Music is the Spice of life: Music Giants IX, The Spice Girls - 11 January 2024

Royal Mail start the new year yet again with a Music Giants issue, this time for"the biggest girl group of all time, the Spice Girls, on the 30th anniversary of their formation" (*). 

The Spice Girls are global superstars, feminist icons, cultural figureheads and one of the most successful British bands since The Beatles. Between 1996 and 1998, when Spicemania was at its peak, they dominated the airwaves and stormed charts around the world with their inspirational ‘Girl Power!’ ethos and catchy pop hits. They have sold over 100 million records worldwide and scored nine UK number one singles.

* Last year the New York Times ranked the Spice Girls only fourth behind Diana Ross and the Supremes, who had 12 number one hits in first place.

The issue consists - as usual - of a set of stamps and a miniature sheet. The 15 stamps in total are all 1st class, meaning a basic cost of £18.75.

The stamps.

Set of 10 x 1st class Spice Girls stamps issued 11 January 2024.

Miniature sheet of five x 1st class Spice Girls stamps issued 11 January 2024.

The sheet stamps consist of five showing each group member individually, and five group shots from "some of their most iconic live performances internationally and in the UK."

 

For details, see Acknowledgements below.

 

The miniature sheet shows each of the band members in an iconic group photo. 

 

 

Technical Details and acknowledgements

The 41 x 30 mm gummed stamps have been printed in lithography by International Security Printers in sheets of 50 in horizontal se-tenant strips of 5,  perforated 14.5 x 14. 

The 180 x 74 mm self-adhesive miniature sheet contains 26 x 36 mm stamps printed in lithography by International Security Printers perforated 14 x14.

Designed by Supple Studio.
Acknowledgements in stamp order: (1) Spice Girls performing at the BRIT Awards, 1997 © Shutterstock.com; Melanie Chisholm performing at the BRIT Awards, London, 1998 © Richard Young/Shutterstock.com; Spice Girls performing during the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games © Johannes Eisele/AFP/ Getty Images; Geri Halliwell performing at the BRIT Awards, London, 1997 © Dave Benett/Getty Images; Spice Girls performing in San Jose, California, 2007 © Matt Baron/Shutterstock. com; 

(2) Emma Bunton performing at Wembley Arena, London, 1998 © Pete Still/Redferns/Getty Images; Spice Girls performing in Istanbul, 1997 © 2024 Spice Girls; Victoria Beckham performing during The Return of the Spice Girls Tour at Madison Square Garden, New York City, 2008 © MJ Kim/Spice Girls LLP via Getty Images; Spice Girls performing in Dublin, 1998 © Dave Hogan/Getty Images; Melanie Brown performing at the BRIT Awards, London, 1997 © JMEnternational/Redferns/Getty Images. Under license to Bravado Merchandising. All rights reserved. © 2024 Spice Girls. 

MS: Spice Girls, photograph by Christophe Gstalder © Spice Girls/ Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection/Alamy Stock Photo. Under license to Bravado Merchandising. All rights reserved. © 2024 Spice Girls.

Products available

Set of 10 stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers (2), presentation pack, prestige stamp book (PSB), press sheet of 12 minitaure sheets (edition of 200), stamp cards, fan sheets (2), collectors sheets (2), gold stamp set, platinum mini-sheet, framed products, print, stamps & MS each in a special souvenir carrier, limited edition PSB.   

Prestige Stamp Book, price £23.70.

As expected the PSB contains all the stamps in the same form as they are otherwise available, plus a pane of King Charles III definitive stamps coded M23L MPIL, with labels showing stills from the videos 2 Become 1 and Viva Forever.  (Click on the images to enlarge.)

Front cover of regular book.

Back cover of regular book.

 

 

Front cover of Limited Edition book.

Limited Edition PSB has the same stamps but is has different covers and comes with a certificate of authenticity.  Limited to 1994 copies, price £49.99. 

Collectors sheets

One collectors sheet contains a full set of 10 stamps, the other two sets of stamps from the miniature sheet, both accompanied by pictorial labels of the group, price £13.70 each.  Both are self-adhesive making the 'sheet' stamps different to those issued in sheets.

Spice Girls Collectors sheet of 10 stamps and labels.

Spice Girls Collectors sheet of two sets of miniature sheet stamps, with labels.

Fan Sheets

1. containing two each of the 1997 Brit Award and Istanbul stamps. Size A4, litho with PVA gum. Edition of 5,000 - £7.00.

2. containing one each of the miniature sheet stamps.  Size 230 x 190 mm, litho self-adhesive, edition of 5,000 price £7.50.

As usual, the first issue of the year has garnered wide publicity in the general media. 

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Dennis and Gnasher, Wild Coasts stamp issues coming in July.

After the Prince Philip Memorial MS on 24 June the next issue of stamps, on 1st July, is for 'Dennis and Gnasher' another comic cartoon and another 70th anniversary - it seems that they have to act before the centenary so that there are still some people alive who remember.

I can't write much about them until much later this month but the Philatelic Bulletin this month reveals that it is a set of six stamps (3 x 1st class and 3 x £1.70) accompanied (as always it seems) by a miniature sheet of 4 (two of each value).

