The first M20L code, a change of printer and some poor design

The Philatelic Bureau have sent me these issues which arrived today. 

I am guessing that the 1st Signed For and 50p stamps have now been printed by Walsall and that is the reason. They both feature M19L codes too which makes them new in my book anyway!

The other item is the first M20L item - the 1st Royal Mail red MCIL from the Tomb Raiders' Concrete & Clay book.

I seldom pay much attention to these 4+2 books but recognise they're a good idea in getting the latest special stamps out there to most of the population who probably wouldn't see them otherwise. Designers normally make a reasonable job of them but this time they're a mess. The stamps feature one font in the inscription but the extended identifier for the book shows something completely different.

The stamps themselves sit uncomfortably in thick white borders interrupting a background illustration which I can only assume someone selected at at random or for most obscure reasons which may make sense in game terms but look awful. I don't know which is worse; the bluish background against the predominantly green and grey stamp or the sadly clashing shades of green grey and brown on the other panel. The stamps themselves illustrate two types of digital art, but they sit uncomfortably next to each other.

I usually only keep the books which have an example of a different Machin stamp so most of them get used for postage and I shall be quite happy for these to go the same way later this year. I do hope the 1st Class stamp doesn't turn out to be a one-off for some reason. 

1st Class gets a deeper 'Royal Mail' red colour. Again.

I forgot to mention in my last article that as well as a new font on the booklet covers, there is a new colour for the 1st and 1st Large too. It's Royal Mail Red. I did think we'd had Royal Mail Red before. Maybe we did but, anyway, this is significantly darker than the red we've had to date recently and will be regarded as a new colour by pretty much all of the catalogues.

I'll list the new arrivals in a moment. First there are some more bits and pieces to deal with.

although not as obviously different, there are some deeper blue 2nd Class stamps. The 2nd Class with M16L MBIL and MTIL codes and the 2nd Large with M16L MBIL and MFIL codes.

The Royal Mail 1st Signed For stamp has the M16L date code, no security backing paper. The Special Delivery up to 100g stamp now also has M16L code and no security backing paper.

Recent sheet printings of the 1st and 1st large are in the old colour but the 1st Large does seem to be a deeper red than before and the 1st Class a pale red with a pale Queen's head too. Neither have security printed backing.

Now for the Royal Mail Red stamps. You can see how obviously different they are, and yet I failed to notice when they arrived individually

1st Large with M16L MBIL and MFIL codes

1st Class with M16L MBIL, MCIL, MSIL and MTIL codes.

New code on 1st red - already!

Norvic Philatelics report that the 1st red in books of 6 is now appearing with a M13L code in place of the M12L code on release. Check your copies and look out for the revised one as this is unlikely to be supplied by the Bureau. You may need to take a magnifying glass to some local retailers!

3 January 2013: New colours and England, Wales regional changes

An early start for new definitives in 2013! In fact, I think this is the earliest ever issue in a year and bearing in mind that Royal Mail's Tallents House staff will have had a Bank Holiday on 2 January I bet they were jolly pleased to have this lot to deal with on their return!

We have a smart colour for the 1st Class NVIs and you might be forgiven for thinking at first glance that the printers have used up their stock of diamond blue ink for the new 50p but I am assured that it is slate grey. The £1 also gets a new colour, imaginatively called wood brown. Then there are a further five items Machin collectors will need as the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p and 20p self-adhesives now have different slit security features and a 12 code included in the overprint. These are De La Rue items. Of course, there are also three Walsall booklets too for the usual 12 x 1st Class, 6 x 1st Class and 4 x 1st Large stamps and you'll need the London Underground booklet which emerged just a few days later on 9 January! That contains 4 x 1st Class plus two from the London Underground set. As if that wasn't enough to start off the year, England and Wales had a change of printer for their 1st and 2nd self adhesive pictorials on 3 January. The British Philatelic Bulletin's November issue promised a listing of all the new issues for 2012 but I have yet to see it. Despite having three pages devoted to Post and Go (which really does seem to be being pushed quite heavily) in the January issue I can find no mention of the regional issues at all so I cannot yet confirm more details and will have to look elsewhere for any differences.

I am also grateful to the 'Machin Nut' for the following information regarding codes found in the 1st and 1st Large red self-adhesives.

1st red self-adhesive with '12' code, code T 1st red self-adhesive with '12' code, code B 1st red self-adhesive with '12' code, code C 1st red self-adhesive with '12' code, code S 1st red self-adhesive with '12' code, code R 1st large red self-adhesive with '12' code 1st large red self-adhesive with '12' code, code B 1st large red self-adhesive with '12' code, code F