The full set of Commonwealth Games stamps is now shown on our website, following Royal Mail's decision to put them and all products on their website shop before the embargo date.
Accompanying
the set of 6 is a retail booklet containing 4 x 1st class Machin
definitives and 2 x 1st class Swimming stamps. As usual the Machins are
coded MCIL M14L and the booklet is printed by Walsall Security
Printers. We are used to minor colour-registration problems on
Walsall's booklets and from the examples of this booklet we have seen,
they seem to have escaped this fate, although without seeing a booklet
with cylinder numbers we don't know whether the almost mono-chrome
special stamps are printed in 4-colour process or a reduced range of
colours.
Here is the booklet itself:
However, in this booklet we have found
misplaced phosphor and iridescent ink printing to make up for the often
ugly mis-registered special stamps.
Booklets have been
found with significant shifts of the phosphor both upwards and
downwards, and with a significant shift of the iridescent layer
downwards. As these images show:
Downward shift of
phosphor. The top of the phosphor is in the Queen's head. In more
extreme examples the phosphor on the upper definitives is shifted down
onto the lower ones.
Upward shift of phosphor. The phosphor on the lower definitives is lapping onto the upper ones
In some examples the iridescent security printing is well down from the top of the design:
While stocks last these are available at our webshop, but will not be shipped until 22 July because of the issue date coinciding with holidays.
5311. 🇭🇰 Hong Kong Commemorates Its New Pandas.
-
*New issues *-
🇭🇰 *Hong Kong Post *-
20 December 2024 - Arrival of a new pair of giant pandas in Hong Kong - 1
miniature sheet containing a single ...
I think everyone knew the 1st class was swimming from the special handstamp available
ReplyDeleteWhilst I appreciate It must be difficult to keep coming up with different designs for Sports themed issues, this set seems to be an opportunity missed. Something more innovative in shape like triangular/circular or something colourful like posters from the past etc might have attracted more attention. Overall I think the designs are very disappointing. Very similar to some Hungarian sets of the 1950's & 60's that appeared regularly in cheap "Cancelled To Order" mixtures. Perhaps, since so few Post Offices now have supplies of commemorative sets, Royal Mail have simply given upon innovation and design to attract sales. I appreciate beauty is in the eye of the beholder so some of your contributors will no doubt disagree.
ReplyDeleteFinally I see another missed opportunity given the plethora of Faststamps/Post & Go issued of late. Amazed they haven't issued overprints on one or more designs to celebrate an event in the UK in addition to the proposed obscure PhilaKorea overprints, which will mean very little to most of the UK population - even if they ever see one on a letter. I wonder what the chances are of that? Sorry to sound a grumpy old so & so!
"Royal Mail have simply given upon innovation and design to attract sales. I appreciate beauty is in the eye of the beholder so some of your contributors will no doubt disagree. "
DeleteWhy would giving up on innovation and design *attract* sales?
These are *good* designs: instead of just being photographs, like so many recent issues, they are simplistic in their colouring, and innovative in the way the movement is demonstrated.
Incidentally, Royal Mail have been using these sets of 10 x 1st on their mail (see http://machins-on-cover.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/remarkable-lives-stamps-now-being-used.html).
DeleteAll these sets of 10 x 1st are widely used by the general public - the ones who enter mail-in competitions etc. I'll be posting some more on that other blog in due course.
Its always going to be subjective but I think these are very good designs. Its rather a shame that the face value of the set is so high though.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the nice little Scottish Saltire emblem is a "dry run" of things to come if independence happens?
As for embargo, surely meaningless given that images of the designs + product range were published in the Philatelic Bulletin back in early June. I'm sure I've seen them elsewhere as well, although my memory defeats me as to exactly where.
I received the stamps this morning from Tallents House. The envelope in which they were contained was in a sealed Royal Mail plastic bag with the heading 'Item Damaged Before Arrival In UK'. Presumably RM know the result of the Independence Vote.
ReplyDeletePS There was minimal damage to the envelope and the contents were undamaged.