London 2010: Festival of Stamps
London 2010: Festival of Stamps is planned to be "a year-long programme to mark the centenary of the accession of George V - the philatelist king - and in celebration of stamps, stamp design and postal heritage". So what events await us?
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The current GB definitive postage stamps featuring the sculpted profile of Queen Elizabeth II were designed by Arnold Machin. The Machin definitive stamps have been in use since the first issue of June 5th 1967 when the UK was still using pre-decimal currency. Like the Wilding issues used during the earlier part of the Queens reign, the Machin series of stamps maintained the tradition of using the reigning monarch portrait instead of naming the country. The United Kingdom, having been the first nation to officially issue postage stamps, is exempt by the Universal Postal Union from having to print the country name on postage stamps and an effigy of the reigning monarch is considered the sole national mark. After more than four decades of use, the Machin stamp series has seen many changes in British postage stamp printing methods. The machin issues are now so diverse and complex in terms of design, values, printers, booklet combinations, perforations, gum, phosphor coatings and size formats that many philatelists and stamp collectors now solely focus on the Machin stamps as their specialisation. |
| In 1989, as fast-changing postage rates became an increasing problem, the use of "non-value indicator" (NVI) Machin stamps began where the postage class was specified using "1st" or "2nd" rather than the currency value. It was not until 1990 that the first commemorative adaptation of the Machin design was used alongside the classic profile of Queen Victoria to mark the 150th anniversary of British postage stamps. It has been proposed on more than one occasion that the Machin design be replaced. Perhaps the strongest case was made in the early 1980s following the adoption of the Raphael Maklouf effigy design to appear on new UK coinage. It was reported that a proposal was put forward to replace the Machin design as a way of marking the 30th anniversary of the Coronation in 1983. The Queen reportedly agreed to the idea although a letter sent on her behalf at the time suggests she was in fact very reluctant to see a new design adopted. The letter apparently said; "Her Majesty is very content with the Machin effigy and thinks that a work of real quality is required if this is to be replaced." So it would seem that, in more than a quarter of a century since that letter was written, the Queen has yet to see a work of real quality worthy of replacing the Arnold Machin iconic design. No doubt many British philatelists and stamp collectors agree. | |
Recent Links Added To The Philatelic Directory
QW Line Engraved Plate Reconstructions
See online stamp auctions for full and partial plate reconstructions of GB Victorian line engraved stamps.
Cavendish Philatelic Auctions
Cavendish phlatelic auctions - Auctioneers for the collector of stamps postal history & related books and ephemera.
Cambridgeshire Philatelic Auctions
Check out the dates for the next philatelic auctions from Cambridgeshire Philatelic Auctions
Aero-philately Blogspot
Aero-philately blog by Rudy Pinto. About Rudy: "I have been a philatelist for over 40 years and airmails is my area of specialization."
ukgbstamps
Online site offering mainly 1840-1935 GB stamps in mint or used condition. All with accompanying high resolution scans and individual descriptions. Easy and secure ordering and payment methods and well below normal dealer prices.
Railway Sub Office RSO Postmarks
Search for stamps and covers bearing Railway Sub Office (RSO) postmarks.
Right now on eBay...
Live British Stamp Auctions Ending Soon
The following auction listings are ending soon. Click on any item to see it along with other stamp auctions from the same era:
GB GEORGE V.1911-24 Collection 20 STAMPS USED SeedetailGB Stamp listing now at £19.95 with 0 Bid(s). The auction will end on Friday Mar-19-2010 7:37:04 GMT
Queen Elizabeth 1952 TUDOR CROWN Set
GB Stamp listing now at £0.99 with 0 Bid(s). The auction will end on Friday Mar-19-2010 9:54:38 GMT
1912 1d SCARLET VERMILION A FINE MOUNTED MINT EXAMPLE
This internet stamp auction is priced at £45.00 End Date: Friday Mar-19-2010 9:57:07 GMT You can buy this item now for £45.00
GEORGE V, 62, STAMPS, 9 DIFFERENT VALUES.ONLY 90p.
This online stamp sale is priced at £0.90 with 0 Bid(s). The auction will end on Friday Mar-19-2010 10:18:15 GMT
GB KGV 1912-1924 SG371 USED
This internet stamp auction is priced at £0.99 with 0 Bid(s). The auction will end on Friday Mar-19-2010 11:43:11 GMT
Sg450 - 2/ 6d Seahorse used
This online stamp sale is priced at £4.00 End Date: Friday Mar-19-2010 11:57:49 GMT You can buy this item now for £4.00
1934 Rocket Post Stamps 1st British Flight (5) L.H.M.
This online stamp sale is priced at £22.00 with 13 Bids(s). The auction will end on Friday Mar-19-2010 12:03:04 GMT
Western Isles Rocket Post (2 Stamps) L.H.M.
