Relationship between Postal Rates and Machin Stamps

Red

Explicit issue with new colour for that value for national or regional, with possible delay after rate change (especially for regionals).

Blue

Explicit issue within colour.

Dark blue

Rate has inherited a stamp from a standard value or previous purpose.

Green

No stamp for that value at that time.

R, NI

Regionals also exist; Northern Ireland only also exists. Pre-decimal regionals are Wildings. From 2001 all regionals are pictorial.

A

Anniversary variant also exists.

The named countries are simply to illustrate the zones.

Inland

make up
value

postcard

letter

postcard

letter

parcel

standard

2oz

> 5⁷₈" x 4¹₈"

4oz

As at 1967

1d

R . . . . . 3d

R . . . . . 4d

4d

6d

2nd class

1st class

2nd class

1st class

4oz

6oz

1968 Sep 16

1d

R. .^2. . . 4d

R . . . . . 5d

6d

9d

1971 Feb 15

½p

R . . . 2½p

R . . . . . 3p

4½p

5p

2oz

4oz

1972 Mar 6

½p

R . . . 2½p

R . . . . . 3p

3½p

4p

1973 Sep 10

½p

R . . . . . 3p

R . . . 3½p

4p

5p

1974 Jun 24

1p

R . . . 3½p

R . . . 4½p

5p

6½p

1975 Mar 17

^3. . . 1½p

R . . . 5½p

^4. . 7p

8p

10p

60g

100g

1kg

1975 Sep 29

2p

R . . . 6½p

R . . . 8½p

9p

11½p

1977 Jun 13

2p

R. . . . . 7p

R. . . . . 9p

^4. .9½p

12½p

1979 Aug 20

^3. . . . .2p

8p

10p

11p

14p

1980 Feb 4

2p

R . . . . 10p

R . . . . 12p

13½p

17p

1981 Jan 26

2½p

R . . 11½p

R . . . . 14p

15½p

20p

1982 Feb 1

3p

R . . 12½p

R . . 15½p

16½p

22p

1983 Apr 5

3½p

R . . 12½p

R . . . . 16p

17p

23p

£1.30

1984 Sep 3

4p

R . . . . 13p

R . . . . 17p

18p

24p

£1.33

1985 Nov 4

5p

R . . . . 12p

R . . . . 17p

18p

24p

£1.41

& EC 20g

1986 Oct 20

5p

R . . . . 13p

R . . . . 18p

20p

26p

£1.50

1987 Sep 15

£1.60

1988 Sep 5

5p

R . . . . 14p

R . . . . 19p

22p

28p

1989 Oct 2

5p

NVI R A 15p

A NVI R A 20p

24p

30p

1990 Sep 17

5p

NVI . R . 17p

NVI . R . 22p

27p

33p

1991 Sep 16

6p

NVI . R . 18p

NVI . R . 24p

28p

^6.. 36p

1993 Nov 1

6p

NVI . R . 19p

NVI . R . 25p

29p

38p

1996 July 8

6p

NVI . R . 20p

NVI . R . 26p

31p

39p

1997 Apr 21

end EC 20g NVI. ^8.. 26p

1999 Apr 26

7p

NVI .NI . 19p

R NVI R 26p

31p

39p

2000 Apr 27

8p

NVI (19p)

¹⁰ NVI (27p)

33p

41p

2002 July 4

8p

NVI (19p)

NVI (27p)

33p

41p

2003 May 8

8p

NVI (20p)

NVI (28p)

34p

42p

2004 Apr 1

7p

NVI (21p)

NVI (28p)

35p

42p

2005 Apr 7

9p

NVI (21p)

NVI (30p)

^2. 35p

46p

2006 Apr 3

9p

NVI (23p)

NVI (32p)

37p

49p

Inland - Pricing in Proportion

make up values

100g

500g

5 x 165 x 240mm

25 x 250 x 353mm

Special Delivery Next Day

2nd to 1st

2nd to
2nd large

1st to
1st large

2nd class

1st class

1st class
signed for

2nd class

1st class

1st class
signed for

2006 Aug 21

9p

14p

12p

¹² NVI (23p)

¹² NVI (32p)

NVI (37p)

NVI (44p)

2007 Apr 2

10p

16p

14p

NVI (24p)

NVI (34p)

NVI (40p)

NVI (48p)

2008 Apr 7

9p

15p

16p

NVI (27p)

NVI (36p)

NVI (42p)

NVI (52p)

2009 Apr 6

9p

17p

22p

NVI (30p)

NVI (39p)

NVI (47p)

NVI (61p)

2009 Nov 17

9p

17p

22p

NVI (30p)

NVI (39p)

NVI (£1.14)

NVI (47p)

NVI (61p)

