A batch of King Charles Business Sheet stamps available

Due to a cancelled order I can offer again some of the King Charles stamps which I offered back in the spring.  There are two of each of these, in horizontal pairs which can be supplied as is, or split if nobody wants the pairs.

Business Sheets

M24L - 1st and 1st Large*  -  £19  (£38 for two)

M25L - 1st class - £2.50 (£5)

M26L - 2nd and 1st Large - £5 (£10)

Counter Sheets

M24L -  2nd Large, 1st Large £5.70 (£11.40)

M25L - 20p, 2nd, 1st - £3.40 (£6.80) 

Booklets

M24L - 2nd and 1st MEIL - £3.25 (£6.50)

M25L - 2nd £1.50 (£3)

M26L - 1st, 1st Large - £6.25 (£12.50)

I would like these to be taken as a lot, or three lots as grouped above, but will consider other options.

Payment in UK by Bank Transfer or cheque.

Payment from international customer by UK or Euro Bank Transfer or PayPal.  

 

Please email (addresses at top of right hand column). 

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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 -
1st class deep purple -

 1p blue
 2p deep green
 5p dull violet-blue
10p turquoise-green
20p bright green
50p slate
£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
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
2nd Large MBIL business sheet
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 [M26L]
£1 - 21.4.2026 - Queen Elizabeth Centenary [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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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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October postmark slogans and other interesting postal markings.

October starts (as September ended) with the unexpected slogan for the Rugby World Cup win by the Red Roses.   We still don't know the period of application, meanwhile here's an example of the slogan applied in October, thanks to Jon on Stampboards.

Update 11 October: A reader of the Postal Mechanisation Study Circle's (PMSC) Newsletter writes:

New slogan details are provided to mail centres by software updates; these are the software deployed dates, and dates when each slogan will likely be available for delivery on the "doormat".  

Slogan name / inscription - date deployed / first doormat / last doormat * dates provided were:-

Women's Rugby World Cup Winners  : 29 September/30 September/4 October

Default BHF 3 October/ 6 October/11 October

Anti-slavery 13 October/15 October/17 October

Default BHF 16 October/18 October/until further notice

*  Because the software only goes live when there is a re-set of IMP and iLSM which of course varies office to office a slogan might print on or the day after the deployed date (and is machine specific so again could vary within one mail centre).  The same situation occurs when the next slogan overrides it. 

There can be very late deployments when an instruction comes through late, and on routine slogans,  getting the slogan ready on a particular day could be at any time ahead of the day.

 

Women's Rugby World Cup slogan Southampton Portsmouth & IOW 01/10/2025.

The default British Heart Foundation slogan was back in use on 6 October; this one from Jubilee Mail Centre supplied by JH.

British Heart Foundation slogan Jubilee Mail Centre 06-10-2025

 

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Update 16 October  No more examples of the Rugby World Cup slogan have been received, but RW has sent this barely legible Anti-Slavery slogan from Mount Pleasant 15 October 2025 which uses the same wording as that used in 2023.

STAMPING OUT MODERN SLAVERY
Anti-Slavery Day
18th October

antislavery.org

Anti-Slavery Day postmark slogan Mount Pleasant Mail Centre 15-10-2025

Both versions should exist!

Update 22 October.  Still only one version but MM has sent two more examples, better than the above but not great.  Jubilee on 14 October, Dorset & SW Hants on 15 October.

Anti-Slavery Day postmark slogan Jubilee Mail Centre 14-10-2025

Anti-Slavery Day postmark slogan Dorset & S W Hants Mail Centre 15-10-2025

 And the clearest one yet, supplied to RW by Mount Pleasant dated 14-10-2025

Anti-Slavery Day postmark slogan Mount Pleasant Mail Centre 14-10-2025

And lastly, thanks to JM for this version from the IMP machine at Manchester on 15/10/2025.

Anti-Slavery Day postmark slogan Manchester Mail Centre 15/10/2025

  

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Other postmarks and postal markings, etc

Another counter datestamp, this one from JH is Wellswood Place Torquay, also known as Wellswood.

Wellswood (Place) Post Office, from Google maps 2024.