There will be the usual assortment of philatelic material - FDC, presentation pack, stamp cards, A4 collectors sheet, and a retail stamp book.

And there will be framed products of course for those who are fans.

Three weeks later the Wild Coasts issue on 22 July has a set of 10 x 1st class and a miniature sheet of four (2 x 1st class, 2 x £1.70). 

Again there will be the usual assortment of philatelic material - FDC, presentation pack, stamp cards, A4 collectors sheet, and a retail stamp book.

And there will be framed products.

All in all another expensive month. 

UPDATE 17 June: Pictures of the Dennis & Gnasher stamps are now on cover producers' websites and on the other blog that you follow for just this eventuality!

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Music Giants V: Paul McCartney - another bumper pack to be issued 28 May 2021

This will undoubtedly be another set that some like, some don't, and others would if it only had fewer stamps and/or other products.  As a singer and songwriter Paul McCartney has great talent: whether he still has all the talents or not is a matter of debate.  Live televised performances over the last few years suggest that his voice is not as good as it was, especially compared to others of his age and older.

 According to Royal Mail:

Sir Paul McCartney is an icon of 20th century popular music and recognised by Guinness World Records as ‘The most successful songwriter of all time’ having written or co-written 188 charted records in the UK, of which 91 reached the top 10 and 33 to number one and having been awarded more than 60 gold discs.

In the USA he has composed 32 number-one singles and is a 21-time Grammy winner.

Over the course of nearly six decades, he has sold more records than any other artist.

2021 is the 50th anniversary of the formation of solo album RAM and the formation of the band Wings which achieved huge success as among the biggest selling acts of the 70s with 27 US top 40 hits (beating Elton John’s 25) and five consecutive no 1 albums. The 1977 Wings single, Mull of Kintyre, remains the UK’s biggest selling non-charity single.  

Half a century after The Beatles’ split, McCartney remains a vital figure at the centre of rock and pop, an artist whose legacy is immense but whose work continues to generate attention and acclaim.

In celebration of the UK’s most successful songwriter and greatest music legends, Royal Mail is releasing a new set of 8 stamps featuring some of the albums which spanned Paul McCartney’s career and a Miniature Sheet which reflects his passion for studio recording.

As is usual in this series, the issue consists of a set of 8 stamps (4 x 1st class and 4 x £1.70), a miniature sheet, a retail booklet, a prestige stamp book (PSB), and a 'smilers' type Collectors Sheet.  That's in addition to the first day covers (3), presentation pack, press sheet (of 16 MS) and stamp cards.

Then for the real fans, there are the medal covers (2), limited edition PSB, and two 'Fan sheets' in the same LP format as previously. 

The stamps

Set of 8 stamps featuring Paul McCartney Album Covers (Music Giants V 28 May 2021)

1st class:  McCartney, RAM, Venus and Mars, McCartney II
£1.70: Tug of War, Flaming Pie, Egypt Station, McCartney III

Paul McCartney in the Studio miniature sheet of 4 stamps

Royal Mail's description of these suggests that they are studio photos taken during the production of certain albums, namely: 1st class McCartney, RAM; £1.70 McCartney II, Flaming Pie.  No details of the background image have been provided.

Technical details

The 38 x 31mm gummed stamps are printed in litho in sheets of 48 by International Security Printers (ISP).  On the 115 x 89mm gummed miniature sheet the 35mm square stamps are also printed by ISP in litho.  Images © MPL Communications Inc/Ltd 2021.  The stamps and miniature sheet were designed by Royal Mail and Baxter & Bailey.

Other products

Retail booklet:  containing self-adhesive versions of the McCartney and McCartney II stamps, along with 4 x 1st class Machin definitives (coded M21L MCIL) the booklet is gravure printed by ISP.

Music Giants V: Paul McCartney retail stamp booklet.

Prestige Stamp Book: as usual this issue includes a PSB which contains all the sheet stamps, the miniature sheet with a different background, and a pane of Machin definitives.

Cover of Music Giants V: Paul McCartney prestige stamp book.

The stamps on the definitive pane are 2 each of 2p, 10p, 50p and an old-looking 1st class.  

Scan of actual definitive pane, McCartney PSB.

It's difficult to get the colours right on the scan: the red is darker, a good match for current 1st class stamps.  The 10p is dull, similar to the Leonardo 10p.  All the stamps are coded M21L MPIL.

There is also a £49.99 special edition limited to 1970 copies, in recognition of the release of McCartney in 1970 (51 years ago).  

UPDATE 11 May.  With apologies to the dealer who sent these pictures when he first received his stock. He has a PSB with a duplicate page - unfortunately not a page of stamps, but nonetheless unusual.

UPDATE 7 July.  We don't often see flaws which stand out quite as well as the one on this image sent from Jim P, who has a fishing website (OK, we don't normally advertise but on this occasion...).  I suspect this is transient as similar circular flaws on litho-printed stamps are well-known, but of late there has been nothing this eye-catching on a British stamp.  

On the lower 50p stamp, there is a large break at the foot of the '0'.  From the images supplied it doesn't look like a fault in the screening, more an ink bubble/blob.  But any collector would be pleased to find one of these.

