Visions of the Universe 11 February 2020 issue.

Advance information was provided last month, and we can now show the stamps in full.  Once again Royal Mail have included 2nd class stamps, which is to be commended, and these are very colourful.  I predict that these will receive more positive comment than the Romantic Poets, although they will have a niche attraction.

In the year in which the Royal Astronomical Society is celebrating its 200th anniversary Royal Mail is issuing a set of eight Special Stamps, depicting various astronomical features and phenomena discovered over that time by British astronomers and astrophysicists. The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) was founded in March 1820 and is the leading learned society for astronomy in the UK, promoting the scientific study of astronomy, the solar system and related geophysics. It supports public education for students, teachers, the public and media.

Stephen Hawking was awarded the RAS’s prestigious gold medal in 1985 for his contribution to cosmology and his collaborations on the nature of black holes. He is commemorated in a special Coin Cover that includes a coin specially struck by The Royal Mint.

 

Stamps
2nd Class - Cat’s Eye Nebula, discovered by William Herschel – first president of the Royal Astronomical Society.

2nd Class - Enceladus, Saturn’s Moon with water geysers (discovered by William Herschel, 1789; British team first detected water geysers

1st Class - Pulsar - The first Pulsar was discovered by Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Anthony Hewish, 1967.

1st Class - Black Hole – the image is from an interpretation of the data from black hole by University College London, (In 1970 Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose published a scientific paper which was ground-breaking in predicting the nature of Black Holes.)

£1.55 - Jupiter’s aurora - the University of Leicester is closely involved in the understanding of the auroras.

£1.55 - Gravitational Lensing - An optical phenomenon where huge gravitational fields bend light and was first detected by team that included UK astronomers in 1979.

£1.60 - Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko - British companies and universities including the Open University involved in the Philae probe and imaging, as the lander descended sending back huge amounts of data from the surface of the comet.

£1.60 - Cygnus A galaxy - First radio source discovered from beyond our own galaxy, Jodrell Bank identified the twin sources of radio waves from it.

Prestige Stamp Book
This 24-page book celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Royal Astronomical Society. Written by astronomy journalist Dr Stuart Clark, it explores the history of the Royal Astronomical Society from its inception 200 years ago to the present day, including key discoveries, the growth of astronomical science and geophysics and recent space missions. The book contains all eight special stamps in panes not available anywhere else plus two panes containing eight Definitive stamps.

 

 

Shown above, panes 1 and 3 show the panes containing the special stamps.

Pane 4 (left) shows the Royal Astronomical Society logo, surrounded by 4 x 2p, 2 x £1.35 and 2 x 1p Machin Definitive stamps. 

Pane 2 (right) shows an image of a Black Hole - or probably a solar eclipse as on the front cover - surrounded by 4 x 1st Class Country Definitive stamps, 2 x 10p and 2 x 5p Definitive stamps.

These Machins are coded M19L, which is a shame, and the country definitives are new font. This means that we have only three new stamps 1p, 10p & £1.35 -  as the 5p was in the Star Wars PSB, and the 2p was included in the Queen Victoria PSB last year.  However, the shades are different, as shown earlier.

Technical details and acknowledgements
The 50 x 30 mm stamps are designed by True North and are printed in litho by Internatioanl Security Printers, with PVA gum in sheets of 70 stamps.
Acknowledgements: Black hole reference imagery © Dr Ziri Younsi, UCL; gravitational lensing black hole reference imagery (Cheshire Cat galaxy group) © NASA/Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center/Science Photo Library.

Products

First Day Covers, Presentation Pack, PSB, Stamp cards, Framed set, Coin Cover.

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2020 Second Issue - Visions of the Universe 11 February

Royal Mail's Philatelic Bulletin just received, announces the second issue as being "Visions of the Universe", to be issued on 11 February.  This issue marks the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Astronomical Society.

2012 'Venus with clouds' 1st class

No pictures can be shown yet, but the issues consists - as did the first one - of two each 2nd and 1st class, and £1.55 and £1.60 stamps.  (UPDATE 17 JAN: They are now shown on cover producers' websites and on another blog.) This definitely represents a change in policy from Royal Mail who have previously said that they regarded the events/commemorations too important to be marked by 2nd class stamps: "it is very difficult to list people or places as second class."

As well as the 8 stamps there will be a first day cover, presentation pack, and stamp cards as usual, and a prestige stamp book (PSB).

The PSB contains two panes which have the eight commemorative stamps, and two definitive panes.  Only pane 4 will be supplied on a Royal Mail first day cover.  This contains 4 x 2p, 2 x £1.35 and 2 x 1p Definitive stamps, with a centre label featuring the Royal Astronomical Society logo.

