Norvic Philatelics Blog

Centenary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II, set, MS, PSB etc - 21 April 2026

2026-04-14T11:53:00.032+01:00

Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 and so this year marks the centenary of her birth. Royal Mail is marking the anniversary with a set of 8 stamp and a miniature sheet, plus a lot more merchandise.

The stamps feature a selection of carefully curated photographs taken throughout her lifetime with the miniature sheet of four stamps reflecting her lifelong love of animals.

The eight 1st class stamps are produced as a set of four se-tenant vertical pairs featuring black and white, and colour photographs spanning the decades of her life. Each stamp has a portrait superimposed on a background image, some of which we may have seen before on stamps.

Details of the photographs were not provided in a form suitable for including here as text, but they can be seen on the FDC filler card here (click to enlarge).

UPDATE: My thanks to RB who has managed to process the data on the filler to reveal these details. We can't guarantee that it's 100% correct, but here goes:

Listed as portrait first then background. 

Black & white stamps:  Princess Elizabeth at the age of six, July 1932; Members of the Royal Family with their dogs at Royal Windsor Lodge, June 1936.
Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, May 1944; Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret giving their first Children's Hour radio broadcast from Windsor Castle during the Second World War, October 1940.
Queen Elizabeth II in November 1955; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip after the Coronation, June 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II during the Royal Tour of India, 1961; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles riding horses in the park of Windsor Castle
Colour stamps: Queen Elizabeth II during Trooping the Colour 1976; Queen Elizabeth II during Trooping the Colour 1971.
Queen Elizabeth II in the White Drawing Room, Windsor Castle, November 1987; Queen Elizabeth II visiting Treherbert, Wales, April 1989.
Queen Elizabeth II in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, October 2001; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in the Gold State Coach during Golden Jubilee celebrations, June 2002.
Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, 2022; Queen Elizabeth II and members of the Royal Family arriving at The Eden Project, Cornwall, during the G7 Summit, June 2021.
Miniaure Sheet: Princess Elizabeth with her pet dog, London 1936; Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle with one of her corgis, September 1952; Queen Elizabeth II with a horse at Sandringham, 1964;
Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, May 1997.

Part of FDC filler card showing details of photos on the stamps, etc. Click to enlarge.

Miniature Sheet

Technical details

The 50 x 30 mm stamps, designed by Baxter & Bailey are printed in lithography in sheets of 60 by Cartor Security Printers, perf 14. The stamps in the 115 x 89 mm miniature sheet are 35 x 37 mm and perf 14.5. All stamps have phosphor bands are on PVA-gummed paper.

Prestige stamp book

This 24 page publication, tells the story of the life of Queen Elizabeth II accompanied with beautiful photography throughout the decades. As Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II presided over a time of incredible change, acting as a constant source of comfort and stability to the nation. 100 years since the monarch was born, the Prestige Stamp Book pays tribute to Elizabeth II that reflects on her remarkable life and a record-breaking reign.

Prestige book cover and panes 1, 3, 4, 5.

Prestige stamp book pane 2 with two each 50p & £1 definitives coded M26L MPIL

Collector Sheet

The collectors Sheet contains all 8 stamps from the stamp set and accompanying labels featuring carefully curated photography matching the time period of the paired stamp. The stamps and labels sit on a background of the official “100” logo. The Collector Sheet is self-adhesive and lithography, making the stamps in the Collector Sheet different from those printed in the set.

Queen Elizabeth II Centenary Collector Sheet.

Products available

Set of stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers (2), presentation pack, prestige stamp book, fdc of PSB definitive pane, collector sheet, stamp cards (13), press sheet of 16 miniature sheets, £5 coin covers (3 - gold, silver, and cupronickel), framed products (set, MS, collector sheet).

All available from Royal Mail's website and some available from a Post Office branch quite near you if you are lucky.

Slogan postmarks for April 2026 - and other interesting postal markings.

2026-04-13T11:42:00.003+01:00

It's now 13th April and there is no news yet on new slogans, although it has been suggested that there might be one for the local elections, such as the 'Post Early' for postal voters from July 2024.

So please if you find anything new do get in touch. Meanwhile we will start off with the continuation of the British Heart Foundation standard slogan from Cornwall Mail Centre on 07/04/2026.

British Heart Foundation Cornwall Mail Centre 07/04/2026

OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

Just over two years ago we showed the self-inking datestamp (with wavy edges) from Holmbush in the outskirts of St Austell in Cornwall. Now JH has sent the newer 'Morse' type of SID that is in use now, used on 2 April 2026.

Holmbush Post Office 'Morse' type SID 02 APR 2026.

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

A reminder of what these monthly listings are for.

For each month I record the different slogans in use, plus the default slogan that is used when there is nothing else.

For each of these I try to record only one of each of the basic two types, plus any that are reversed on square envelopes, which normally only gives three or four.

Occasionally a slogan appears with different line spacing in the same format.

I do not record multiple versions of the same as any of these unless I later get a much better example of one that I showed purely for the record, but which is otherwise not very clear.

The only exception to this, which doesn't seem to happen much these days, is when a slogan is used well out of time.

I mention this only to avoid readers unnecessarily duplicating what has already been provided.

2026-04-09T11:38:00.001+01:00

Norfolk & Norwich Philatelic Society

STAMP FAIR

Saturday 11 April 2026
10 am to 3.30pm

Middle School Hall - Hewett Academy
Gate 1, Cecil Road (off Hall Road or Ipswich Road)
NORWICH NR1 2PL

I shall be there with a lot of bargains, especially foreign catalogues, postal history, postcards, and Norfolk material. If you're in the area do drop in and say hello.

After everything is put away again next week I shall get back to sending out orders, especially for the Visible Change business sheets and booklets.

King Charles III definitives - new printings 2026

2026-03-31T12:33:00.001+01:00

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
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
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

Possible problems with accessing all features of this blog.

2026-03-24T15:49:00.003+00:00

My default browser is Firefox, but recent changes in the way Firefox displays this blog - but not the others - have restricted my ability to use it here, and may restrict your ability to see everything.

Comments

Comments are moderated by email, that is, I am notified by email and may allow comments, delete them or mark them as spam.

On the desktop version of the blog I can see them, but I cannot respond. This is what I see - and what you may see if you use Firefox and want to comment.

I am able to respond if I use the web version on my iPad.

Search

On the desktop version, the strip above the title strip, which should be a light brown colour, is white and there is no content. Which means I cannot use the search box, and cannot sign-in if I need to.

New Posts

I normally click on the New Post link in the same strip at top right, but that doesn't appear. I am composing this explanation using the Safari browser. However, in Safari I cannot add new images. There's an icon in the editing page to add an image, but when I click on that a blank window pops-up with no option to drag-and-drop, to select and existing image, or link to another web source image.

UPDATE: As you can see above I have managed to add an image. Fortunately as the user control panel is the same for all the blogs associated with this email address, I can go to the Modern Postal History (MHP) blog as if I am editing that, and then select this blog to do the editing or composing.

Whilst readers should only be affected by the first two of these, the restrictions on composing a new post or editing an existing one are fundamental to what is a very visual blog. If ti were a narrative things would be different, but you want to see pictures.

Trying to find the solution to this will not be easy (the italicised explanation above is a workaround which I would prefer not to have to use). I don't think I've done anything in the design or text coding (the html mark-up language which lies behind all websites) to change anything. It is possible that the fault lies in the way we have framed the URL.

The MHP blog started out as https://machins-on-cover.blogspot.com

This one started out as https://norvic-philatelics.blogspot.com (I think - it might have been norphil.blogspot.com), but to bring everything apparently under one roof, so to speak, the internet routing has been changed so that our shop and blog are accessed through the norphil.co.uk domain. This does not need to be a secure site because no personal information is gathered.

The shop(.norphil.co.uk) is hosted by a commercial platform which is secure, and the blog(.norphil.co.uk) routes to blogger, a Google-owned commercial secure website.

Whether this is the cause of the problem I don't know. I can still access all features of the Modern Postal History (MPH) blog, which is registered to the same email address.

If I have not resolved this by the time I should be writing about the next stamp issue, I shall so so through the control panel of the MPH blog until the situation is restored.

If you are experiencing any difficulties in viewing or commenting on this blog, please let me know in the comments and let me know by email what browser and OS you are using.

Thank you and sorry for any inconvenience.

UPDATE 15 APRIL: The situation appears to have settled back into its old state as I can now comment and reply to comments. The 'Can't open this page' message at the top of this page no long appears.

Lord of the Rings Retro Special Offer.

2026-03-14T17:59:00.001+00:00

The 2004 set of 10 Royal Mail stamps marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first books in the Lord of the Rings series. The stamps depicted drawings illustrating locations in the books. All the illustrations are by the author except for the map which is by his son Christopher.

At the time we were producing first day covers for every stamp issue: the numbers varied according to our perceived popularity of the subject.

We think these were some of the best we produced. There are two sets of designs. One pair is in pencil/charcoal by Mates Laurentiu, and the other pair by Lori Snowden is in pastel shades similar to the stamps.

