First King Charles III non-stamp postal products appears.

In March I wrote about postal products which would, eventually, need to be changed following the accession to the throne of King Charles III - post and go stamps (both 'definitive and the pictorial), Horizon & SSK labels, and 'digital stamps' the postage paid impressions used by mass mailers featuring preprinted definitives.

Now, thanks to JE and a postman in Scotland, I can show the first of these, a Horizon label featuring the same head profile as is on the stamps.  The image is almost certainly from a mobile phone, and has been manipulated, nevertheless it shows what the new Horizon label is like, so we can all look out for them now.

First reported example of King Charles III Horizon label, used for Special Delivery on 11 July 2023 from a Post office in the Edinburgh area.

Queen Elizabeth and King Charles Horizon labels, images from different sources.

The label is the same size and in the same format as the one it replaces.  I'll be grateful for reports from any area of the country with images.  Details will be obscured where required.

 

Coincidentally I was deleting some 2007 emails yesterday and found some from a source within the Post Office which had alerted me to changes in Horizon Label codes - when 1st was replaced by 1L and 1LL etc.  Because this was a national roll-out, first day covers were produced and there was a lot of philatelic interest in the new developments.  

To this day some collectors are still trying to obtain examples of all codes, as they change, and some even from all PO branches - a task made more interesting by closure and reopening with different branch codes.

This exercise continued when the pictorial 'gold head' labels were introduced at Camden PO in 2009,  and the corner head types at Europhilex in 2015.

November 2007 FDCs of Horizon labels with new PIP codes.

July 2009 FDC of 'Gold Head' Horizon label from Camden PO.

May 2015 FDC of Horizon label in new format to accommodate machine readable data codes.

It is unfortunate that we no longer have the contacts inside Royal Mail or the Post Office who think to announce when changes such as this are happening. Of course, they are operational matters.

It's just sad that what used to be a Philatelic Service, keeping collectors and dealers informed about new stamps, and changes that would be of interest to us over the last 60 years, is now a Stamps and Collectibles department, dedicated to keeping us informed about all the latest gimmicks and non-philatelic products that they are producing to keep that department afloat and - they say - subsidise their service to us.

Do please let me know of any more sightings, especially with other codes and in Welsh.  I think that if Post & Go stamps are changed then there will be a philatelic announcement as they have made so much money from these in the past.  

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July 2023 slogan postmarks and other interesting postal markings

July's slogan postmarks continued from June with the Supporting NHS slogan.

New July slogan postmarks will be shown here; please check for latest updates before spending your time scanning, but if you have something new or another format, then please do send it in for publication. 

 

Thanks to KD for this July example of the NHS slogan, from Chester (to an address in England, so not the NHS Wales/GIG Cymru version - which we still haven't seen).

Supporting NHS75, Chester & N Wales Mail Centre 04/07/2023

UPDATE 10 July. My thanks to JE for arranging and supplying images of the NHS Wales/GIG Cymru and HSC versions for addresses in Wales and Northern Ireland, both from Gatwick Mail Centre on 03/07/2023

Supporting HSC 75 slogan used on mail to Northern Ireland addresses, from Gatwick Mail Centre 03/07/2023

GIG CYMRU NHS WALES slogan used on mail to addresses in Wales, from Gatwick Mail Centre 03/07/2023

The Northern Ireland slogan is based on the Health and Social Care system (HSC), rather than just the National Health Service.

Google reveals that In Northern Ireland, the National Health Service (NHS) is referred to as Health and Social Care or HSC. HSC in Northern Ireland provides critical and emergency care and also provides social care services like home care services, family and children’s services, day care services and social work services. 

NHS Wales is the public funded National Health Service of Wales providing healthcare to some 3 million people who live in the country.

The Welsh Government sets the Health Care strategy and NHS in Wales delivers that strategy and services via the seven Local Health Boards, three NHS Trusts and two Special Health Authorities. The NHS has a key principle which is that - Good healthcare should be available to all.

