Norvic Philatelics

New Machin definitive & Country stamps - 1 April 2008

Postage rate changes which take effect from 7 April will require several new stamps. The basic inland rates will rise, 1st from 34p to 36p & 2nd class from 24p to 27p. There will be no 36p or 27p stamps as these are satisfied by the 1st class gold and 2nd class blue. The 'balancing' 9p in orange, previously issued for the 2005 rate changes will be reissued, although it is a new printing from a new cylinder as the 46p was last year - see enlargements below, under Technical Information.   See new postage rates here.

Note that the images below are studio mock-ups - there are only two perforation holes below the elliptical perforation, as shown on the enlargements further down the page.

new Machin definitive and country definitive stamps issued or 
	reissued 1 April 2008
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The basic rates for Large Letters increase from 48p to 52p (1st class) and from 40p to 42p (2nd class). A new 15p shocking pink will be used for the 2nd class difference (42p-27p). The existing 16p pale pink stamp will be used for the 1st class difference (78p-52p). The Recorded Delivery fee increases to 72p.

International rates also rise at this time:

Basic Europe rate 10gr and postcards: +2p to 50p - use existing 50p grey stamp, (earlier 'E' rate stamps still valid). New country stamps.

Basic Worldwide rate (now only 1 zone) 10gr and postcards: +2p to 56p - new stamp 56p sage green.

Worldwide 20gr rate: +3p to 81p, new 81p turquoise-blue and country stamps.

Worldwide 40gr rate: £1.22 up by 5p for Zone 1, down 2p Zone 2 - only one zone now, 'Rest of World'. This should also be satisfied by the airmail NVI, which will reduce in price from £1.24 (£4.96 per book) but special stamps (eg if issued at Christmas) will be £1.22 instead of £1.17.

The Surface mail 20gr rate is increased from 46p to 48p, this will be served by the 48p issued in 2007.

New Country Stamps valued 50p and 81p will also be issued for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales in existing designs.


Technical information

enlarged comparison of 2005 & 2008 9p definitives. All the new Machin definitive and country stamps will be printed by De La Rue in gravure, in sheets of 200.
Until now all Machin and Country definitives have been printed in double-pane cylinders, giving rise to two distinct cylinder numbers, most recently D1 dot and D1 no dot. For this issue the Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland country stamps will be printed with single panes of two different values on one two-pane printing cylinder and thus the stamps for these countries will have only no dot cylinder numbers. This process optimises the use of paper and will probably be repeated in future years. It is a system which has already been used for commemorative sheets which are often produced with printing cylinders of 4 counter-size sheets.

New 9p cylinder

As with 2007's reprint of the 46p stamp, the 9p has now been reprinted by De La Rue from a new cylinder which retains the number D1. On the new printing the De La Rue logo is missing from the lower left corner and the colour name 'ORANGE' is printed in the left margin against row 3. The figure of value seems to be a little 'rounder', and the image of the head is quite different.


First Day Covers

Norvic Philatelics will service Post Office first day covers for these stamps.

These special postmarks are available on the day of issue: (These images are not to scale)

postmark showing Scottish Arms of Royal Mail. postmark showing English Arms of Royal Mail. Postmark showing a sword. Postmark showing a thistle. Windsor Castle postmark.
Ref FD831 - official Bureau first day postmark Ref FD832 - official Windsor first day postmark Ref FD833 - official FDI London postmark Ref FD834 - official FDI Edinburgh postmark Ref E4680 - Windsor Castle, Royal Mail permanent handstamp
London postmark. Windsor postmark. Cardiff postmark. Belfast postmark. Belfast permanent postmark.
Ref FD833N - official non-pictorial FDI London postmark Ref FD832N - official non-pictorial FDI Windsor postmark Ref FD835N - official non-pictorial FDI Cardiff postmark Ref FD836N - official non-pictorial FDI Belfast postmark Ref S4641 - Belfast permanent handstamp.
Edinburgh postmark. Postmark showing a dragon's tail. Postmark showing flax. Cardiff postmark. Edinburgh postmark.
Ref FD834N - official non-pictorial FDI Edniburgh postmark Ref FD835 - official non-pictorial FDI Cardiff postmark Ref FD836 - official non-pictorial FDI Belfast postmark Ref W5097 - Cardiff permanent handstamp. Ref S4653 - Edinburgh permanent handstamp.
Belfast cds postmark. Cardiff cds postmark. Edinburgh cds postmark. Glasgow 2 cds postmark. Glasgow 10 cds postmark.
Ref S6039 - Belfast operational cds postmark Ref W6038 - Cardiff operational cds postmark Ref S6040 - Edinburgh operational cds postmark Ref S6041 - Glasgow 2 operational cds postmark Ref S6042 - Glasgow 10 operational cds postmark
Postmark showing Machin head. Postmark showing RAF wings (eagle). Postmark showing RAF wings . Postmark showing military fighting vehicle appears to be F430. Additionally, any postmarks available on this date may also be applied to FDCs
- see Permanent postmarks and Other one-day postmarks
Ref M10918
Queen Elizabeth Road, Birmingham
Ref M10917
90th Anniversary of the RAF, Cranwell
Ref M10919
90 Cranwell Lincs (RAF)
Ref L10915 - Territorial Army Centenary, Wilton, Salisbury
Military fighting vehicle appears to be F430

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If you have any questions about these stamps or wish to purchase any, please email us.

This page updated 27 March 2008

2007
2008 stamp issues
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January
8
Ian Fleming's James Bond
15 Definitive LOVE booklet
15 New Smilers stamps
February
5
Working Dogs
28 Kings and Queens I
28 Greetings retail booklet
March
11
Celebrating Northern Ireland MS and Glorious Northern Ireland Smiler Sheet
13 Mayday - Rescue at Sea
April
1
Rate change Machin & Country stamps
1 Territorial Army commemorative sheet
15 Endangered Species - Insects
May
13
Cathedrals
13 Retail booklet - summer
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10
Classic Films
July
17
Air Displays, powered flight
24 Olympics commemorative sheet
August
5
Beijing Expo 2008 Smilers Sheet
22 Olympics handover Joint issue
September
18 British Military Uniforms (II - Royal Air Force)
29 50th Anniv. regional stamps MS
29 Glorious UK Smilers sheet
October
14
Women of Distinction
28 Smilers for Kids
November
4
Christmas (Pantomime)
6 Lest We Forget
tba 60th Birthday of HRH Prince Wales

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Norvic Philatelics, PO Box 119, Dereham, NR20 3YN, GB. -- UK Phone: 08450 090939 -- Skype:ian.billings-norvic