The other definitive pane has the four 1st class country definitives, plus 2 x 10p and 2 x 5p Definitive stamps. The label in the centre features an illustration of a black hole.

So for Machin collectors it would seem that there are two sets of five new stamps - 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p and £1.35 which should be coded MPIL M20L.

Update 15 January - John confirms that these are coded M19L, which is a shame, and the country definitives are new font. This means that we have only three new stamps 1p, 10p & £1.35 -  as the 5p was in the Star Wars PSB, and the 2p was included in the Queen Victoria PSB last year.  However, I shall be very surprised if this is the same dark shade!

UPDATE 22 January.
I've removed the stock photos of the Machins to show the actuals.  The 2p is shown compared with that in the Queen Victoria PSB, and the 5p is shown compared with that in the Star Wars PSB.

 

 

The very dark Queen Victoria PSB, and Visions of the Universe.

 

 

 

 The Star Wars 5p, and the lighter head from Visions of the Universe, lower picture under UV.

 

 

It remains to be seen whether the Country Definitives will be any different from previous versions.  The publicity mock-ups, predictably, show the original font on each of them, so we really can't begin to guess what will actually appear.

The country definitives have the new font.  The Scotland stamp is almost identical to that in the sheet printing.  The Wales stamp is slightly less yellow.  I don't have an example of the Northern Ireland sheet stamp; if anybody can send a comparison scan when they get the stamps next month, I would appreciate it. 

The biggest difference I can see is in the shade of the England stamp, which is a markedly different shade, despite being printed by the same printer and process.

 

 

 

 

Other products, aimed outside the philatelic community, are coin covers and framed stamps.  More details and pictures here when we are permitted to show them, which is currently 31 January.

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It's the end: of the suspense, the series, and possibly many collections.

The long-awaited news of the final stamp issue for the year on 26 November, known to some as 'Project Apollo', can now be revealed as the third Star Wars set, hinted at in our visual clue here.

Following the first issue in 2015, and the second in 2017, we now have the third and final issue.  Of course it wouldn't a surprise issue without a surprise, and we have a some of course.  This is what Royal Mail have written:

Royal Mail is issuing its third and final stamp issue celebrating the phenomenon of Star Wars.

This new set of stamps will feature characters and iconic vehicles from the film series, in time for the release of the final installment of the Skywalker saga; Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, due for cinema release on 19th December 2019 (UK release).

The original trilogy of films (released between 1977 and 1983) was made at Elstree and Shepperton Studios in the UK. The producers of the series, Lucasfilm and Disney, decided to return to a British studio and crew whose expertise contributed to the success of the original movies. The final trilogy of movies has been filmed at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire and our stamps celebrate the British contribution to Star Wars, and mark the world event of the release of the concluding episode and culmination of the Skywalker saga.

This new set of 10 characters complete the 30 stamp Star Wars collection from across all three epic trilogies.

All 10 characters are original, exclusive illustrations by digital artist and Star Wars fan Malcolm Tween who has blended the main images with background scenes to create striking and hyper-realistic montages.  The set includes much-loved characters from the original trilogy such as Wicket Ewok and Lando Calrissian but also introduces three brand-new characters from the latest blockbuster: 'The Rise of Skywalker'.

The stamps
As before, the character stamps consist of a set of 10 x 1st class stamps.  The characters depicted are:

Count Dooku, Lando Calrissian, Sith Trooper, Jannah, Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Maul, Zorii, Wicket Warrick, Poe Dameron and Queen Amidala.

As before, those who are really interested in Star Wars will know, or will quickly find out about these characters and so I'm not wasting my time and blog space providing more details.

The stamps are designed by Interabang using Malcolm Tween's illustrations, printed by ISP in lithography. They are 35mm square and are in two sheets of 50.

Miniature Sheet
The self-adhesive miniature sheet features 6 x 1st class stamps with 'some of the most iconic vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy'.  To save repeating detail, I'll start the technical details here with the sizes of and perforation of these stamps.

Poe’s X-wing fighter and TIE silencer - 41mm x 30mm, landscape (14.5 x 14);
Jedi starfighter and Slave I - 27mm x 37mm, portrait (14 x 14);
Podracer and speeder bikes - 60mm x 21mm, landscape (14.5 x 14.5).

The MS is designed by Interabang using Malcolm Tween's illustrations, printed by ISP in lithography. The sheet is 192 x 74 mm.  (It's self-adhesive, not gummed as in the details RM provided.)


Retail Stamp Book
As usual the retail stamp book includes four 1st class definitive stamps as well as two special stamps featuring Poe Dameron and Sith Trooper.  This is only a mock-up image of all the stamps.

The self-adhesive booklet is printed in gravure by ISP Walsall.  The Star Wars stamps are, therefore, different and will be separately catalogued.

