More new Machin definitive printings and a new Scotland stamp.

Another month brings another batch of Machin reprints and a new Scotland stamp - updated 18 May with images, click on them to see enlargements

We've now received these new M16L printings which will be added to our shop later today along with replenishment of others:

1p - 02/02/2016

20p - 03/02/2016

 

Also reprints of earlier M16L printings which will enable us to restock these:

2p - 03/02/2016

10p - 08/02/2016

The Scotland 2nd class has also been reprinted: we're obtaining some stock to establish whether they are appreciably different.  This is a totally new stamp as the Queen's head and face value are now printed in grey and there is no silver plate.

For this printing, the plate contains only this stamp, in all four grid positions - the previous ones have been shared with the 1st class Scotland in the right-hand column.

This should have a new catalogue number, though I suspect it may be an 'a' number to avoid wholesale renumbering.  It will be listed in our webshop as S130a.

Also reported, on security backing paper, is the 1st class Large business sheet.  But there are some problems with identification.  I won't know for sure until I have them to hand, and only have these two images so far, of different stamps.   On all other M16L stamps the figure '6' is quite different from the figure '5' on last year's stamps.  These look like 15 but one could be 16! The ones we have are definitely '15'.

Lastly, reported but not yet received, the 1st Large booklet of 4 is now available in a 2016 printing with year code M16L, instead of MA1- as in previous years.

UPDATE 25 MAY 2016: The new M16L stamp is now available from our shop

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Spring printings bring many more new Machin stamps

As usual at this time of year, there have been a number of new printings of counter sheets, business sheets and booklets, giving rise to a number of totally new stamps.  (Click on all these images for enlargements)  [UPDATED 19 April]

The 500g Special Delivery stamp was first issued in 2010, and reprinted in 2014, and has now been reprinted again on 03/03/16

Both Royal Mail Signed For stamps, first issued in 2013, were reprinted in 2015.  The Large Letter version has now been reprinted again, on 01/03/16.

Also new this week are the 1st class Large [12/02/16] , and £1 wood-brown [09/02/16] with M16L year codes.

The 2nd x 12 booklet with year code M16L has also appeared (picture to follow).  As expected this has security backing paper.  I'm reminded that the 1st x 12 M16L booklet has also appeared and I hope to have stock of this next week.

There have also been more new printings of values already received this year:

2nd class Large - 16/02/16

1st purple - 26/02/16

£1.05 - 10/02/16

£1.33 - 18/02/16

Some of these are listed in dateblocks on our shop (or will be very shortly): if any readers want examples that are not listed, please contact us an we will try to obtain them.

Revised List
Our comprehensive checklist of all Security Machins, the booklets, and a cross-reference to SG Concise numbers has been updated to version 1.4.3 and is available now.

New additions are here highlighted thus. Some booklets (including cylinders) have been added but cylinders are in very short supply.  This brings the total to 20, with two more to come in the Queen's Birthday prestige stamp book, and another in the associated retail booklet.


2015 Year Codes   (7)

2931R.5 - 2nd class coil - MRIL - reported used, then mint

2911B.5a - 2nd class business sheet MBIL on security backing paper (SBP)

2931.5a - 2nd class book of 12 MTIL on SBP

2936.5a - 1st class red book of 12 MTIL on SBP

2914B.5a - 1st class red business sheet MBIL on SBP 

3745a  -  1st class amethyst purple book of 6 on SBP [O15R]

2937.5a - 1st Large book of 4 on SBP


2016 Year Codes (M16L unless otherwise stated) (15)

2911B.6 - 2nd class business sheet MBIL on security backing paper (SBP)

2913B.6 - 2nd Large business sheet MBIL M16L 11/02/16 on security backing paper (SBP) UPDATE

2913.6 - 2nd Large counter sheet printed 15/01/16 - plain backing paper (PBP)

2916.6 - 1st Large counter sheet printed 12/02/16 - plain backing paper (PBP)


2931.6 - 2nd class book of 12 MTIL on SBP

2936.6 - 1st class red book of 12 MTIL on SBP  UPDATE

3002.6 - 2p counter sheet printed 12/01/16 - PBP

3010.6 - 10p counter sheet printed 11/01/16 - PBP

3101.6 - £1.00 brown counter sheet printed 10/02/16 - PBP

3105 - £1.05 counter sheet printed 20/01/16 new tariff - PBP

3133.6  - £1.33 counter sheet  08/01/16 - PBP


2992.6 - 1st Large Signed For - printed 01/03/16 - PBP


2986.6 - Special Delivery 500g - printed 03/03/16

3702P.6  - 1st class red MPIL  gummed paper from PSB issued 21/04/16


3744.6 - 1st class amethyst purple counter sheet printed 21/01/16 - PBP  [O16R]

3745a.6  -  1st class amethyst purple book of 6 on SBP [O16R]

3746.6 - 1st class amethyst purple from mixed book of 6 on SBP - issued 21/04/16

3748 - 1st class amethyst purple gummed paper from PSB O16R REIGP issued 21/04/16

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More New Machin Security Stamps - the list grows!

