'B' security code - 2nd class Business Sheet

Thanks to Chris R (who thought he had found an error - but then we all can hope, can't we?) here's a good photo of the B code.

Security codes B B C T F & S - codebreakers!

In a move worthy of the codebreakers at Bletchley Park, Royal Mail has coded the new security definitives to identify their source. So as well as the variations in slits reported here earlier, we now know that there is a much easier way to identify the stamps.

As reported by Larry in the Machin Mania blog, Douglas Myall published the news yesterday that the non-denominated security Machins have a hidden code that identifies the format in which the stamp was issued.

I don't usually replicate entire threads, but this one is important for completeness.

The code is a change of one letter in the curvy ROYAL MAIL pattern, located at the top right, above the diadem.

The codes are as follows:

B replacing A in Royal - ROYBL MAIL - in business sheets (Large 1st and 2nd Machins) (corrected previous error)

B replacing A in Mail - ROYAL MBIL - in business sheets (standard 1st and 2nd Machins) (corrected previous error)

C replaing A in Mail - ROYAL MCIL - in mixed booklets with four 1st Machins and two commemoratives ("C" is for custom)

F replacing R in Royal - FOYAL MAIL - in booklets of four stamps (large 1st and 2nd Machins)

S replacing A in Mail - ROYAL MSIL - in booklets of six (standard 1st Machins)

T replacing A in Mail - ROYAL MTIL - in booklets of twelve (standard 1st and 2nd Machins)

There are no hidden codes in counter sheets, which means that no denominated Machin has a code.

Royal Mail says that these codes let them know the source of a stamp when a problem is discovered, for example, a sub-standard application of the phosphor bands.

So now we have different slits, different perforations, and ID letters. Who said Machins were boring!

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Constant flaw on Darwin's Machin PSB pane

An eagle-eyed collector in Singapore has spotted something that two dealers handling his stamps failed to spot, and that is a constant flaw on one stamp on this pane.

It might have been a fleck of paper, except that it appeared on all the panes in my stockbook. And it might have been on every Machin pane - except that it isn't any of the panes I have with the dark 5p stamp, and it isn't on any of the panes in the books I have, or the FDCs. But it is constant on at least 20 panes!

More next week when I will have had a chance to scan it.

Short phosphor bands on Faststamps

Several people have reported that the labels we know as Faststamps (but which Royal Mail refers to as 'Post and Go stamps') exist with misplaced phosphor - inset right, short top or bottom.

As you may know, the Philatelic Bureau (aka Tallents House) now sells sets of 5 labels in a specially designed carrier - not quite a presentation pack, but similar, along with badly creased cellophane sleeves. These are not dispensed from Post & Go machines, which produce labels with thermal print values etc, but are specially printed by Walsall in gravure.


It seems that short bands on these are more common than on the machine dispensed labels. Here are the findings from some of our batches:

1. Inland (2) and Europe very short at foot; worldwide slightly short at top.
2. World 10gr slightly short at top, World 20gr slightly short at foot; remainder OK.
3. Inland (2) very short at foot; World slightly short at top; Europe OK.

Remember, these are each sets of 5 dispensed from the same pack, so the packs are assembled from various parts of the print run.

I still have more to check, but I have 3 type 1, 4 type 2, and 1 type 3 packs. Not scarce at all, it would seem!

Walsall Booklets with security features 31 March 2009

I have received my first supplies of the new Walsall booklets containing Machin definitives with security features. Some have cylinder numbers, some don't so I'll only be able to report what I have. The phosphor bands seem to be more or less accurately aligned on all booklets.

6 x 1st - cylinders W5 W2(P) W1 (overlay) - Postcode advert inside front cover
12 x 1st - no cylinder received
12 x 2nd - no cylinder received
4 x 1st Large - cylinders W1 W1(P) W1(o) - blank inside front cover
4 x 2nd Large - no cylinders received - blank inside front cover


As reported before, the 1st class letter stamp was first issued on 10 March in the Design Classics retail book (with the red cover). Used examples may be distinguished from the current book in two ways.

The new booklets have flat-topped perforations; the Design Classics booklet has rounded tops to perforations.



As previously mentioned on the Walsall printings the security cut is actually 4 cuts, compared with De La Rue's two cuts. On the latest (31 March) booklets the gap at the apex of the curve is wider than on the Design Classics (10 March) booklets.
Correction: The current (31 March) booklets have a wide gap on the 1st & 2nd books of 12, and a narrow gap on the 1st book of 6 and the Large Letter books.


Of course we don't know at this stage whether these distinguishing features will be consistent, but at least it gives us something to look for on used stamps.

New Security Business Sheet printing dates

The Business Sheet definitives with security features, the issue of which was delayed from 17 February to an official 'first day of availability' date of 31 March have now been delivered to us.

Printing dates and serial numbers are as follows:

2nd class letter - 14/01/09 - lowest 0555748 highest 0555751

1st class letter - 12/12/08 - 0376826 -27

2nd class Large - 18/01/09 - 0035579 - 98

1st class Large - 19/01/09 - 0148758 - 784

Unlike previous issues the printer is not identified on the top panel (Walsall Security Print was previously printed below the barcode). The security slit indicates that these were printed by De La Rue, which clears up the final uncertainty over these.

All the LARGE sheets, 1st & 2nd, have the phosphor slightly inset from the right, some with most of the teeth clear of phosphor.

31 March Cylinder Blocks - of 6, and not self-adhesive!

Despite apparent evidence to the contrary we can confirm that the Machin definitive and country definitive stamps are printed in sheets of 200 on conventionally-gummed paper, and have cylinder numbers adjacent to row 18 as they always have been.



For speed and space I have only scanned one of each - apart from the position of the 'blob' in the grid (can two squares be a grid?) - all the sheets are the same, the number of cylinders being the same as in previous years.

Rates change re-using old colours

I now have the Machin definitives which will be issued at the end of the month. The colours of the actual stamps are in some cases quite different to the publicity pictures, and bear comparison with previous issues. Only for the 22p can I find no direct match, it seems to be a slightly darker shade of the colour used for the 68p (and several other earlier values!).

Design Classics retail booklet update

My factory-sealed packet of 50 booklets contained none with cylinder numbers, so I assumed that there were none on these booklets. However, a friend received two from the Philatelic Bureau, and both had cylinder numbers (W1 repeated) below the routemaster stamp. Distribution seems, therefore, to be haphazard!

Retail books of 1st class gold Machins

Originally scheduled for issue on 17 February, the booklets and business sheets were delayed, and Royal Mail philatelic announced that the "official first day of availability" would be 31 March, the same as the stamps for the new postage rates.

This overlooked the fact that the Design Classics retail book issued on 10 March would also have security features on the definitives, thus making that date the first day of issue of Walsall printings, of the 1st class at least.

It is now apparent that the 1st class books of 6 were available in some retail outlets as early as 9 March, as we have had two reports. There are no reports of the 2nd class or either Large stamp being available in booklets yet.