Collector Sheet

McCartney Album Covers Collector Sheet

This is an A4 sheet containing 10 x of the Special Stamps from the set, with his first two albums; McCartney and RAM 1st Class stamps repeated. Set against a dramatic shot of Paul performing on the Freshen Up tour in 2019.  Price £13.00  (The stamps shown as £1.55 are actually £1.70 - Royal Mail should have updated the images before sending them to us.)
Print process; lithography printed on gummed paper, as are the ordinary sheet stamps.

Fan sheets
The usual assortment of additional stamp products including a numbered RAM sheet and McCartney (runs of 5,000) each containing just four of the relevant stamps (£7.50 each) and an Album Cover Collection sheet containing all 8 stamps, for £10.90 (also a numbered run of 5,000). The stamps shown as £1.55 are actually £1.70 - Royal Mail should have updated the images before sending them to us.

McCartney III Fan Sheet

Ram Fan Sheet

Album Cover Collection Fan Sheet

Other philatelic products

First day covers (3), presentation pack, stamp cards (14), press sheet of 16 miniature sheets (edition of only 200).

Other products

Albums medal cover; 'In the Studio' medal cover; stamp pack (set of 8), miniature sheet pack; Souvenir Folder containing 8 enlargements of the stamps also including the stamps and miniature sheet fixed to the card within the folder.  Framed products or similar but mounted only for personal framing.

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Scottish Independence Marked by new Miniature Sheet 6 April 2020

The first independence of Scotland was declared by Pope John XXII in response to an approach by the barons and freeholders of Scotland who asked him to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king.  The Declaration of Arbroath, dated 6th April 1320, is one of the most significant documents in Scotland’s history.


The Declaration was then taken to the papal court at Avignon by Bishop Kininmund, Sir Adam Gordon and Sir Odard de Maubuisson. The plea was successful and Scotland’s independence was eventually acknowledged eight years later by Papal Bull.

To commemorate the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arborath, Royal Mail will issue a special commemorative miniature sheet containing all 4 Scottish Country Definitive stamps for 2020. The background to the miniature sheet depicts the surviving Declaration itself and the 39 seals of the 8 earls and 31 barons who authenticated it although it is thought likely that at least 11 more seals than the original 39 might have been appended.

In 1970 The General Post Office included the Declaration's 650th anniversary in the General Anniversaries issue, a stamp designed by prolific stamp designer Fritz Wegner.  This time for the widely celebrated 700th anniversary, Royal Mail have fallen back on the overused format of a miniature sheet containing all four Scotland country definitives. If that is unimaginative, at least somebody has used their imagination on the background design, rather than using an image of the actual declaration as shown on wikipedia.

Technical Details

The sheet was designed by Scottish design company Tayburn and is printed by ISP in litho, with PVA gum.  The sheet is 123 x 70 mm, with stamps the standard definitive size of 20 x 24 mm.

The stamps are the new values, so 2nd class, 1st class, £1.42 and £1.63.


Royal Mail regard this as a commemorative issue, rather than a new issue.  Readers may know that dealers are able to purchase FDCs with stamps already affixed, but Royal Mail have said that this service is not available to us for this issue.  The cover is available (serviced product code AW141 for £6; blank: ME144 for 30p) from Royal Mail's bureau.  The Bureau's customers may find that their standing orders do not cover this sheet.
Update, from comments (Thanks Chris):
Information printed on the bottom of the New Definitive 2020 Order Advice Note sent to Philatelic Customers states that if you have Miniature Sheets on your regular order then you will receive this automatically. But the FDC containing the miniature sheet is a mail order item only, so you will not receive it as part of your regular order. A separate order has to be placed.


Here's a couple they made earlier
Previously Royal Mail used a similar format for the opening of the Scottish Parliament Building in 2004, and the 250th Anniversary of Robert Burns in 2009, a sheet also designed by Tayburn and which also contained to special Burns stamps to increase the overall cost to make it more economical for Royal Mail to handle.

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Surprise addition to the 2018 stamp programme from Royal Mail

Readers will know that Royal Mail have a surprise up their sleeves for 16th October.  It will almost certainly be another bumper blockbuster issue to appeal to more than just stamp collectors, and will be accompanied by a variety of framed or novelty add-ons as Star Wars has been in the past.  I still don't know what the subject is, but I heard a whisper.  

However, a couple of readers have told me about the latest communication from Royal Mail about their standing order, which shows an issue on 10th October.  This has the title 'United for Wildlife' priced at £15.95 plus 45p delivery charge.  Although much cheaper than I expected for the blckbuster, I thought this was going to be another cryptic codeword with nothing to do with the stamp subject - Camelot was used for one of the Star Wars issues, I think.

[7 September updates in blue now that Royal Mail have issued details to the Trade.]

But the September Philatelic Bulletin received today shows a forthcoming issue with just that title:

United for Wildlife: Smilers Commemorative Sheet (10 x 1st class stamps with backing card).

I thought they had given up on these spurious sheets - doubtless we will find out soon just why this is necessary, apart from adding to Royal Mail's income.  The trade haven't been made aware of this in advance of it being mentioned in the Bulletin and ordinary customers being billed for it.
Technical details: printed by ISP in litho on self-adhesive paper, A4, with stamps 24 x 20 mm.

