| 1967
|
First appearance: The Machin (pronounced "may-chin") stamps, first issued on June 5, 1967, are based on a sculpture by Arnold Machin (who recently passed away in 1999). The simple design consists of a profile of Queen Elizabeth II and a value or service indicator. Some bear a heraldic symbol (the regionals).
The series came about as a result of an effort to simplify and streamline British stamps. In 1967, it became established practice to show a small profile of the Queen, most often a silhouette, as the identifier on British stamps (until then, a full-size
portrait of the monarch was required).
Along with the sheet stamps, booklets (typically containing multiple values) and coils (again containing
multi-values) have been issued. The latter two formats are typically cut down the middle of the perforations, which, for the specialist collector, creates an identifiable variety compared to stamps torn from sheets.
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| 1968
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| 1969
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Engraved Machins: In 1969, the pictorial high values showing castles were replaced by larger, engraved stamps with the Machin design.
Since individual values could no longer be easily identified by design alone, each value currently on sale had to have a colour that was distinguishable from all the others. As a result, a wide range of colours have appeared.
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| 1970
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Jun 17/70:
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| 1971
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Decimalization: British currency was decimalized in 1971. The letter "p" was used to indicate decimal pence rather than the "d" used for the previous Sterling pence issues.
 Regionals: Regional stamps for Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales & Monmouthshire, and Isle of Man made their appearance at this time.
Heraldic symbols, representative of each country, were placed in the upper left corner of the stamp. This required that the image of the Queen be slightly smaller than that previously used.
Feb 15/71:
Aug 11/71:
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| 1973
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Oct 24/73:
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| 1974
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| Sep 4/74:
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Dec 74:
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|
| 1975
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Sep 24/75:
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| 1976
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| 1977
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Feb 2/77:
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| 1978
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Apr 26/78:
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| 1979
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Aug 15/79:
|
| 1980
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Different printers: As the years went by, and inflation grew, more and more values appeared. What used to be "high-values", in large stamp-sizes became low-values in the conventional small-size design. As well, two new suppliers of stamps were required to meet the demand of stamp production (previously only Harrison & Sons printed the Machins). The House of Questa and Waddingtons Security Print began producing Machins in 1980 - both used lithography instead of photogravure - the former being perf 13½ x14, rather than 15x14 (thus producing more varieties!).
Jan 30/80:
Oct 22/80:
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| 1981
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Jan 14/81:
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| 1982
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Jan 27/82:
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| 1983
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Narrow values: Newly designed numerals (narrower) began to appear in 1983. These were required because the larger values (eg. 20½) took up too much room on the stamp!
Many values have been withdrawn and then re-issued in a different colour years after, as postal rates dictated their need. The 20p holds the record with four different colours.
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| 1984
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Aug 28/84:
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| 1985
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| 1986
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Sep 2/86:
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| 1987
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Sep 15/87:
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| 1988
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| 1989
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Non-denominated: In 1989, non-denominated Machins appeared (referred to as Non-Value Indicated (NVI) stamps). These simply carried "1st" or "2nd" indicators, denoting the class of service that was paid for.
|
| 1990
|
 150th Anniversary: A special variation of the Machin design
appeared in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first British stamps. These consisted of a design including Queen Victoria (from the Penny Black stamp of 1840) and the familiar Machin-designed Queen Elizabeth II.
Jan 10/90:
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| 1991
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Sep 10/91:
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| 1993
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 Self-adhesives: In 1993, the first self-adhesive NVI Machins appeared. To test their popularity, a new horizontal format with the Machin portrait was used. When Royal Mail was satisfied that self-adhesives were successful and no longer needed to be tracked, the stamps reverted to the normal vertical format.
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| 1993 |
 Elliptical perfs: Also in 1993, syncopated perforations appeared. Two large, elliptical perforations, one on each side, were added to the Machins. These were to deter counterfeiting and have become standard on all British definitives.
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| 1994
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Aug 9/94:
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| 1995
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Aug 22/95:
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| 1996
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Jun 25/96:
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| 1997
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New portrait: In 1997, the Machin portrait was modified to take advantage of computerization of the printing process. The new version is much sharper with well-defined details. In comparison, the original version appears blurred. A completely new set of Machins was issued during 1997 with the redrawn portrait.
Wales stamps drop 'P': Regional stamps issued from Wales no longer include the 'P' to the right of the value. Four values were issued in mid-1997.
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| 1999
|
 "E" NVI: In January 1999, a new non-denominated stamp was issued to pay the letter rate to the rest of Europe. The service indicator is simply "E".
Jan 19/99:
Feb 16/99:
New engraved Machin high values were issued in March 1999 to replace the castle designs that had been in use since 1988.
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| 2000
|
 Millennium NVI:
In January 2000, a new non-denominated stamp was issued in honour of the Millennium.
Jan 6/00:
'Penny Black' NVI:
To celebrate the 160th anniversary of the Penny Black, the Machin design introduced 10 years previously was used again.
Wales Bilingual:
The Wales NVI design became bilingual.
Feb 15/00:
Apr 25/00:
|
| 2001
|
Self Adhesives:
Self-adhesive Machins became more commonplace.
Machins replaced?:
New regional stamps are issued that begin to replace the Machin design.
New values?:
NO new values were issued in 2001!
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| 2002
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Jul 4/02:
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| 2003
|
 Airmail:
Non-denominated airmail Machins released for Europe and Worldwide destinations.
Mar 27/03:
May 6/03:
High-value engraved Machins re-printed by photogravure.
Jul 1/03:
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| 2004
|
 Airmail:
Non-denominated airmail Machins released for Postcards.
Apr 1/04:
Rate change:
|
| 2005 |
Apr 5/05:
  
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| 2006 |
Mar 28/06 rate change:
   
Aug 1/06 new colours:
 
 Aug
1/06 Pricing in Proportion:
 
|
| 2007 |
Mar 27/07 rate change:
    
 Jun
5/07
40th Anniversary of the Machin design
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| 2008 |
Apr 1/08 rate change:
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| 2009 |
Feb 17/09 security feature values:
Apr 1/09 rate change:
Aug/09:
 Nov
17/09 "Recorded Signed For" Machins: |
| 2010 |
Mar 30/10 new values/colours:
 
 Oct
26/10 "Special Delivery" Machins:
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| 2011 |
Mar 8/11 low-value security:
Mar 29/11 rate change:
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| 2012 |
Apr 25/12 rate change:
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| 2013 |
Apr 2/13 rate change:
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| 2014 |
Mar 26/14 rate change:
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| 2015 |
Mar 24/15 rate change:
 Sep 19/15 Long to Reign Over Us:
|
| 2016 |
Mar 29/16 rate change:
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| 2017 |
 Feb 6/17 65th Anniversary of the Accession:
Mar 27/17 rate change:
 Jun 5/17 50th Anniversary of Machins:
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| 2018 |
Mar 26/18 rate change:
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| 2019 |
Mar 25/19 rate change:
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| 2020 |
Mar 17/20 rate change:
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(some of the above history is a taken from an article by Great Britain stamp expert Larry Rosenblum in a June 1999 article in Scott Stamp Monthly).
