King Charles III definitives - new printings 2026

Printings of the King Charles definitives with 2023-2025 source codes are recorded in this post. 

This post is for M26L stamps and non-PSB stamps issued in 2026 with M25L codes are also included.

As with Post and Go & SSKs,  I have decided to have one post which will list all the news for the year, and then start another for next year.

Reprinted 2026 counter sheets 

2nd class green - printed 28 July 2026 (JH 9 Sept)
1st class deep purple -

 1p blue
 2p deep green
 5p dull violet-blue
10p turquoise-green
20p bright green
50p slate - said to be printed 28 April 2026 (JH 30 July) 
£1  grey-brown
£2  new blue
£3.60 purple heather - printed 13 January 2026
£3.80 Aqua green - printed 14 January 2026
£4.60 Sapphire blue - printed 15 January 2026
£5  emerald

Reprinted booklets and business sheets with new Relay UK telephone number 

2nd class MEIL from booklet of 8 - M25L philatelic release 20 March 2026
                                                       - M26L reported by JH as found soon after M25L released.
                                                         They have the same barcode date (120126)** 
1st class MFIL from booklet of 4 - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026
1st class MEIL from booklet of 8 - M26L reported on eBay (15 August JH)
1st Large MFIL from booklet of 4 - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026

2nd class MBIL business sheet - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026 
1st class MBIL business sheet - M25L philatelic release 20 March 2026
                                                  - M26L reported by JH 18 July 2026, with Relay phone number 
2nd Large MBIL business sheet - M26L reported by JH 16 August ex GSM, with Relay phone number
1st Large MBIL business sheet - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026

From Prestige Stamp Books - all self-adhesive, with source code MPIL

2nd class -
1st class -

1p -
2p -
5p -
10p -
20p -
50p - 21.4.2026 - Queen Elizabeth Centenary; 17.9.2026 Duran Duran [M26L]
£1 - 21.4.2026 - Queen Elizabeth Centenary;  17.9.2026 Duran Duran [M26L]

 

Other values

** 2nd MEIL M26L reported 21 April.  As they have the same barcode date it suggests that only the iridescent ink cylinder was changed.  

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Update on the 1st Large Business Sheet - and other new products

The King Charles 1st class Large Business Sheet - missing from the original printings of business sheets and first reported here - will have an official distribution on 20 March - along with several other 'new' products which have the new font (and presumably the new crown).

Royal Mail have said that these will have a 'first day of (philatelic) availability' although some have been available in Post Offices and other retailers over recent months.

These are not all available yet from Tallents House, so there is no point in phoning for them!

Full list - product codes will be provided later:

Business Sheets:  1st class, 2nd class, and 1st class Large

Booklets:  4 x 1st, 4 x 1st Large, 8 x 2nd. 
 

More details when available.

UPDATE 3 February

Royal Mail have said that this is simply a font change, but Robert writes:

"Seems likely to me the Textphone info is the real visible change here as most of these items have already appeared with the 2025 Rebrand." 

As John H confirmed:

"the Textphone info was present on the 8x Christmas booklets, but dropped on the 4x. " 

Here is an earlier 2nd class booklet, followed by the Christmas 1st class x4 and x8 without the Textphone line showing all the changes. (Thanks to Robert and John H).

Original back cover showing dimensions for which the stamps are valid, phone & textphone numbers and website

Book of 8 Christmas cover showing phone & textphone numbers, website, QR code for last posting dates and URL for postcode finder

Book of 4 Christmas cover which has dropped the textphone number and provided the Relay UK number for deaf, hearing or speech impaired users.  The phone number and website are retained, and the QR code for last posting dates and URL for postcode finder on the book of 8 continue.

If that's the only change it remains to be seen whether Stanley Gibbons will identify these by a separate number or sub-number.  But As there is much more too it than simply the removal of the Textphone number, it seems that this should qualify for a new catalogue sub-number.  

Whether the Validity (size) details return on the post-Christmas definitive booklets produced in 2026 remains to be seen.