In each case one cover has stamps depicting 'evil' and one has the 'good' stamps. The 'good' covers have postmark E8927 (Ringwould), and the Literary Legend Sarehole Mill postmark (M8967) is on the 'evil' covers. All the covers have individual descriptive inserts.

We have found a few of these remaining in stock, and to clear them here is a very special offer. Originally they were £15.50 for a pair or £29.50 for the set of four.

For readers of this blog the prices are less than half price: £7.50 for either the pastel pair or the charcoal pair, or £15 for a set of 4. (Pairs will have the same serial number; where possible sets of 4 will have the same number.) E-mail to the usual address, for a pair or set of 4.

Ideal as a gift for Ring fans.

Visible Change 1st Large Business Sheet is not the same as previously reported

2026-03-14T13:11:00.012+00:00

Today at last I received a copy of the King Charles III 1st class Large Business Sheet which is due to have its philatelic distribution on 20 March. (There is no first day of issue for business sheets.)

I should have realised, from the Royal Mail trade publicity about this and the booklets, that we might be in for a surprise and so we are.

The clue is in the words 'visible change' because this has the new Relay UK phone number for Deaf, hearing or speech impaired users, rather than the textphone number. Consequently this is a quite different printing to the one previously reported. The other was printed in 2024 and coded M24L, the new one in 2026 and coded M26L.

King Charles III 1st class Large Business Sheet coded M24, the printing is much less clear than on the M26L. This image has been digitally enhanced and the M24L can just about be seen.

King Charles III 1st class Large Business Sheet coded M24L printed in 2024 and found in November 2025.

The new printing is much clearer - M26L MBIL.

King Charles III 1st class Large Business Sheet coded M26L with first day of philatelic availability 26 March 2026.

M26L examples for sale -
I asked for expressions of interest for the 1st Large business sheet stamp when it arrived. Now that we have yet another new one, I feel it best to ask again.

So please email and tell me how many of the M26L you would like; they will be only a little over cost plus postage.

Also as we have a definite first day of (philatelic) availability of this one, please email if you would like a single M26L on first day cover with appropriate postmark (Windsor permanent will probably be used if any are wanted.)

As for the M24L version, it is likely to be very scarce with most examples I suspect being sold through Royal Mail's website to business customers. I know that many post office branches are still holding the Machin version and won't have ordered any more. They won't get an automatic distribution of even the M26L version but it seems more than likely that Royal Mail will want this distributed when needed as it has current information on it.

All copies of the M24L 1st Large have now been sold or reserved, as have most of the other new business sheet stamps. The first batch of orders was posted today. Others, mainly for people who also want booklet stamps, should be posted week commencing 13 April.

I will contact my correspondent of this and ask if he would like to dispose of any. Please email if you would like any of these (how many). No obligation of course as I don't know what price I shall have to charge. But the M24L version should be included in the Gibbons Concise Catalogue as the primary stamp with the subsequent versions in the usual table.

UPDATE - I've been asked about the other two values of Business Sheets - 1st class and 2nd class. I had not planned to get these as I didn't have the imagination to realise that the Visible Change would be for M26L stamps as I expect these two values to be also.
Updated update: I've been told that the 1st class business sheet VC is 2025 2nd class VC is 2026. I think that still makes them both new.

1st class M25L MBIL Business Sheet

2nd class M26L MBIL Business Sheet

So if you wish to have these, please also say so, although if I cannot sell sufficient at a 'close to face' price, I will have to charge more to cover the ones that I have to sell for postage.
And the FDC would be for three stamps!

UPDATE 24 March: I've been told that the 1st Large booklet did not arrive at Tallents House until Friday 20th, so distribution by Royal Mail will be delayed.

There's never a dull moment, is there? I'll be posting images of the new booklet stamps in a separate post when I have them all.

Lord of The Rings - again but different - 20 March 2026

2026-03-13T10:19:00.001+00:00

The 2004 Royal Mail issue related to the Lord of the Rings marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first books in the series. Consequently they focussed on the books and showed the author's drawings illustrating locations in the books. This set, incidentally, was one of many consisting of 10 x 1st class.

2004 set of 10 x 1st class Lord of the Rings stamps.

Now, it's 25 years since The Fellowshop of the Ring hit a screen near you bringing New Zealand director Peter Jackson to our notice - not his first film, but the series which has featured most on stamps, notably those of New Zealand.

Selection of New Zealand Lord of the Rings stamps depicting Frodo, Gandalf, Aragon and Legolas.

New Zealand Post has issued several sets of LOTR stamps. How will Royal Mail's stamps compare? Time will tell, and they will be revealed around 11 March.

As you have probably predicted, Royal Mail have made this another blockbuster issue, aiming to sell much more merchandise to fan collectors than stamp collectors. For this reason there is the usual wide range of products available, starting with...

The set of 8 x 1st class stamps

[Royal Mail] This set of 8 mint stamps showing montages from the film trilogy are perfect for film fans.

Each stamp celebrates iconic characters from the 3 films. British Actors from the epic featured are Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Ian McKellan as Gandalf, Dominic Monaghan as Merry, Billy Boyd as Pippin and Christopher Lee as Saruman.

This stunning imagery also has a secret UV layer revealed using a UV light, Elvish writing in a circle appears on each stamp. Fans will recognise this as the writing on the One Ring.

Set of 8 1st class stamps illustrated with montages from the Lord of the Rings films./The lower illustration shows the Elvish writing revealed if you have a UV lamp.

The characters: The Hobbits, Gandalf, Arwen, Gimli, Saruman, Aragon, Legolas, and Frodo & Gollum.

The miniature sheet

Lord of the Rings miniature sheet of four x 1st class stamps issued 20 March 2026 depicting The Shire at Hobbiton, Rivendell, The Gates of Argonath and Mount Doom.

Technical details and acknowledgements

The 50 x 30 mm stamps were designed by True North, veterans of Royal Mail stamp design - Harry Potter, Women's Rugby, Blackadder, Visions of the Universe etc. They were printed in litho by Cartor Security Printers in sheets of 60 (30 se-tenant pairs), perforated 14½ x 14. The 192 x 74 mm self-adhesive* miniature sheet contains 60 x 30 mm stamps, perforated 14½. (*Not gummed as stated on Royal Mail's web shop).

© New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY and all names of the characters, items, events, and places therein are TM of Middle- earth Enterprises, LLC under license to New Line Productions, Inc. (s26).

Prestige Stamp Book (£25.32) (Thank you JohnH for the correction to my typo.)

"The Prestige Stamp book brings together all the stamps from the Lord of the Rings issue plus a unique pane of definitive stamps available only in this book.

"Inside readers will find expertly written pieces on some of the battles between good and evil, like Arwen vs the Black Riders, Gandalf vs the Balrog and Frodo vs Gollum. Whilst many people are aware of the lead character Frodo, many fans acknowledge that the saga is made up of a host of heroes and this stamp book celebrates the feats and battles won and lost throughout the three films.

"A real journey through Middle Earth, this stamp book is a wonderful addition to any Lord of the Rings Fan’s collection."

The Limited Edition (2001) PSB with gold cover in gold-coloured presentation box (£49.99)

Fan Sheets (£8 each)

Two gummed Fan Sheets containing three of the relevant stamps - Frodo and Sam, and Gandalf. Limited editions of 5,000.

Gandalf's picture looks familiar, doesn't it? Scroll up to the New Zealand stamps!

Collector Sheet (£14.80)

The landscape-oriented Collector Sheet as usual features all 8 stamps, with additional imagery on the attached labels. As usual the sheet is self-adhesive.

Lord of the Rings self-adhesive Collector Sheet of 8 stamps issued 20 March 2026.

Products Available from Royal Mail

Set of 8 stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers (2), presentation pack, stamp cards (13), press sheet of 10 miniature sheets (edition of 200), framed products.

(Incidentally, in each of NZ Post's LOTR issues they had six gummed stamps, the same six stamps in individual miniature sheets, the same six stamps in a single self-adhesive miniature sheet, and a self-adhesive folded booklet containing four of the lowest value, two of one other, and one each of the rest. There are also official maximum cards which had a stamp stuck to the picture side and postmarked, and also printed in black & white on the address side; the cards are thus prepaid for posting to anywhere in the world.)

1st class up 10p, 2nd class up 4p in half-yearly rates changes on 7 April 2026, new stamps 26 March.

2026-03-07T12:00:00.009+00:00

Royal Mail has announces new tariffs effective from 7 April 2026, new stamps on 26 March 2026.

"From 7 April 2026 the price of Second Class stamps will increase by 4p to 91p and the price of First Class stamps will be £1.80, an increase of 10p.

"The new price of a Second Class stamp remains 65p below the European average price of £1.56 and a First Class stamp is 13p below the European average of £1.93. Under the Universal Service in France, Germany and Spain customers only have the option of paying for a three-day service. France charges £1.92 for a Second Class stamp, 12p more than a First Class, next day, service in the UK.

"The stamp price rises reflect the continued rise in cost of delivery for every letter as letter volumes decline and the number of addresses increases. The average household now receives only four letters per week, down from 14 at their peak over 20 years ago, while the number of addresses has risen by four million.

