Country definitive stamps 88p (and other) reprints - grid positions now known

We reported in August that an eagle-eyed reader had sent us a reprint of the Scotland 88p stamp with plate numbers in a different font to the original January printing.  The new plate block also demonstrated that the plate was a totally new one, despite still being plate number C1.

The 14 January printing on the left had Scotland's stamp printed in grid position 8 only. The 31 May printing has the Scotland stamp printed in positions 3, 6 and 7.


We can now show the grid positions for all four stamps, and these show that

England is in positions 1, 2 and 5;
Scotland is in 3, 6 and 7;
Northern Ireland is in 4, and
Wales is in 8. 

But there are noticeable differences in the actual stamps as well.

Cartor Security Print have produced the original and the new printings.  In all cases the original 14 January printing is on the left, and the 31 May printing is on the right.


Northern Ireland, original is noticeably greener or bluer depending on your eyes/monitor. New print is grey.

 

Taken in isolation the original Wales stamp seems normal but against the reprint it has a touch of pink to the blue.

The Scotland stamp is probably the least distinguishable but the new one is lighter.

 

The new print of the England stamp is notably lighter than the original.  Over the years there have been many variations in the colour of this design, as different processes and printers are used, but this is the most noticeable variation on the same value.

The question remains, though, how many times do the printers need to be told that a new plate should not have the same number as the one it replaces???

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Scotland 2nd class
Examples of a new printing by Cartor of the Scotland 2nd class are also in a distinct shade, with  more magenta*.  On the left, De La Rue; centre the 1st Cartor printing (24/04/12); right the 2nd Cartor printing (28/06/13).  The gird formation on these is the same as before so they may be the same plates, with just a different ink mix.
* 1st class second Cartor printing. This was also reprinted on 28/06/13 (both values are on the same press plate) but no there is no noticeable difference, suggesting that rather than 'more magenta' there is less cyan.

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Litho-printed England and Wales definitive stamps now available

The Cartor-printed litho England and Wales 1st and 2nd class country stamps have been delivered*, so we can show them and the comparison with previous printings.

The four sheets of 50 stamps are printed on one press plate, shown by the grid positions in the lower left corner:

The supplies we have are with black plate (they aren't cylinders) C1, dated 10/07/12.  As mentioned previously, Cartor cannot print the date with an ink-jet add-on, so the date is on the plate.  We have already shown the Wales 1st class and England 2nd class from C2 dated 11/07/12.  The Scotland 1st & 2nd also exist with two printing dates, but we cannot yet confirm that the plate number was changed.   When the 87p Wales stamp was reprinted on 02/07/12 the plate number remained C1 although it was clearly a new black plate.

So here for comparison are the De La Rue printings* (on the left) and the new Cartor printing on the right.  As you can see the Cartor have much more yellow in them.  You may recall that when De La Rue reprinted the Wales 1st there was too much yellow, and so the yellow was dropped and two black cylinders were used, although the later print has never been distributed by Royal Mail Tallents House and is not separately listed in Gibbons' Concise catalogue (W99 is still listed as being 'blue-green, greenish-yellow, silver, and black).
* The DLR stamps shown here may not be their most recent printings. I took these from stock and they are the latest ones we bought from Tallents House.  Other printings may have shade differences, but probably not as marked as these.

ENGLAND - De La Rue v. Cartor

 
WALES 2nd - De La Rue v. Cartor. As well as having more yellow, the Cartor printing is much sharper, especially around the value.  However, some parts of the leek are lacking the detail (black) in the DLR print.

 WALES 1st - De La Rue v. Cartor. This is the DLR with yellow.

WALES 1st - De La Rue v. Cartor. This is the DLR with black instead of yellow.

I've shown the two De La Rue printings side-by-side before.   I think it is clear from these pictures that the original DLR has yellow in the dragon, but the dragon on the Cartor printing - although lighter than either DLR printing - shows no yellow, and it only appears in the green background.

So as to keep everything together, the Scotland 1st & 2nd are reproduced again, with DLR on the left:

* UPDATE:  The England and Wales stamps will be available from Tallents House from 3 January 2013 and are being distributed with the new colour Machin definitives.  I'm presuming they will be distributed on Standing Orders where appropriate.
Stock codes are:
ES501 - England 2nd
ES601 - England 1st
WS501 - Wales 2nd
WS601 - Wales 1st

Apologies for not mentioning this before.

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