GB: Your New "Post And Go" Stamps.

The blue tit, goldfinch,wood pigeon,robin,house sparrow, and starling.

These will be very popular with Bird Thematic collectors, that's for sure.
A few details if Rod doesn't mind !

Designed by Kate Stephens who has designed more stamps for Royal Mail than any other female designer.
Illustrations by ornithologist Robert Gillmor who is also an author and editor.
Stamp size [yes, Royal Mail call them stamps even though they are actually labels !]...56mmx25mm.
Printed in gravure by Walsall Security printers, Self-Adhesive Kiss die-cut simulated perforations with two phosphor bands [bars].

The Robin will be a winner at Christmas if enough post offices have the machines fitted.

Londonbus1...will have a few sets.

It might take a while for the technology to reach the Highlands... I'll be looking out for them...

Can you explain the numbers on them Lb?
(or is it just the product order number for sales?)

The first 6-figure number is the branch code. I do have a list somewhere but as usual, it appears to have gone walkabout !

The second single digit is the machine number within that branch. Some Post Offices have 4 or more machines.

The third number is the session number or customer number. So a number 51840 [as shown on the scans] means that from that machine there have been 51840 transactions/customers.

The last digit indicates how many purchases were made by the customer, in the case above it was one. The maximum amount of purchases per visit is 99. Then you have to pay and start again.
One might think this is too much and is not needed. But I can guarantee the Post Offices will be heaving on Friday and dealers will be buying far more than 99 stamps !! I have seen it in Israel at major shows where there was a Klussendorf [German] machine and one had to wait for hours to get to the front of the queue !

So the Royal Mail labels shown indicate that there are 9 machines at least in that branch and that the 51840th customer on that 9th machine purchased one item !

Londonbus1

The branch number does not exist as yet, unless it is the number for the Philatelic Bureau. Also, there are not that number of machines [9] in any branch.

This most likely a futuristic hope or just a Royal Mail ad example. [These same examples are to be seen everywhere]

Londonbus1.

If anyone is interested in a set of these, just let me know.
At face plus postage at cost. A non profit-making gesture !

Londonbus1

Thanks for the explanation LB.

Very Nice.
I wonder if they'll be soak-able?

This very nice site gives the list of Post Offices with 'Post and Go' machines.

http://postagelabelsuk.com/?page_id=497

Londonbus1

I will be ordering some of these tomorrow so if anyone would like a set, let me know. Those who have ordered already, I will be emailing you later.

The labels from the Philatelic service will be issued in sheetlets of 6, which is quite a surprise. From the machines they are dispensed in strips of 5...quite strange when the set is 6 labels.
I will post more info when it's to hand.

Londonbus1

Another interesting point.
The pulicity pictures distributed by Royal Mail and which were seen in the September Philatelic Bulletin, show the labels with an Elliptical [syncopated] Perf on each vertical side. These cannot be seen on Rod's scans.
However, the actual labels are normal die-cut all round !

Londonbus1

I was wrong on all counts.....at least for the items Rod showed in the first post.
My explanation about the numbers is correct, but not for these.

I have just received my copy of the Bookmark, an excellent journal for GB collectors.
The set shown above is explained thus:

002010....The year 2010
9....month of issue [September]
51840....Month and year when postage stamps were first introduced
01.....Issue 1

Anyone ordering from the Bureau will get a Sheetlet of 6. These numbers will be on them all as standard.
But only from the Bureau or Philatelic outlets.
All others come from machines and have Post Office numbers as explained before.
Kind of takes the shine of ordering from the Bureau. Better to get someone to send a set from a vending machine !

Londonbus1