"Richard Travers, Managing Director of Letters at Royal Mail said: “We always consider price changes very carefully, balancing affordability with the rising cost of delivering mail. On average, UK adults now spend just £6.50 each year on stamps and there are 70% fewer letters sent than 20 years ago. In the meantime, the number of addresses we deliver to has increased by four million to 32 million addresses across the UK.”

(Press release)

New tariff analysis

(New prices in bold, reduced in red, unchanged in italics.)

	1^st		2^nd
Letter	1.80	1.70	0.91	0.87
Large Letter – 100g	3.30	3.15	1.55	1.55
- 250g	3.60	3.60	1.90	2.00
- 500g	3.60	3.60	2.40	2.40
- 750g	3.60	3.60	2.70	2.70
Small Parcel 2kg	5.45	5.09	4.25	3.99
Medium Parcel 2kg	8.05	7.45	6.95	6.49
- 10kg	10.05	9.35	8.75	8.19
- 20kg	15.45	14.25	13.15	12.25

Signed For prices for 1st class Letters rise by 20p, and Large Letters by 10-25p; 2nd class letter is up by 14p, Large Letters by 10p. Parcels show rises across the board.

Tracked 24/48 prices show small rises with basic Large Letter (up to 1lg) prices increased by 10p to £3.95 (24) and by 35p to £3.30 (48). Parcels show 5-7% rises.

Special Delivery up to 100g rise 7.5% from £9.25 to £9.95, up to 500g from 6.8% from £10.25 to £10.85. The 9 a.m. option increases are lower this year from £49.95 to £53.95 for the basic 100g weight!

International rates. The basic worldwide letter and postcard rate rises by 20p again from £3.40 to £3.60 (5.8%) airmail and from £3.30 to £3.50 for Economy (surface).

The price for airmail Large Letters up to 100g increases by 30p to all zones (so from £3.50 to £3.80 for Europe, £4.30 to £4.60 worldwide); other weight bands rise by around 6%.

International premium services

The price for 100g International Tracked to Europe increases from £9.75 to £9.95. Outside Europe the rises vary from 10% in Zones 1 & 2 to only 5% for Zone 3 (USA – possibly compensating for both reduced volume, and the administration fee for processing US Tariffs).

I haven't had time to do a comprehensive comparison, especially of rates which are less used like Tracked Small Parcels, but one that stands out is the World Zone 1. Whilst Zone 2 rates stay the same at all weights, Zone 3 (USA) increases by about 6% (with a note that this is subject to change!), Zone 1 (which is the whole world except the USA, Europe and Oceania) shows some increases by a massive 25% (which means for 250g from £16.00 to £19.90), and for 2kg 16% from £31.70 to £36.90.

There are smaller rises for the now 'Documents only' International Tracked and Signed where the compensation has been reduced from £50 to £20 to match the standard airmail.

New Stamps from 26 March 2026 (updated in blue)

There will be three new stamps, for the 100g letter rates, costing a nice round £12 for the set (DS2400).

DS2400A £3.60 Purple Heather for letter rates - Printed 13/01/26
DS2400B £3.80 Aqua Green for Large letter to Europe - Printed 14/01/26
DS2400C £4.60 Sapphire Blue for Large letter to the rest of the world - Printed 15/01/26

Pre-issue publicity images of airmail stamps to be issued 27 March 2026.

The stamps are printed in press sheets of 8 panes; I have Col 1 Row 4 of the £3.60, Col 2 Row 2 of the £3.80 and of the £4.60. The coding is, as it should be, MAIL M26L.

Royal Mail customers with a regular order for definitive stamp sets will receive this set as part of their ongoing subscription. There will also be an official first day cover and single-stamp presentation pack.

Other charges

The cost of a PO Box will be increased by 12% to £416.40. Twelve months' redirection, which was 100x the 2nd class rate at £87 is increased to £95.

Context for older stamps

I've been looking at some older Post and Go sets. A Collector's set of Poppies bought in only 2018 cost £8.18. The postage value at the new rates will be almost two-and-a-half times that at £19.50!

Slogan postmarks for March 2026 - and other interesting postal markings

2026-03-04T17:13:00.011+00:00

Doesn't time race away as we get older? I received the latest slogan postmark by email and was about to add them to the latest Slogan Postmark post - when I remembered that we are now in March!

I don't know whether the standard British Heart Foundation slogan started the month: as we have an example of a new slogan used on 3rd March it seems unlikely.

So thanks to LT for this example of the International Women's Day slogan for this year, used at North & West Yorkshire 03/03/2026.

International Women's Day
8 March 2026
#IWD2026
#GiveToGain

International Women's Day slogan North & West Yorkshire 03/03/2026

Update: Thanks to MM for the other format from Dorset & SW Hants

International Women's Day slogan Dorset & SW Hants 04-03-2026

Update 10 March: the first stamped letter I have received for some time was posted yesterday, so Royal Mail can get some things right! After IWD it seems that Mothering Sunday will be overlooked, despite the opportunity for many card sales and postings, and we have the standard British Heart Foundation slogan. From Cornwall Mail Centre.

British Heart Foundation from Cornwall Mail Centre 09/03/2026

Update 12 March. I received an email yesterday informing me that a Mother's Day slogan was being sent out to mail centres to run until Friday evening. Introduction at mail centres is likely to be not simultaneous, the IMPs especially may have been subject to delay. So while I was out this morning LT sent an example from Sheffield Mail Centre dated 11 March. Mother's Day is two weeks earlier this year than last (30th) when we had examples on 24th, so maybe someone forgot to check the calendar this year.

Remember
Mother's Day
15 March 2025

Remember Mother's Day 15 March 2026 Sheffield Mail Centre 11/03/2026

OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

Sometimes we find (or in this case get sent) an old marking which we have never seen before, nor seen reported. Not that that means it is totally new: after 30 years it's impossible to remember everything, so maybe it has. Doubtless someone from the British Postmark Society will remember it?

Delivered to Royal Mail Slough by Private Carrier on 13 Oct 1995

I don't know the circumstances in which this was used but the wording tells a story; there is no Postage Paid Indicator or Clause 9 Licence number.

It's a rectangular handstamp so this must have occurred with enough volume to demand it - and it either has changeable date wheels or the date is stamped in separately. Either way there must not only have been a volume but also frequency. The postage rate in 1995 was 19p for second class, so the 34p surcharge can't be explained easily.

UPDATE: PA writes "My immediate reaction was that it was C9 mail with no indicia, but was dubious about the date. I have now checked and that did not commence until 2004. Thus this pre-dates the competitors.

I think it is probably DX mail. They delivered mail between their members thus not infringing the monopoly. Initially they served solicitors and later other trades including travel agents and were based in Slough. I am now guessing somewhat, that they received mail addressed to non-members and thus were unable to deliver which was then handed to Royal Mail and surcharged.

The surcharge is correct postage 19p + handling charge 15p = 34p."

Post Office Branch. From SS our correspondent in Canada a Tracked & Signed item which took two months to get from Watford to Vancouver! It was worth the wait because the sender used a set of five greetings stamps which were very fine used at Leavesden Green Post Office north of Watford. (One of the James Bond, and all of the Harry Potter, film franchises were produced at Leavesden Studios.)

Leavesden Green self-inking datestamp 19 JA 26

Leavesden Green Post Office - Google Street View April 2018.

UPDATE 20 March. Thanks to MM I can show another Morse Code handstamp, this time from Whitmore Park Road post office in the northern outskirts of Coventry.

Whitmore Park Road Post Office handstamp 17 MAR 2026

Whitmore Park Road Post Office Google streetview August 2024.

The latest edition of the British Postmark Society Journal records Morse Code type rubber self-inking datestamps at
COUNTY OAK (Crawley),
DARLINGTON LANE (Stockton-on-Tees),
FELLSIDE (Newcastle-upon-Tyne),
HAYWAYDS HEARTH WEST SUSSEX (two examples), and
BHub Cintingency 93 (Banking Hub, a Earlestown, Newton-le-Willows).

UPDATE 27 March. A letter received this week was posted at MERCHANT CITY GLASGOW and although it received the BHF Slogan, one stamp was not covered:

Merchant City Glasgow self-inking datestamp 21 March 2026.

Sited on the corner of Wilson Street and Glassford Street (Glasgow G1) the branch is now in a Spar shop. A box is on the opposite side of Glassford Street, and behind the camera on this shot there is a Tardis-style blue Police Box.

Merchant City branch post office, Glasgow G1 (June 2024, Google street view)

Lockers update. Wednesday was a warm and sunny day so we went to the coast, and I spotted this locker in the garden of The Lobster in Sheringham. This one has the facility for pick-up and drop-off of Evri, Royal Mail, and UPS packets.

Multi-company Locker at The Lobster, Sheringham, Norfolk March 2026

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

A reminder of what these monthly listings are for.

For each month I record the different slogans in use, plus the default slogan that is used when there is nothing else.

For each of these I try to record only one of each of the basic two types, plus any that are reversed on square envelopes, which normally only gives three or four.

