With the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth this post looks forward beyond the issue of King Charles III definitives.
Whilst there is no postal stationery all these will need to change.
"Digital Stamps" - or pre-printed stamps used for bulk mailings.
Direct Mailers believe (or have been told) that 'stamped' mail gets a better response than that with a different Postage Paid Impression. As these are printed as required for each client customer, it seems likely that there would not be much difficulty in replacing the Queen Elizabeth Machin design wit another showing King Charles III. And this is likely to be in green, of couse.
Post and Go stamps at Museums and Self-Service Kiosks in Post Office branches
As with Machin definitive stamps, we are likely to see these used to exhaustion - and there will be all sorts of stocks held in branches across the land. The 2nd class base stock should appear in green and the 1st class in (probably a light) purple with the head of King Charles III. I would expect these changes to be made this year, but for the old stamps to be used in parallel initially.
Whilst it is unlikely that there will be any totally new designs for pictorial Post and Go stamps, there are many pictorial stamps available for use at specific locations or on specific occasions. These will eventually be produced with the profile/cameo head of King Charles, probably as used on the forthcoming Garden Flowers special issue stamps.
1. Union Flag - for Naval anniversaries and patriotic occasions.
2. Poppy - leading up to Remembrance Day in November.
3. Winter Greenery - leading up to Christmas.
4. Mail by Rail: Post Office Underground Railway single design - used at The Postal Museum.
5. Other 'Mail by...' issues used at the Postal Museum in conjunction with their exhibitions
Any others?
Horizon Labels at Post Office Counters and similar labels at Self-Service Kiosks in branches.
These are produced in one colour similar to that of the 1st class Post and Go stock, even though they are used for 2nd class, 1st class and ParcelForce transactions. Again replacement will depend to some extent on existing stocks.
For the present I can't think of anything else postal - although other Post Office products such as Postal Orders do bear a portrait of the monarch will need to be replaced as well.
My thanks to John E for reminding me of these products which will need changing.
If anybody makes a mock-up of any of these with the new head and colours I will be pleased to add them here.
And if anybody can think of anything I have forgotten - please remind me!