GIG Cymru yw Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol Cymru a ariennir yn gyhoeddus ac sy'n darparu gofal iechyd i oddeutu 3 miliwn o bobl sy'n byw yn y wlad.

Llywodraeth Cymru sy’n pennu’r strategaeth Gofal Iechyd a GIG Cymru sy’n cyflenwi’r strategaeth a’r gwasanaethau hynny drwy’r saith Bwrdd Iechyd Lleol, tair Ymddiriedolaeth y GIG a’r ddau Awdurdod Iechyd Arbennig. Mae gan y GIG egwyddor allweddol, sef - Dylai gofal iechyd da fod ar gael i bawb.

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As predicted, the annual Dog Awareness slogan appeared again this week, and this was on our incoming mail last week.   It's a poor example from Warrington Mail Centre 01-07-2023.

Dog Awareness Week 2023 slogan, Warrington Mail Centre 01-07-2023

Fortunately Jon on Stampboards had a much better one from Croydon. Croydon and Warrington are both mail centres that we don't see very often.

Dog Awareness Week 2023 slogan, Croydon Mail Centre 07-07-2023

UPDATE 11 July: Thanks to MM for a better copy of Warrington, though it's still not as good as the Croydon one.  Thanks also to JG for this slightly stretched version of the other layout, from South East Anglia Mail Centre 05/07/2023.

Dog Awareness Week 2023 slogan, Sotuh East Anglia Mail Centre 05/07/2023

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We have now reverted to the default British Heart Foundation slogan, this one from Cornwall on a letter received here this morning.

British Heart Foundation slogan Cornwall Mail Centre 10/07/2023

UPDATE 23 July - thanks to RW for this Bristol slogan in reverse layout, where the stamp would be on the left, usually on a square envelope.  RW didn't say where it was on this one!

British Heart Foundation slogan reversed layout Bristol Mail Centre 20/07/2023

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Other postmarks, postal markings etc,

This image was sent to me as a puzzle, and it is CONTINGENCY BRANCH 64. It's located in the Hastings, post code area TN35but I haven't been able to track down which branch.

Counter date stamp of branch in the Hastings, Sussex, area using Contingency Branch 64 date stamp.

UPDATE 7 August.  PB reports: CB 64 has been at Ore (Hastings) since re-locating 11 Jan 2021. I met the trainer later at another office and he said they also had an Ore datestamp but the lady in the office said the CB64 was the only one she had been given.

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If you have any other interesting postal markings, please send them to one of the email addresses in the top right of this blog.  Thank you.

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Remember, all postmarks appearing in July will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.  I'll add new ones as quickly as possible.

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Why produce forgeries of old special (non-definitive) stamps?

It's a question I asked myself when I first heard about these and then saw a couple online.  The stamps in everyday use are the definitives - Machins or King Charles.  These are the ones that people buy normally, and they will be the ones they most often buy (forged) at a discount from online sources.

Most traders will be happy with definitives; Postcrossers and individuals who like attractive, different, stamps may be attracted to something less usual, like the pictorial country definitives.

And those people may like to have the others which have been forged, the Aardman specials, for instance, or these Classic Children's Television, originally issued in 2014.  Thank you to AB for these forgeries.

These are all scanned in pairs with the same settings, and then one of each stamp is copied along side the other to produce matching pairs (I didn't want to split the strips, not least because I borrowed the genuines from Dave Evans of Jerwood Philatelics!)

Can you tell which is which?  Bear in mind that the colour registration of any Royal Mail stamps is not 100% accurate, so text often has a blurry appearance, but sometimes they are very crisp.

Which would you rather put on your letters, knowing that a forged stamp - IF detected - would attract a penalty charge of at least £2.50 on he recipient?

The forgeries are on the right, on slightly thinner paper.  But really, if you bought the ones on the right (bottom strip on the picture below) would you know that they were not genuine stamps?  The quality is superb - and there was no security printing on the backing paper - and although there are differences, which is which?