The only exception to this, which doesn't seem to happen much these days, is when a slogan is used well out of time.

I mention this only to avoid readers unnecessarily duplicating what has already been provided.

Rows of Roses - set of 10 and collector sheet - 26 February 2026

2026-02-20T00:00:00.206+00:00

This appears to be just another thematic issue from Royal Mail, but it hides a commemoration which isn't mentioned on the stamps or the FDC filler (although it is in the Presentation Pack). In a move to please many letter writers this set includes a strip of five each 2nd class and 1st class, and delighting collectors there is no miniature sheet - although there is another collector sheet which is at the same time attractive and bland!

From Royal Mail's write up*

This set of special stamps celebrates the beauty and heritage of roses in the UK. Roses are among the world’s most beloved flowers, admired for their colour and fragrance. Roses also hold a symbolic place in British history—the Tudor Rose remains an enduring emblem of England. The UK is home to more than a dozen wild species, and cultivated varieties have flourished for over four millennia.

Featuring ten exquisite watercolour illustrations of different rose breeds, this collection honours both wild and garden roses in brand-new watercolour paintings created exclusively for Royal Mail by acclaimed botanical artist Marie Burke, creating a tribute to beauty, tradition, and horticultural artistry.

This issue marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of David Austin OBE (1926–2018), the pioneering British breeder whose creations transformed modern rose cultivation. (Yes that's the commemorative part!)

From the FDC insert, this provides a good historical and geographic background to the development of roses as garden favourites, with a small nod to David Austin at the end.

* Text edited to remove duplication and improve grammar.

The stamps

Set of ten stamps - five 1st class, five 2nd class - depicting rose flowers issued 26 February 2026

2nd class: Dog Rose (Rosa canina), Queen Elizabeth, Just Joey, Paul's Himalayan Musk, Etoile de Hollande.

1st class: Rosa Gallica Versicolor, Field Rose (Rosa arvensis), Charles de Mills, Peace, Constance Spry.

Technical Detail and acknowledgements

The 37 x 35 mm stamps were designed by Charlie Smith Design using original artwork by Marie Burke and printed in litho by Cartor Security Printers on ordinary gummed paper. They are perforated 14½ x 14 in sheets of 50.

BBC Somerset story on the artist - what this article makes clear, that the Royal Mail information doesn't, is that Constance Spry was the first English Rose bred by David Austin, in 1961.

Rosa ‘Just Joey’ featured with kind permission of Roger and Joey Pawsey; Rosa ‘Étoile de Hollande’ featured with kind permission of Verschuren Rozen, Verschuren Rosegrowers Heritage Foundation, Koninklijke Kwekerijen HA Verschuren & Zonen and Jac Verschuren-Pechtold BV; Rosa ‘Peace’ featured with kind permission of the House of Meilland; Rosa ‘Constance Spry’ featured with kind permission of David Austin®

(It is interesting that the permission of the breeders has apparently been required. Back in 2004 for the Bicentenary of the Royal Horticultural Association I photographed a number of cultivars (no roses) from our garden to illustrate our first day covers. It never occurred to me that I ought to ask permission from modern breeders to use my photographs of my flowers!)

Collector Sheet (£14)

Predictably as there is a collector sheet it is self-adhesive, although otherwise the size and print details are the same. Alongside the stamps there are photographs of the same roses, which shows at least how accurate the artist has been, against a background of probably the same roses.

But there is nothing else - just the caption at the top and the copyright notice at lower left - no explanation. It's just something to put on the wall - and for this purpose Royal Mail will sell you a framed sheet (or the framed set) for £40.

As I wrote here many years ago about most of the (now abandoned) Business Customised Sheets, they are just posters which happen to have stamps in them. I mean, just what is the point?

Set of ten self-adhesive stamps (five each 2nd class and 1st class) with attached photographic non-postal labels depicting rose flowers issued 26 February 2026

Products available from Royal Mail

Set of 10 stamps, first day cover, stamp cards, presentation pack, collector sheet.

Microprinting

I mentioned this earlier in the month but I don't intend to study the stamps specifically. However a friend has pointed out to me that the number on these stamps is '2606', ie the sixth issue of the year - except that it isn't. On the original plan sent to use it was due for issue a little later in the year, but the programme was altered before wider publication. We can consequently expect more out of sequence numbers.

The many trains arriving on 19 February at Platform 1 are from Hornby.

2026-02-12T00:00:00.022+00:00

2017 Meccano stamp
This set is all about Hornby Model Railways, perhaps hitching up to last year's Railway 200 celebration of the bicentenary of real railways.

Odd then, that the set marks the 125th anniversary of the company founded by Frank Hornby in 1901, "Hornby Hobbies", to sell his Meccano construction toy. According to Wikipedia until 1907 the company produced under the name of Mechanics made easy which is what Meccano was doing.

The first clockwork train was not produced until 1920. but I suppose trains on stamps have more appeal than construction models?

UPDATE on issue day 19 February. I've had three reports so far that post office branches have refused to sell what stamps they have until next week (27th). This is wrong, the issue date is today: we were originally told 27th but this was changed on 19 December. This was the RoyalMailStamps account on X today. The comment from 'M' indicates that this is a failure to update the Horizon system to allow them to be sold.

If only stamps were delivered to branches with enclosures like this!

Update: I understand that PO Branches were told this because the Horizon system wasn't updated in time. Why they processed a date change for the set and not the MS & presentation packs who knows.

Update 20th: I have been told that POL told RM that "it was impossible to change the date of sale once the original core data had been set up". Apparently stamps are sold as stamps but the other products, including the pack, are fixed at 27th. Fortunately enterprising post office staff have found a way to satisfy the customers. I asked in Dereham today and nobody had asked for them. Twenty years ago there were three dealers in the immediate area. Two have since died and the other gets what stamps he needs from Edinburgh.

From Royal Mail

The clockwork trains were followed by electric models and the iconic Hornby Dublo range in 1938.

These innovations transformed model railways into a cherished pastime, inspiring creativity and technical skills across generations.

Hornby’s story reflects Britain’s engineering heritage and evolving social trends—from childhood play to adult collecting and nostalgia. Despite wartime interruptions and industry challenges, Hornby adapted with new technologies, from realistic detailing to digital control systems, ensuring its continued relevance. Today, Hornby remains a leading name in model railways, celebrated for craftsmanship and authenticity.

This stamp issue honours a brand that has entertained millions, preserved the romance of rail travel, and become a cultural icon of British design and imagination.

The stamps

Set of 8 x 1st class stamps honouring the Hornby brand name issued 19 February 2026.

The set consists if eight 1st Class stamps
GNR No.1 Locomotive (1920) – The original clockwork classic that started it all.
BR 4MT Tank Locomotive (1954) – A post-war favourite from the Hornby Dublo era.
InterCity 125 High Speed Train (1977) – A symbol of speed and innovation.
Bournemouth Belle Pullman Cars (2009) – Luxury in miniature detail.
Princess Elizabeth, LMS (1937) – A majestic pre- war express engine.
AL1 Electric Locomotive (1963) – Capturing the modernisation of British Railways.
Merchant Navy Class (2000) – Heralding Hornby’s new era of authenticity.
‘Hush-Hush’ Experimental Locomotive (2021) – A tribute to engineering ambition.

The Miniature Sheet consists of four 1st class stamps

Miniature Sheet of 4 x 1st class stamps honouring the Hornby brand name issued 19 February 2026.

Hornby Book of Trains – A tribute to the early catalogues that inspired generations of young enthusiasts.
Hornby Dublo Electric Trains – Showcasing the revolutionary 1930s range that brought realism to miniature railways.
Tri-ang Railways Era – Capturing the bold advertising and colourful packaging of the 1960s and 70s.
Modern Classics – Featuring InterCity branding and contemporary designs that reflect Hornby’s evolution

Technical details and acknowledgements

The 41 x 30 mm gummed stamps were printed by Cartor Security Printers in litho in sheets of 60 in se-tenant pairs, perf 14½x14. The 192 x 74 mm miniature sheet contains stamps 60 x 30 mm perf 14½.

2017 Hornby Dublo stamp

Designed by The Chase. HORNBY®, Hornby Railways, Tri-ang Hornby, Tri-ang, Hornby Dublo and Minic are Registered Trade Marks of Hornby Hobbies Ltd, and are used under licence by Royal Mail Group Ltd; images © Hornby Hobbies Limited, except image of two boys on the Dublo stamp: detail from Hornby Dublo box label © M&N/Alamy Stock Photo.

Products available

Set of 8 stamps, miniature sheet, presentation pack, first day covers (2), press sheet of 10 miniature sheets, (Inter-City 125) medal cover, stamp set and miniature sheet in one frame.

So, with yet another branded stamp issue, will Hornby derail the hobby or just some collectors?

booster-t in the comments wanted to post a photo of his TT-gauge Triang - here it is!

TT-gauge Triang 35028 (Southern Region if my memory serves?)

Microprinting is back - and has been for some time.