Back in 2019 I reported that when the Printer's imprint was removed and the FSC logo was added these were both identified in the Concise.  But when the phone numbers changed from 0845 to 0345 this was consigned to a footnote, even though collectors usually wanted both.  So because of this inconsistency, we will have to wait and see!  I think the difference is enough to warrant a new catalogue number.

UPDATE 15 February

Royal Mail have started delivering these new products to dealers with standing orders, and from this we can see that the text panel is the same as the (later) 4 x 1st Christmas while the Validity text returns to normal.   Here's the 2nd class book of 8, with cylinder numbers.  (Click on any image to see an enlarged version.)

2nd x 8 booklet with revised text spring 2026.

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Datamatrix codes - they could do so much more.

Regular readers will remember that when the Datamatrix-added stamps were trialled, 

"Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Mail, said: 'This initiative will see Royal Mail become one of the first postal authorities in the world to add unique barcodes to stamps. By doing this, we are looking to transform the humble stamp so that we can offer our customers even more convenient, new services in the future."

(See 2nd class Machin with datamatrix added)

Then...

"Following a successful national trial we will now be adding unique barcodes to all our regular ‘everyday’ Definitive and Christmas stamps. Each barcoded stamp will have a digital twin and the two will be connected by the Royal Mail App. The unique barcodes will facilitate operational efficiencies, enable the introduction of added security features and pave the way for innovative services for our customers. 

"The new barcoded stamps enable you to watch and share an exclusive Shaun the Sheep video via the barcode itself using the Royal Mail App. You or the recipient can watch the video just by scanning the stamp barcode using our App. More videos will be added over the coming months."

But apart from Shaun the Sheep, what additional innovative services have been added?  None as far as I am aware.

But one of the other first postal authorities in the world to add unique barcodes to stamps, Germany, has developed their barcodes to provide more detail, as I found out when a reader in Germany sent me a Christmas postcard.

Scanning the barcode with an ordinary QI reader produces very little information.

Postcard posted from Munich Germany 15 December 2025.

This is what the sender wrote:

The Deutsche Post stamp barcode base tracking isn’t even that detailed (only the fact that the letter has passed intermediate and final sorting centres), but it’s appreciated. It would probably be easy for RM to implement the same if they decided to.

Interestingly, while there are 2 stamps making up the airmail value, there’s only 1 piececode associated with them. I found this out when I scanned them in the app. During the purchase, the postal clerk scanned both stamps’ barcodes & did some inputs into their computer.

This is what the Deutsche Post website shows (they have an English option). 

Further information about 'Basic Tracking':

What is basic letter tracking?

Basic tracking documents the processing of your mail item at the origin and destination mail centers. Confirmation of actual delivery is not included in basic tracking.

I assume that if the card had been sent to a domestic address then the latest entry would show the 'final sorting centre' as the one that delivered to the addressee.  Being international with no link with Royal Mail, Cologne West was as far as it is recorded.

The extra effort of scanning and (presumably) putting the address into the system at Post Office branches would probably require additional payment from Royal Mail to Post Office Ltd, and hence to the postmaster.  However, it would bring extra footfall into the branches which might be additional benefit. 

A benefit for collectors and anybody who is interested in the stamp on their letter/card is found by clicking on 'More about this motif' which produces this very useful dropdown:

The data shows the size of the stamp, and of the image on it, the date of issue and the face value, the description of the issue (in this case permanent series or definitive) and the name of the designer (Bettina Walter).  

The last line, More information, describes why datamatrix-coded stamps have been issued and provides a YouTube video showing how you can track the progress of an ordinary letter even when it is dropped into a street postbox.  The letter is scanned in the DP app, and then you can give it an identity (card to Norvic) and then track it through the system.  It would be possible to tell the addressee when it was at the final delivery office.

Not shown on the picture above is a further line which translates as 'More information about the stamp'.  Clicking on that, and then translating with Google Translate produces a wealth of information about these pictorial definitives:

Permanent series "World of Letters - Airmail"

Artistically, imaginatively, surreal - this is how the motifs of the new postage stamp series "World of Letters" can be described in a nutshell. In a playful way, she combines the most diverse worlds of life with the letter, the most personal ambassador in the world, and creates an original overall picture that invites you to collect and brings the desire to write to new life.