Even as this was in draft, news came in of even more new Machin definitive stamps or variants on last year's stamps.  So first a summary of what we have had so far this year.  

Following a suggestion from MachinManiac Larry, I have changed my terminology.  PBP now refers to PLAIN backing paper and SBP to SECURITY backing paper.


2015 Year Codes   (stamps in [ ] brackets not yet in stock)

2931R.5 - 2nd class coil - MRIL - reported used, then mint

2911B.5a - 2nd class business sheet MBIL on security security backing paper (SBP)

[2931.5a] - 2nd class book of 12 MTIL on SBP

[2936.5a] - 1st class red book of 12 MTIL on SBP

[2914B.5a] - 1st class red business sheet MBIL on SBP (no picture yet)

3745a  -  1st class amethyst purple book of 6 on SBP [O15R]

[2937.5a] - 1st Large book of 4 on SBP (no picture yet)


2016 Year Codes (M16L unless otherwise stated)

2913.6 - 2nd Large counter sheet printed 15/01/16 - plain backing paper (PBP) (see below)

3002.6 - 2p counter sheet printed 12/01/16 - PBP (see below)

3010.6 - 10p counter sheet printed 11/01/16 - PBP  (see below)

3133.6  - £1.33 counter sheet  08/01/16 - PBP

3744.6 - 1st class amethyst counter sheet printed 21/01/16 - PBP  [O16R] (see below)

We have stocks of some of these, in some cases very small stocks and only singles; we hope for sheets to arrive soon which will allow us to break out cylinder and date blocks.  Some booklets we have no cylinders but hope for them to arrive soon.


Last year I reported 5 new stamps (plus the Alice in Wonderland booklet) by 7 March.  This year we have 5 stamps with 2016 year codes, plus 7 more printed backing paper variants with last year codes.  Fortunately there are none scheduled for release at Stamps, but who knows what we may find on the Royal Mail stand that haven't already been found in Post Office branches and supermarkets ! ?

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Mint copies Latest Bulk Mailing 2nd class coil stamp now seen.

The latest 2nd class coil - produced for bulk postings by the Direct Mail industry - has now been seen, and we have been sent this picture.

We don't have any stock yet, but hope to be able to supply customers via our webshop after the trip to the York Stamp and Coin fair at the weekend.   More details, including pricing, as soon as possible.

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Take another look at the holiday mail - surprises abound!

If, like me, you don't get round to sorting the Christmas card envelopes that you receive yourself, and from family and friends' hordes until some time in January you should look out for one that is not all it seems.

We all get a lot of red envelopes at Christmas, addressed in a variety of styles.  This one looks like any other unless you really look at it.  The two rows of numbers are the clue, and if you look closely at the apparently 'written' address it is printed with an ink-jet or laser printer in 'joined-up' script.  Look closer at the stamp and you will see that it is the 2015 coil, this time sent courtesy of the Holiday Property Bond.

For me, tearing the stamp off without looking at it was a silly mistake, espcially as JG had emailed me on 5 January with this picture of the stamp on the HPB letter sent to his wife over Christmas :-(

The other thing that you may see on your Christmas post - if it is postmarked at all - are examples of the old Universal-style postmarks.  These ought to be a better clue as to where the item was posted than the 'area' ink-jet postmarks.  (I was told that some mail from North Norfolk was sent to Chelmsford's South East Anglia MC) instead of being processed in Norwich, or even Peterborough as is often the case.

Here's an example of the Chelmsford Universal machine with the Please Post Early 'Snowman' slogan used on 17 December - along with the normal South East Anglia MC 'Last Posting Dates' slogan.   Over on the Stampboards forum some members are recording their finds - but they are few and far between.   So if you have any contribute please pop over - or, if forums are not your thing, send me your image and I'll add it to the records there and for the British Postmark Society.

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Full list of 2015 Machin Security Stamps

I am now able to show the full list of 2015 issues - 47 new stamps, which are all MA15 or M15L apart from some early M14L-coded stamps.   The Norvic catalogue numbers link to our web shop, where we have stocks of most of these (or will be getting more soon).  The descriptions link either to the blog or website, depending on whether they were part of regular stamp issues or simply 2105 reprints.

The final Machin Security Stamps have been added to our Checklist/Catalogue, If you don't already have a copy of this, you can find the latest version on Dropbox.

Machins FDC List, which is a list of security issues in chronological order
Machins Cross-ref, being the reverse cross-reference of SG Concise numbers to our own.