UPDATE:  Searching the web I find the website which explains:

United for Wildlife was created by The Royal Foundation. Led by The Duke of Cambridge, our campaign unites the world’s leading wildlife charities under a common purpose: to create a global movement for change.

Whilst animals continue to be killed by criminals, whilst whole species are poached to extinction, we will join together to ask one simple question: Whose side are you on?
With the help of our incredible ambassadors from around the world, including David Beckham, Andy Murray and Chris Froome, we’re building a movement that will make a real change for wildlife.

“I believe passionately that we have a duty to prevent critically endangered species from being wiped out. If we get together, everywhere, we can preserve these animals so that they share our world with future generations. That’s what United for Wildlife is all about, and why I’m proud to be involved.”

HRH The Duke of Cambridge,
President of United for Wildlife

I understand the sheet uses the Royal Seal 1st class stamp with labels showing the most endangered species - elephants, rhinos etc.  This explains everything except why this type of stamp product will be useful to the campaign. There was widespread publicity yesterday (see below) when the Duke visited the Royal Mail's Worldwide International Logistics Centre at Heathrow Airport to see how United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce members are working together to disrupt attempts to traffic illegal wildlife products.  But ordinary members of the public won't see the sheets.

[Image of sheet now available - click to see it larger.]

  

 

I've been asked to explain these two images - my apologies I thought that everybody knew the format for these premium-priced Commemorative Sheets.  This is an earlier one, showing how the stamps are held in the card sleeve, which is itself in a clear cellophane pocket.  The picture at left with the tiger at the top is the inside, the tiger folds over to show the subject title as shown (inverted) on the right, with the text and images on the reverse shown below it.

United for Wildlife is one of many projects created by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.  Led by The Duke of Cambridge and with the help of ambassadors from around the world and key partner organisations, it unites the world’s leading wildlife charities under a common purpose: to create a global movement for change.

The organisation is committed to: 
>  Better On-Site Protection for wildlife. 
>  Reduce demand for illegal wildlife products.
>  Improve law enforcement.
>  Work with the private sector to reduce trafficking.
>  In 2014 United for Wildlife created a Transport Taskforce, of leaders from the global transportation industry, to identify opportunities to break the illegal wildlife trade chain between suppliers and consumers. Royal Mail are members of this Taskforce and work with enforcement agencies to support the action.
> Engage young people with conservation

Labels show the animals in danger.
Cheetahs - hunted as pets and for their coats;
African elephants - poached for ivory tusks;
Tigers - hunted for bones, teeth and skins maybe only 3200 left;
Asian and African pangolin - hunted for scales and meat;
Indian rhinoceros - one of the most endangered with only 65 of the Java species remaining;
Lions - about 20,000 left in the wild;
African rhinoceros - only about 25,000 left compared with 500,000 in 1900.


6 September UPDATE: This has been in the news today as The Duke of Cambridge was presented with a special commemorative sheet demonstrating the work of United for Wildlife and the Transport Taskforce:

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Stampex: World War I Centenary, and Post and Go Mail by Bike.

An update on Royal Mail's plans for Autumn Stampex, held this year from September 12-15 at the Business Design Centre, Islington north London.

Post and Go
As in spring, there will be no Royal Mail Post and Go kiosk at Stampex so there will be no special printing for the Mail by Bike issue on 12 September.  The stamps will be in the machine at the Postal Museum so there will be a special inscription there.  We understand (not from Royal Mail) that the island Postal Administrations will bring their Post and Go machines.
   Guernsey will have a commemorative inscription for the Royal Air Force Centenary on their flag stamps.  The flowers issue will be available without additional inscription.  The RAF/Flag stamps will also be available from their bureau.
   Jersey Post will have a new set showing Nautical Knots which will also be available from their bureau.  At Stampex they will also have a RAF Centenary inscription on their flag stamps; this will also be available from the bureau.


World War I Centenary
The final set in Royal Mail's five-year series will be issued on 13 September and for the first time include a retail booklet.  This will contain the usual Machins (coded M18L MCIL) and two different Poppy stamps.

Royal Mail will also be issuing a Composite Sheet containing all 30 stamps in the series, at their original face values.  These are shown on two FDCs on the Buckingham Covers website.  This is a limited edition sheet which will not be distributed on standing orders.

Royal Mail have reminded collectors preparing FDCs that only one handstamp can be used on any one date, and that the official day of issue postmarks can only be used on the new stamps.  Therefore any FDCs of the Composite Sheet can only be cancelled with an operational or a sponsored handstamp.  This would, of course, include the WWI Centenary and National Arboretum variable date handstamps shown on our website.

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Smilers to follow Business Customised Sheets into history?

Following the cessation of the Business Customised Service, this announcement is currently showing on Royal Mail's Smilers Stamps page:

Important Notice: Thank you for your interest in Smilers®. Please note that the Smilers® service is going to be put on hold for an indefinite period after 5pm (GMT) on Thursday, 26th July. Customers will not be able to order personalised Smilers® sheets after this time either via the Royal Mail website or by post. All orders received before then will be fulfilled as normal.