The possibilities of messaging are diverse and have a long history. Also "Luftpost", the motif of the new postage stamp of the series "World of Letters", is older than some may believe. For millennia, the pigeon served as a postman until the French brothers Montgolfier in the 18th. century a hot air balloon, the so-called Montgolfière, developed. From now on, man could lift himself up into the air. However, the breakthrough of the airmail was achieved with the invention of the aircraft. On the 17. December 1903 the world's first motorized flight took place. The Wright brothers did not have letters in their luggage that day, but already in 1911, as part of an exhibition in the Indian Allahabad, letters and postcards were officially transported in a biplane for the first time. With the permission of the Reich Post Office, a plane was used for the first time in Germany for the first time in 1912 at the postcard week "Flugpost am Rhein und am Main".

A particular interest in airmail receipts are stamp collectors who are committed to aerophilately. The stamps and stamps used are of importance here, but also the circumstances - for example, rescued mail items from accidental aircraft are sought after. The crowning achievement of such a collection, however, is the "Inverted Jenny," an American stamp misprint from 1918, in which the pictured double-decker Curtiss JN-4 was printed with the nickname "Jenny" traffic. With only a hundred known copies, the misprint of the first U.S. airmail brand is a valuable rarity. 

I haven't taken the trouble to edit the errors in the translation as most people will understand the meaning.

Obviously with Royal Mail only applying datamatrix codes to definitive and Christmas stamps the scope is far more limited, but imagine how much information the could have provided to people who were interested in these six cathedrals (or at least the five that people might have had on their cards).

Christmas 2024 miniature sheet showing Cathedrals.

 What do you think?

  

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We've waited two years for the last basic King Charles definitive - 1st Large business sheet

It is always nice when customers from long ago keep in touch, either through reading these musings or by commenting or writing.  Such is the situation with this story, which comes from 'A', a customer in Scotland who we had not had any dealings with since 2019.  He is the source of this:

1st Large King Charles III business sheet with new crown and logo discovered in Scotland November 2025, but apparently printed in December 2024.

King Charles Business Sheets were announced in March 2023 to be issued on 4 April.  Supplies were duly delivered to standing order customers and dealers, but only three sheets were supplied.  The 1st Large sheet was not included. 

Towards the end of April I was told that it was 'at the printers'.  In late May we were told that "it will not be printed & made available for the time being".  In June 2024 Royal Mail advised that "it is unlikely to be printed this year, but that it should appear some time in 2025". 

As collectors and dealers had been able to produce first day covers for the other three values in April 2023 I made the point "hope that the S&C team are told early enough to make an official day of issue, so that collectors and dealers can produce first day covers. "

Sadly this was not to be.  As with the 4 x 1st retail book with the new crown & font, stamps have been provided to Post Offices before the Philatelic Department of Royal Mail is aware of them.  

As you can see 'A' bought the sheet and produced for himself a first day cover with Windsor handstamp for 21 November 2025.   

1st Large King Charles III business sheet first day of availability cover 21 November 2025.

Although I don't have a picture of the coding - the source is particularly difficult to see - it is M24L MBIL.  If my interpretation of the datamatrix code is correct these were printed on 18 December 2024 and show a postage rate of £2.60, which was correct at the time.

Interpreted by iPhone QR-reader.

Philatelic Availability  

As before, Royal Mail Tallents House have been alerted to this discovery on their doorstep and we await details of when it will be made available to dealers and collectors.  

It is unfortunate that Royal Mail's internal organisation is such that although they have the printer produce stocks ready to be called off either by Royal Mail retail (Edinburgh) or by Post Offices branches from the POL warehouse, the philatelic department are not kept informed as to when stocks are low so that they can arrange a philatelic release (and sell some first day covers). Instead, usage of new (from a philatelic point of view) stamp occurs without their knowledge even though all other similar products are accorded official first day of issue status.  I am sure the people at Tallents House share our frustration!

