 2009.

ONLY TWO NOW available, mix and match, postage will cover several sheets.

PRICE £15 each – buy six for £85.
Postage extra – these are A4 sheets so will be Large Letters in the UK and Worldwide.
Check Royal Mail price finder for your area outside UK.

PAYMENT:
UK by bank transfer or cheque.
WORLD by Paypal family and friends. (or bank transfer from UK account or UK cheque).

If the buyer only wants postage I can remove the stamps from the sheets to send just the stamps, which might reduce the cost of posting them.  Folding the sheets also allows them to be sent as ordinary letters.

First come first served.  Leave a comment to reserve, and send an email providing mailing address and confirming requirements.  Send no money until confirmed by me!

More special offers coming.

---

Datamatrix Machins, April 2022 printings available - sheets, part sheets or singles. Cheap!

Due to an ordering/supply error I have complete sheets of the low value Machin barcoded stamps.  Knowing that ordinary collectors find it difficult to order positional singles and blocks from Royal Mail I thought I would offer to break up these sheets and only send the remainder back for credit.

1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p Queen Elizabeth II Datamatrix stamps with April 2022 printing dates.

SOLD OUT THANK YOU!

There are many different ways of collecting these: some people collect sheets, some collect a date and cylinder block of 10 (ie the top two rows in this view), and a number of marginal singles. Clearly these are not mutually exclusive.

I use this template to inform Royal Mail of my requirements.

 

Sheets available at face +15%

Blocks of 8 or 10 at face + 20%

Blocks of 4, 6, pairs singles at face + 25%

Cheque or bank transfer only, no cards.  (Foreign buyers can use PayPal Friends & Family payment.)  Postage extra.  Sheets & blocks of 10 are large letter rate.

First come first served.  Leave a comment to reserve, and send an email providing mailing address and confirming requirements.  Send no money until confirmed by me!

More special offers coming soon.

 

---

The Postal Museum: Final throes of Post and Go

The Postal Museum Press Release:

Following the announcement made by Royal Mail earlier this year, November and December will be the final months that visitors and collectors will be able to make purchases from The Postal Museum’s two Post & Go machines. Please find the final schedule of Post & Go at The Postal Museum below.

Mail Rail Lest We Forget additional inscription for 2023.

UPDATE 24 November - Revised and accurate position*

Date	Currently	Friday 1 Dec – Saturday 23 December	Weds 27 – Sunday 31 December (5pm)
A001 Reel 1	1st class Machin R20 The Postal Museum	Winter Greenery 1st The Postal Museum  §	Anniversary Machins End of Post & Go at The Postal Museum
A001 Reel 3	2nd class Machin MA15 The Postal Museum	Winter Greenery 2nd The Postal Museum §	<<<<<
A001 Reel 4	Mail by Bike The Postal Museum Dressed to Deliver	<<<<<<	<<<<<
A001 Reel 5	Poppies MA15 The Postal Museum Lest We Forget '23	Mail Coach The Postal Museum	<<<<<
A001 Reel 6	PO Underground* The Postal Museum	<<<<<<<	Union Flag End of Post & Go at The Postal Museum
Mail Rail
A013 Reel 1	PO Underground* Mail Rail	<<<<<<<	<<<<<
A013 Reel 3	Poppies MA15 Mail Rail Lest We Forget '23	Winter Grenery 1st Mail Rail §	1st class Machins End of Post & Go at Mail Rail

In both cases Reel 2 produces receipts.

§ Malcolm confirms that Greenery this year will be R19YAL and CL17S into A001 with R17YAL into A013.

 
*Further information:
Please note that the final overprint wording may still be subject to change. As these are the museum’s final stocks, availability is subject to demand and may run out before the dates listed above.
 

Although it may seem logical for the End of Post & Go inscription to be on all reels at present Royal Mail have limited it to those three shown.  It would certainly produce more revenue - which would go straight to the bottom line - if all 7 reels were treated alike.   Watch this space.

November 2023 slogan postmarks and other interesting postal markings.

