Autumn Stampex 2013 has just closed its doors, taking place between the dates of 18th-21st September at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1.

Royal Mail provided the now familiar configuration of Post and Go ”Royal Mail Series One’ machines Nos. A2, A3,A4  along with a “Instant Smiler ” printer.

They all have been busy over the last three days providing the standard fare of an overprinted Post and Go commemorative plus from Friday  the latest in the ‘Freshwater Life’ series (Rivers) along with On-Demand ‘Post and Go Instant Smilers’ as below:-

[table caption=”Autumn Stampex 2013 Post and Go Stamp availability” width=”500″ colwidth=”20|50|50|50|50″ colalign=”left|left|left|left|left”]
Machine,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday
A2,Union Flag/Machin,Union Flag/Machin,F/water Life-Rivers/Union Flag,F/water Life-Rivers/Union Flag
A3,Union Flag/Machin,Union Flag/Machin,F/water Life-Rivers/Union Flag,F/water Life-Rivers/Union Flag
A4,Union Flag/Machin,Union Flag/Machin,Union Flag/Machin,Union Flag/Machin
B1,Union Flag,Union Flag,F/Water Life-Rivers,F/Water Life-Rivers
B2,Machin,Machin,Union Flag,Union Flag

Notes:,B1 and B2 Pre-Order and over-the-counter sales only,Both the ‘Union Flag’ and the Machin Post and Go Stamps had a ‘MA13′ underprint.,Union Flag over printed “The Coronation 60th Anniversary’.

[/table]

Various improvements have been made since previous events and it was noticed that the  machines benefited from a new-improved faster internet connection allowing for faster throughput of customers resulting in reduced queues compared to previous Stampex events..

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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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!

http://www.stampshows.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=5

With thanks to John McCallum via http://pmechuk.blogspot.co.uk/and a correspondent from Australia, the first DIY Post and Go stamps have been reported.

These are likely to have originated from someone who has illegally obtained ‘Blank’ (unprinted) Post and Go stamps and attempted to overprint them to look ‘real’. (although the Post Office in Devon appears to have accepted these as valid).

These are likely to be viewed very seriously by Royal Mail and I would expect an thorough investigation to be carried out with possible legal action for such a serious attempt at fraud.

Anyone with any further sightings of these items please email me at postagelabelsuk@gmx.com .

Today the Christmas 2012 Re-issue of the Post and Go Robins have started to appear in Post Office Branches.

They have, for the first time for Post and Go stamps, a in-built ‘Security code’ to identify them from the 2010 variant and the future 2013 printing.

On 21st May 2012, Royal Mail are due to issue an updated Post and Go stamp version of the Union Flag stamp originally issued in 2001  in honour of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

This will be available from Royal Mail in the usual ‘Pack’ format (at a bargain face value of 60p) as well as from the numerous Post and Go branches throughout the UK.

The Pack version and those applied to Royal Mail serviced First Day Covers have once again have had the text printed by Hytech in Holland.

Note:- Royal Mail have changed the background for this issue – to a much darker blue colour to improve the appearance of the printed stamps.

As the Post and Go V2 upgrade is now almost complete, those very few branches that still were using Birds 3 reels have produced a six completely new stamps- previously unissued Worldwide 40g versions of Birds 3.

Branches that have been confirmed as producing this value from last Friday are Grimsby, Dartford, Hyde and Ludgate Circus.

This value is likely to be the RAREST of all Post and Go stamps and the KEY value of this set.

Available on Ebay here:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170744034218

Ive seen the future and the future is self service   – Wincor-Nixdorf style times ten!

A new style ‘futuristic’ Post Office branch, which has been recently refitted with ten Wincor-Nixdorf Post and Go machines has opened for business in Birmingham town centre.

The Pinfold Street, Birmingham Post Office Branch is the first of a brand new type of Branch (Known as a ‘Premier’) which promotes a whole new concept of self-service to customers.

Photo Gordon Griffiths

The ten Post & Go machines are spead around the brnach in clusters of 2 or 3 – and the branch staff mingle with the customers to assist customers with posting items and any other transactions.

The ten post and go machines have all been upgraded to V2 and offer Special Delivery , Recorded Delivery and International services- except one (Kiosk No. 10) which minus the postal weigh scales is reserved for the sale of stamps and payment for retail items.

No.10 Kiosk results in a Kiosk ID of Zero on the stamps and labels.

As well as being the first Premier Branch, The first branch to have ten post and go machines it is also the first branch to use a new, foldable, ‘mini’ date stamp, currently reserved for ‘customer side’ use on Post and Go receipts.

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Once ‘V2’ has been activated then the Post and Go machines will offer new products and services, including the facility to process Special Delivery, Recorded Signed For and Parcelforce Worldwide products both inland and overseas. They will also offer a ‘Retail Checkout’ function allowing for  the payment of packaging items such as Jiffy bags and packaging Tape etc via the Post & Go machine.

The new functionality will provide collectors with opportunities to add to their collections in the form of a new stamp , new labels and associated  receipts.

The only visible sign of this upgrade currently is the presence of a newly- fitted barcode scanner just above the Pin Pad in all machines in the network, (except those at Tudor Street as, being sited in an unmanned environment, they will not be offering a ‘Retail checkout’  facility).

Post and Go V2 is due to commence roll-out at the beginning of September to reach at least the ‘Birds’ network by the First Day of Issue of Birds 4 on 16th September.

Full information on the upgrades the  new labels and stamps will appear here as soon as known.