If anybody else sees any of these locally or as an online sale before their philatelic release, I shall be pleased to record it here.

And if you want one or two of these stamps I will be able to supply them just as soon as we get supplies, so don't go for mad prices on eBay should they appear.  My price will be much more reasonable. 

 

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King Charles III definitives - new printings 2024 and 2025

When Her Majesty Queen Elzabeth died I decided that I would not produce a similar volume to the Machin Security Checklist, for the stamps of King Charles III.

However, it seems remiss not to record new printings of the King Charles definitives on the blog, so as with Post and Go & SSKs,  I have decided to have one post which will list all the news for the year, and then probably start another for next year.

The original stamps (2023)

No source code, from counter sheets 4 April 2023
2nd class green
1st class deep violet
2nd Large grey-green
1st Large greenish blue 

With source code - business sheets (B)§ and booklets of 8 (E) or 4 (F) issued 4 April 2023

2nd class green - MEIL and MBIL
1st class deep violet MEIL MFIL and MBIL
2nd Large grey-green MEIL and MBIL
1st Large greenish blue MFIL 

§ Business sheets were not available on the same date as the other products but those that had been printed were available during April 2023.  The 1st Large business sheet was not printed in 2023.

Reprinted 2024 counter sheets

2nd class green - printed in January, March and November 2024
1st class deep violet - printed in January and March 2024
2nd Large grey-green - printed in March 2024 and November 2024 (thanks JF)
1st Large greenish blue - printed in March 2024

Reprinted booklets and business sheets

2nd class green - Booklet MEIL found in May 2024
1st class deep violet - Booklet MEIL found in October 2024

2nd class green - Business Sheet MBIL found in March 2024
1st class deep violet - Business Sheet MBIL found in October 2024

With new font on covers

, first day of availability 30 January 2025 but with M24L year code, so the stamps are the same; but for those who collect booklets and business sheet headers these are new.

2nd class green - MEIL and MBIL
1st class deep violet - MEIL and MBIL

Reprinted 2025 counter sheets - some illustrations below

20p bright green - printed 12 March 2025
2nd class green - printed 16 April 2025
1st class deep purple - printed 15 April 2025

No source code, from counter sheets (29.8.2023)
 1p blue
 2p deep green
 5p dull violet-blue
10p turquoise-green
20p bright green
50p slate
£1  grey-brown
£2  new blue
£5  emerald

Airmail values - counter sheets
£2.20 dark green (4.4.23)
£2.50 olive green (4.4.24)
£2.80 slate blue (7.10.24)
£3.20 spruce green (27.3.25)
£3.50 wood brown (27.3.25)
£4.30 bright blue (27.3.25)

Reprinted booklets and business sheets with new crown & font. - some illustrations below

2nd class green MEIL from booklet of 8 (June 2025)
1st class purple MFIL from booklet of 4  (June/July 2025) (see below)
1st class purple MEIL from booklet of 8  (August 2025)

2nd class green MBIL business sheet (May/June 2025) 
1st class purple MBIL business sheet (date unknown)
2nd Large MBIL business sheet (found Nov 2025 recently used with no postmark)
1st Large MBIL business sheet (found Nov 2025 and first reported here in December). 

From Prestige Stamp Books - all years, all self-adhesive, with source code MPIL

2nd class - 21.9.23 - Shirley Bassey PSB [M23L],
12.6.2025 - Royal Observatory PSB [M25L]
1st class - 21.9.23 - Shirley Bassey PSB [M23L]
18.2.2025 - AC/DC PSB [M24L]