These are now available for you to download at http://www.norphil.co.uk/reference/

2911.5        2nd counter sheet
2911B.5     2nd business sheet
2931.5        2nd from retail booklet

2931R.5     2nd coil (probably of 10,000) Very few examples reported so far

2913.5        2nd Large counter sheet

2913B.5     2^nd Large business sheet 

2933.5        2nd Large from retail booklet

2914.5        1st red counter sheet
2914B.5     1st red business sheet 

2936.5        1st from retail booklet of 12

2936S.5     1st from retail booklet of 6
2936C.5     1st from mixed retail booklet (Alice in Wonderland or Comedy Greats)

3747           1st amethyst purple miniature sheet  (REIGM) (ordinary gum)

3744           1st amethyst purple counter sheet  (REIGN)

3745           1st amethyst purple retail booklet of 6 (REIGS)

3746           1st amethyst purple mixed retail booklet (REIGC)

2916.5        1st Large counter sheet

2916B.5     1st Large business sheet

2937.5        1st Large from retail booklet

2985.5        Special Delivery 100g
2991.5        1st Signed For
2992.5        1st Large Signed For

3001.5        1p counter sheet
3002.5        2p counter sheet
3005.5        5p counter sheet

3010.5        10p counter sheet
3020.5        20p counter sheet
3101.5        £1 counter sheet

New Tariff- 24 March
3133           £1.33 counter sheet
3152           £1.52 counter sheet
3225           £2.25 counter sheet
3245           £2.45 counter sheet
3315           £3.15 counter sheet
3330           £3.30 counter sheet

Ordinary Gum
3700P.5      2nd MPIL M15L from Star Wars Prestige Book
3702P.5      1st MPIL M15L from Star Wars Prestige Book
4001P.4      1p M14L from Inventive Britain Prestige Book

4001P.5      1p M15L from Great War 2015 Prestige Book
4002P.4      2p M14L from Inventive Britain Prestige Book

4005P.5      5p M15L from Great War 2015 Prestige Book

4005P.5a    ditto, from Battle of Waterloo Prestige Book (shade)

4010P.5      10p M15L from Battle of Waterloo Prestige Book

4050P.5      50p M15L from Battle of Waterloo Prestige Book
4081P.4      81p M14L from Inventive Britain Prestige Book
4097P.4      97p M14L from Inventive Britain Prestige Book

4100P.5      £1 M15L from Battle of Waterloo Prestige Book

4133P.5      £1.33 M15L from Great War 2015 Prestige Book

The first prestige stamp book in 2016 will not be issued until February, but we understand that that will not contain Machin definitives, so when will the earliest M16L stamps appear?  I hope that the early part of next year will also see an increase in supplies of some of the M15L stamps, as many PO branches are still using stocks from earlier years, back to 2012 in some cases!

But do look out for new printings of counter sheet stamps: especially the higher values.  The £2 must be due for another reprint soon!

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At last the 2015 coded 2nd class coil stamp has appeared.

Once again what the industry refers to as Direct Mail and what most recipients refer to as Junk Mail has added to the number of collectable Machin Security Stamps for 2015.  Thanks to a reader in Lincolnshire, I can show the 2nd class coil for this year, coded MRIL M15L.

This comes on a mail-shot from the Samaritans posted via Croydon Mail Centre on 3 November 2015.

What is also interesting is the Postcode slogan, rather than the Rugby World Cup Winners or default Stroke Association slogans, suggesting that maybe machine 6 was used to process these and only these letters, while ordinary mail was processed with the previously announced slogans.  Readers will recall coils used on previous mailshots was cancelled with a wavy-line-only postmark, applied by the mailing house, rather than at the Mail Centres.  (See here and here, for examples.)

I will, of course, be interested to hear of any other users of this new stamp.

Update: 2 reports of mailings from the British Heart Foundation.

Update 31 January 2016.  A further example from finance company IWOCA:

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New Machin Security Stamps - and an apology!

Back from a week in sunny(?) Nottinghamshire, with a general apology for not announcing my absence, here on the blog and for not setting my 'out of office' message on my emails.  I thought I had done that, and tried to do it on the phone, but failed somehow.  So I'm not ignoring you: I will get round to answering emails.

In the meantime thanks for all the comments on the autumn's Post and Go programme - that certainly set off a lively debate, not least about the ethics of obtaining and selling blank strips!  More of that later.

The important news for now is that stocks of the 1st class x 12 booklets have at last appeared across the country and we have them in our shop, both as single stamps and whole booklets, including cylinders. 

The cylinder numbers - W7 red, W1 iridescent, and a new (?*) W2 phosphor - are, as usual this year, hidden by the front cover.  But the packing date cannot be relied upon as an indicator of the year code on the booklets within the pack.  Our stock of booklets with M15L stamps has a packing date of 30/03/15, but we have reports that packs with April 2015 packing dates have M14L stamps in.
(* See 'Comments' for discussion on whether this is a new W2 cylinder or the old one with the number repositioned.)

We also have the 2nd Large MA15 booklets in stock now.

Aside from any sheet stamp reprints, this probably means that the only Machin definitives still to appear this year will be the MPIL M15L 1st and 2nd class in the Star Wars Prestige Stamp Book. And we still don't have firm details on whether these will be gummed or
We now know that these will be self-adhesive, and we are reasonably certain that the 1st class will be red. 
 

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New Machin pictures

As previously mentioned, the 10p sheet stamp and the 1st class book of 6 were found last month.

I can now show pictures of both:

10p counter sheet - MAIL - M15L - printing date 13/05/15

1st class retail book of 6.  As with the 1st Large book, the cylinder numbers - W7 (red) W1 (iridescent) W3 (phosphor) - are hidden by the front cover.  Now on sale here.

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