 

 

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Postboxes etc    Some postbox and locker pictures are shown in the post on Royal Mail's expansion into the high street.  Here are some more pictures from our holiday.

1. Standard George V postbox in Mansfield Market Place.  The box, like Mansfield sadly, is badly in needed of a make-over.  You can only keep adding layers of paint for so long.

2. Two boxes from Louth, Lincolnshire.  The one with the Magic Roundabout topper is outside Louth post office in Northgate.  Sadly Ermintrude had keeled over, but other characters were upright!  The other is on the corner of Mercer Row and Market Place

Magic Roundabout's Zebedee

3. Morrisons Supermarket, Banbury and 4. Newstead Abbey south of Mansfield.

How did we manage to fit in Lincolnshire, Nottingham/Derbyshire and Buckinghamshire in one?  Well we had to leave for a family occasion part way through, which took us to Buckinghamshire.  Unfortunately our return was marred by sitting for over five hours on the M1 near Lutterworth after a serious crash.   The incident was attended by at least two fire engines, 10 police vehicles, three ambulances and the helicopter, and two National Highways Traffic vehicles. Only two cars were involved and one person was taken to hospital.
I did get the chance to talk to the veteran driver of a 36 tonne Royal Mail articulated lorry behind us. He had a new tractor unit (although someone had already pranged it) with the Charles III logo.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Remember, slogan postmarks appearing in October will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.

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Tudor Crown is appearing in Royal Mail cruciform - but very slowly!

Over a year ago Royal Mail announced that they were adopting the Tudor Crown in their logo but that it would be done gradually - and we recently reported that some Downstream Access PPI, which is used by Direct Mailers, so they would use up old stationery first.

But Royal Mail are also moving slowly.  Today I received the latest batch of stamps from the Swapout scheme.  The letter has the new crown - but the Special Delivery postage label - which I'm sure is printed on demand for each item as it contains the name and address and barcode - still has the old.  The envelope that the label was stuck to (ENV 04) also has the old crown.

Special delivery label on the left, and letterhead on the right.

KC reports that he had a statement of account with old cruciform on the statement but in an envelope with the new cruciform (ENV 32)

 

Royal Mail envelope ENV 32

and Order advice note with new cruciform on the advice note but in an envelope with the old cruciform (ENV 10).

JG reports the new crown in use in recent digital stamps - the direct mail with preprinted stamps - both the  Christmas 2nd class and the King Charles III 2nd class, both from The Delivery Group.

 Any more reports?

 

 

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King Charles II 4 x 1st class booklet, new 2025 printing with new crown

This booklet was first seen on eBay and was probably first found in a Post Office branch.

Enquiries of Stamps & Collectibles revealed the following:

 

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.

Update: the booklet has been announced in  this week's Trade Briefing.

From comments: RM Advice Note - this Booklet is being issued by RM on 11/09/2025 (UB475) 

See King Charles III definitives - new printings 2024 and 2025

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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.

 

 

 

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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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New Retail Booklets & Business Sheets have new font as well as new crown - 30 January 2025.

We reported last September that King Charles has adopted the Tudor Crown and that it would be included in the Royal Mail Cruciform, replacing the St Edward's Crown, with a knock-on effect on booklets and business sheets.

Royal Mail is now updating the design of our Retail Stamp Books and Business Sheets to incorporate the new King Charles III cruciform.   The first day of availability for these 'Visible Change' items will be 30 January 2025.

The font has also been updated from Chevin to PF Din Text to align with Royal Mail’s brand guidelines.

To avoid wastage, all new Stamp Books and Business Sheets will be printed according to stock demands, with release of 4 x 1st Books and Large Letter Books/Sheets to be announced in due course.

The products are, with Royal Mail product codes for anybody who wishes to order from them:

8 x 2nd class - UB470 - £6.80  (will replace UB461)

8 x 1st class - UB471 - £13.20  (will replace UB462)

50 x 2nd class - DS1944 - £42.50 (will replace DS1655)

50 x 1st class - DS1945 - £82.50 (will replace DS1656)

UPDATE 13 January - the booklets are code M24L.  Cylinder numbers are C1 C1.

I would expect the colours of the 2nd class to remain the same, rather than varied as shown above.

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