GREAT BRITISH STAMP COLLECTING Great British Embossed Stamps Issued 1847-1854 Only 3 values were issued in the Embossed series and were all imperforate. They had a very short life span. The most notably thing with these stamps is that they were printed one at a time. This resulted in most stamps touching the design of the next stamp, if not overlapping it. In many cases, when you see a row or block of these stamps, the alignment is terrible. This is the reason that these stamps are catalogued so highly. The price is based on a stamp with clear margins and these are scarce. There are many collectors who have been duped into paying way over the odds for these stamps, simply because they have no understanding of what the catalogue price is based on. Because the stamps were of an Octagonal design with a white border, many were cut to shape, thus removing this border and these are worth only a fraction of the value of cut square stamps. Care should be taken when buying the 6d value. As the die for this stamp was later used in producing the pre paid embossed envelopes.

Many envelopes were cut and the stamp sold as being the Embossed 6d value. These have very little value when sold by their true identity. Great British Surface Printed Stamps Issued 1855-1900 As the Embossed issues were so unsatisfactory, it was decided to produce stamps using the Surface Printed method. The contract for the production of these stamps with values of 2d and above was given to Thomas De La Rue. The Line Engraved issues below 2d continued to be printed by Perkins, Bacon and Co. until 1880. After 1880 De La Rue printed all GB stamps until the latter part of Edward 7th reign. In this printing process, the technique is basically the reverse of Line Engraved whereby the recessed parts of the plate transfer varying amounts or no ink to the paper depending on how deep the recess is cut. The Surface Printed issues of Victoria are wonderful. During this time, many different values and Colours were produced. Many of the stamps can be collected with different plate numbers. The only sad thing for collectors is that so few used stamps escaped the dreaded obliterator.

Most of the lower values are therefore heavily used, as all stamps were supposed to be literally obliterated and the cancels in use for most of this period were the Bar type which did the job rather well. This is why during this period, stamps sold as fine used are nothing like as fine as later issues when the CDS (Circular Date Stamp) came into use more. Some did escape, some, when two or more stamps were applied to the envelope and the postal clerk either couldn't be bothered or forgot to cancel each stamp separately. Sometimes you will see pairs, strips or blocks with only one cancel and these are sold at a premium and are described as Contrary to regulations. The most common source of Very Fine Used stamps (CDS) from this period though is from Telegraph receipts or Post Office in hose accounting. Most of the high value stamps of Victoria (2/6 and above) were used in this way. Very few high values, particularly the ï¿½5 Orange (SG 133/137), were ever stuck on envelopes and postally used.

Some values, notably the 1 shilling Green value (SG 115/17) plates 5, 6 and 7 are far more common with lovely CDS postmarks than they are with bar cancels. This is because a great many were used on telegraph forms in the Stock Exchange. In 1898 some of these forms came into the stamp market and it was discovered that some of the stamps were skillful forgeries. They had gone undetected for 20+ years and the person responsible was never discovered. This would have been a very lucrative venture at the time. As the clerk who did it, would have been able to pocket 1 shilling every time he applied one of the fakes instead of the real stamp. In 1883/4 the Lilac and Green issues were introduced. The green values were not good news for collectors of used stamps, as the ink is fugitive and can easily wash out in water when soaking off paper. This fugitive green ink was used for some later issues as well and fine coloured used copies are difficult to find. The final series of stamps of Queen Victoria's reign are without doubt the best in my opinion.

The Jubilee issues are the first GB stamps where two colours were applied to some values. They are quite simply beautiful! They are known as the Jubilee issue simply because they started to appear in the same year as her 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne in 1887. They were not produced to celebrate this fact, so cannot be regarded as the first commemorative issue. 2 major errors on stamps occurred in the reign of Victoria, there are others, but these 2 stand out. The first is the OP-PC error instead of CP-PC on 1ï¿½d Reds plate 1 (SG 51/52). Issued in October 1870 and continued for 4 years, it was not discovered by anyone until 1894. Amazing, as the error occurs on every sheet of Plate 1. The second is LH-FL instead of LH-HL on the 2ï¿½d Rosy Mauve (SG 140). Great British Edward 7 Stamps - Issued 1902 to 1913 At first Printed by De La Rue, then Harrison and Sons and finally Somerset House.

The reign of Edward 7 is notable for collectors in the wonderful diversity of the shades available to collectors. Whilst on the face of it, only 19 stamps were issued during his reign, the fact that three different printers were used, two distinct papers used, two different sizes of perforations and the wonderful variation of shades makes this area another that can form the sole basis of someone's Specialised Stamp Collection. Again as with the Jubilee issues, some stamps are bicolour. As De La Rue had a contract to print stamps until 1909, they printed all GB postage stamps until 1910. The first stamps they produced were on what is termed as Ordinary paper. In 1905 Chalk Surfaced Paper started to be used for some values. In 1909 the printing contract was up for renewal. The Inland Revenue wanted De La Rue to lower the cost of the contract. Basically, it was getting cheaper to produce stamps and The Revenue wanted a larger cut of the cake. Sorry, but I have to say it. Some things never change!! De La Rue refused and lost the contract. Harrison and Sons took over the contract on January 1st 1911.