2026-02-09T15:10:00.003+00:00

Royal Mail has used microprinting in the past to 'hide' the year of issue in many of its special stamps - those printed in litho being more common than gravure. But this stopped a few years ago.

But the Modern British Philatelic Circle has discovered that each litho- printed stamp in the 2025 Queen Victoria set has had a hidden micro-printed ‘2516’ (16th issue of 2025) added within the stamp. I wasn't aware of this as I don't read all the MBPC very often, but here is a 2400 dpi scan of one of the Stranger Things miniature sheet stamps (2601).

2601 microprint on Stranger Things miniature sheet

Gibbons Stamp Monthly later announced similar date codes have appeared since the Valour and Victory set.

I understand this is always printed in black so some will be easier to see than others. I have found the printing on all the Concorde MS stamps, and some of the sheet stamps. (Also six of the Hornby stamps and all of the roses; the latter have a white background making the task much easier.)

See if you can find them on the stamps already issued (starting with the Valour and Victory issue).

Slogan Postmarks for February 2026 - and other postal markings

2026-02-02T17:51:00.010+00:00

February should start (as January ended) with the default British Heart Foundation slogan, but I have reliable information that it will change very soon to the BHF Revivr slogan similar to last year's. This will likely be interrupted by National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) which this year runs from 9-15 February, so we can expect the slogan to approximately follow those dates. But will we get anything for St Valentine's Day?

While I have nothing yet to show you, this at least puts readers on alert for a new slogan this week, another one next week, and then a reversion to this week's the week after that. Hopefully Sheffield Mail Centre will fall into line.

UPDATE 6 February. By chance the first example of the Revivr slogan is from Sheffield! Thanks LT for this one dated 03/02/2026.

British Heart Foundation RevivR slogan Sheffield Mail Centre 03/02/20226

UPDATE:

The slogan actually started on 2nd February and ran until 6th, but will return. Thanks to JE for this example from Bristol.

British Heart Foundation RevivR slogan Bristol Mail Centre 02/02/20226

And here, thanks to RW is the alternative layout from Norwich, although unfortunately not clear.

British Heart Foundation RevivR slogan Norwich Mail Centre 03-02-20226 (digitally adjusted)

UPDATE 11 February 2026 - National Apprenticeship Week returns with a slightly different slogan.

Royal Mail supports
National
Apprenticeship Week
9 - 15 February
careers.royalmailgroup.com

In previous years the last line has had the URL of nationalapprenticshipweek.co.uk, but as you can see this year Royal Mail are promoting their own apprenticeship efforts. JE provided this example from Bristol for 9th February (the campaign started on 7th).

National Apprenticeship Week slogan Bristol Mail Centre 09/02/2026

UPDATE 16 February. Thanks to RS for the other layout of this slogan from Warrington Mail Centre 10th February.

National Apprenticeship Week slogan Warrington Mail Centre 10-02-2026

UPDATE 20 February. Revivr has been reintroduced. Thanks to JF for this very clear example of the reverse layout on a square envelope from South East Anglia used on 13 February.

British Heart Foundation RevivR slogan South East Anglia Mail Centre 13/02/20226

Other postmarks and postal markings, etc

My thanks to PA for notes on some of the postmarks in this section, which are shown in purple.

1. The first example this month repeats the Apprenticeship week slogan from above. JE sent a stack of four examples all posted by the same person in a weekly batch.

The large number at the foot of the postmark shows the first two are consecutive with the added novelty of each using a different monarch's stamp.

"Then ... and entering proper nerd territory :-) ... the number changes from 1144202784 at 20:37:02 to 1144202840 at 20:37:09. They all come from the same person in one batch (they post out once a week), so assume all cancelled on the same machine which therefore seems to process around 8 letters per second, give or take. "

That equates to 28,800 per hour, or approximately the 30,000 that Royal Mail laud as the capability of these machines. It's not often we get the opportunity to see this amount of detail unless we have access to the mail centre!

Four covers from one batch of posting showing consecutive numbers on two, and demonstrating the speed of processing letters through the machine.

St. Valentine's Day Apprenticeship Week gets in the way of Royal Mail helping out the greetings card industry with a special slogan, but RW has sent this example of a slogan that the US Postal Service is using. They also issue Love stamps every year (which may be something we don't want to encourage) and notecards.

2026 USPS Love stamps and notecards

2026 USPS Love stamps slogan, used at Seattle.

St Marychurch Post Office - a different type of handstamp.

Thanks to JH for this image from St Marychurch Post Office, Torquay dated 5 Feb 2026. It is unlike anything else I have seen from a sub-post office, and I suspect it might be a local production by the postmaster.

PA: The St Marychurch datestamp is almost certainly a Colop R30 datestamp i.e. The same as the later Post & Go datestamps and the Morse Code ones and occasionally locally ordered ones as this one clearly is, including the telephone number.

St Marychurch Post Office 05 FEB 2026 Tel: 01803 327786

Here's the Google streetview image of the post office branch, and below it from a different website, the branch's silver van complete with Post Office logo.

St Marychurch Post Office van (Geograph.co.uk)

I have some examples of what I suspect are also locally acquired rubber stamps used on certificates of posting at March, Cambridgeshire 30 years ago. These were used alongside self-inking datestamps (SIDs). The Parcel Post stamp looks like a conventional one, and may well be, but by the time SIDs were being introduced rectangular Parcel Post handstamps were being phased out as Horizon labels made them unnecessary. I suspect the first and third of these were produced for applying to forms and bag labels etc, rather than for cancelling stamps.

PA: The first is probably from a Post Shop counter - Post Shop counters were in some Crown offices and some had locally ordered datestamps. The second is a standard parcel stamp and the third is a rarely seen standard issue stamp.

PA: The second is a standard parcel stamp.

PA: The third is a rarely seen standard issue stamp. I am not sure what its intended purpose was, but examples are known (e.g. Littlehampton) used in lieu of a parcel stamp as this one probably is.

Any other examples of locally produced handstamps being used on stamps?

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

A reminder of what these monthly listings are for.

For each month I record the different slogans in use, plus the default slogan that is used when there is nothing else.

For each of these I try to record only one of each of the basic two types, plus any that are reversed on square envelopes, which normally only gives three or four.

The only exception to this, which doesn't seem to happen much these days, is when a slogan is used well out of time, such as the Air Ambulance Week slogan below which is from September 2024!

I mention this only to avoid readers unnecessarily duplicating what has already been provided.

Update on the 1st Large Business Sheet - and other new products

2026-01-28T10:08:00.009+00:00

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.

Machin Definitive first day cover offers at reduced prices.

2026-01-26T12:27:00.001+00:00

Some collectors collect first day covers (FDCs) because they are attractive with a cover design which complements the stamps. Others collect because they are also a reminder of the date the stamps were issued, and in the case of definitives it helps to identify different versions of the same stamp when comparison of mint stamps might be more difficult.

Official first day covers have been produced for basic new definitives and for prestige book definitive panes (usually the only panes they provide on first day covers).

But there are variants for which there is no official FDC, because Royal Mail do not regard the stamp as new.

FDC for new 1st class security stamp
from Olympic retail booklet

When we started producing FDCs we tried to fill those gaps, not with especially designed covers but in the main with the covers that Royal Mail produced for the issue. We generally used standard definitive covers for definitive variants, or the cover produced for a special stamp issue, such as a retail or prestige booklet.

Recognising that the PSB panes often contained duplicates or stamps which were not new, we gave our customers a cheaper option than Royal Mail by using just singles of the new stamps in the panes.

Reviewing our stock of Definitive FDCs I find that there are some which never made it to our web-shop, and have only ever been offered at the time of issue on our website, and those which were are now offered at lower clearance prices. I hope there will be some of interest to more recent followers of the blog and long-time readers.

The list is a pdf file which will remain listed in the Links table to the right of this page. A separate file, linked from that one, has illustrations of some of the covers, and scans can be provided for any others.

Because it's a pdf file you cannot leave comments there, so please follow the usual pattern and leave a comment here for any covers that you want. As usual, there are several of some, and only one in stock for many.

To order:

- please leave a comment here with your name, and then

- send an email with your Name and Address and Blog Follower ID to my usual address - see top right. And indicate which item you want (A, B, etc) in case more than one is available. Please check the existing comments before you write.

I will process requests in the order they are received but not always immediately - I am not checking every five minutes! If other people have already asked, by all means put your name down, but we have very low stock of some of these covers.

Thank you for looking - further discounts for larger orders.

Concorde 50th anniversary - set and miniature sheet 21 January 2026.

2026-01-15T16:34:00.004+00:00

The aircraft which has appeared on most British stamps is almost certainly the Concorde supersonic airliner.

Since its first flight in 1969 Concorde has appeared on several other stamps - I haven't counted, but it's probably ahead of the Spitfire (and I don't count the Red Arrows flight as nine planes on one stamp!)

Now on the 50th anniversary of the first commercial flghts from London and Paris to Bahrain and Rio de Janeiro respectively Royal Mail is issuing a set and miniature sheet, the latter paying homage to the original issues in 1969.

