Great Britain 1951/70 Regional issues – Machines MNH

Great Britain 1951/70 Regional issues – Machines MNH

Here are the key details about the Great Britain 1951-1970 Regional Issues for Machines:

• From 1951 to 1970, Great Britain issued a series of definitive postage stamps specifically designed for use in postage vending machines and stamp dispensers. These are known as the “Regional Issues – Machines” or simply “Machins”.
• The Machin series features a sculpted portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, which has become an iconic design used on British definitive stamps for decades. The portrait is shown in profile facing left, with the denomination and inscription “POSTAGE REVENUE” below.
• The Machin stamps for machines were issued in booklet panes and coils to fit into vending equipment. They have a simpler design compared to the sheet stamps, omitting the graphite lines and phosphor bands used on regular issues.
• Regional issues were produced for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, with the respective national symbols (Tudor rose for England, shamrock for Northern Ireland, thistle for Scotland, and leek for Wales) incorporated into the stamp design.
• During the 1951-1970 period, several denominations were issued, including ½d, 1d, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d, and 1s 3d, to meet evolving postal rates. The colors of the stamps varied by denomination and region.
• The Machin regional machine stamps were printed by photogravure on unwatermarked paper with various perforation sizes depending on the issue and format.

The 1951-1970 Machin regional issues for machines represent an important chapter in British postal history, with the iconic Machin portrait design becoming a defining feature of UK stamps. However, as before, I should mention that without specific catalog references or images, some details I provided about denominations, colors, and formats may be inaccurate due to the breadth of stamps issued over this 20-year period.