As before there is a Prestige Stamp Book containing all 10 of the new stamps, the miniature sheet stamps spread over two panes as in 2015 (thus ensuring that the individual stamps have separate catalogue numbers.

 

 

  

The pictures above are provided by Royal Mail.  The ones below are scans of an actual pane.

 
 

The book contains all the stamps in the current issue and three new Machin Definitives.  These are coded MPIL M19L as shown in the photos here of the actual stamps (click to enlarge any).

You'll realise that there's a big surprise here, because as well as the useful 4 x 2nd class, and 2 x 5p, there are 2 x £1.17.  This is a redundant value, last useful for a year from April 2017 for the 20g Europe and 10g Rest of World Letters (and worldwide Postcard) rates.  We had this note: make of it what you will!

We first had this value in the Game of Thrones PSB issued on 23 January 2018, coded MPIL M17L.  This was followed on 20 March 2018 by the Royal Air Force PSB, but those were coded M_IL M18L.  The latest one is properly coded MPIL M19L so they won't get a separate entry in Gibbons Concise Catalogue but will be included in U3084.  Similarly the 5p is SG U3072 and the 2nd class is U3065.
Correction: as these are litho, the 2nd will be U3150.

In our Checklist these will be 2901P.9 (2nd), 4005P.9 (5p) and 4117P.9 (£1.17).

The regular edition PSB is £17.65 (Royal Mail product code YB085), and of course there is a Limited Edition with just the same stamps, which is priced at £49.99 (RM: YB086)

Collector Sheet (RM product code AT110 - £8.10)
As with other years Royal Mail have also produced a Collectors Sheet (listed in the SG Concise under 'Post Office Label Sheets' along with the Smilers and Generic Sheets) containing all 10 of the 2019 stamps with attached labels.  This is self-adhesive making the stamps collectably different although they will not be individually listed in the Concise.  Some other catalogue editors and album producers may include these individually.

Complete Stamp Set Collectors Sheet (RM product code AS5188COMP - £21.00)
There will also be a 30-stamp gummed sheet containing all 30 stamps of the Star Wars series (12 in 2015, 8 in 2017).  This will be sold by RM at face value and should be listed by SG in the Concise alongside the last of the 2019 stamps. [Compare SG MS3308 A-Z of the United Kingdom which contained all 26 stamps in those two issues.]

Other Products

 

Product name	Code	Price
Stamp Pack	AS5188P	£7.20
Miniature Sheet Pack	MZ146A	£4.40
First Day Cover Stamps	AF453	£9.00
First Day Cover Minisheet	MF143	£5.65
First Day Cover PSB pane	HF088	£6.45
Stamp Souvenir Cover	AW125	£9.00
Miniature Sheet Souvenir Cover	AW126	£5.65
Skywalker Family BU Medal Cover	AM069	£19.99
Skywalker Family Silver Medal Cover	AM071	£99.99
Vehicles BU Medal Cover	AM070	£19.99
Vehicles Silver Medal Cover	AM072	£99.99
Star Wars: The Official Stamp Collection	AW127	£24.99
Complete Stamp Set Souvenir	AW128	£22.99
Press Sheet	PZ043	£83.16
Framed Stamps & Minisheet	N3184	£44.99
Framed Collector Sheet	N3185	£39.99
Framed Complete Stamp Set	N3183	£54.99
Complete Stamp Set Mount	N6005	£24.99
Framed Ewok Print Signed by Warwick Davis	N3197	£134.99
Presentation Pack TRILOGY	PK110	£29.99
Prestige Stamp Book TRILOGY	PK111	£49.99

I said there were surprises, but I suppose the only real surprise was the £1.17 definitive, because all the others would have been entirely predictable to any collector or reader who had seen previous sets and other similar issues from Royal Mail.  A number of people who have already had a chance to see these or the advertising posters in Post Office branches have suggested that it is time to stop collecting Royal Mail's new stamps.  How about you?

(I should add that this was rescued from the trash, so no publicity posters at that Post Office branch! I've been corrected - they had two but only room to display one.)

UPDATE 19 November:

I've been told by somebody who should know that the Machin pane in the PSB should have looked like this, with two 1st class stamps.

Now, I'm no graphic designer, but I think from an aesthetic point of view, it would have been better still if it had been like this!

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Possibly full list of Machin 2019 Machin definitives

We probably now know of all the Machin security stamps which have or will be available with M19L coding.  Many of these are new printings by ISP Walsall, and have been available from Royal Mail Tallents House - if you know the product codes - while others have been available from supermarkets and Post Office branches.