1p
27.11.2025 - Queen Victoria PSB [M25L]
2p
25.7.2024 - Dungeons & Dragons PSB [M24L]
5p
18.2.2025 - AC/DC PSB [M24L]
10p
21.9.23 - Shirley Bassey PSB, 11.1.24 - Spice Girls PSB [M23L]
20p
19.10.23 - Harry Potter PSB, 11.1.24 - Spice Girls PSB [M23L]
1.5.2025 - Valour & Victory PSB [M25L]
50p
19.10.23 - Harry Potter PSB [M23L],
25.7.2024 - Dungeons & Dragons PSB, 30.11.2024 - Churchill PSB, 30.1.25 - Royal Armouries PSB, 18.2.2025 - AC/DC PSB [M24L]
1.5.2025 - Valour & Victory PSB [M25L], 12.6.2025 - Royal Observatory PSB [M25L] 13.1.2026 - Stranger Things PSB [M25L]
£1
11.1.24 - Spice Girls PSB,  [M23L] 
25.7.2024 - Dungeons & Dragons PSB, 30.11.2024 - Churchill PSB, 30.1.25 - Royal Armouries PSB; 18.2.2025 - AC/DC PSB    [M24L]
1.5.2025  -Valour & Victory PSB [M25L], 13.1.2026 - Stranger Things PSB [M25L]
£2
11.1.24 - Spice Girls PSB, 20.6.2024 - Red Arrows PSB, 17.10.2024 - The Who PSB [M24L]

Other values
£2.20 dark green - 19.10.23 - Harry Potter PSB [M23L]
£3.40 dark green - 27.11.25 - Queen Victoria PSB [M25L]

ILLUSTRATIONS

20p counter sheet

Counter sheet 20p M25L MAIL printed 12/03/25

2nd and 1st class counter sheets.

2nd class counter sheet M25L printed 16/04/2025

1st class counter sheet M25L printed 15/04/2025

2nd class business sheet discovered June 2025

2nd class business sheet M25L MBIL

1st class booklet of 4 discovered July 2025 - this has the new font and crown on the cover meaning it is a visible change but has not yet been distributed by Royal Mail as a new issue.  

Update: it seems that Post Office Ltd needed more stock, and called it off from the printer earlier than Royal Mail's planned distribution later in the summer.  As they have been made available it is likely that Stamps & Collectibles will get them to the trade and to collectors with standing orders, sooner than expected.

1st class booklet of 4 M25L MFIL - new cover.

1st class booklet of 4 M25L MFIL - new cover.

1st class business sheet M25L MBIL

Ist class business sheet M25L MBIL - thanks HH

 Variations in marginal markings

Although I don't stock these I had occasion to obtain some examples of each of the printings which is still available. I haven't previously recorded here that the size of the marginal printing varies, and whilst the original printings had the black printing 'flat' as in the case of the stamp itself, some later printings have 'glossy' dates, with the same appearance as the datamatrix code.  It's not unreasonable to suggest that, as the black marginal printing must come from a different cylinder to the stamp (by reason of colour), it could quite easily be applied by the same unit as the code, hence the glossiness.

Different printings of the 1st class King Charles definitive showing varied sizes of marginal printing.

 

 

 

..

Updated 31 March 2026

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A Handbook of British Barcoded Stamps

When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died it brought the end of our Security Machin Checklist, which listed the Machin definitives from 2009 up to and including those issued with Datamatrix Barcodes.  Before that I had indicated that although there was much to be learned from a study of the data contained within the barcode, that was not something I would be pursuing, much in the same way that I did not produce a Post and Go Checklist.  We would also not produce a Checklist for the stamps of King Charles.

However, it is clear that a large number of people around the world are interested in the stamps of the new reign, and that a number of those are interested in delving into the hidden world of the datamatrix code. So I am pleased to provide details of a new Handbook covering this subject.  Users of the Complete Deegam Machin Handbook will be aware of it already, but I'm sure there are collectors who never got into the complexities of that volume but who nonetheless are interested in these new codes.

The Deegam® Handbook of British Barcoded Stamps.

 

● Published as linked Adobe PDF files (delivered via WeTransfer)

● More than 100 Mb of data and images

● In colour and printable

● Constantly updated (five times a year)

● Suitable for Windows PC and Mac

2022 was a remarkable year for British philately! Two ‘radical’ changes took place at almost the same time – first, original definitive stamps were replaced by barcoded ones, the invalidation of non-barcoded definitive stamps from 31 July 2023 preceded by a Swap scheme allowing users to exchange old for new.