What you can't see from singles is that the spacing is wrong.  The genuine measure about 196.5 mm perf to perf.  The forgeries measure almost 198 mm.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

This is the shipping label that was on the package of stamps that AB was sent.

Note the endorsement, Shipper only, not seller.   I wonder what this means in practice and in law.  Clearly the shipper is 'sending forged stamps through the post' presumably with the intent that they would be used for postage.

It's much easier to forge self-adhesive stamps than normally gummed and perforated stamps.  

I wonder what other self-adhesive special stamps will be forged.

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River Wildlife - 2nd class special stamps in abundance - 13 July 2023

Although for many years Royal Mail have said that they don't want to give the wrong impression by using 2nd class stamps to commemorate any person or event, it  doesn't seem unreasonable that some of the many thematic sets which commemorate nothing should at least include 2nd class stamps.

The Blackadder set in May this year did include a pair of 2nd class stamps, but the River Wildlife issue is the first to have 10 stamps divided equally between 2nd and 1st class.  This means the cost is only £9.25 rather than £11 for 10 x 1st class.

Royal Mail included this in their reason for this issue.

Rivers are among the most spectacular of all UK ecosystems, carving pathways through our history, shaping our landscapes and supplying our water. 

They feature a remarkable diversity of plants and animals, either adapted to live beneath the water surface or in closely associated habitats to which rivers bring critical life support. But, without protection, river wildlife faces a range of risks.

All very well.  But that's it.  The presentation pack "showcases the spectacular ecosystem of rivers and explores the habitat diversity, while the outer of the pack goes into more detail about each animal. Written by Professor Steve Ormerod a professor of ecology and former Chair of the RSPB Council".

So unless Prof Ormerod has space in the pack to highlight the threats to each of the species shown, this is in reality just a series of attractive photographs!

Stamps are, at the time of writing, available for pre-order on Royal Mail's shop.

So on to  The Stamps

Set of 10 River Wildlife stamps (5 each 2nd & 1st class) issued 13 July 2023

 

UPDATE 14 July - the 1st class stamps have a single central phosphor band, the same as the 2nd class, in error.   So far no 'correct' ones have been reported.

Update 19 July - reprint due!

I've received this communication from Royal Mail Stamps & Collectibles:

Due to a technical error in the printing of our River Wildlife Special Stamp issue, some of the 1^st Class stamps in the set may be processed as 2^nd Class stamps. We have removed the affected products from sale and apologise to any of our customers who have been affected.

We are  currently setting up a mechanism for customers who have purchased 1st Class stamps in this issue, or products that include those 1^st Class stamps,  to exchange these for replacements free from technical errors.

Further information will be communicated in due course.

So I was wrong in doubting that there would be a reprint!

UPDATE 27 July. The 1st class stamps are once again on the Royal Mail wesbite.  The technical specification reads "bars as appropriate" - which it probably did before, but they might mean it this time!

2nd class: Beaver, Atlantic Salmon, Kingfisher, Beautiful Demoiselle, Water Vole
1st class:  Grey Wagtail, Common Mayfly, Otter, Brown Trout, Dipper

Technical Details and Acknowledgements

The stamps were designed by Studio Up, using photographs as detailed below, and printed by Cartor Security Printers in litho on paper with ordinary gum. The stamps are 41 x 30 mm, printed in two sheets of 50, in se-tenant strips of 5 as shown.

Beaver © David Chapman/Alamy Stock Photo; Atlantic Salmon © Keith Ringland/Alamy Stock Photo; Kingfisher © Wild Birds, Alius lmago/Alamy Stock Photo; Beautiful Demoiselle © PjrNature/Alamy Stock Photo; Water Vole © Terry Whittaker/naturepl.com; Grey Wagtail © Gavin Rowley/Alamy Stock Photo; Common Mayfly © Paul Young/Alamy Stock Photo; Otter © Dave Vowden/Alamy Stock Photo; Brown Trout © Paul Colley/Getty Images; Dipper © Andy Rouse/2020VISION/naturepl.com

Products available

Set of 10 stamps, first day cover,, postcards, presentation pack, collector sheet, framed set and sheet.