Royal Mail write-up

On 21st January 1976, Concorde flew simultaneous flights from Heathrow to Bahrain by British Airways and from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Rio by Air France, with each aircraft taking off from Heathrow and Paris at precisely the same time 11.40am. The supersonic plane became the icon of the 1970s with an aim to beat the barriers of time and space and to connect a much smaller, faster and globalized world.

Those passengers were the first to see the curvature of the Earth below them and the sky turning from blue to black above. Over the next 27 years, millions more were to experience ‘time travel’, arriving in New York at a local time an hour or so earlier than their departure time in London.

Its supersonic speed meant that on certain early evening transatlantic flights departing from Heathrow or Paris, it was possible to take off just after sunset and catch up with the sun, landing in daylight. This was much publicised by British Airways, who used the slogan “Arrive before you leave.”

Whilst Concorde no longer takes to the air, even fifty years later, Concorde remains a technical marvel and a much-loved icon of civil aviation.

The stamps

50th Anniversary of Concorde set of 8 x 1st class stamps issued 21 January 2026

8 x 1st Class stamps
British Pre-Production Concorde Rolled Out, 1971; British Pre-Production Concorde In Flight, 1974; Concorde’s First British Airways Livery, 1974; Concorde’s First UK Commercial Flight, 1976; Concorde Flying Overhead, 1985; Celebrating 10 Years of Service, 1985; Concorde’s Last British Airways Livery, 1997; Final Commercial Flight 2003.

Technical details

The 50 x 30 mm stamps, designed by Common Curiosity, were printed in litho on gummed paper by Cartor Security Printers in four sheets of 60 in se-tenant pairs, perforated 14. Acknowledgements: The Concorde aircraft, name and associated trademarks are used under licence with kind permission of Airbus and British Airways. AIRBUS and Concorde are protected trademarks of Airbus. All rights reserved. British pre-production Concorde rolled out, photograph © Victor Drees/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; British pre-production Concorde in flight, photograph by Ken Petitt © The British Airliner Collection; Concorde’s last British Airways livery, photograph © John M Dibbs; all other photographs © Adrian Meredith Photography

Miniature Sheet

50th Anniversary of Concorde miniature sheet of 4 x 1st class stamps issued 21 January 2026

The 192 x 74 mm miniature sheet, containing stamps 50 x 30 mm, was also designed by Common Curiosity, featuring original designs by Michael and Sylvia Goaman and David Gentleman, based on early Concorde models and prototypes. The fourth stamp is an unadopted 1969 design by David Gentleman. Printed by Cartor Security Printers in litho on gummed paper. Images © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2026. (The stamps are larger than those issued in 1969.)

Collectors Sheet

All eight sheet stamps from the Concorde issue are presented alongside labels with additional imagery all set on top of the striking image of 4 of the aircraft in the air. This image was taken on Christmas Eve, 1985, when British Airways organized a unique formation flight with four Concorde aircraft to celebrate 10 years of passenger service. The Collector Sheet is printed on self-adhesive paper of course which is different from the set.

50th Anniversary of Concorde collectors sheet of 8 x 1st class stamps issued 21 January 2026

Products Available

Set of 8, miniature sheet, presentation pack, collectors sheet, first day covers (2), stamp cards (13), press sheet of 10 miniature sheets, coin covers (3), framed miniature sheet, framed collectors sheet.

A selection of earlier Concorde stamps on maximum cards

These stamps are reported to have been on sale last week, ie around 10th January.

One-off offers are back!

2026-01-12T19:59:00.003+00:00

After a longer-than-expected delay I have now been able to add some more (mostly) one-off covers, stamps, ephemera for your consideration. These are on a new page linked in the column on the right.

(Incidentally you may notice a slight reordering of the sections on the right; this is just to bring the Offers list nearer the top.)

Here are some of the new items offered, click on the link above to get to the details and don't forget in most cases you can click on the images to enlarge them.

And there's more items, together with all the unsolds from previous weeks. Happy browsing!

Surprise new service and prices from 1 January 2026

2026-01-12T15:13:00.000+00:00

Unexpectedly - and not announced to business users via the usual email or letter - Royal Mail have issued another 'Our Prices' leaflet from 5 January 2026. (Download it here.)

Strictly speaking there are no tariff changes, ie no prices have changed, but some services have changed including the elimination of 'International Signed". Only International Tracked and Signed and International Tracked remain.

Summary

International Tracked and Signed is now for Documents only, and only up to 750g (ie no parcel rates).

International Tracked is for Goods, including gifts, and Documents may be sent but a Customs Declaration must be completed. There is no (basic) letter rate; the cheapest option is for 100g Large Letters.

Printed Papers have been moved to a new section and include rates for International Tracked, International Standard (basic airmail) for which there is also no basic latter rate (minimum price for 250g is £8.95 to Europe), and ( listed in that order) International Tracked and Signed (again, no letter rates so minimum price £14.25) but including weight options for 1kg to 5kg.

I'm working from a pdf rather than hard copy, which makes comparison difficult, but I could almost believe there are copy & paste errors in this. Why no Small Parcel rates for ITS unless they are printed papers? Why no Large Letter rates for printed papers under 250g?

I'll leave this for readers to pursue safe in the knowledge that only the dealers and collector-sellers will be affected!

Datamatrix codes - they could do so much more.

2026-01-09T11:33:00.001+00:00

Regular readers will remember that when the Datamatrix-added stamps were trialled,

"Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Mail, said: 'This initiative will see Royal Mail become one of the first postal authorities in the world to add unique barcodes to stamps. By doing this, we are looking to transform the humble stamp so that we can offer our customers even more convenient, new services in the future."

(See 2nd class Machin with datamatrix added)

Then...

"Following a successful national trial we will now be adding unique barcodes to all our regular ‘everyday’ Definitive and Christmas stamps. Each barcoded stamp will have a digital twin and the two will be connected by the Royal Mail App. The unique barcodes will facilitate operational efficiencies, enable the introduction of added security features and pave the way for innovative services for our customers.

"The new barcoded stamps enable you to watch and share an exclusive Shaun the Sheep video via the barcode itself using the Royal Mail App. You or the recipient can watch the video just by scanning the stamp barcode using our App. More videos will be added over the coming months."

But apart from Shaun the Sheep, what additional innovative services have been added? None as far as I am aware.

But one of the other first postal authorities in the world to add unique barcodes to stamps, Germany, has developed their barcodes to provide more detail, as I found out when a reader in Germany sent me a Christmas postcard.

Scanning the barcode with an ordinary QI reader produces very little information.

Postcard posted from Munich Germany 15 December 2025.

This is what the sender wrote:

The Deutsche Post stamp barcode base tracking isn’t even that detailed (only the fact that the letter has passed intermediate and final sorting centres), but it’s appreciated. It would probably be easy for RM to implement the same if they decided to.

Interestingly, while there are 2 stamps making up the airmail value, there’s only 1 piececode associated with them. I found this out when I scanned them in the app. During the purchase, the postal clerk scanned both stamps’ barcodes & did some inputs into their computer.

This is what the Deutsche Post website shows (they have an English option).

Further information about 'Basic Tracking':

What is basic letter tracking?

Basic tracking documents the processing of your mail item at the origin and destination mail centers. Confirmation of actual delivery is not included in basic tracking.

I assume that if the card had been sent to a domestic address then the latest entry would show the 'final sorting centre' as the one that delivered to the addressee. Being international with no link with Royal Mail, Cologne West was as far as it is recorded.

The extra effort of scanning and (presumably) putting the address into the system at Post Office branches would probably require additional payment from Royal Mail to Post Office Ltd, and hence to the postmaster. However, it would bring extra footfall into the branches which might be additional benefit.

A benefit for collectors and anybody who is interested in the stamp on their letter/card is found by clicking on 'More about this motif' which produces this very useful dropdown:

The data shows the size of the stamp, and of the image on it, the date of issue and the face value, the description of the issue (in this case permanent series or definitive) and the name of the designer (Bettina Walter).

The last line, More information, describes why datamatrix-coded stamps have been issued and provides a YouTube video showing how you can track the progress of an ordinary letter even when it is dropped into a street postbox. The letter is scanned in the DP app, and then you can give it an identity (card to Norvic) and then track it through the system. It would be possible to tell the addressee when it was at the final delivery office.

Not shown on the picture above is a further line which translates as 'More information about the stamp'. Clicking on that, and then translating with Google Translate produces a wealth of information about these pictorial definitives:

Permanent series "World of Letters - Airmail"

Artistically, imaginatively, surreal - this is how the motifs of the new postage stamp series "World of Letters" can be described in a nutshell. In a playful way, she combines the most diverse worlds of life with the letter, the most personal ambassador in the world, and creates an original overall picture that invites you to collect and brings the desire to write to new life.