The second change was caused by the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II and succession by HM King Charles III.  Both changes triggered different reactions among collectors. One group decided to stop adding future new issues from Royal Mail to their collection, either on the introduction of barcodes or the death of the Queen, while others - as always when there is a major change - see a new starting point in their collecting interests, as these barcoded stamps present a further milestone in the development of the postal service.

Therefore, it has been decided to create a separate publication for these barcoded stamps – The Deegam® Handbook of British Barcoded Stamps (or, in short, HBBS). The term ‘barcoded stamps’ includes not only barcoded National and Country definitive stamps with images of the monarch King Charles III or Queen Elizabeth II, but also barcoded Christmas stamps. In fact, Christmas stamps have the same format and similar features to the definitive stamps. In other words, this Handbook contains all GB barcoded stamps.

The same structure and navigation as that used in the Machin Handbook HB5 are used for this Handbook although the text is presented in one column rather than two. There is an ‘Introduction’ that is structured similarly to the Chapters of Handbook HB5 – so that in the future this Introduction can easily be divided into Chapters (if necessary). 

It contains a catalogue of barcoded stamps. This is divided into three levels to suit beginners, intermediate collectors and specialists. Each level forms part of the unique numbering system which never changes no matter what new values or variations are issued. Every value has its own section, making it very easy to find the stamp you are looking for. In addition, all FDCs (more precisely, non-cancelled FDCs) are displayed in order to visibly present the barcodes on all stamps. An appendix for forgeries has also been added.

The Handbook is updated every 2-3 months with Deegam® Reports which are free to registered owners for a period of time. Every Handbook is created to order so yours is always the latest version when you buy it.

This Handbook is currently the only publication on British barcoded stamps on the market! The author is very optimistic that many collectors will share his enthusiasm for barcoded stamps.

Sample pages of The Deegam® Handbook of British Barcoded Stamps (HBBS) are available from the ‘Handbooks’ page of the Deegam website at https://www.deegam.com. 

 

The price of this new Handbook is £29, but there are a number of other purchasing options if you already have, or want to buy, the Machin Handbook.  See the Deegam site for details.  I urge readers to look at the sample pages referenced above, as even from these few you can see how detailed and comprehensive this Handbook is.

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Amazing Prestige Stamp Book Errors - the latest episode.

Ever year, though not every issue, we report different types of error on Prestige Stamp Books: missing panes, duplicate panes, inverted pane, perforation errors, miscuts, and so on.

But we've never had anything quite like the one in the image that was sent to me today.

Churchill PSB definitive pane on Tallents House FDC - with duplicated datamatrix code!

My thanks to IG for sharing this with us all.  It's an amazing error - and of course there must be more because however these are printed, in whatever sheet or reel format (probably the latter as it is especially for automatic addition to Royal Mail first day covers) - each of the stamps should have a unique datamatrix code.  The two codes on each stamp are indeed different.

If anyone else has received a similar error, it will be very interesting to know just how many we can record.

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PSB make-up errors are back - Dungeons & Dragons with two definitive panes

It's four years since we reported on duplicated stamp panes in prestige books (the last duplicate of any sort was the cover of the Platinum Jubilee book), but I am pleased to say that another one has occurred.

My thanks to PMJ who bought this book in Reading Post Office.  The first image shows the back of one self-adhesive pane and the front of the other.  The second image is unfortunately out of focus but it's difficult to take a photo one-handed while splaying the pages with the other hand.  But obviously there are two definitive panes.

Dungeons and Dragons Prestige Stamp Book with the plain reverse of a definitive pane on the left facing a second pane.

Dungeons and Dragons Prestige Stamp Book two definitive panes.

Please let us know if you find any other errors on PSB make-up.  And browse here to see many previous instances.

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Small stock of Regional Machins found - were we sold out when you ordered?

In a stockbook which I though had all used stamps in,  I found a very small stock of later Regional Machin definitives.

