All quiet on Machin definitive stamps - until next month

Most readers will be aware that the vast majority of this year's Machin definitives that are likely to appear have been issued from Tallents House or made an appearance in Post Offices.  In fact in the last couple of months, especially during the hotter periods, the lack of new stamps has given us a welcome respite from the office.  Following my comparison of the UK's stamp press new issue announcements last week one of the editors asked me if it was a 'slow news day'.  Indeed it has been.

The only normal stamps still to come - by which I mean the ones that we would expect to see every

year - are the 1p, 5p & 2nd class Large counter sheets, the 2nd class Large business sheet, and the 1st class from a prestige stamp book (PSB).

So in three weeks at Stampex, Royal Mail will issue the remaining counter sheet stamps on Wednesday 12 September, including the 2p which missed their spring delivery but which we have had in stock for some time.

On Thursday 13th, the World War I Centenary PSB will include the 1st class coded MPIL M18L.

Any customers who require first day covers of these stamps please let us know immediately. 

For the counter sheet stamps detailed catalogues will say that the (official) date of issue is 12 September although it has been available since May.  Because of this we will include the 2p on FDCs unless you request that it is left off!

Comparing the Poppy stamp in this year's PSB with that in the previous WWI books (2015/6) it seems to be identical, except that on the latest ones we have the poppies and stems are slightly more to the right than before.  So this will not be included on FDCs.

Also included as part of the WWI set will be a mixed-content retail booklet, but as that contains 1st class stamps coded MCIL M18L - already included in several booklets this year - that is not a new stamp.

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