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How our stock is arranged - how to find what you want

In each category the most recent additions are shown first.  This does mean that new stock may appear out of alphabetical, value, or even chronological order.  You can change the order that items appear by choosing a different sorting arrangement. 

Definitive stamps

If you collect Machin definitives you know that Stanley Gibbons Concise catalogue allocated separate groups of numbers to different types.

X numbers are for the original decimal stamps with conventional perforations all round.   We list these by X number, but we may have some of our own sub-numbers as well.

Y numbers are for the stamps with elliptical perforations in the long side (referred to by the Scott catalog as 'syncopated' perfs.  We list these by Y number, but we may have some of our own sub-numbers as well, especially those from prestige stamp books where a number of shades and stamps from different printers are not separated in the Concise.

U numbers are for the security stamps issued from 2009 to date, which have security features including non-soak adhesive, U-shaped slits, and the words ROYAL MAIL in an iridescent print layer.  This iridescent layer also contains once 'secret' codes indicating the source (booklet, miniature sheet), and year of the stamp. 
        The Concise catalogue has one range of numbers for those with no year indicator and a separate range for those with a year indicator - but only one number to cover all years.  Gibbons show the date of issue of the first (mostly 2010) stamps, but the price is for the cheapest, often the most recent. 
         Because of this we decided at an early stage to use our own numbering system.   Thus the 2009 2nd class sheet stamp is 2911, and the subsequent years' are 2911.0, 2911.1, 2911.2 and so on.  This will last us until 2019!  The business sheet stamps are 2911B, 2911B.0, 2911B.1 and so on.   

         Cylinder blocks, date blocks, and gutter pairs where available are included as options in the main listing and are not shown as separate items.  Where possible we also quote the Stanley Gibbons catalogue number for stamps and booklets, but as these are changed from time to time, the number we quote may not be the one you have in your catalogue.  Please check the description and pictures carefully to ensure that you are buying the correct stamps!

Our Catalogue of Machin Security Definitive Stamps is now available for free download - see recent blog posts, or the link on the right-hand side of the blog default page.  This includes a cross-reference from Norvic numbers to Stanley Gibbons Concise numbers, and also includes Gibbons booklet numbers.


 

Definitive first day covers

Because each cover often bears more than one stamp using the catalogue number in the title doesn't work: we think the best way to see these is chronologically.  Each item title starts with the reverse date, thus 5th May 2011 is 20110505, which means that when you use the SORT A-Z feature, they will be sorted into chronological order. 

Faststamp (Post and Go) FDCs are listed under Faststamps but are also shown in the FDC category.  These are not listed in date order, but can be found at the end of the definitive FDC listing with FS/FT/FV numbers.

Country definitives will be in a separate category.

Commemorative first day covers

... are listed by SG catalogue number of the first stamp in a set.  Some covers are listed with dummy numbers to achieve approximate chronological order.  For example, the "Celebrating.."  series which SG lists as Regional/Country stamps have numbers which will put them in the main listing.  Smilers stamps on cover are listed according to the (lowest numbered) stamp which is used in the sheet, rather than by LS (sheet) numbers.   The SORT A-Z feature will sort these into approximate catalogue number order.

If we have first day covers with more than one postmark, these are usually shown as options in a drop-down menu and will be described in the narrative.  Likewise with other variants such as cylinder booklets and marginal stamps where this is relevant.

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