All at our usual low prices, there are no more than two of each.  If you ordered before and I told you we were sold out, email again and remind me when you placed the original order. Those people will get priority, but if anyone else needs these, please email very soon. 

I'm listing the SG numbers only, you all have a version of the Concise catalogue don't you?  😁

Northern Ireland: 

39 - 40 - 44 - 47 - 49 - 51 - 55 - 56  - 57 - 58 - 61 - 63 - 65 - 66 - 67 - 68

Scotland:

54 - 55 - 56 - 58 - 60 - 62 - 64 - 66 - 67 - 69 - 70 - 73 - 75 - 77 - 78 - 79 - 80

Wales:

40 - 41 - 45 - 48 - 50 - 52 - 56 - 57 - 58 - 59 - 62 - 64 - 66 - 67 - 68 - 69 - 70 - 73 - 76 - 77

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It's advertised for sale but does not exist: 1st large KC3 business sheet.

When the King Charles III Business Sheets were issued a notable absence was the 1st class Large Letter sheet.

We were told at the time that this "had not yet been printed". 

King Charles III 1st class Large business sheet.

At the time the Royal Mail website warned that:

Please be aware that the stamps you receive may feature an image of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, rather than King Charles as shown, depending on stock levels and usage.

But in mid-May we were told that all Queen Elizabeth II Datamatrix Machins would be taken off-sale from 1 June 2024.

As several people have pointed out, the caveat on the website remains, but the withdrawal from sale might indicate that the King Charles sheet has now been printed.

Not so!  The end of May withdrawal of the Machins was from philatelic sale: although the information came from the Stamps & Collectibles (S&C) side of Tallents House, it had been assumed that it applied across the board.

But no - the retail side (ie website) continues to sell Queen Elizabeth stamps while they last, in accordance with the wishes of His Majesty (and basic business sense) - to minimise any environmental impact.

I'm advised that the King Charles 1st Large Business Sheet is unlikely to be printed this year, but that it should appear some time in 2025.  

We hope that the S&C team are told early enough to make an official day of issue, so that collectors and dealers can produce first day covers. 

More on pre-printed King Charles stamps on Direct Mail (PPI)

We in the UK hear a lot about 'non-doms' in the media and from politicians and tax campaigners.  If you are not aware of this don't worry, this is just a play on words, because here we have what is, as far as I can recall, the first 'non-denom'.  An NVI in the truest sense!

Apparently this is the latest mailshot 'To The Occupier' from the Salvation Army and the picture was sent to me today by DR, who says a number of his friends have received them.  

I don't think we have seen one like this before, nor from the previous reign (though your memory may be better than mine!).

Non-denominated 2nd class green PPI King Charles III definitive on Salvation Army mailshot.

UPDATE 23 April 2024

My thanks to Jon on Stampboards for showing this amazingly poor example of the 2nd class King Charles PPI - it should, of course, be green.

Mailshot from Leaders of Great Britain (LCGB) of London, events organisers, with very poorly printed 2nd class King Charles III imprinted stamp.

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Happy New Year, it's M24L time for the King Charles definitives.

There have been several reports of King Charles definitives being sold from post offices or appearing on mail, and it seems that a reprint of the 1st class sheet stamp has been necessary already this year.

King Charles 1st class sheet definitive with M24L year code, from 17/1/24 printing.

NVI definitives are printed in sheets of 50 with a gutter, whereas the valued stamps are in sheets of 25 allowing for block of 10 to show the cylinder numbers and date.

On the NVI sheets the cylinders are at the top left, and the date at the top right:

Date strip 17/01/24 at top right of sheet.

Cylinder numbers C1 x3 at top left of sheet: colour, iridescent, phosphor.

UPDATE 29 February 2024.   The 2nd class sheet stamp has now become available with a printing date of 18/01/24 and of course the year code is M24L.

King Charles 2nd class sheet definitive with M24L year code, from 18/1/24 printing.

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"Can we still use Queen Elizabeth stamps?" - information and misinformation

This question continues to be asked in social media platforms, and I have had reports of friends not wanting to buy collectors' surplus of Queen Elizabeh stamps arising from the Swap Out scheme.

