Royal Mail have confirmed the new values that will be available from Post and Go kiosks from the prices changes this month. Via their ‘micro site’ http://iarroyalmailpostandgo.com/latestnews/  they have confirmed that the current ’10g’ and ’40g’ Worldwide values will be replaced by 60g Europe and 60g Worldwide values- an increase of £1 in the price of a Collectors Strip.

[table caption=”Post and Go ” width=”500″ colwidth=”” colalign=””]
no,Existing Value,Old Price,Updated Value, New Price
1,1st Class,60p,1st Class,62p
2,1st Class Large,90p,1st Class Large,93p
3,Europe 20g,88p,Europe 20g,97p
4,Worldwide 10g,88p,Europe 60g,£1.47
5,Worldwide 20g,£1.28,Worldwide 20g,£1.28
6,Worldwide 40g,£1.88, Worldwide 60g,£2.15
7, TOTAL,£6.42,NEW TOTAL, £7.42 [/table]
These new values will be available from Wincor or NCR kiosks situated in Post Offices throughout the UK, or from Royal Mail kiosks via their ‘philatelic exhibition program’ or their fixed sites  from 31st March 2014 onwards , either singly or as part of an updated ‘collectors strip’ format.     The withdrawal of the 10g and 40g values is likely to produce some rarities in the next few weeks – with certain issues/varieties only being available in limited numbers and locations.

10g Worldwide NVI Stamp-to be retired

Royal Mail Series B

Appearing from the outside as taller with a slicker, more streamlined appearance, inside a faster PC able to process orders and print stamp quicker with an improved screen combined with software with a simpler interface and capability to connect to smart phones apps promises a powerful package ready for the road in the UK and worldwide.

The first appearance of the “series B” machines will be Spring Stampex where three new Royal Mail series B machines will be showcased.
These machines will be designated ‘A003’, ‘A004’, ‘A005’ (‘A’ Indicating Self-Service) and will have updated print string as follows:-

B2GB14 A001-0000-001

The first character ‘B’ indicates a ‘Series ‘B’ machine , followed by Month, print location and Year designations.

The print counter has additional characters allowing for 999 prints in a single session and a reduced number of characters in the session number before the counter resets to zero.

As a relatively new area of stamp collecting, Post and Go stamps are proving to be both exciting and popular with GB collectors. ‘Armchair’ stamp collectors are realising that they can no longer expect all of their collection to arrive in an envelope from Tallents House and they are going back to the roots of collecting in larger and larger numbers – experiencing the thrill of the chase combined with the satisfaction of new and unique find- that won’t be available tomorrow , from anywhere else or via mail order.

So last years ‘Post and Go Roadshow’ was a success- Royal Mail took it’s (now infamous) ‘Series 1’ self-machines machines combined with a newly invigorated ‘Instant Smilers’ offer in various combinations to locations all around the UK- both as part of the  regional Stamp Show calendar (Perth, York, Salisbury, Stafford) and via the Post Office Stamp Shop (Main shopping centres in Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon and London) to give the maximum opportunity for collectors and non-collectors to purchase, many for the first time, their unique offering.

So building upon last years events , Royal Mail is continuing to improve and develop the products and services available- and continuing to make them available to as wide an audience as possible. As part of this ongoing development Royal Mail iscontinuing to invest in new, improved technology and have purchased a number of new ‘Post and Go’ machines – designated series ‘B’ -that promise to be faster and will allow further development of new products.

A surprise appearance of not one ,not two but three Wincor-Nixdorf printed MA13 Post and Stamps has occurred in the unique Self-service  branch- at Tudor Street, Ludgate Circus, London EC1.

The latest printings appear to have been installed in the last few days, a visit earlier this week has revealed.

It certainly is an interesting development and has provided the last variants of the MA13 Post and Go stamps in the operational ‘Wincor’ format.

Machine 1 – Christmas Robins MA13

Machine 2 – Union Flag MA13

Machine 3 -Machin MA13

Royal Mail have announced to the philatelic trade that they will be partnering with Post Office Ltd to provide an innovative way of purchasing this years Christmas stamps, Royal Mail Post and Go Instant Smilers  as well as providing some unique Post and Go stamps.

Commencing this week in Newcastle (20th November) and then moving to Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, crossing  the Welsh border into Cardiff before proceeding to the metropolis via Croydon onwards to London’s’  Covent Garden and finally  Shepherds Bush (Final Day 19th December) this year pop up ‘Christmas Stamp Shops’ will operate from the “back of a lorry trailer.” (see opposite for dates)

The trailer will comprise of a unique environment to compose and purchase this year various Christmas Smilers (in newly upgraded ‘sheets of 20 format)  – a ‘Winter Wonderland’ effect which will be partnered with the now familiar ‘Royal Mail Series One ‘ (Otherwise known as ‘Hytech’) machines A3 and A4, vending  ‘Christmas Robins’ and (by popular demand) 2nd Class Post and Go Stamps.