NVI (£1.36)

2010 Apr 6

9p

19p

25p

NVI (32p)

NVI (41p)

NVI (£1.15)

NVI (51p)

NVI (66p)

NVI (£1.40)

2010 Oct 26

9p

19p

25p

NVI (32p)

NVI (41p)

NVI (£1.15)

NVI (51p)

NVI (66p)

NVI (£1.40)

NVI (£5.05)

NVI (£5.50)

2011 Apr 4

10p

22p

29p

NVI (36p)

NVI (46p)

NVI (£1.23)

NVI (58p)

NVI (75p)

NVI (£1.52)

NVI (£5.45)

NVI (£5.90)

2012 Apr 30

10p

19p

30p

NVI (50p)

¹⁴ NVI (60p)

NVI (£1.55)

NVI (69p)

NVI (90p)

NVI (£1.85)

NVI (£5.90)

NVI (£6.35)

2013 Apr 2

10p

19p

30p

NVI (50p)

¹⁶ NVI (60p)

NVI (£1.70)

NVI (69p)

NVI (90p)

NVI (£2.00)

NVI (£6.22)

NVI (£6.95)

2014 Mar 31

9p

20p

31p

NVI (53p)

NVI (62p)

NVI (£1.72)

NVI (73p)

NVI (93p)

NVI (£2.03)

NVI (£6.40)

NVI (£7.15)

2015 Mar 30

9p

20p

32p

NVI (54p)

NVI (63p)

NVI (£1.73)

NVI (74p)

NVI (95p)

NVI (£2.05)

NVI (£6.45)

NVI (£7.25)

2016 Mar 29

9p

20p

32p

NVI (55p)

NVI (64p)

NVI (£1.74)

NVI (75p)

NVI (96p)

NVI (£2.06)

NVI (£6.45)

NVI (£7.25)

2017 Mar 27

9p

20p

33p

NVI (56p)

NVI (65p)

NVI (£1.75)

NVI (76p)

NVI (98p)

NVI (£2.08)

NVI (£6.45)

NVI (£7.25)

2018 Mar 26

9p

21p

34p

NVI (58p)

NVI (67p)

NVI (£1.77)

NVI (79p)

NVI (£1.01)

NVI (£2.11)

NVI (£6.45)

NVI (£7.25)

2019 Mar 25

9p

22p

36p

NVI (61p)

NVI (70p)

NVI (£1.90)

NVI (83p)

NVI (£1.06)

NVI (£2.26)

NVI (£6.60)

NVI (£7.40)

Europe &
World Surface

Air Mail

Aero-
gramme

Postcard

Zone A
Israel

Zone B
Canada

Zone C
Australia

World

1oz

^1.

Zone C

½ oz

20g

As at 1967

R . . . . 9d

9d

10d

1/-

R . . . 1/ 6d

1/9d

1968 Sep 16

R . . . . 9d

9d

10d

1/-

R . . . 1/ 6d

1/9d

1971 Feb 15

4p

4p

4p

5p

R . . . .7½p

9p

1971 July 1

R . . . . 5p

5p

5p

1972 Mar 6

R . . . . 5p

5p

5p

5p

R . . . .7½p

9p

1973 Sep 10

R . . . 5½p

6p

6p

6p

R . . . . . 8p

10p

1974 Jun 24

R . . . 5½p

6p

6p

6p

R . . . . . 8p

10p

1975 Mar 17

R . . . . 8p

^3. . . 8½p

9p

8½p

10p

12p

20g

15g

1975 Sep 29

R . . . . 10p

10½p

10p

10½p

R . . . . 11p

13p

10g

1977 Jun 13

R . ^2.. 10½p

10½p

11p

10½p

R . . . . 11p

13p

1979 Aug 20

^3.. . . 11½p

12p

13p

12p

13p

15p

1980 Feb 4

R . . . 13½p

14p

15p

14p

R . . . . 15p

17½p

1981 Jan 26

R . . . . 18p

20p

World 20p

20p

R . ^4. . 22p

25p

1982 Feb 1

R . . . 19½p

24p

24p

24p

R . . . . 26p

29p

1983 Apr 5

R . . . 20½p

26p

R . . . . 26p

26p

R . . . . 28p

31p

1984 Sep 3

R . . . . 22p

26p

R . . . . 26p

 29p

R . . . . 31p

34p

1985 Nov 4

R . . . . 22p

26p

R . . . . 26p

 29p

R . . . . 31p

34p

Non-EC & World Surf.

1986 Oct 20

R . . . . 22p

26p

R . . . . 26p

 29p

R . . . . 31p

34p

1987 Jan 27

R . . ^5.

R . . ^5.