Collector Sheet

The sheet, costing £10.45, predicatbly includes all 10 River Wildlife stamps, printed on self-adhesive paper making 10 different stamps to those available at Post Office branches.  The stamps are printed with similar images on the se-tenant labels.  Although the labels are slightly larger and do not have the King's head or value, they are similar enough to stand a good chance of passing for stamps!  

Collector sheet of 10 River Wildlife stamps alongside labels showing similar images.

The Framed set and sheet are priced at £34.99 each.

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Last chance to buy - stamps going off sale 1 August

Royal Mail have announced the Last Chance To Buy the following stamp issues, which will come off sale on 1st August 2023. This includes all stamps and products associated with these stamp issues.

• Rugby Union
• The FA Cup
• The Stamp Designs of David Gentleman
• Heroes of the Covid Pandemic
• Pride
• Royal Marines
• Unsung Heroes : Women of World War II

If you buy any now they will be sold at current prices, but a reminder that 2nd class stamps were issued for the Rugby Union stamps.

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Why does Royal Mail issue odd-value stamps for use on parcels, but make it more expensive to use them?

It's a rhetorical question, because in the end it is cheaper for them if you pay online, and they also capture information about you for future marketing.

Reminding you of an early discussion, back on a 3 May post, 

'Royal Mail have said, "We have chosen to add the other values to ensure variety and also provide the option for more flexible use of special stamps for parcels."

 

But it sticks in the craw somewhat when they issue £1 and £2 stamps in the Windrush set,

and then advertise like this on social media:

 

If ever there was a reason NOT to buy Royal Mail special stamps, then this is it.

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Cigarette smuggler found with unusual forged stamps - Manchester Evening News

An interesting story from the Manchester Evening News concerning some forged stamps.  These didn't make it to market, but did any others?

'Breadwinner' with 'good work ethic' caught smuggling 800 sheets of fake stamps into Manchester Airport

Border Force guards have smashed a plot by a computer science student to smuggle more than £40,000 worth of counterfeit postage stamps into Britain.

Officers stopped 42-year-old UK-based father-of-three Ogbehudia Adun at Manchester Airport after he hid almost 800 sheets of fake first and second class stamps under clothing in his luggage. Initially, Adun claimed the stamps were ''invitations'' but he later admitted acquiring the fake items from his native Nigeria to sell on the black market in Britain.

He came back to the UK via Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris and aroused suspicion due to the number of suitcases in his possession. He was also found to be carrying an excessive number of duty free cigarettes. Royal Mail’s security investigators were handed the stamps and later confirmed that they were counterfeits of the £1.75* Marine Turquoise and £2.55 Garnet Red stamps first issued by the Royal Mail in 2020 and 2017 respectively. 

Genuine £2.55 stamp

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“Border Force Officer James Pattison opened the bag where he found four, what appeared to be cardboard packages sealed with tape. The packages were beneath some clothing, but otherwise had not been concealed.

“Officer Pattison opened the packages and found what appeared to him to be counterfeit stamps. The paper appeared to be of poor quality and lacked the perforated edges that are normally seen on genuine Royal Mail stamps."  (My emphasis.)

The contents of the packages included, 577 sheets containing 13,848 £2.55 stamps (24 to a sheet!) and 195 sheets each containing an unspecified number of £1.75* stamps.

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In mitigation, Patrick Williamson said, “The defendant had limited involvement. It is my understanding that he met someone in Nigeria who asked for a favour from him, that being taking a parcel of stamps through customs.

“He realises now that this was a foolish decision, and when he got to France, he realised the error of his ways. He has expressed remorse to me, especially because of the effect it has had on his family.