A reader has forwarded a separate correspondence about this which coincides with the launch of Royal Mail's new online shop:

I wanted to let you know that the personalised Smilers ® service is going to be put on hold for an indefinite period after Thursday 26th July as Royal Mail launches its new online shop. Customers will not be able to order personalised Smilers ® sheets when the new web platform goes live until further notice.

In preparation of the migration to the new website, we reviewed the range of products and services we offer on the current website and took the decision not to migrate the personalised Smilers ® service to the new shop when it goes live and to suspend it for the foreseeable future. Whether or not the service will be reintroduced at a later date is still to be decided.

I should add that we will continue to offer Generic Sheets, Exhibition Sheets and Commemorative Sheets.

Given the increasing cost and, more importantly, lack of publicity surrounding the personalisation service in recent years, I suspect the public - who don't send that many stamped social letters anyway - have forgotten about this service, and that most recent productions have come from philatelic societies and so on.  The failure to make each year's Christmas stamps available will have hastened this, because that is one area where there could have been sales. (See also this blogpost from two years ago.)

However, what demonstrates clearly that Royal Mail - at the same time as marketing special stamp-related products outside the hobby - are continuing to target stamp collectors with unnecessary sheets is the continuation of the Generic Sheet.  Remember, these were originally produced in response to collector and trade complaints that personalisation was an expensive way for collectors to buy stamps which were not available from any other source.

Given that Royal Mail have produced Generic Sheets which include stamps not available for the personalisation service, I regard these as just the same as Business Customised Sheets - posters which happen to contain stamps and a quite unnecessary addition to the programme.  The sooner these cease the better, as far as I am concerned, though I don't see that happening anytime soon.

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Trades Union Congress 150 years: commemorative sheet.

In June 2018 the Trades Union Congress (TUC) will celebrate its 150th Anniversary. The first TUC meeting was held in 1868 when the Manchester and Salford Trades Council convened the founding meeting in the Manchester Mechanics' Institute.

The fact that the TUC was formed by Northern Trades Councils was not coincidental. One of the issues which prompted this initiative was the perception that the London Trades Council which was formed in 1860 was taking a dominant a role in speaking for the Trade Union Movement as a whole.

In 1897 the Congress, took the decision to form a more centralised trade union structure that would enable a more militant approach to be taken to fighting the employer and even achieving the socialist transformation of society. The result was the General Federation of Trade Unions which was formed in 1899. For some years it was unclear which body (the GFTU or the TUC) would emerge as the national trade union centre for the UK and for a while both were recognised as such by different fraternal organisations in other countries. However, it was soon agreed amongst the major unions that the TUC should take the leading role and that this would be the central body of the organised Labour Movement in the UK.

Although the Royal Mail website says that this was issued on 18 May, the actual date was 1 June according to information provided to the trade, and special postmarks were produced for the later date.

 

The self-adhesive sheet has been designed by Hat-trick Design and International Security Printers in lithography. It contains 10 'Royalty Seal' stamps each with a label attached depicting scenes from major events in British labour history.  This includes the Tolpuddle Martyrs' deportation in 1834, the London dock strike of 1880, the 1968 Ford car plant strikes for equal pay, and the Grunwick dispute over mistreatment by management in 1976.  All images are (c) TUC Library.

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London Spring Stampex Report

As I mentioned at the beginning of this month, this Stampex was always going to be a 'different' affair as far as customers to Royal Mail's stand were concerned and it will, I think, set the pattern for future events.

I wrote earlier, based on what we had been told:

Purchasers of large or bulky products such as albums and framed stamps from the Royal Mail stand will receive free postage and packing and their purchases will be posted on to them after the show.

The full range of definitive stamps will be available, as well as special stamps, although not in the quantities that have been available in the past.  However, more popular stock will be replenished overnight should that be necessary.

Instead of multiple display points as you would find in Waterstones' bookstores, with stock to be selected and taken for payment (or possibly not, such was the lack of obvious security), the new stand was more compact - as a friend mentioned, more like the firework display case of your local retail store, with everything visible but out of reach.  Which, to be fair, is much like Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Malta at Stampex.

As promised the surprise new M17L printing of the 50p slate-grey was available, though in limited numbers and with few cylinder and date blocks available after dealers had their pick - but plenty of singles and strips.

One of our correspondents clearly did not like the new format, as it totally changed the customer experience.

The ‘counter’ now doubles up as a glass display counter in which all the products are labelled and priced.  Sounds good.  But whilst you are being served you can imagine other members of the public are trying to view what’s on offer.  The orderly queue gets a bit frazzled.  What’s more you are now greeted by a counter clerk with a spiral notepad who will take your order.  However, don’t ask for anything complex (like 2017 2p with security printing) as it takes a long time to write down. Doing about 2 or 3 items at a time is about all they can cope with.  If you do find something they have nowhere to put it as the counter has no space and there is no shelving.  So the items you have managed to get are constantly being handled and taken back and forth to the back room where all the stock is kept.  Payment time is also a challenge.  You have to go to an end position where the tills are arranged.

That said, I am also dismayed about the stocking.  No better than my local post office.  The booklets are all 2016, I was told that the cellophane wraps on the 1^st class and the large are all 2016.  There were no 2p or 10p 2017 and the ‘Signed For’ were 2015.