1988 Sep 5

R . . . . 23p

27p

27p

 30p

R . . . . 32p

35p

1989 Oct 2

R . . . . 24p

30p

A . . . 29p

 32p

R . A . 34p

A . . . 37p

1990 Sep 17

R . . . . 26p

32p

31p

R . . . . . . . . . . . .37p

1991 Sep 16

R . . . . 28p

34p

33p

R . . . . . . . . . . . .39p

1993 Nov 1

R . . . . 30p

36p

^6.. 35p

R . . . . . . . . . . . .41p

60p

1996 July 8

31p

36p

R . ^7. . 37p

43p

R . . . 63p

1997 ^8.

World Surface

Europe

World

Zone 2
Australia

20g

20g

40g

Postcard

10g

20g

40g

1998 Apr 6

31p

^9.. 30p

R . . . 37p

43p

R . . . 63p

1999 Apr 26

34p

NVI (34p)

NI . . . 38p

44p

NI . . . 64p

2000 Apr 27

36p

NVI (36p)

NI . . . 40p

45p

NI . . . 65p

2002 July 4

37p

NVI (37p)

42p

47p

68p

2003 May 8

37p

NVI (38p)

NVI (53p)

42p

47p

68p

NVI (£1.12)

2004 Apr 1

39p

40p

NVI (57p)

NVI ¹¹ 43p

47p

68p

NVI (£1.12)

2005 Apr 7

40p

42p

NVI (60p)

NVI . . 47p

47p

68p

NVI (£1.12)

2006 Apr 3

42p

44p

NVI (64p)

NVI . . 50p

50p

72p

NVI (£1.19)

2007 Apr 2

46p

48p

NVI (69p)

NVI . . 54p

54p

78p

NVI (£1.24)

World

2008 Apr 7

48p

50p

NVI (72p)

NVI . . 56p

56p

81p

NVI (£1.22)

2009 Apr 6

54p

56p

NVI (81p)

NVI . . 62p

62p

90p

NVI (£1.35)

2010 Apr 6

58p

NVI . . . 60p

NVI. . 88p

NVI . . 67p

67p

NVI . . 97p

NVI . £1.46

2011 Apr 4

66p

NVI . . . 68p

¹³ £1.00

NVI . . 76p

76p

NVI .£1.10

¹³ £1.65

2012 Apr 30

77p

¹⁵ 87p

£1.28

87p

87p

£1.28

£1.90

2013 Apr 2

78p

88p

£1.28

88p

88p

£1.28

£1.88

20g

20g

60g

10g

20g

60g

2014 Mar 31

81p

97p

£1.47

97p

£1.28

£2.15

International - Pricing in Proportion

5 x 165 x 240mm

25 x 250 x 353mm

10g

20g

100g

World

Europe

World

Europe

World

Europe

Zone 1

Zone 2

2015 Mar 30

£1.00

£1.33

£1.52

£2.25

£2.45

£3.15

£3.30

2016 Mar 29

£1.05

£1.33

£1.52

£2.25

£2.45

£3.15

£3.30

2017 Mar 27

£1.17

£1.40

£1.57

£2.27

£2.55

£3.15

£3.30

2018 Mar 26

£1.25

£1.45

£1.55

£2.25

£2.65

£3.30

2019 Mar 25

£1.35

£1.55

£1.60

£2.30

£2.80

£3.45

£3.60

Notes 

1.

The aerogramme series has been included because the 1991 34p and 1993 36p were officially issued for that rate. (They were also the rate for 2nd class 150g - see note 4.) Yet the 36p stamp was withdrawn 26 June 1997 and never "EMEd" (see note 8), although the aerogramme rate did not change until 1999.

2.

Operational colour changes:

4d

The first basic letter rate Machin was issued in sepia in honour of the Penny Black. It was reissued with centre band when it became second class post, the Wilding regionals being reissued in sepia at the same time. In January 1969 it was changed to vermilion to facilitate canceling, the Wilding regionals following the next month.

10½p

This value assumed its new uses in June 1977. The colour was changed in April 1978 from light yellow to pastel blue to facilitate electronic canceling and sorting. The regionals had already appeared in January - a rare case of regionals preceding national.

35p

The colour was changed from dark brown to lime green in April 2005 to facilitate canceling.

3.

The missing regionals (and maybe some other missing) stamps in 1975 and 1979 are probably due to the speed of inflation and the short interval between rate increases. The gap in the Zone C series, however, does look odd. This rate, of course, was a standard member of commemorative issues, so maybe the Aussies just had to puzzle out why the sudden spate of "National Theatre"s.

4.

These three rates were not new stamps because they were preceded by issues as follows:

7p

December 1974

2nd class 6oz (press notice 4 December 1974).

9½p

February 1976

Issued along with 9p, 10p, 10½p, 11p probably to complete the range.