''He shares the caring responsibilities with his partner and was the breadwinner of the family.

“He has a good work ethic and has worked consistently since he first came to the country from Nigeria 12 years ago. He has recently started a computer science course at a college in Leeds city centre and he currently brings home around £1400 a month.”

Adun, of Bodmin Road in Leeds, West Yorkshire, admitted possession of articles in use for use in fraud and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 15 rehabilitation activity days as part of a 12 month community order. He must also pay the court £500 in costs.

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* The numbers don't add up (assuming the turquoise green are in sheets of 24) and there are no pictures of the stamps.   I suspect the error is that these are actually £1.70 stamps.  

I've not heard of a £1.70 forgery, but thought I had seen a reference to the £2.55 being forged, though I can't now find it.  

If these are 'lacking the perforations' then they may be like the England £1.33 that was found a few years ago with no perforations, simply rouletting between the stamps.  

Maybe these were produced for another mailing scam (as were the £1 brown) and that this seizure is the entirety of the production.  Maybe not.  If anybody has any further information please let me know.

 

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Windrush: 75 years - 22 June 2023

After WWII, Britain encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries. To a large extent this was to help rebuild the country as there was a shortage of labour at the time. *

HMT Empire Windrush is best remembered today for bringing one of the first large groups of post-war West Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom. **   The ship which was en route from Australia to Britain via the Atlantic, docked in Kingston, Jamaica, to pick up servicemen who were on leave.§

The British Nationality Act 1948, giving the status of citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC status) to all British subjects connected with the United Kingdom or a British colony, was going through parliament, and some Caribbean migrants decided to embark "ahead of the game". Prior to 1962, the UK had no immigration control for CUKCs, who could settle indefinitely in the UK without restrictions. §

The ship was far from full, and so an opportunistic advertisement was placed in a Jamaican newspaper, The Daily Gleaner, offering cheap transport on the ship for anybody who wanted to travel to the UK. Many former servicemen took this opportunity to return to Britain with the hopes of finding better employment, including, in some cases, rejoining the RAF; others decided to make the journey just to see what the "mother country" was like. One passenger later recalled that demand for tickets far exceeded the supply, and that there was a long queue to obtain one. §

A commonly given figure for the number of West Indian immigrants on board the Empire Windrush is 492, based understandably on news reports in the media at the time, which variously announced that "more than 400", "430" or "500" Jamaican men had arrived in Britain. However, the ship carried 1027 passengers and two stowaways**, and the ship's records, kept in the United Kingdom National Archives, indicate conclusively that 802 passengers gave their last place of residence as a country in the Caribbean.§

When the Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury from Jamaica on 22 June 1948, it marked the start of the postwar immigration boom which was to change British society. Images of the African-Caribbean passengers filing off the gangplank have become part of the country's social history. *

Arrivals were temporarily housed near Brixton; the area's Windrush Square commemorates the ship's arrival. The majority remained to settle permanently, and now form a central part of British society. The ship itself made its final voyage in 1954. *

Royal Mail are marking the 75th Anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush.  It has come to symbolise the mass migration of people from the Caribbean to the UK in the post-war era. Eight new stamps featuring vibrant illustrations have been created exclusively for Royal Mail to celebrate this occasion.

A set of eight Special Stamps celebrating the 75th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush to the UK. Featuring original illustrations, created exclusively for Royal Mail by 5 Artists celebrating the contribution of the Windrush generation to the UK over the past 75 years.

