An article for the Philatelic Bulletin

1967 brought to the public designs that made the Sixties so fresh and different to all that had gone before. One such design was the 4d Machin definitive issued in June, closely followed by others and since by every value but two in 1/2p stages to 201/2p then, with just two missing, every penny to 50p.

I was 14, adored pirate radio, wore long hair and ridiculously bright clothes. It's interesting that something so 'establishment' as a Post Office stamp should have inspired me so successfully in the face of such competition.

It was, indeed, an icon for a new generation.

New issues: March - June 2007

Just a quick summary for now - still need to check some earlier lists so there may be some additions yet to come.

27/3

16p pink

48p mauve

50p grey

54p brown

78p green

23/4
England
1st new pictorial DLR
1st crowned lion DLR

17/5
Wembley Miniature sheet
England pictorial 1st new crowned lion DLR
the four pictorial definitives now printed by DLR
2nd class DLR
78p Regional DLR

5/6
[return to proprtion]
6x1st gold s-a Walsall
12x1st gold s-a Walsall
12x2nd blue s-a Walsall
2nd blue gummed DLR
£1 mauve DLR
£1 ruby DLR

1 March - easily missed firsts

The A4 generic sheets of English and Wales 'pictorial' definitives printed by Cartor don't have elipses in the perforations. They are also the first self-adhesive country pictorial definitives. A bit pricey but you'll need them and kick yourself later for not getting them.

Return of design as it should be!

Well, a 40th anniversary was just what we needed and a whole bunch of new items for us collectors. So nice to see the BPB stuffed full of Machins once more so fears of their early demise have faded somewhat.
The Big News, though, has to be that we're rid of those ghastly fat digit PiPs!! Hooray! And it's very rare that I type Hooray in a web log. And Good Riddance, I say! Common sense and good design prevails, eh.
I have to say that I keep thinking 39p bright pink when I see the £1 ruby illustrations, although the real thing is better. Still, a darker shade would have suited the 40th more appropriately, in my view.
I suppose a new 4p in black was a bit much to expect. Maybe in 2017 for the 50th - or will the 1st gold be brought back to life for, what would it be, the third time by then? Nice to think the design might make it to 2017 (assuming the owner of the head does).
Goodness, that's something that had never occurred to me before.

40th Anniversary : 5 June 2007

A bit more Machin news beginning to appear at last - and rightly so with the 40th anniversary of the appearance of the 4d stamp way back in the Summer of Love days. I really shouldn't remember them as well as I do but that's another story!

More pics and news to come but there's a new £1 in ruby, the old violet one will officially go away but not before they stick it in a miniature sheet so that'll be another addition. I also have a feeling there'll be more too. Updates on some other recent issues to follow shortly. Just moved - that's my excuse, and I'm self-adhesiving to it.