22p

October 1980

1st class 150g (press notice 26 September 1980).

A "belated" issue of 11p in July 1980 might tie in with the 22p above - x 2 it would have served the same purpose. Another "belated" issue was that for 7½p in December 1975. That would also have served (x 2) the 1st class third weight. Examination of the series, however, suggests that there has never been a consistent policy to support the 1st and 2nd class third weights. For example, the 1993 19p remained current for an extra 2½ years after the rate changed to 20p, presumably for the 2nd class 150g 38p rate; but the 1999 44p, which would have been even more appropriate for 2nd class 150g in 2000, was withdrawn as soon as its original function ceased.

5.

In 1986/87 there was a large-scale revamping of the current regional stamps, bringing them up-to-date for paper (ACP), standard perforation, narrow value (26p), and (mostly) revised country symbols. All the 26p's and 28p's, and the 22p Scotland and 31p Wales, were issued 27 January 1987. A revised national 28p had been issued 7 October 1986. The content of presentation packs suggests that the 26p and 28p regionals (and 28p national) remained current during 1983 to 1987, so that there were six regional series in those years instead of the normal four. The later purpose of the 28p, however, is not clear. (The first ever air mail stamp booklet - for World Postcard rate - was issued 4 August 1987, its narrow-value 26p rosines nicely complementing those of the regional set.)

6.

This rate was originally planned to be 35p, and a new stamp for that value was duly issued 10 September 1991. It had been "gazzumped", however! It is odd that the rate was left void of a stamp for two years (though it was 2 x 18p). In any case, this explains why the 35p of 1993 was not the first in its colour.

7.

The third series for regionals diverted to World Postcard in 1996 but returned to the Europe rate (NVI) with the pictorials. The fourth series remained with World 20g.

8.

In 1997 all current stamps (except 19p) were reprinted with the EME head. 26p and 1st NVI were temporarily in gold (for the Royal Wedding anniversary), but most booklets and all coils continued with the normal stamps.

9.

The 30p was reissued in this way 27 May 1997 along with 2p, 4p, 5p,10p, 39p. It seems that for a few years it was treated as being a standard rate, like 10p and 20p. The 1998 30p stamp which succeeded it was issued for the first ever European rate booklet, but was withdrawn when the rate changed. The price increases for the E class shown against 1999 and 2002 actually took place on the 25 October 1999 and 2 July 2001.

10.

The Millenium 1st class was a temporary stamp like the golds in 1997. Some booklets and all coils continued with the flame stamps.

11.

From this date there were three overseas booklet stamps - E-40g, W-40g, W-PC - all self-adhesive NVI ‘chevron’ stamps. Policy was not to issue these as sheet stamps, so the W-PC VI series continued in that form.

12.

Fortunately the giant font basic rate 2nd and 1st NVIs turned out to be temporary stamps, though they were used even for coils.

13.

The Royal Mail's inconsistency in policies showed itself again in the discontinuation of the 40g NVI stamps shortly after the appearance of the 20g NVIs. The convergence of the world postcard and 10g rates meant that the grey air mail stamp could have been reissued with the latter value, creating a complete set of five NVI air mail stamps paralleling the eight inland NVIs, with all used for both sheets and booklets. The inlands have the advantage of the year code creating ongoing collectability, whereas the white background is presumably unsuitable for iridescent overprinting. But if demand from collectors is the motivation for persisting with air mail VIs (which from 2011 also have the year code), why abandon the inland make-up values and the world surface rate?

14.

The standard 1st class Diamond Jubilee was actually issued on 6 February. It was also used for large booklets. Small booklets moved to the flame Olympic non-Machins. 1st class signed for are also flame. Will flame make a comeback after the Jubilee as it did after the Golden Wedding and Millenium?

15.

Convergence rules OK. The disappearance of the air mail NVIs makes a kind of sense now that there are just three stamps covering the six rates. The country stamps (non-Machin) cover five of the rates. But why introduce the 20g booklets for just two years?

16.

Not flame after all, but "Post Office Red", except for the "Signed For" stamps, which, although for a re-launched service with adjusted wording on the stamps, have been left as flame, apparently to avoid the inconvenience of replacing the associated stationery.

Machin value-colours not referenced anywhere in the above table or notes are:

1.

Standard higher values (2/6d onwards; decimal large sizes; 75p onwards).

2.

Pre-decimal:

½d, 2d, 7d, 8d 1968, 8d 1969.

3.

Decimal:

4p 1988, 7p 1985, 20p 1988, 50p 1977, 50p 2013.

4.

NVI:

1st & 2nd horizontal, 1st large formats.

Some of the above data is from "Johnson and Peet - British Postal Rates (2000)", with permission.