Slogan postmarks used in November will be shown here; please check for latest updates before spending your time scanning, but if you have something new or another format, then please do send it in for publication.

The month has continued the use of the Movember campaign started on 31 October (see October listing).  Two further examples from RW who provides examples from Exeter and Manchester on 2 November.

MOVEMBER
The Moustache is Calling
Raise funds. Save lives.
Sign up now.

 

Movember slogan used at Manchester Mail Centre 02/11/2023

Movember slogan used at Exeter Mail Centre 02-11-2023

---

The second slogan for November is the traditional one for this time of the year.  Here's an example we received this morning from Norwich Mail Centre dated 7 November.

Lest We Forget Armistice Day 2023 slogan Norwich Mail Centre 07-11-2023

Update 19 November. Thanks to MA for providing this clean example of the other layout on a House of Commons envelope postmarked at Birmingham Mail Centre 07/11/2023

Lest We Forget Armistice Day 2023 slogan Birmingham Mail Centre 07/11/2023

 

 

---

Update 19 November.  Thanks to JH for reporting that the slogans have now defaulted to British Heart Foundation, this one from Chester & N Wales Mail Centre dated 16/11/2023.

British Heart Foundation slogan postmark Chester & N Wales 16/11/2023.

---

Other postmarks, postal markings etc,

Update 19 November.  I've been sent a picture of an tracked envelope sent from the UK to Canada with £11+ worth of barcoded Machin definitives. I'll add this to the Postal History blog, but show here the counter date stamp from PETERSFIELD HANTS 02 NO 23, nice to see a cover properly cancelled at the branch counter.              

Petersfield Hants counter date stamp 02. NO. 23

Earlier this year Royal Mail decided against leaving 'come and collect' cards at addresses where they could not deliver packets and instead opted to retry delivery the next day.  This wasn't universally welcome because it added to what the post-person would carry out for delivery, and also meant that if the addressee was out (maybe at work) every day it would be an extra day (or more) before they could collect the item from the Enquiry Office or arrange redelivery elsewhere.

My thanks to MD for sending this example of a new version of the P739 label reflecting the new practice with spaces for '1st Attempt' and '2nd Attempt'.

Royal Mail 2023 revision of label when an item could not be delivered.

---

If you have any other interesting postal markings, please send them to one of the email addresses in the top right of this blog.  Thank you.

---

Remember, any other slogans appearing in November will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.  I'll add new ones as quickly as possible.

---

Amazing error on new Christmas stamps!

As we should all know after the invalidation period ended, the stamps which continue to be valid are all commemorative/special stamps, barcoded definitives, and Christmas stamps with and without barcodes.

But what about these?  Genuine 2nd class sheet stamps which somehow missed the stage of printing where the datamatrix barcode was added.   So now we have new Christmas stamps with no barcode - but an obvious space where one should be.

2023 2nd class Christmas stamps with no barcode

I was sent this image nearly a month ago: the stamps were included in a pack sent to a sub-post office.  Although I made efforts to find out what would happen to them, nothing was forthcoming from the third party who provided the information.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, perhaps, for Post Office Ltd and Royal Mail), the existence of these stamps was posted, somewhat naively, on a postmaster discussion forum which should soon have alerted Post Office management and appropriate action taken - or maybe not.  

It is quite likely that more than one sheet escaped inspection at the printers, by Royal Mail (do they ever inspect stocks sent direct to Post Office warehouses), and by the aforementioned Post Office warehouse checkers (if they exist), so keep on the look out and ask your postmaster.

This is the one issue which is supposed to be available at ALL post offices, even those which don't sell special stamps.

---

New Stamps for 2024 - prizes for good predictions!

Occasionally in the autumn our band of readers starts producing realistic ideas for the next year's stamp programme. (Sometimes it's a spoof!)

So put your thinking caps on, consult some websites, and see if you can come up with a calendar for next year.

I would suggest 15 issues (although you could do more), starting in January and ending with Christmas in early November, unless you can think of anything that really must be issued after the Christmas stamps.

One programme per person, sent to me by email [ian@norphil.co.uk] so as to not give too many ideas to other readers.