And I think that last paragraph clouds the whole experience.  I was told by fellow dealers that there were NO 1p stamps at all, quite a stack of 5p, and very few 10p and 20p - and all that was based on day 1.

It is possible that stocks of the 2p and 10p on SBP2 at Tallents House have been depleted to the extent that there are no complete sheets left in stock, so there would be nothing to take to London.  That's a possibility: as they are such low values many dealers do not bother to ask for particular positions when buying from Tallents House as whole sheets (for 50p and £2.50) will be supplied more quickly than orders which need someone to cut specific stamps from the sheets.

But the last definitive stock list we had (early December 2017) showed stocks of the small signed for stamp from 2013, 2015, 2016 & 2017.  For the Large only MA13 and M17L were available.  So maybe at least some of those later printings should have been taken to London?

The comments above have been passed to Royal Mail to influence their presentation for the Autumn event. All feedback is important!


New printings news
Several new definitive printings were available: frustratingly for some a new printing of the 1st class counter sheet was available on Wednesday, and another one on Thursday!  We don't normally stock new printings unless they are new stamps but expect these (and maybe others) to be available to us from Tallents House shortly and we will order if anybody requires them.  Please email and let us know if you want any date blocks for these new printings.

1st class         04/10/17     05/10/17
1st Large        10/10/17
2nd Large      17/10/17
£1.17              23/05/17    28/09/17

These will all be SBP2, of one version or another.  As you know, we don't distinguish or stock the two types as separate stamps.

The 50p printing date is 23/10/17 and that will be added to our webshop soon - probably early next week as the weekend is going to be very busy.

Update
The data above was compiled on Thursday.  Later even more new printings were available - why they were not all sent down from Edinburgh on Tuesday I don't know.  Others are:

5p                03/10/17
2nd class     24/10/17
1st Large     11/10/17
SD 100g      02/10/17 - this is a second NEW stamp, being printed on SBP2

We will have the SD100g stamp in stock; if anybody requires date blocks for the other new printings, email us as above.


Royal Mail programme news
There's not much that can be said yet, because of the usual embargo problems, although these are under review (again).  Despite a seemingly increasing number of issues, the impact on Royal Mail's revenue streams of income from outside the philatelic collecting area (eg products produced for Star Wars and Game of Thrones fans) will benefit basic collectors who will find some issues will cost less than previously and the range of products on each issue will be reduced.  We've already had good news about fewer Post and Go products and the cessation of the Business Customised sheets, and it looks as if there will be only one Royal Mail Commemorative Sheet this year, and Generic Smilers may be restricted to Chinese New Year and Christmas.  

We also had discussions about their presentation of (first day and other) handstamps, especially relating to the short-notice issues such as Game of Thrones.  This will probably see their two webpages (Postmark Bulletins and Postmarks) share links, official First Day postmarks (FD series) shown on the Postmarks page between Bulletins (instead of just the sponsored handstamps), and possibly a new page for the permanent postmarks, some of which the Bulletin helpfully tells you (back page) were last shown in a February 2011 edition!


Personal Acquisitons 
Aside from the 50p for customers, I was pleased to be able to find some modern (QE2) GB postal history, including some rates which really had me puzzled, but which I thought just had to be right.  On the train back from London I used the website of the Great Britain Philatelic Society to confirm that.  Thanks to the GBPS and Abellio Greater Anglia wifi!

I'll be writing about these on my Modern Postal History blog.


Observations
It was good once again to meet up with collectors (some of them identified themselves as customers, and many as blog readers) and dealers and have a natter, and with the Royal Mail team who, I'm sure, regard me (and some other dealers) as a bit of a thorn in their side.  At my time of life and stage of collecting, the social side of Stampex brings more pleasure than seeing the dealers' stands with boxes of face value booklets (where to be fair there must be specialist bargains to be found), and worldwide first day covers at often optimistic prices just yards away from similar priced at 25p.  At the other end of the market, of course, there are the high end stands and although I don't collect them it is a pleasure to see blocks of 1d blacks, and fine examples of classic stamps of all periods and countries.

And then there are the exhibits.  As usual I couldn't but glance at most of them, seeking those most interesting to me, but again, Commonwealth King George V high values fine mint and on cover, classic Channel Islands and more esoteric material like revenues or Austro-Hungarian postal stationery will, if attractively presented, find an audience.  I would recommend spending at least some time there.

Finally, and of direct interest to collectors (and sellers) of Australian material in particular, it was good to see Torsten Weller representing Abacus Auctions, taking over the stand allocated to Mossgreen Auctions who have gone into administration.

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Winter Cheer: the end of Business Customised Sheets

First there were Smilers, then there were Business Cusomised Sheets (BCS) aimed at company advertising.   Sadly that isn't how it stayed, and now BCS are coming to an end.

Writing in Smilers-info.com Graham Howard writes:

As predicted in this column (Q1-2017) Royal Mail have decided to end the Business Customised Stamp sheet service and have today released the following announcement in their Key News bulletin aimed at the Philatelic Market.

