Press Release, reported on Stamp Magazine Forum:
LONDON, 10 DECEMBER 2013 -
"The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) has announced that it will be introducing a new commemorative stamp issue to its Post & Go machine at Freeling House on Wednesday 19 February 2014 to mark the Centenary of the introduction of Postage Due labels. These will be available until 5 April.
"Both the existing Machin and the Union Flag designs will bear the underprint * “The B.P.M.A./ Postage Due 1914” and a limited number of BPMA specific first day covers will be available for purchase both at Freeling House and through the online shop – details to be announced.
"Introduced in 1914, Postage Due labels helped to combat the problem
of uncollected revenue that had been a source of concern for some time
to the Post Office. GB Postage Due labels were designed by George Eve,
with the design remaining the same for over 50 years.
"The Centenary will also be marked through a small two panel display in the BPMA’s Search Room Foyer at Freeling House, Phoenix Place, WC1X ODL over the same period the commemorative stamp issue will be available. The opening of the display coincides with Spring Stampex 2014, held locally at Islington’s Business Design Centre and will be available for free hire for groups and societies following display at BPMA."
The alert among you will notice that the date of introduction of this is the first day of Stampex, which is the same day that the first Flowers Faststamps are available.
* Why BPMA use the term underprint is totally beyond comprehension. I suppose they are trying to find an alternative to the term 'overprint' which we know it isn't. As described this appears to be a normal caption added to the service indicator and technical detail printed on to the base stamp stock.
LONDON, 10 DECEMBER 2013 -
"The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) has announced that it will be introducing a new commemorative stamp issue to its Post & Go machine at Freeling House on Wednesday 19 February 2014 to mark the Centenary of the introduction of Postage Due labels. These will be available until 5 April.
"Both the existing Machin and the Union Flag designs will bear the underprint * “The B.P.M.A./ Postage Due 1914” and a limited number of BPMA specific first day covers will be available for purchase both at Freeling House and through the online shop – details to be announced.
"The Centenary will also be marked through a small two panel display in the BPMA’s Search Room Foyer at Freeling House, Phoenix Place, WC1X ODL over the same period the commemorative stamp issue will be available. The opening of the display coincides with Spring Stampex 2014, held locally at Islington’s Business Design Centre and will be available for free hire for groups and societies following display at BPMA."
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The alert among you will notice that the date of introduction of this is the first day of Stampex, which is the same day that the first Flowers Faststamps are available.
* Why BPMA use the term underprint is totally beyond comprehension. I suppose they are trying to find an alternative to the term 'overprint' which we know it isn't. As described this appears to be a normal caption added to the service indicator and technical detail printed on to the base stamp stock.
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Stamp Magazine has indicated that BPMA will have the same overprint on Post & Go stamps as well
ReplyDelete?
DeleteAs well as what? I cite Stamp Magazine in the first line as this is the source of this information.
Can we assume that the Date Code on both the Machin Head and Union Flag will be MA14? - Stuart
ReplyDeleteNever assume anything - first rule!
DeleteI would expect that, as the MA13 Machin and Flag have not been in use for very long, that they will continue in use here. The base stock is unlikely to be any different to that which was in use before the Robins were installed in November so may still be original stock.
Can someone explain to me and maybe others not up with early postage dues why the date of the 19th February 2014 was chosen for the BPMA Centenary overprint on the Post & Go stamps when according to SG Concise the first day of issue for the postage dues was the 20th April 1914?
ReplyDeleteSo with the last day of the overprint being the 5th April it will not even be there for the 20th. I know that the 20th April 2014 will be Easter Sunday so the BPMA will not be open anyway but somewhere around that date would have nice.
The Machin head was still original stock on the 14th December.
ReplyDeleteI can only presume that the 19th February was chosen as the start date to coincide with Stampex
Hi, is this not the wavy underprint with BPMA Postage Due normally with Royal Mail.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it is too early to tell.
No. I don't know why BPMA refer to it as an 'underprint' which is something printed on the *back* of a stamp (eg adverts on New Zealand and GB, company security prints, and Royal Mail stars to indicate stamps sold at a discount.
DeleteThis is simply a commemorative caption added to the normal BPMA caption printed on the Faststamps.
Not sure about the Machin Head at the BPMA as I thought they were year code 13 as a reply to an email to them towards the end of November advised me that they were. I went along to purchase some strips but found them to be year code 12. I assumed that the "13" had been sold out and an older reel had been used. However, I was assured that this was not the case. Once home I did a magnifying glass check just in case my eyes deceived me!! Sure enough they were "12". I emailed the BPMA to let them know just in case other collectors were being confused. I did get a reply from a Barry Attoe of the BPMA on 22nd November thanking me for advising them and he would email me when new stock available. So far no reply, hence I can only assume they still have Machin Head "12" in the machine.
ReplyDeleteDoug (Enfield)
Doug
ReplyDeleteFurther to my above post with a visit to the BPMA on the 14th December previous visits were made on the 14th September, 12th October and the 4th and 22nd November and all Machin stock has been undated.
The Robins used this year have all been MA13.
Don't forget anyone who collects the date string the only dates to get the December Flags will be the 30th and 31st, On New years eve there will be an early closure at 15:00 IIRC
Oops - I'm sorry if I've caused any confusion in my note dated 24th December.. Malcolm you are correct. The Machin ones I got were 'undated'. I had emailed the BPMA on 19th November and they confirmed that "13" were in the machine. My visit resulted in finding the undated type to which I advised them of. My confusion regarding date type has arisen because I didn't bother to keep the stamps I purchased (as I already had samples) and used them up on my general mail before Christmas.
ReplyDeleteDoug (Enfield)
Sorry - case of senility creeping in - or just Machin'd out with so many visits to Post offices in the last few months.
Can confirm that Flags have replaced the Robins from today as expected both continue to be undated stock.
ReplyDeleteI wonder about the idea of including the words "postage due" as part of the text. Will anyone get charged when they receive one of these in the post?!
ReplyDeleteObtained both collectors strips today. Neither the 'Machin' or 'Flag' have a year code on them. Be interesting to see if they appear when the stock is replaced. Very busy today.
ReplyDeleteMa13 flag on 20/2 & ma13 machin on 21/2
ReplyDeleteThe MA13 Machin was available for part of 19th February, which led to increased demand from the continental dealers who wanted both types.
Delete