Not Quite Last Orders for Great Britain stamps! But we'll soon be taking a break from the hustle and bustle

Thank you to the customers who wrote expressing concern for our welfare after I sent an email* recently which included this....

We will be closing the shop from (as yet unsepcified dates in) August to November, and will not be able to take any orders during that period.  All orders placed by 1 August for items in stock will be posted, but probably none after that date.

We will also be unable to respond to any phone calls or emails, so please do not phone and block the answerphone, or fill up the inbox until our blog shows that we are available to deal with your queries.

New stamp issues will be mentioned on the blog as usual, although there will probably not be any news about new Machin discoveries.  We will report on the October booklets and business sheets in November.  We will not be supplying any Post and Go stamps from Autumn Stampex.

If you have any questions or comments please write now and I will reply before the end of the month.

Thank you for your continued support and - in many cases, your business.  We look forward to continuing to supply you in 2017.

The good news is that there are no health concerns, no operations and no hospitalization!  We are simply taking an extended break during what will probably be a fairly quiet and predictable time in the Great Britain stamp scene.
[* If you are a customer and didn't get the email, please let me know and I will add you to the list; there have been some message-bounces in the past and I have deleted those email addresses but if they are still valid I will put them back.]

As also mentioned

I am pleased to say that the latest version of our security checklist is now available (here). 

This is updated to 28 July and includes the stamps from the Beatrix Potter PSB and the 6 x 1st booklet with the new cover, both due that day.  It also includes all the new numbers that SG have allocated to booklets with security printing on the inside cover - not something I anticipated in the previous editions!

All these stamps and booklets have been added to our web shop now, for delivery after the issue date.

Stanley Gibbons' policy on which booklets should be listed in their Concise catalogue with whole numbers, sub-numbers and only mentioned in footnotes is puzzling.  When the printer's imprint was removed and then again when the FSC certification was added, the booklets were given sub-numbers (12 x 2nd are ME5b and ME5c respectively).  When the telephone number on booklets changed from 0845 to 0345 this warranted only a footnote - and ME5c covers both.  But the booklets with the security backing paper (SBP) on the inside under the stamps have been given new whole numbers, so ME6.  This has meant several changes in the Checklist - and I hope I have caught them all!

As well as the Beatrix Potter-sourced stamps and the 1st class red from book of 6, the list also includes four new stamps, two of which are on the shop, and two which I hope to get this week, as I found out about them only after the others had been added to the shop.   These are the 1st class Large business sheet and the 2nd Large booklet, Norvic 2933.6 and 2916B.6.  I haven't made these available in the shop until I am sure of having them to send.

5p counter sheet



1st class book of 6 MSIL



Additions are highlighted on the checklist.  I'll repeat them here, but for the present I won't repeat a list of new stamps for 2016.

2936S.6     1st red booklet of 6 MSIL M16L - new cover design, issued 28 July, pre-order now.

2933.6       2nd Large - booklet of 4 - supplies awaited

2916B.6    1st Large red - business sheet  - supplies awaited

3005.6       5p counter sheet M16L - in stock now

4005P.6     5p gummed M16L MPIL - Beatrix Potter PSB issued 28 July, pre-order now.
4010P.6     10p gummed M16L MPIL - Beatrix Potter PSB issued 28 July, pre-order now.
4015P        £1.05 gummed M16L MPIL - Beatrix Potter PSB issued 28 July, pre-order now.


MB17        6 x 1st red booklet, new cover design issued 28 July, pre-order now.
PM52        6 x 1st mixed Beatrix Potter booklet (purple defins) issued 28 July, pre-order now
RA2d.6      4 x 2nd Large booklet -   - supplies awaited

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