The possibilities of messaging are diverse and have a long history. Also "Luftpost", the motif of the new postage stamp of the series "World of Letters", is older than some may believe. For millennia, the pigeon served as a postman until the French brothers Montgolfier in the 18th. century a hot air balloon, the so-called Montgolfière, developed. From now on, man could lift himself up into the air. However, the breakthrough of the airmail was achieved with the invention of the aircraft. On the 17. December 1903 the world's first motorized flight took place. The Wright brothers did not have letters in their luggage that day, but already in 1911, as part of an exhibition in the Indian Allahabad, letters and postcards were officially transported in a biplane for the first time. With the permission of the Reich Post Office, a plane was used for the first time in Germany for the first time in 1912 at the postcard week "Flugpost am Rhein und am Main".

A particular interest in airmail receipts are stamp collectors who are committed to aerophilately. The stamps and stamps used are of importance here, but also the circumstances - for example, rescued mail items from accidental aircraft are sought after. The crowning achievement of such a collection, however, is the "Inverted Jenny," an American stamp misprint from 1918, in which the pictured double-decker Curtiss JN-4 was printed with the nickname "Jenny" traffic. With only a hundred known copies, the misprint of the first U.S. airmail brand is a valuable rarity.

I haven't taken the trouble to edit the errors in the translation as most people will understand the meaning.

Obviously with Royal Mail only applying datamatrix codes to definitive and Christmas stamps the scope is far more limited, but imagine how much information the could have provided to people who were interested in these six cathedrals (or at least the five that people might have had on their cards).

Christmas 2024 miniature sheet showing Cathedrals.

What do you think?

Slogan Postmarks for January 2026 - and other postal markings

2026-01-07T21:52:00.005+00:00

A reminder of what these monthly listings are for.

For each month I record the different slogans in use, plus the default slogan that is used when there is nothing else.

For each of these I try to record only one of each of the basic two types (see the BHF slogans below), plus any that are reversed on square envelopes, which normally only gives three or four.

The only exception to this, which doesn't seem to happen much these days, is when a slogan is used well out of time, such as the Air Ambulance Week slogan below which is from September 2024!

I mention this only to avoid readers unnecessarily duplicating what has already been provided.

What's the Default?

Regular readers will know that, in the context of slogan postmarks reported here, I have used the term 'default' to mean the slogan that Royal Mail revert to when there isn't a campaign slogan in use, like "St George's Day".

In 2016 they were using the Royal Mail 500 slogan, followed in 2018 by "mental health awareness", but they also supported the 'Stroke Association" regularly, and at the end of the year it was "Action for Children" which ran into 2022. A number of Covid-related slogans were used, followed by the current British Heart Foundation slogan from early 2023.

I've recently been told that in technical terms there is a different meaning of 'default'. This was prompted by the report below of the use of the Air Ambulance slogan. The technical default is the slogan that was current at the time of the last update of the basic IMP software which must have been during the currency of 'Air Ambulance'.

I understand that the BHF slogan has to be re-downloaded every time it becomes the one to be used, ie after each other campaign ends. My source suggests that this makes it a 'filler' slogan. "The true default slogan appears whenever the software has to be completely reloaded in an IMP when it receives whatever slogan was in use the last time the (basic) software was fully updated. At that point any further updates should be added, including the current campaign slogan."

So if the current campaign slogan or the BHF slogan are not added at that time, printing of the one in use when the software was previously updated will resume albeit months after the original use. *

That seems to me to be highly inefficient, but I'll accept what I was told unless anyone else who has technical information on the IMPs or iLSMs provides any other detail.

* This is similar to Post & Go errors when a reboot reverts to previous postal rates until the update software has been reapplied to charge new rates.

-----

So given the different meanings of 'default' - the logical and the technical - I shall continue to use the term which I have used since 2016 for "the slogan which Royal Mail use when they don't have anything else to promote".

Thanks to PW for the explanation and disucssion.

January starts (as December ended) with the default British Heart Foundation slogan., and we already have both regular examples. JH provided the one from Norwich, and RW the one from Plymouth both dated 2 January.

Default British Heart Foundation slogan Norwich Mail Centre 02-01-2026

Default British Heart Foundation slogan Plymouth & Cornwall 02/01/2026

Now two for the price of one from LT. Superimposed on the BHF slogan here is one for Air Ambulance Week - which is something of a surprise because that has the date September 8th - 14th. So I don't know what's going on at Sheffield Mail Centre, because both slogans were applied there but the date on the BHF slogan is illegible.

Support your
Air Ambulance

Air Ambulance Week
September 8th - 14th

Air Ambulance Week September slogan used Sheffield Mail Centre 06/01/2026

The year's first error!!

UPDATE 24 January. Trevor reports that the Air Ambulance error at Sheffield continues...

Air Ambulance Week September slogan used Sheffield Mail Centre 22/01/2026

UPDATE 27 January: The annual Holocaust Memorial Day slogan has been brought back into use. The earliest date I have is 26 January, the example from Cornwall Mail Centre. Unlike last year, Royal Mail did not advertise this on X. There's a clearer example from Gatwick MC - on an invalid 1st class Machin.

Holocaust
Memorial Day
27 January 2025
Remember the past
Protect the future

Holocaust Memorial Day used at Cornwall Mail Centre 26/01/2026

Holocaust Memorial Day used at Gatwick Mail Centre 26/01/2026

Other postmarks and postal markings, etc

Unfortunately this image from JW is only a fraction of the cover, but I imagine it was referred to Revenue Protection to check on some of the stamps. Whatever the outcome, it was passed to be delivered as normal.

We showed a 1st class version of this in 2023, and now we have a 2nd class version.

Update 30 January. Dereham rectangular cancellation.

I recently found this one in my office - I have used the term 'cancellation' because I'm not convinced that this was ever designed to used as a postmark handstamp. You can get an idea of the size from the stamps but this is exactly 60 x 35 mm. It looks like an office stamp: it doesn't include the county, but it does include Royal Mail at the top.

ROYAL MAIL
-4 OCT 1995
DEREHAM
NR19 2AA

This won't be the only example. but I believe this was part of a mailshot from the town council sending out certificates from a local art and craft show. I doubt that many people will have kept the envelope unless it was just somewhere to store their certificates.

The two single-band 19p definitives pay the 1st class 60-100g rate of 38p.

60 x 35 mm rectangular postmark Royal Mail Dereham NR19 2AA

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

Post & Go and Self-Service Kiosk News for 2026

2026-01-07T17:25:00.006+00:00

This post and its comments will hold all news on Post and Go stamps, machines, and PO Self Service Kiosks (SSKs).

For details of new Post and Go stamps issued by the postal authorities in Guernsey and Jersey I recommend WhiteKnight's Commonwealth Stamp Opinion. All issues from the islands, and Gibraltar and the SOAR stamps from Isle of Man and Ireland will normally be pictured there as announced.

Any late news for PO SSKs will continue to be added on the 2025 blog post. Please continue to make comments there until it is closed for comments or send me news/images by email.

Crown Office Franchising

In June in 2025 Post Office Ltd announced that the remaining Crown Offices would be franchised before the end of the year. Locally this only meant a change of operator and personnel as Dereham has never had a Self-Service Kiosk, but around the country there were many mixed messages - and outcomes - as to whether existing machines would continue to be used by the new operator, which often operated out of different premises.

Our correspondents have kept us updated with all that news and other news of just where SSKs are still on-site, which of these (if any) are working, and what they are dispensing.

There has been a gradual move to card-only, or shut-down, especially where staffing does not permit the previous 'floor-walker' assistance. In these cases it's difficult to know if the machines were serviceable or not.

There is no major news yet, but I know Malcolm and Trevor (and others) will be keen to add details from their travels in this new year, so I'll start with just this image as typical of what they will find! Any specific, especially illustrated, news will be added just as soon as we get it.

8 January

From Trevor's report in the comments

Shrewsbury 7th Jan SSK68 Machin R21YAL & CL19S (missing print in middle of stamp on 2nd Class)

Chester 7th Jan SSK67 Machin R20YAL (2nd on 1st stock)

10 January Another picture from Trevor showing perfectly centred printing on the 2nd class kiosk 68 at Exmouth.

UPDATE 13 February - Trevor's photos from Edinburgh (see comments).

Edinburgh Self-service kiosks - RIP!

Edinburgh's 'collectibles' - which appear to include the new 1st class Large business sheet (row 2)

Over to you, readers!

The 10th Anniversary & final season of Stranger Things kicks of Royal Mail's 2026 programme on 13 January.

2026-01-06T01:00:00.234+00:00

If you collect all new issues Royal Mail's first offering for the season should wrap up any money you have left after Christmas.

Since we were told that the first stamp issue in 2026 was Netflix's Stranger Things - something I thought I had never heard of - it keeps cropping up. Of course the final series has just finished airing, so it was trailed widely on UK television channels, and listings magazine Radio Times had a big cover splash towards the end of the year.

Royal Mail's write-up

Nearly ten years ago, Netflix’s Stranger Things first entered our dimension. Set in the small, sleepy town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the mid-1980s, the show offered a savvy, self-aware tribute to the science fiction, synth-pop and scary stories of that iconic decade. A massive overnight smash when it launched, and now in its fifth and final season, the show made megastars out of its young cast and gathered a huge global fanbase along the way.

