Machin series
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The Machin series of postage stamps are the common definitive stamps of the United Kingdom. Designed by Arnold Machin, they consist of simply a profile of Queen Elizabeth II and a denomination, almost always in a single colour. They were first issued on 5 June 1967, and proved quite popular; as of 2006 they continue in heavy use.
From the philatelic point of view, the "Machins" are far more complex than the simple design might suggest, with hundreds of varieties known. Since the first stamps were issued pre-decimalisation, they exist in both old and new currencies. As postal rates changed, new denominations became necessary; the design has been adjusted periodically, for instance to use a gradient shade in the background; perforations have been changed; and so forth. In addition, regional stamps add regions' symbols to the basic design.
Initially the stamps were produced by Harrison & Sons using photogravure, with the high-value designs being larger and engraved. Starting around 1980, The House of Questa and Waddingtons Security Print also took up Machin printing in order to keep up with demand, producing their versions via lithography.
Apart from the many values of normal-sized stamps, there have been two different formats used for "high-value" definitives. In 1969 a square format was used to issue stamps of 2/6, 5/-, 10/- and £1 face value, and was used again in 1970 for the decimal currency values of 10p, 20p, 50p and £1 (the £1 stamp's value lettering being in a different font from the pre-decimal stamp). In 1977 a large portrait format was used for £1, £2, and £5 stamps, and also at various times between 1983 and 1987 for the odd values of £1.30, £1.33, £1.41, £1.50 and £1.60. These values were withdrawn after the introduction of the "Castles" high-value stamps of 1988.
In 1989, as a workaround to the problem of fast-changing rates, "non-value indicated" (NVI) Machins used textual inscriptions "1ST" and "2ND" to indicate class of service rather than a numeric value. The following year saw the first commemorative adaptation of the design, with the classic William Wyon profile of Queen Victoria appearing behind and to the left of Elizabeth, marking 150 years of British stamps.
1993 saw the introduction of both self-adhesives and elliptical perforations, the latter as a security measure.
[edit] Colours
The most striking aspect of the Machins is the rainbow of colours. Since the designs are all identical (or nearly so), it was critical that each denomination be produced in an easily-distinguished colour. Worse, the likelihood of rate changes meant that additional colours would be necessary, since old stamps were still valid and could appear on mail.
The initial palette of 14 colours was chosen after extensive testing. While most were solid colours, the 1/6d and 1/9d used different colours for effigy and denomination, while the 10d and 1/- had backgrounds that varied from darker on the left side to lighter on the right. The dark olive-brown shade of the 4d value, the most often-used stamp of the time, was personally selected by the Queen as being the available colour most reminiscent of the Penny Black. However, in practice this proved difficult to distinguish from the 5d's dark blue, automated machinery could not always see the phosphor bands on the stamps, and even football pool organizers complained that it was too hard to read the date and time of cancellations. In 1969, the 4d value was changed to vermilion, which in turn required a colour change for the 8d, which was reissued in "eggshell blue".
In preparation for decimalisation in 1971, the BPO prepared a new palette of colors, enlisting the Applied Psychology Unit of the Cambridge University to test individuals' abilities to quickly identify colours. The results pruned a selection of 25 down to the 14 used for the decimal stamps.
In subsequent years, rate changes required new denominations, and in order to make colours available, older stamps had to be withdrawn. For instance, the 11p rose of 1976 was withdrawn in 1980, and the colour reused in 1983 for a 23p stamp. A re-introduced denomination could not normally get its old colour back though; the light green 17p of 1980 was withdrawn in 1981, reissued in steel blue in 1983, withdrawn 1986, and reappeared yet again in 1990, this time in dark blue.
In 1983, Aubrey Walker of the Royal Mail's R&D department proposed a fixed assignment of colours to rates, on the theory that the classes of service changed much less frequently than rates. This still did not solve the problem of clerks detecting usage of old stamps with lower rates - they would have had to read the denomination rather than just glance at the colour - and so a system of "light" and "dark" colours was suggested, the two variants alternating at each rate change. Artist Jeffery Matthews was then hired to develop the actual colours, and in 1985 presented eight pairs totalling 16 colours. The colour pairing idea turned out to be unworkable, but the colours were adopted, and in 1988 Matthews developed another 15 as rates continued to churn.
[edit] References
- Douglas G A Myall, The Complete Deegam Machin Handbook, 3rd ed. (D.G.A. Myall, 2003). At 1,272 pages, the most comprehensive Machine reference.
- David Alderfer and Larry Rosenblum, "Colors of Machins were carefully considered", Linn's Stamp News, July 8, 1996
- Larry Rosenblum, "Machins rainbow barely keeps up with needs", Linn's Stamp News, August 12, 1996