The invalidation of old-style Machin definitives caused a lot of confusion which will, it seems, continue for some time.  After all, unless you are aged over 75 you have probably never used a stamp from a previous reign (unless you are/were a collector).

Not Valid

Both these types remain valid for postal use

Given that Royal Mail, retail outlets, and Post Office branches, are still selling barcoded Machin definitives, and they are still being supplied in the Swap Out it is very unlikely that they will be invalidated soon.

Whilst no regular definitives were issued after the end of the reign, some were included in subsequent prestige book panes, as were many set of special stamps.

Previous reigns

King Edward VII definitives were printed in two distinct series, by De La Rue and Harrison and Sons. ALL the Harrison printings were issued after the King died.  It wasn't until 1913 that the last stamps of the first long set of King George V definitives were issued.

King George V died in January 1936 and three values of the last (photogravure) definitives were issued in the February, the 5d, 10d & 1s.

The first definitive stamps of the reign of King George VI were issued just before the Coronation in May 1937. Some values were not available until 1939 - all values above 5d, so the stamps of the previous reign continued to be issued.

After the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952 the first deinitives were issued in time for Christmas, but the remaining values were spread over the next two years and some booklets in the new reign included stamps of both reigns.

With modern high-speed printing the stamps of King Charles III have had only two issue dates, with NVIs being issued ahead of the (plentiful Machin) make-up values.

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King Charles III make-up definitives, from official first day covers.

I can now show in detail the King Charles III definitive stamps used on Royal Mail's official first day covers.

These pictures show more clearly that there are no security slits.  According to a comment on the previous blogpost - you can click on the images to see them enlarged.

Royal Mail said: "I can confirm that there has been no error in the stamps used for our First Day Covers. As the stamps on a First Day Cover are not for use, they are produced using stamps from a coil that do not have the elliptical security markings."

Set of 7 King Charles III definitives without security slits on Royal Mail first day covers.

I have some of these available as I did with the Wales barcoded stamps FDC last year.  The price is £15.00 in the UK, by bank transfer, including postage.   Please email as soon as possible.

Outside the UK, and other methods of payment, please ask.  Only a few available.

All now allocated with a waiting list for any that are not taken up.

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Is this a cunning plan to sell more stamps, ignorance of what matters, or ineptitude?

We have known for decades that the self-adhesive stamps on Royal Mail-supplied first day covers come from a different printing to those sold mint to collectors.  We found this in 2004 when this cover with a paper-join on the 2003 Christmas stamp set demonstrated that the stamps were printed on the same 'sheet', or as was later explained, coil.

Red transparent adhesive tape marking a paper join on a continuous set of Ice Sculpture 2003 Christmas stamps, on Royal Mail first day cover.

 

Specialists soon determined that because these were coils, they were printed sideways on the web, rather than upright as on ordinary counter sheets.

So those same specialists wanted to buy both the mint stamps and the first day covers (uncancelled if possible), to make their collections 'complete'.

But most collectors don't care about 'direction of print' and settle for just one stamp/set.

Of course last year when a production error produced a totally different 1st class Wales barcoded stamp even the collectors who didn't care about direction of print wanted one of those!

So what do you make of the latest surprise?  My thanks to RB & JG for alerting me to this development.

The low value and high value King Charles III definitives were issued today (29 August), and collectors who buy first day covers from Royal Mail found a BIG surprise - can you see it in these images?

2p and £2 King Charles III definitives.

 

As is immediately obvious from these pictures the lower stamps have, as you would expect, the security features that we have known in definitives since 2009.  But these are markedly missing from the stamps used on the first day covers!

 

So, to address the title of this post, is this

- a serious error by Royal Mail or the printers (ISP Walsall);

- ignorance as to what matters to collectors;

- a deliberate production of a variety in the hope that more collectors will want to buy them, even used/on cover? 

Whichever of these is the reason, it marks yet another new low in Royal Mail's relationship with its customers.

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