The Xmas Robins are likely to be MA13 versions and there is a possibility that the 2nd Class Post and Go stamps are of a new MA13 printing too , as it is understood that the original printing has been ‘ring-fenced’ for the new Post Office machines (due next year). Also as previously announced, Post Office outlets will not include any overprint. The only difference between the different sites is likely to be the receipts  (Possibility  of a bilingual version in Cardiff/Wales?).

It is worth noting that these ‘outlets’ do not appear to be ‘Post Offices’ in the true sense -so no Horizon,no  Datestamps and no mouthwatering ‘items from the stock centre’  as appeared in Camden Town last  year,- it is more likely that there will be signposts ‘to the nearest Post Office’ for customer wanting the more traditional Post Office service.

So this years Pop-Ups look like they are building on the successes of last year (unique offerings) and  responding to the feedback around ‘difficult to find’ by placing them in central shopping locations in England ,Scotland and Wales- ‘Post and Go for the masses !- something we applaud..

6th July 2013 and the latest stop on the ‘Post and Go’ world tour brings two Royal Mail Post and Go machines (A3 and A4) to the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre. A surprise though that two machines (rather than the advertised single machine) have been provided to satisfy Dealers (and even a few collectors) needs.

Both machines are loaded with the latest issue of Post & Go Freshwater Life “Lakes” Stamps creating the first opportunity to obtain this issue printed on a Hytech Machine (other than those issued in Pack or FDC format).
In addition to the Post and Go stamps – ‘Midpex’ themed Post and Go Smilers have been issued. 

Available in our Ebay shop Here:-http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MIDPEX-July-2013-Post-and-Go-Freshwater-Life-Rivers-Hytech-Collectors-Strip-/171070406237?pt=UK_Stamps_BritishStamps&var=&hash=item27d4973e5d

Left- Screen shot showing the selections available – ‘Lakes’ and ‘Machin’.

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Today, 15th March and tomorrow  Saturday 16th March, the Salisbury Stamp show will be taking place at the Five Rivers Leisure Centre, Hulse Rd, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 3NR.

As part of  Royal Mail’s Post and Go Tour 2013 two Post and Go machines  vending Post and Go ‘Machin’ and ‘Union Flag’ stamps along with   ‘Post and Go Instant Smilers’ .

The Post and Go stamp offer- the same from machines A3 and A4  – is Machin and Union Flag and aligning with Royal Mails recently published policy, no special overprint is being provided for these smaller provincial stamp fairs.

As with this years Spring Stampex the smiler sheet available includes a ‘venue specific’ image in ‘position 1’  and a choice of either an image taken on an ipad in the venue (A gold postbox is supplied for this purpose)  or some pre-prepared generic images.

Royal Mail have just issued the detail of the Tariff changes for 2nd April 2013.

The headlines are that 1st and 2nd Class basic rates do not change- either Letter or Large Letter varities.

Some international rates (e.g. 40g ww) reduce.

This should result in three new machins and some updated ones

From a Post and Go point of view the cost of a collectors strip (That we all love) is unchanged.

Current Price       Price from 2nd April

1st class                            60p                                60p

1st Class Large               90p                                90p

Europe 20g                     87p                                 88p

Worldwide 10g              87p                                 88p

Worldwide 20g             £1.28                             £1.28

Worldwide 40g             £1.90                             £1.88

————                     ————

Total for strip                £6.42                            £6.42

So- carry on collecting Post and Go!

At Spring Stampex 2013 , the continuing development of the Post and Go machines became very evident. Not only were the Post and Go machines for the first time located away from Royal Mail’s main stand, the offering of Instant Smilers via the Post and Go machines signals the ‘independence’ of the Post and Go machines –  ready for the “Post and Go Tour 2013.”

The first in the ‘Tour Series’ of  ‘Red White and Blue’ smiler sheet  includes a ‘venue specific’ image in ‘position 1’  (expected to change at each venue) and a choice of either an image taken on an ipad in the venue (for example in  of the gold postbox ) or a choice of pre-prepared generic images – the image shown depicts the ‘Post and Go’ generic choice.

It has been reported to me that there two versions of the ‘Diamond Jubilee’ Overprint exist. The first a ‘Standard Version’ where the two lines of the overprint are both left aligned – Shown in the top image and a second,  much rarer ‘inset’ version, shown in the bottom image where the 2nd ‘Date’ line ‘1952-2002’  is inset to the right by one character space.

This Inset version has so far been reported from both “Back Office” machines – B1 and B2. It is believed this variation was introduced where the overprint is added and removed between prints of Cattle and Flags.  Reports of ‘Inset’ session numbers welcome. All those so far reported from B1 have had receipt dated on the afternoon of the 28th September 2012- so check yours!