In January 2026, Royal Mail are issuing a set of ten Mint stamps and a Miniature Sheet of four stamps to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this critically acclaimed science-fiction horror series. Set in the 1980s, the series centres around the residents of the fictional small town of Hawkins, Indiana, who are plagued by a hostile alternate dimension known as the Upside Down.

Since the series was first released on Netflix on 15 July 2016, it has attracted a record viewership and a global fanbase, winning numerous awards across the entertainment industry. Praised for its characterisation, atmosphere, writing, soundtrack, and acting - with an ensemble cast including British actors in leading roles, the fifth and final series aired in November 2025.

Royal Mail has worked with the British artist, Kyle Lambert, who has created bespoke illustrations for the stamp issue.

The stamps

The 10 x 1st class stamps show key characters across the series, illustrated by Kyle Lambert. Five stamps represent the characters in the ‘real’ world with a red background and five represent the alternate dimension with a blue background, known as the ‘Upside Down’.

Iconic logos from the series appear if a UV light over the stamps and miniature sheet

Set of 10 x 1st class stamps issued 13 January 2026 showing characters from Stranger Things.

Red Row - 5 x 1st class: Eleven & Joyce; Dustin Lucas and Mike; Steve, Robin and Erica; Nancy, Jonathan and Henry; Eleven, Jim and Dr Kay.

Blue Row - 5 x 1st class: Will, the Demogorgon and Barbara; Jim, a Demodog and WIll; Max, the Mind Flayer and Billy; Eddie, Dustin and Max; Vecna, Holly and Mr Whatsit.

Miniature Sheet

Stranger Things miniature sheet of 4 x 1st class stamps issued 13 January 2026. From left to right: Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler and Dustin Henderson.

Technical Details

The stamps and miniature sheet were designed by Interabang using illustrations by Kyle Lambert. The 35 mm square, perf 14½, stamps in two sheets of 50, were printed by Cartor Security Printers in lithography on gummed paper. The lithographed self-adhesive 192 x 74 mm miniature sheet contains two stamps 27 x 37 mm and two stamps 35 mm square, excluding protrusions, perforated 14. All stamps have phosphor bands.

UPDATE 25 March 2026. A video of the production of these stamps and miniature sheets appears on the website of The Independent. I don't know how long this will be available.

Prestige Stamp Book

The PSB has two 'front' covers, one entitled 'The Rightside Up' and the other, slightly bluer, cover entitled 'The Upside Down'. The miniature sheet panes 1 & 2 face each other, stamp panes 3 & 4 face each other, with the stamps in pane 4 inverted. The stamps are in the same order as in sheets, so each pane contains some 'red' and some 'blue' characters. Pane 5 contains four definitive stamps, two each 50p and £1, with security codes M25L MPIL. Stamps in the PSB show the same UV reaction as those in sheets and the miniature sheet. (Click on images to see each pane enlarged.)

The limited edition version (not pictured here) has a cover imitating a VHS video tape and comes in a VHS case. The set includes a poster of a map of Hawkins, paying homage to 1980s video game nostalgia.

Definitive pane (5) of the Stranger Things prestige stamp book issued 13 January 2026.

Collectors Sheet
The sheet contains all 10 stamps from the set and accompanying labels from across the series. The sheet is self-adhesive litho, making the stamps different to those issued in ordinary counter sheets.

Stranger Things Collectors Sheet issued 13 January 2026.

The Fan Sheets of Eleven and Vecna contain four relevant stamps on a poster, costing £10.

The two medal covers in editions of 5,000 are priced at £25.

Product Range

Set, miniature sheet, two first day covers, presentation pack, press sheet of 8 miniature sheets, Collectors Sheet, prestige stamp book (PSB), special edition PSB(2000), Eleven and Venca Fan Sheets, set and ms medal covers, framed products, miniature sheet poster, Eleven and Vecna signed enlarged prints.

Royal Mail Stamp Programme for 2026

2026-01-02T17:03:00.002+00:00

Coinciding with the release of details about the first issue of the year, Royal Mail have set out the programme for the first half of 2026. As last year, they have withheld details about the second half, even from cover producers who have to do a lot of research before they can start printing designs and sponsoring handstamps.

Full details of the first issue will not be published here until the embargo date of 6 January but as Royal Mail's website includes this detail, I see no reason not to share the first six months' issues with you now.

Thank you to the dozen or so readers here and on Stampboards who contributed over 70 suggestions, some of them frivolous (like the set that kicked off 'reader suggestions' many years ago), many others very unlikely, but some notable anniversaries and other worthy suggestions for which we will have to await the full programme to find out whether they match.

As with previous years, there will be many stamp issues that no-one came anywhere near guessing and some that even when they are issued we will not really understand Royal Mail's justification.

Suggestions which I don't think will make it into the second half of the programme - Centenary of the General Strike, 75th year of Europa, 50th Anniversary of Dolly the Sheep, 150th anniversary of the Bell Telephone, The Archers (long-running BBC radio soap), Birth or Death Anniversaries of Agatha Christie (although that would be an easy option as there is already a precedent for using her material), Benjamin Britten, John Constable, Henry Blogg and David Beckham.

Other subjects which stand a reasonable chance: The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 300th Anniversary of Fire Brigades, The King Charles Coastal Path, London Zoo.

Thematic subjects suggested were: Theatre Buildings* - which could incorporate the National Theatre, the Royal Ballet, Royal Opera, and Royal Opera House all of which have anniversaries in 2026. Music Giants were not given much chance, although Swedish group Abba, Freddie Mercury himself, Genesis, Gorillaz, Joy Division, Led Zeppelin, and Oasis all got a mention. Trees were suggested both for themselves and for the National Arboretum (linking in with Remembrance), Christmas Trees at landmarks, and the Peak District National Park. *If this comes about then the person who suggested Architecture might be in contention too!

Suggestions which might be deemed frivolous - but about which picture books have been published - include Solar power, Trademarks, and Wheelie Bins.

I think one of the problems with trying to predict is trying to remember what has happened in the not too distant past when, maybe, we took less interest in new issues. Thus the 60th anniversary of Star Trek when that has been done to death anyway, Centenary of Winnie The Pooh ditto (although having the agreement with Disney for earlier issues might sway things), and the National Arboretum was the subject of a Commemorative Sheet.

Anyway, for the time being, this is what we know. My intention always is to add links to this table when the details of the issue appear in their own post, but sadly that rarely happens. I don't mind if you nudge me, by email.

This table has already been amended since my first draft because dates have changed and the order of some issues has been revised since we were first told. So don't expect this to be the final even for the first half. I've no idea when we will get the July-December details.

13th January	Stranger Things (Neflix series)
21st January	Concorde supersonic airliner - Royal Mail's website 14 January.
19th February	Hornby 125th
26th February	Roses - 50th Anniversary of the first set of stamps dedicated to this flower, which was issued on the centenary of the Royal National Rose Society
20th March	Lord of The Rings
March	New Tariff definitives - values to be determined when rates are announced
21st April	Centenary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II
	(placeholder)
14th May	Castles
23rd June	Waterfalls
July - December	The rest of the table will be completed when Royal Mail release the details.
August	placeholder
September	placeholder
September	placeholder
October	placeholder
3rd November	Christmas
November /December	Possibly!

Machins: it's not over until everything has been discovered!

2025-12-31T14:05:00.000+00:00

I had thought that I had written my last post about Machin discoveries and, indeed, it may well be that someone has seen and reported this before, maybe nearly 25 years ago!

Regular contributor MM sent me this image of a clipping from an envelope purchased from Norway. Eagle-eyed readers will see that there are no values on the stamps, and that the 'postmark', dated 24 November 2002, isn't.

In fact the whole thing is printed - 'stamps', postmark, even the shadows aside the stamps. The image of the Christmas stamp is of the 1981 18p set designed by Lucinda Blackmore (then aged 6), whilst the Machin image may be imitating the £1 value from April 1997.

I asked the Norwegian Seamen's Mission in London whether they could tell me any more (with no response received as yet), but further investigation shows that while the item of mail may have originated with them, it was actually processed IN Norway.

B-BLAD, at the right of the Christmas stamp is a marking for the Norwegian postal service, Posten Norge for a specific, lower-priority bulk mail service for periodicals and membership magazines.

So it appears that it was from a Christmas newsletter/magazine produced in the UK but posted to Norwegian addresses using the Norwegian domestic postal system.

Royal Mail did not introduce stamp images printed onto Direct Mail envelopes until 2015 but there had been examples of stamps used on publicity material before then.

It seems unlikely that the Seaman's Mission obtained permission from Royal Mail to use the copyrighted Machin image as their rules say that stamps must be used unaltered, apart from overlapping of different images.

Another one, closer to home

Although I headed this 'closer to home' it originated almost as far away as it could, in Warrnambool a city in Victoria, Australia, used on the council's recycling flyer.

It's 'closer to home' because the person who sent me this picture was convinced that the image was taken from our website. OK, it could have been taken from any other, but the black border and placing of the coloured chevron against the perforations appears to be exactly the same.

If you have any other pre-2015 examples of stamps being used on marketing or other mail, please let me know.