"Another recent review has looked at the use and popularity of the BCS service and having considered the number of BCS orders received over the past two years Royal Mail has taken the decision to end the BCS service in 2018. Last orders for Business Customised Sheets will be accepted on 31st March 2018 for delivery in May 2018. Following which the BCS service will cease, The Smilers service, used for smaller volumes, will remain."

Graham goes on to say:

In January of this year we reviewed the product, and proposed changes which, in our view, would have generated more interest and help make the product more commercially viable.

Maybe, maybe not, but Royal Mail ignored the suggestions and in my view that can only be good for the hobby, and the trade.

The writing was on the wall long ago and the only surprise to me is that the plug wasn't pulled earlier.  Over a year ago I wrote (Smilers Bubble Bursts - Stamps Not Posters!) about the history of the product:

Interest in all Smilers was already in decline [in 2011] and Royal Mail had started (in 2008) to produce its own version of the BCS, the Commemorative Sheet

Originally aimed as a business alternative to the personalised Smilers, Business Customised Sheets were launched in late 2001 and a few were used by companies for publicity or as gifts.  But some stamp dealers soon realised that there was an opportunity to diversify from first day and commemorative covers, and make some money instead from people interested in particular themes (football, Concorde, Dr Who, railways).  But by 2011 the decline had started (see Who's Smiling Now? Business Smilers take a dive). 

The stamp dealers, in conjunction with Royal Mail, were producing - in effect - glossy colourful posters, which happened to have 10 x 1st class stamps in them.  Purely money-making, not even philatelic.  Then Royal Mail took to selling some of these private productions through their Philatelic Bureau adding some sort of legitimacy to them, with the inevitable next step being that Royal Mail produced similar sheets under their own name at a much lower selling price but still over 3x face.

What was potentially a good idea for business advertising is probably the worst thing that has happened to British stamps in recent years.

When these expensive sheets - some of them initially sold for upwards of £50 each and most over £30 - are offered to dealers either as part of an estate or if the collector is seeking to diminish his holdings while still alive, they are with few exceptions treated as just so much postage.  Bearing in mind any of you can buy postage now at 80% of face (or even better for the right quantity) you must realise that dealers are paying between 35% and 60% of current face, not the original price.  So the most you can get for a sheet that cost you £30-£50 is £3.90.  The same applies to Royal Mail Commemorative Sheets some of which are still available on their website: others were sold at a discount before being withdrawn.

Graham and I will disagree on this, but I still maintain that they were a bad thing to be marketed at stamp collectors.  I have bought some BCS at fairs for face value - Manchester United, Norwich City, etc.  They make good stocking-filler Christmas presents for relatives who are fans. (No I don't actually roll them up!). 

And if you are buying postage they will certainly be different.  Look out for them in the 'at face' or 'discount postage' boxes on your next fair visit.

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Royal Mail Announce 2018 issue programme

The Pocket Calendar for 2018 has now been distributed by Royal Mail and lists the following:

Date	Issue	Comment
23 January	To be announced
23 January	Post and Go - To be announced
January (provisional)	150th Ann of Trades Union Congress [Com Sheet]
14 February	Postal Heritage: Mail by Sea
15 February	Votes for Women
20 March	Royal Air Force Centenary
Spring (probable)	Royal Wedding - probably miniature sheet
17 April	Reintroduced Species
11 May	The Old Vic
5 June	Royal Academy
26 June	Dad's Army
31 July	Hampton Court Palace
16 August	Captain Cook's Voyage
30 August	Owls
12 September	Postal Heritage: Mail by Bike
13 September	First World War 1918
16 October	TBA
1 November	Christmas
14 November	Prince of Wales 70th Birthday
November	Lunar New Year of the Pig

A reader has commented:

I suspect Jan 23rd will be another biggie - stamps, minisheet, booklet, PSB, Smilers sheet and Post & Go.

I can't let the comment be published because it contains a coded reference to the January issue, and I can't let those through (Trelantis - you know that!)

No more comments on this post: the programme has been relisted with the first images here.

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Star Wars Sheets update

When news first broke about the latest offering of Star Wars stamps from Royal Mail there was a long list of products but the information provided was very short on detail.  Even in their Philatelic Bulletin the technical details of the 'Ultimate Collectors Sheet' and the 'Droids, Aliens and Creatures Collectors Sheet' was sparse.

On the basis that there might just be something collectably different about these, I ordered one of each because Royal Mail had still not provided the requested information.

The 10-stamp Droids, Aliens and Creatures Collectors Sheet (Product code AT098 costing £7) is self-adhesive, producing 8 new stamps (the pair in the top row are repeated in the last row).
Four of them will be in the retail booklets but those are printed by the Walsall branch of ISP in gravure, and these sheets are almost certainly printed by the Cartor branch in litho.  The phosphor band arrangement is the same as in the booklets, but the (see below) glow-in-the-dark features - which show equally under UV light - can only be seen in normal light on the booklets (held at an angle to light, in the same way that you would for phosphor bands).

As usual these stamps are not likely to be separately listed in the Stanley Gibbons catalogues.

The 20-stamp Ultimate Collectors Sheet (Product code AS3093COLL costing £17.50), however, is on ordinary paper with ordinary gum.