The Stamps

Windrush: 75 years, pair of 1st class stamps

1st Class
From Small Island Life to Big Island Dreams by Kareen Cox (at Tilbury)
Ode to Saturday Schools by Tomekah George (schoolroom)

Windrush: 75 years, pair of £1 stamps

£1.00
Carnival Come Thru by Bokiba (steel band)
Basking in the Sun After a Hard Work Day by Emma Prempeh

Windrush: 75 years, pair of £2 stamps

£2.00
The March by Emma Prempeh
Here We Come by Bokiba (cricketers)

Windrush: 75 years, pair of £2.20 stamps

£2.20
Taste the Caribbean by Kareen Cox (street food)
Dancehall Rhythms by Alvin Kofi (dance)

Technical Details
The stamps were deigned by The Chase and Supple Studio and printed by Cartor Security Printers in litho on paper with ordinary gum.  The se-tenant pairs are printed in sheets of 60, perforated 14½ x 14.

Products

Stamp set, FDC, Presentation Pack, Stamp Cards, Coin Covers, Framed set.

First Day Covers

For collectors wishing to produce their own FDCs with a slogan postmark, these Windrush slogans are currently running and I would expect them to run all week.

 

Sources: § Wikipedia, * British Library, ** Royal Museums Greenwich.

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June 2023 Slogan postmarks and other interesting postal markings

June's slogan postmarks continued from May with the British Heart Foundation (default).

New June slogan postmarks will be shown here; please check for latest updates before spending your time scanning, but if you have something new or another format, then please do send it in for publication.

This was on our incoming mail last week.  From Jubilee Mail Centre 02-06-2023.

British Heart Foundation slogan Jubilee Mail Centre 02-06-2023

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Thanks to RW for sending the latest new slogan, which will please the greetings card industry, which is for Father's Day.  This started on 10 June.  A poor impression from Tyneside NE/SR Mail Centre probably 12/06/2023.

Don't Forget
Father's Day
Sunday 18 June

Father's Day slogan Tyneside Mail Centre 12/06/2023

Three more examples, from JE, today. Here are two of them in the different formats.  Lancashire and South Lakes (Preston) 12/06/03 and Mount Pleasant 10-6-2023

Father's Day slogan Mount Pleasant Mail Centre 10-06-2023

Father's Day slogan Preston Mail Centre 12/06/2023

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UPDATE 17 June.    Now that it's too late to post a card for Father's Day a new slogan has been introduced ahead of the issue of the Windrush stamps on 22 June.  My thanks to Andi B for sending examples from Greenford/Windsor Mail Centre and Southampton Portsmouth & IOW both dated 16 June 2023.

MV Empire Windrush
Port of Tilbury
22nd June 1948

 
WINDRUSH FOUNDATION

MV Empire Windrush slogan used Greenford/Windsor Mail Centre and
Southampton Portsmouth & IOW  16/06/2023

UPDATE 22 June.  And now in the other format, which is actually a better look.  From Swindon Mail Centre 19-06-2023 (Thank you to MH for a first contribution!)

MV Empire Windrush slogan used Swindon Mail Centre 19-06-2023

UPDATE 3 July.   After Windrush slogans reverted to the default for a period until 29 June, and then on 30 June a new NHS slogan was introduced.  

Supporting

NHS 75

 

Supporting NHS75, Birmingham Mail Centre 30/06/2023

Look out for different versions TO addresses in Wales and Scotland.  If anybody has examples of these both from those countries and others to those countries, please send scans.  Thank you.

Here's one from Manchester (also on the first day) to Scotland with the NHS Scotland slogan.

Supporting NHS Scotland 75 Years, Manchester Mail Centre 30/06/202

This will run into July, and look out for the Dog Awareness Week slogan which will probably start at the weekend 8/9 July.

 

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Other postmarks, postal markings etc,

It's been a while since we had any local postmarks, so here is the counter date stamp of Ranworth on the Norfolk Broads - and a photo of the shop.

Ranworth Norwich Norfolk counter date stamp 21. AP. 23

Thanks to RW for these pictures of the Post Office at Galmpton, Brixham, and the cds it uses.

Glampton Brixham Devon counter date stamp 22.JU 23

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If you have any other interesting postal markings, please send them to one of the email addresses in the top right of this blog.  Thank you.

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Remember, all postmarks appearing in June will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.  I'll add new ones as quickly as possible.

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