M18L stamps issued in 2019
4001P.8 - 1p deep crimson M_IL from Marvel Comics book
4005P.8 - 5p dull red-brown from Da Vinci book
4010P.8 - 10p dull orange from Da Vinci book
4020P.8 - 20p green M_IL from Marvel Comics book
4125P.8 - £1.25 light green M_IL from Marvel Comics book
4145P.8 - £1.45 lavender M_IL from Marvel Comics book
4155P.8 - £1.55 turquoise-blue from Da Vinci book

Full list of M19L stamps so far (not all printing dates are shown):

Counter Sheets

2911.9   2nd class  - 25/02/19
2914a.9 1st class  -  25/02/19
2913.9   2nd Large - 25/02/19
2916a.9 1st Large  - 25/02/19


2985.9   100g Special Delivery - 26/03/19
2992.9    1st class Signed For - 17/09/19 (to be distributed by Royal Mail in January 2020.

3001.9 - 1p deep crimson, 19/02/19
3002.9 - 2p deep green, 19/02/19
3005.9 - 5p dull red-brown, 15/04/19
3010.9 - 10p dull orange, 19/02/19 : 16/04/19
3020.9 - 20p green, 19/02/19 : 16/04/19
3050.9 - 50p slate - printing date not yet known, to be distributed by Royal Mail in January 2020.
3101.9 - £1 bistre-brown, 20/02/19 : 16/04/19
3200.9 - £2 deep blue-green 22/07/09
3300.9 - £3 deep mauve 22/07/09
3500.9 - £5 azure 23/07/09


As usual there have been reprints of the tariff stamps: the first printing is usually a small quantity later supplemented by a reprint.  I'm not listing all printings, only noting other values when they are reported.

3135 - £1.35 orchid mauve
3155.9 -  £1.55 turquoise-blue, 14/02/9
3160 - £1.60 amber yellow
3230 - £2.30 gooseberry green
3280 - £2.80 spruce green  
3345 - £3.45 dark pine green 
3360 - £3.60 bright orange


Booklets
2936aC.9 - 1st class MCIL from mixed booklets, Marvel Comics 14.3.1, Birds of Prey 4.4.19,  D-Day on 5.6.19

2931.9 - 2nd class MTIL booklet of 12
2936a.9 - 1st class MTIL booklet of 12
2936aS.9 - 1st class MSIL booklet of 6
2933.9 - 2nd Large MFIL booklet of 4 (SBP2i seen on eBay)
2937a.9 - 1st Large MFIL booklet of 4, packing date 23/04/19

Prestige Stamp Books

2901P.9 - 2nd class blue from Star Wars III book
4002P.9 - 2p green from Queen Victoria Bicentenary book
4005P.9 - 5p dull red-brown from Star Wars III book
4050P.9 - 50p dark slate from Queen Victoria Bicentenary book*
4117P.9 - £1.17 vermillion  from Star Wars III book(redundant value)

* although this is a new shade I have not given it an 'a' number.

Business Sheets

2911B.9 - 2nd class blue, printed 05/02/19 on SBP2u;
2913B.9 - 2nd Large blue, printed 06/02/19, reported to be on both SBP2u and SBP2i but not necessarily with that date.
2914aB.9 - 1st class red printed 04/02/19 on SBP2u
2916aB.9 - 1st Large red printed 23/03/19 SBP2u

A new version of our Checklist is planned for early December.

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Walsall Printings of "High Value" Machin Sheets

As previously reported, the stamps traditionally known as 'high values' have been printed by ISP/Walsall for the first time and are about to be distributed by Royal Mail to collectors who have non-visible changes on their standing orders. 

These stamps are rarely available at Post Office branches but are available from some Royal Mail Delivery/Enquiry Offices and from Royal Mail's website - there is still a demand from outside philately.  At the time we were told of these (before Stampex) the £2 was out of stock and stock of another value was very low at Tallents House.

We have seen the earlier printings of these values in kiloware on plastic-wrapped packets but we don't actually know who uses them and why they don't use other means of payment for their postage, such as PPI or meter franking.  It's certainly not the philatelic trade in which there are plenty of other stamps available.

Unfortunately due to the excessive number of special stamp issues this year it has taken a month since Autumn Stampex for supplies to be sent to collectors and non-attending dealers, and already there is another new stamp (1st Signed For) to add to their automatic distrubutions.  However, as the delay has been Royal Mail's it will still be possible for collectors to ask the London Special Handstamp Centre for first day covers postmarked 11 September.  A Stampex (but not first day) special handstamp was available (ref 14953). 

The £2 and £3 values were printed on 22 July and the £5 on 23 July.  Numbers in our Checklist are 3200.9, 3300.9 and 3500.9.  As shown below, the colours are a good match with the original (or 2013) De La Rue printings (top row).

I know some people are interested in the orientation of the backing paper.  On the £2 the Large is above the Small both Upright; on the other two values the Large Upright is above the Small Inverted.

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