And this explains why only 8 stamps this time.  With 12 stamps in the first set, 10 this time would have produced an odd layout and 12 would not have allowed much room for border illustration.

So on the basis that these are the same as the sheet stamps, there is no reason for the stamps to be separately listed in catalogues.  (I no longer have any of the 2015 set, so if they are different, then I hope somebody will tell me.)

Hidden  features.  Readers will recall that the design of the 2015 set included logos that were revealed under UV light.  I forgot to mention earlier that some of the latest stamps have similar design features.  The stamps showing BB-8,  R2-D2, C-3PO and K-250 have glowing eyes or panel lights.  The humanoid and creature stamps do not, which means that only one of the counter sheets has this secondary invisible colour.

Some illustrations of the retail booklets provided by Royal Mail appear to show the edge inscription on the retail booklets 'glowing' as if under UV light (while other illustrations do not).   On the packs we have, the booklets have no hidden feature which is revealed by UV light apart from the 'eyes' mentioned above.

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Postal Museum Commemorative Sheet 13 September 2017

We've mentioned the Postal Museum Commemorative Sheet which was originally scheduled to be issued in firstly in March and then in April this year, but was delayed because of the delayed opening of the Museum.  The sheet's issue date of 13 September 2017 was rescheduled to coincide with Autumn Stampex, but meanwhile the Museum opened in July!

We can now show the design of this long-awaited sheet (click on the image to see a larger version).
Containing 10 labels attached to a mix of 1d black (4), 2d blue (3), and 1d red (3) self-adhesive 1st class stamps, the price is £15.95, and the Royal Mail product code is AV046.

The images on the labels seem to be not in any logical (eg chronological) order, but this is the information provided.

Column 1:
Mail coaches were introduced in 1784 to speed up the movement of mail. The coach in The Postal Museum’s collection takes pride of place in the new exhibition space.

The Postal Museum holds thousands of examples of posters and original artwork for both posters and stamps. Many were designed by the leading artists of their day.

Rowland Hill was an educational reformer, and to help improve literacy he campaigned for reform of the postal service. His efforts led to the introduction of the Penny Black in 1840.

With the coming of the railways, the postal service started using trains to move and sort the mail. This railway van was designed to collect mail without stopping.

From 1933, the General Post Office had its own film unit, which made many ground breaking films, including the highly original A Colour Box (1935), directed by Len Lye.

Column 2:
A more affordable postal service meant a rise in social mail, including this first commercially available Christmas card, designed in 1843

In 1927, an underground driverless railway opened in London to connect sorting offices with railway stations. A section of it is open to the public as part of The Postal Museum.

During the Second World War, the need for lines of communication to remain open was vital. The new exhibition tells the story of some of the individuals who helped to make this happen.

Expansion of the postal service in the mid-19th century changed how people used the post. Letter boxes in a variety of shapes and colours began appearing on British streets.

The new Postal Museum presents a mix of stories, includes hands-on exhibits and displays of original objects.

We assume that the sheet was printed by ISP-Cartor: it's a limited edition of 7500.  We won't be stocking this but can obtain it for customers if required.

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300 years of Freemasonry Royal Mail Commemorative Sheet sold only by Isle of Man Post?

This year marks 300 years of Freemasonry in the United Kingdom, and although the national organisation approached Royal Mail a few years ago to have the anniversary marked in the 2017 stamp programme, this has not happened. 

So what do we have here?

It's a Royal Mail commemorative sheet containing 10 x 1st class Lion England Country Definitive stamps, with attached labels depicting the collar jewels of the senior officers inside the Lodge and geometric Masonic patterns, with coded references to places important in masonry and the charitable works supported by Freemasons.


So is this an addition to the Royal Mail programme?  Apparently not as it is only (so far) being sold by Isle of Man Post, and it is described on their website as

These special stamps can be used for mailing within the UK, but they are also the perfect way for a Mason to show how proud he is of his craft - they are beautifully designed and can be framed as a gift for special events, Installations, Ladies Nights or as a gift for visiting Lodges.

Each sheet is presented in a descriptive album containing a certificate of authenticity and includes a pristine set of Freemasonry 300 stamps with a detailed explanation of the many visible and hidden design elements contained within a stamp area of no more than 40mm square, a truly impressive Tercentenary 300 commemorative piece.

The folder - produced in a limited edition of 750 - contains a set of stamps* which can be used for postage in the Isle of Man, and a sheet of stamps which cannot.  Why did IoM Post not produce a commemorative sheet with their own stamps on?  Obviously because they thought that collectors of Great Britain commemorative sheets would want to have this one, even though they also get Isle of Man stamps as well, and the whole thing costs £45!  *These are also available separately.

As far as we know Royal Mail will not be selling this sheet at all.  Not one for me!

Update 25 July:
I received an email from Isle of Man stamps promoting this issue so questioned them as to why they didn't use their own stamps.  This was the reply:

We commissioned the sheet to allow us to offer a meaningful double cancel cover for the 300th anniversary. We have been working with The Masonic Philatelic Club.

So this has been inspired by the Club - whose members have paid dearly for it!  I hope they are all content.  It is very specialist so I suppose it would have sold quite well: similar ventures on behalf of non-specialist societies don't always achieve the desired results.

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