There have been some suggestions in comments on other blog posts, and they can be incorporated.  

I don't know what the programme will bring, save that there will be a Music Giants issue again, so look back to the golden age of popular music (or the 90s depending on how old you are!) and see what you can come up with.  

We have no reason to believe that the practice of the last few years - plenty of entertainment subjects with huge licensing fees for fdc producers to avoid - will be changed at all.  So there is your guide. 

I haven't decided on a prize yet because I have only just thought of this having had a firm suggestion about just one of 2024's sets.  

So off you go.  Comments are disabled: if you have any questions, please email.

Calendar 2024 PNGs by Vecteezy

UPDATE:  Only 8 entries so far and some of them are of the spoof variety, so plenty of chance to win prizes yet.

UPDATE

9 entries now received

Quite a lot of commonality among the predictions.

Of the 15 subjects in the outline programme I received today Christmas is a given, and four other subjects have been identified.

---

Christmas 2023 - Set of 5 and MS - 2 November 2023

Royal Mail's Christmas issue this year is reduced to only five stamps and retail booklets, plus the unnecessary miniature and generic sheets.

The set of five special stamps features brand new illustrations by artist Tom Duxbury, who specialises in the techniques of block printing to depict both vintage and modern scenes. The vibrant designs capture the themes of some of the most popular Christmas carols, including ‘Silent Night’ and ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’.

Great Britain Christmas 2023 2nd and 2nd Large stamps

Value	Info provided by Royal Mail	Actual title
2nd Class	O Holy Night
2nd Class Large	Silent Night	O Little Town of Bethlehem
1st Class	Away in a Manger	Silent Night
1st Class Large	O Little Town of Bethlehem	Away in a Manger
£2.20	We Three Kings

I have checked the actual stamps and they are as illustrated above: Royal Mail's information to us was wrong, yet again.
 

Great Britain 2023 Christmas Miniature Sheet

2023 Christmas 'Collectors sheet'

Technical details

The range was designed by Steers McGillan Eves using illustrations by Tom Duxbury exclusively for Royal Mail ©

The 39 x 30 mm stamps are printed in sheets of 50 by Cartor Security Printers in gravure (ie by Walsall). The Miniature sheet is 179 x 74 mm also printed in gravure.

The Christmas 2023 Collectors Sheet includes a set of 20 stamps (8 x 2nd Class, 8 x 1st, 4 x £2.20) set against a backdrop of a starry ngiht. The Sheet will be printed in Self Adhesive, and is printed in litho.

Retail booklets of 8 will be available for the 1st and 2nd class stamps. The covers are green (2nd) and purple (1st) the same as the definitive stamps. 

Last year, for production reasons, the Booklets did not carry any cylinder numbers.  We think that this may be the same in 2023.

Product range

Set, miniature sheet, retail booklets, collector sheet, first day covers (2), stamp cards (6), presentation pack.

---

Newsbits - October 2023

As we approach the end of the year (yes, really) and Royal Mail's stamp programme is coming to an end, this post contains a selection of disparate news items.

Post & Go Mail by Rail error 1

MC visited The Postal Museum to get the Museum stamps with the new Dressed to Deliver inscription and popped over to the Mail Rail machine just to see what was produced.  Unexpectedly it was the normal stamp, with no additional inscription apart from the Mail Rail, but he was rewarded with this spectacular strip.

He writes:

It happened because the reel printer jammed after printing the first stamp and then, after attention from a staff member, the remainder came out (all attached). The staff member just passed the strip to me as it was, so an interesting error for the files. (The second class reel came out as expected).

Mail Rail Post & Go strip with gaps caused by mechanical problems.

 

 A nice display item to add to the 'mechanical failures' category.

Post & Go error 2

It's approaching Remembrance Day so the Poppy stamps have been reintroduced (at least at some offices) and RW sent this exaample from Paignton.  

Of course the error should have occurred whatever the stock, but again it's a nice thing to get when you go in to check out the machines. 