GB Stamp listing now at £5.50 with 5 Bids(s). The auction will end on Friday Mar-19-2010 12:08:32 GMT
1912/22 9d AGATE I16 (I) CONTROL STRIP MOUNTED MINT
This online stamp sale is priced at £36.00 End Date: Friday Mar-19-2010 12:18:01 GMT You can buy this item now for £36.00
1912/22 9d AGATE N19 (I) CONTROL PAIR MOUNTED MINT
GB Stamp listing now at £22.50 End Date: Friday Mar-19-2010 12:19:20 GMT You can buy this item now for £22.50
Did you know: Aerophilately is philately that specialises in the study of airmail and flown covers. Flown mail has been recorded and studied from its earliest days and virtually every aspect of worldwide airmail services have been extensively documented by aerophilately specialists.
Tip: Keep your eye out for original 1911 Coronation Aerial Post covers that were flown between London and Windsor as good quality examples are becoming very difficult to find now.
Right now on eBay...
Queen Victoria Line Engraved GB Stamps 1840-1879
The earliest postage stamps issued in Great Britain used the Line Engraved printing process. Large print plates were engraved by skilled engravers. The printing process meant ink was applied on the plate with the excess wiped off before a paper sheet was pressed on to it so that impressions of the recessed, inked parts of the plate were transferred on to the paper.
For the line engraved stamps without plate numbers incorporated in to their designs it is only possible to distinguish between print plates used by studying the detailed variations of engraving, designs, repairs made and the alphabets used for corner lettering etc. This skilled aspect of philately has been made much easier for us today becuase of the many fine specialist reference books and catalogues published since victorian times.
British Stamp & Philately Sites From Our Directory
Great Britain section of the Stamp Collecting Blog
Extensive philatelic blog. This directory entry leads to the GB section.
Stamp Collector Wants Lists at MyPhilately.com
Database of wants from "MyPhilately" members.
Stampex Website
The Competitions at Stampex are held under the auspices of the Association of British Philatelic Societies.
The Whitehaven to Huddersfield TPO
Derwent Railway Society web page about West Cumberland's last Travelling Post Office (TPO)
GB First Day Covers
Search among thousands of British First Day Covers at FirstDayCover.org.uk
George VI Coronation First Day Covers
Article by Thomas P. Myers discussing1937 King George 6th Coronation FDCs with several photos.
Inland Postal Rates for Great Britain 1765-1880
A detailed breakdown of postage rates in Great Britain for before and after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post and postage stamps.
The Royal Philatelic Collection
The Royal Philatelic Collection may well be the world's finest and most comprehensive collection of postage stamps of Great Britain. The collection is particularly strong in stamps from the very beginnings of the modern British postal system.
King George V Silver Jubilee Stamps
The site for those interested in the British Empire stamp issues for the 1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V
Right now on eBay...
| BRITISH PHILATELIC POSTMARK OF THE DAY: NORWICH | |
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The featured GB philatelic postmark for Thursday Mar 18 2010 is from Norwich. Collectors can get this special postmark applied by sending the stamped (minimum 1st Class rate) addressed envelope(s) to: London Special Handstamp Centre Royal Mail Mount Pleasant Farringdon Road LONDON EC1A 1AA You can ask for any date (including public holidays) to be applied to your covers provided you send them to arrive on or before that date. It is advised you send a suitable return envelope also if you want the covers sent back protected rather than individually through the regular mail service. |
| We feature a different UK philatelic postmark every day so check back again | |
Live Auction Summary for GB Victorian Stamps
As you loaded this page a search of eBay for Victorian British stamp auctions was done and we have summarised some of the current highlights for you. Please note that many of these Queen Victoria stamp auctions are due to end very soon and, if interested, you can view the full listing for any of these auctions via our GB Queen Victoria auctions results page.
The first GB QV online auction we found for you is due to end in just a little while from now. Titled "SHROPSHIRE 1900 QV PAIR on PIECE VF CRAVEN ARMS DUPLEX" - currently £14.00 , we noted it has already attracted some viewer interest. The next few auctions are titled "PENNY RED Plate 142...USED on PIECE..CC...LONDON DUPLEX" - currently £10.00 , "PENNY RED 1841 GB QV Plate 28...4 MARGINS...CV £60" - currently £12.50 , "GB QV PENNY RED Plate 136.SLOPER PERFIN...I & R M" - currently £9.99 and "GB QV PENNY BLACK FINE USED PIECE LARGE to CLOSE 4 Marg" - currently £89.00 . Once again these auctions are nearing the end and all have been viewed several times but, at their current price, they may look good value to some readers.
