Spring Stampex 2011 promises new varieties for Post label collectors

Royal Mail have indicated that as part of the ongoing development of Post & Go they are planning to trial a new machine at Stampex next week in place of the standard Wincor Post and Go machine.

The information provided states “The trial machine will  not provide the usual  self-service functionality and so will be operated by staff at the counter positions. It will only vend a full set of overprints on the Machin design stamps. The overprints have the same typeface as the Wincor offering and so will only appeal to specialist collectors. ”

RM have said that they may be able to offer the pictorial Birds 2 version as well depending on availability of a second machine and space constraints.

Information continues stating “We are trialling the machine with a view to installation in Tallents House to provide a more effective offering to the trade when larger quantities are required for new issues. Depending on the suitability of the machines they may also be installed in post offices at some point in the future but there is no planned installation programme to date.”

So a very interesting Stampex in store for postage label collectors- Watch this space for the latest new on these developments..

Birds Faststamps fly at Stampex

The first pictorial “faststamps” went live today at Stampex as well as 31 other Offices and proved to be very popular with collectors both old and new.

A queue formed early on at the Post & Go machine at Stampex and continued for most of the day. European dealers flew in specially for the event and purchased the maximum possible within their 15 min allocated slot. Some collectors were slightly puzzled by the options available to them, as the Royal Mail literature had only offered the 1st Class  preprinted variants via mail order , so many believed that this was also the only option available to them from the kiosk , were but soon got the hang of things  when assisted by fellow collectors and staff. A big success!