 

Smilers Back in Time

The Business Customised Service was ended by Royal Mail in 2017, followed in 2018 by the Smilers (Personalisation) Service, but Royal Mail continue to provide a Smilers-type sheet at Christmas (although the stamps are not available for personalisation which was the whole point of Smilers Sheets).  

Some of the earliest Business Sheets were produced for Eagle Coaches 75th Anniversary in late 2001. These were catalogued at £1,000 at one time and so few come to market that no reliable value can be placed on them: it is more a case of buyer and seller agreeing and rarely is anything made public.

A reader has sent in a picture of a single which he has.  The stamp is from the top left of the sheet, and the label is damaged, but if anybody is interested in contacting the owner with a view to buying, then do please contact me by email (address at top right) and I will pass your details on.

Single stamp from rare 2001 Eagle Coaches Business Customised Sheet.

Underpayment avoided - Royal Mail being proactive.

Don't guess it, check it!

This isn't recent, as you can tell from the postage rates, but it's a nice piece of postal history, being applied to the back of a letter which came to the UK from the USA in 2002.  

Does anybody know of any other similar labels from the same or different rate periods?

UPDATE 7 November 2023: Many more of these labels exist and we have been sent some images which are on our Postal History blog.

 

USPS announces part of the 2024  stamp issue programme.

Unlike Royal Mail, the United States Postal Service believes in making people aware of forthcoming stamps well in advance.  Apart from anything else it helps FDC producers, but it also enables people and organisations which have a connection to the new stamps to arrange events around the issue, like unveiling ceremonies and firs day of issue ceremonies.  

“As always, our stamp program features a broad array of subjects and designs. Stamps are miniature works of art and often tell a story that highlights our American culture, our people or an important point in our history,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple, acting Stamp Services director for USPS. 

“Stamps also allow us to show what’s important to us as we carefully select which stamp adorns our mailpieces. The 2024 stamps were designed to offer the American public a broad array of choices for those looking to collect stamps or send a special message.” 

This is a partial list, with more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead. All stamp designs are preliminary and subject to change.

The US tends to issue a lot more single stamps - although the way they are produced often means that it's difficult to buy just one for a collection.  Some are sold only in books of 20, some - especially a set of 4-10 different designs - only in panes of 20 or 25.  The interlocking die-cuts on sheets make it difficult to get a single mint stamp on its original backing paper without having all the surrounding eight!

Although they use a lot of NVI ('Forever') stamps, they do issue new stamps every year for the Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express services.  The first is provisionally priced at $9.65 and the latter at $28.75 (£23.50) - so they have their bad side too!

Whilst many of their stamps mark what we might describe here as cultural and historic matters, others are even more ridiculous than some of Royal Mail's.

The programme so far includes Lunar New Year, Love (another annual issue), US Flags (new ones every year - booklete & coils), Black Heritage (1), a new range of low value definitives (flowers), 1 ounce and 2 ounce Wedding stamps (another annual issue), Literary Arts (1), 250th anniversary of the arrival of the Shakers (12), Bluegrass music (1), Horses (5), Sea Turtles (6), Autumn colours (10 in a pane of 20) etc. But the one that takes the biscuit for me is a set of 10 Pinback Buttons - or badges as we call them here.

USPS 2024 Pinback Buttons - 10 circular basic letter rate self-adhesive stamps (pane of 20).

USPS 2024 Horses (2 of 5) issued as a pane of 20)

New USPS 2024 definitive values 1-10c flowers

The illustrated list with more descriptions is on the USPS website here.

RW reminds me that Hong Kong post has also published their programme, illustrated; you can see the stamps on the Commonwealth Stamps Opinion blog here.  This is useful because it means that WhiteKnight already has the images when it comes to the actual issue date!

GB Christmas - 2 November 2023

I'm told that these are now visible on Royal Mail's website: my blog post will be scheduled for the issue date, 3 November, in accordance with my contract.  You can see them now on the Commonwealth Stamps Opinion Blog.

As Royal Mail not only have all the stamps on their website but have sent the First illustrated newsletter to the subscribers I have published here.

No more news for now, so I'll end the post with this older US stamp!

 

---