Hot on the heels of those initial auctions we also noted these listings which have all received a number of views by potential buyers...
- GB QV CANCEL on 1d VENETIAN..VERY FINE GLASGOW NPB OVAL" - currently £19.00
- GB QV 1d LILACS SELECTED NUMERAL CANCELS...64 DIFFERENT" - currently £49.99
- GB QV 1d LILACS SELECTED CIRCULAR CANCELS...64 STAMPS" - currently £29.99
- GB QV 1d LILAC...SUPERB UPRIGHT CDS CANCEL...EAST COWES" - currently £12.50
- GB QV 1d LILAC...SUPERB UPRIGHT CDS CANCEL...DENBY DALE" - currently £12.50
- GB QV 1d LILAC...SELECTED CDS CANCEL...SWINDON" - currently £4.50
Further down the search results of Victorian stamp auctions we saw a listing titled "GB QV 1898 PIECE...HAYWARDS HEATH F01...1d + 1 1/2d" - currently £12.00 . This listing has also been viewed several times. Other auctions we noted which readers might also find interesting include...
- GB QV 1/2d VERMILION on PIECE...SUPERB CDS BEDWORTH" - currently £9.00
- GB VICTORIA 1d ONE PENNY RED 1858-79 SG 43 PLATE 146 JA" - currently £0.50 (0 Bid)
- GB 1867-80 SG 109,6d.PLATE 8 GOOD USED CAT £120.00" - currently £9.95 (0 Bid)
- GB 1881SG171/2/3,1d PURPLES x 200.forPOSTMARKS & COLOUR" - currently £19.95 (0 Bid)
- GB 1865-67 .SG101.1/- GREEN ,PLATE 4.CAT £200.00" - currently £14.95 (0 Bid)
- GB.1867-80.SG109.6d MAUVEPlt 8.VFU CAT£120.00.V.NICE" - currently £12.95 (0 Bid)
Moving on with our summary of the current Great Britain victorian stamp auctions we noticed listings titled "GB1873-80 SG147PLTs14,15,16,17,&18 CAT£440.00 VERY NICE" - currently £39.95 (0 Bid) , "GB1867-80SG103.3dROSE,PLATES 5,6,7,9,&10 CAT£350.00nice" - currently £29.95 (0 Bid) , "GB1867-80. SG109,6d MAUVE PLATE8 VFU. CAT£120.00+++" - currently £12.95 (0 Bid) and "GB 1873-84SG1524dVERMILLION PLATE15,VERY FINE CAT£425.0" - currently £29.95 (0 Bid) and these may be worth checking.
There are numerous other interesting GB QV auctions due to end a little later than those already mentioned including...
- GB 1880-81.SG164/9 SET to 5d CAT£290.00 VERY NICE" - currently £29.95 (0 Bid)
- GB1918 SG 414,2/6d PALE BROWN SEAHORSE VFU CAT£87.00" - currently £19.95 (0 Bid)
- GB1873-80,SG152,4dVERMILLION PLATE15 FINE USED CAT£425." - currently £29.95 (0 Bid)
- GB 1855-57.SG66a.4d ROSE .CAT.£110.00.+++ SUPER" - currently £12.95 (0 Bid)
- GB1873-80 SG150 1/- GREEN PLTs 8,9,1& 13. CAT£440.00+++" - currently £19.95 (0 Bid)
- SG94 4d Vermilion Plate 11 10 good used copies Cat £600" - currently £29.00
- 1855 1d Red C4 Plate 7 SB- SUPERB USED CAT £65.00" - currently £1.04 (2 Bids)
- 1856 1d RED C8, PLATE 34 HG VERY FINE USED" - currently £2.19 (2 Bids)
- GB QV 1876 SCARCER 2 1/2d MAUVE USED SG#141 PL#3 CV£110" - currently £2.50 (0 Bid)
eBay stamp auctions can move along at quite a pace during peak trading times so please do not be surprised if this particular GB Queen Victoria stamp auctions page has changed a little while reading this summary.
Recent GB Commemorative Stamp Issue
This set of stamps depicts the traditions and development of Royal Navy Uniforms over more than two centuries. Issue date: 17th September 2009. Find out more at the Royal Mail website.
GB Stamp Collecting & British Philatelic Publication News |
