Security Machins update

On the arrival of another batch of low value Security Machins I've updated the earlier message regarding variations in phosphor positioning.

Incidentally, the date and sheet number printed on these sheets can be 3mm or 2.5mm high on the same value and the same date.

New Definitives with Security Features

We are now able to show actual images of the new stamps to be issued on 17 February. These are scans of the actual stamps and show much more accurately than in the publicity pictures, the colours of the highe value stamps.
See earlier in the blog for enlarged digitally-enhanced images of the security features.

The Hidden Security Features on the new Machin Definitives

The first copies of the new Machin definitives with Security Features are now to hand, and I've had some fun scanning them to try to reveal the security features. The 'supermarket-style' slits are not of course a problem: each stamp has 4 cuts, sort of semi-circular. These are obvious to the naked eye and can be seen more clearly on the enlargements of these images.

The 'ROYAL MAIL' overprint is in a semi-visible layer, more obvious as the stamp is slanted against the light - as with phosphor bands. The semi-visible layer is an 'all-over' print, with the words ROYAL MAIL 'reversed out' ofthe part which is over the dark background (ie negative). But on the Queen's head, the words are smaller, and are 'positive', ie there is an area over the head which has a clear background, with the words printed in it.

The £1 stamp is shown above, heavily overexposed and the text can be seen on the phosphor band area. The Large 2nd class stamp is shown below: the first scan is 'straight' - no adjustments. The two enhanced images show more clearly the background and head text respectively.
Click on any image for a large version in a new window - for the benefit of anybody who is still unsure, there is NO green stamp.  Images II & III have been digitally adapted to show the Security overprint!



Printing dates seen
1st class - 03/12/08
2nd class - 04/12/08
50p & £1 - 08/12/08
1st Large - 09/12/08
2nd Large - 10/12/08

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New postal rates - new Machin and country definitive stamps 31 March 2009

On 31 March Royal Mail will issue new definitive stamps in advance of the change in postage rates which takes effect from 6 April.

Four new Machin definitives will be issued:
17p olive-green
22p stone
62p red
90p ultramarine
Of course these colours are Royal Mail descriptions so we can't be sure what they will actually look like until they show us, but the 17p is probably similar to the 18p & 30p, the 22p similar to the old 16p, red has been used a number of times (8p, 26p) and ultramarine is probably the 20½p blue.

New 56p and 90p country definitives will replace the 50p and 81p in existing designs.

Machins with security features: delays and cancellations!

News from Royal Mail today

Retail stamp books
This range of books will now have a First Day of Availability on 31 March 2009, as opposed to 17 February 2009.

Business sheets
The business sheets will now not be available until 31 March 2009, as opposed to 17 February 2009.

Stamp rolls
Stamp rolls / coils of the Machin stamps with new security features will not be produced for this issue.

All other stamps and products for this issue remain unaffected.

Well - that will make production of first day covers on 17 February somewhat easier.

Scotland's Country stamps - now by Enschede

The Robert Burns miniature sheet is printed by Joh Enschede Security Print in Holland, and so the country definitives are new stamps. The new stamps are shown below alongside examples of the existing sheet stamps. The most noticeable difference is the smaller silver head and thinner figures of value. There are some shade differences, most notably the very red shading to the lower left corner of the 50p.
Note the labels on the images, as the Enschede stamps are in a block of 4!

Design Classics Prestige Book Machins quite different to earlier versions

The Design Classics stamp issue on 13 January 2009 includes a prestige stamp book. Stamps on two of the panes are Design Classics, another pane has a block of 4 Concorde stamps, two from the new set and two from the 2002 Jet Airliners set.




But as usual one pane contains a mix of Machin definitive stamps. As this book is printed by Cartor Security Printers of France, the definitives are all new, and as the enlarged images show, the Cartor versions are quite different to the sheet versions printed by De La Rue.


In each case the De La Rue stamp is on the left, and the new Cartor stamp is on the right.
Whilst the pane image above is from Royal Mail publicity, the images here are of actual stamps, which were scanned in one session with the same settings - in addition to the quite distinct head, the shade of the 16p is quite different. This will be required by specialist collectors and those with preprinted albums.

Robert Burns 250th Anniversary - stamp miniature sheet 22 January 2009

Robert Burns, one of the world's greatest poets, and Scotland's national bard, was born 250 years ago into a farming family at Alloway in Ayrshire in 1759.

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of his birth, Royal Mail is issuing two new Special Stamps in a Miniature Sheet to coincide with the annual Burn's Night celebrations that mark his genius, held not just in Scotland, but globally from South Africa to Canada.

The miniature sheet contains the four Scotland country definitives in a se-tenant block, and two new 1st class stamps. The stamp on the left features the title of the poem A Man's a Man for a' that with a detail from a copper plate engraving from a painting by James Sargent Storer Robert Burns turning up a mouse in her nest with his plough, while the stamp on the right is the famous portrait of the poet by Alexander Nasmyth. The background shows an engraving of Burns' birthplace in Alloway by James Sargent Storer.

As well as the stamps, Royal Mail will be selling a first day cover and presentation pack. To see some other products and the special postmarks for the first day of issue visit our website.

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