Whilst King Edward had died in May 1910, his stamps were still being used, as the New King George 5th stamps would not be ready for some time. Harrison therefore took over the printing of the single colour stamps of Edward 7th. They couldn't do the bicoloured ones as they did not have the machinery to do so. Therefore Somerset House produced these. Edward 7th stamps continued to be printed up until as late as 1913. How to tell which stamp is from which printer. In some cases, it is easy once you know how. Firstly, if the stamp is perforated 15x14 then it must be Harrison. If it is Chalky paper, then apart from the 6d value, it must be De La Rue. It does then get harder and needs experience in determining the shades. There are a few general guides that are very useful for this. An example is the Purples used by both De La Rue and Somerset House for the 1ï¿½d, 6d, 9d, 10d and 2/6 values.

Most of the Somerset House printings of these values have the purple showing as much Redder than De La Rue printings. To see what I mean, have a look at my Specialised Colour Guide for Edward 7th stamps Generally stamps printed by De La Rue were of a better quality, certainly over Harrison's efforts. The reign of King Edward VII is also known for the recognized start of Stamp Booklets. Great British Official Stamps - Issued 1882 to 1904 Official Stamps is not really the correct term for these stamps. They should really be called Government Departmental Stamps, as they were produced solely for the use of certain Government Departments. The first Official stamp was produced in 1840 and is known as the VR Black. It was prepared, but never issued. However, as is the case with most prepared Stamps, a few managed to find their way out onto the market. The first issued Officials were in 1882 and were for the Inland Revenue. Before this time all Departments used ordinary Stamps for all their mail. More Government Departments followed, each bearing the name of the department overprinted on the stamp.

Only overprinted Stamps are listed By Stanley Gibbons, though other departments did have their own Official stamps perfined, The Board of Trade being one such example. The only general stamps issued were the Government Parcel Stamps as these could be used by any department. Most of the Mint Official stamps were never meant to fall into the hands of Collectors, but as with most stamps, some did. Indeed, two people went to prison for the supply and receipt of Official stamps. Official stamps were withdrawn in 1904. A main point to consider for collectors of these stamps is that they have been forged on a massive scale. Some are very good, even for an expert to detect; others are crude to say the least. Many inexperienced collectors have been duped into parting with their money for what is in essence a load of junk. So be careful, if a rare official stamp is offered to you for a fraction of its value, then it is probably a fake. Unfortunately, places such as Ebay are a haven for sellers who knowingly sell fake overprints. Just type 'Ebay fake overprints' into Google and you'll see what I mean. So Be Careful!!

Great British George 5 Stamps - Issued 1911 to 1936 The Reign of King George 5th is really the gem for specialised stamp collectors. There are a huge array of shades (see my links on each Specialised George 5 section for their Specialised Colour Guides), watermark variations and errors for specialist collectors. For me though, the Reign contains the most beautiful stamps ever issued - Seahorses. The first George 5th stamps were not ready for issue until June 1911, over a year since his accession and then only the ï¿½d and 1d values. It would take yet another year before any of the other values were ready. Hence the reason why some values of Edward 7th continued to be produced until 1913. The first stamps were the Mackennal (Downey Heads). For what is in essence a set of three stamps (by this I mean clear and easily seen differences), the variations available in shades, errors and watermarks is amazing. The second series issued were the Royal Cypher. These are the jewel in the crown when it comes to shades for specialists. The range of shades is fantastic.

(Please go to my George 5 specialised royal cyphers image page to see what I mean). My listing is per Gibbons specialised Volume 2 and this list can be expanded on beyond that and is by many collectors. A lot of the shade variations were due to a lack of ink during the war period. Block Cypher was next, mostly the same designs and values as the royal cypher set, but with a different watermark. Again there are some nice shade variations available. The Photogravure series completes the low value definitive issues. Then we have the high values, better known as the Seahorses. Primarily two designs printed by 3 different printers, each with their own characteristics, again with some wonderful shade variations. As I stated earlier, these stamps to me are the most beautiful ever issued. The design is just fantastic. Maybe I yearn for Empire and was born too late, but they just ooze a time when Britannia truly did rule the waves! The most significant thing about George 5th reign as far as stamp collecting is concerned, is that it contained the first Great British Commemorative issue, The 1924 Wembley Exhibition.

This was followed a little over a year later by the 1925 set and a further two commemorative sets were issued later. Only 4 sets in 11 years, now there's a thought! It also saw the introduction of the first Postage Due stamps. Please see section below for more details on these. One final thing about George 5th that must be mentioned is that he was an avid stamp collector. This was to such an extent that it really is down to his enthusiasm that the Royal Philatelic Collection of Great Britain and the Commonwealth is without doubt by far the best collection of its kind in the world. Great British Postage Due Stamps - Issued 1914 to 1994 Up until the introduction of the Postage Due Stamps a handstamp was applied to the envelope to indicate a fee payable by the receiver. This was needed in cases where the item had insufficient postage paid or in many cases, none at all. In 1914 a set of Postage Due stamps were issued and these were then applied to the cover or package to indicate the amount of payment required.

A later Postage Due set was issued with a new higher value, but with Block Cypher watermark replacing the Royal Cypher one. Every Reign since King George V has had at least one set of Postage Due stamps issued, the last issue being in 1994, when it was decided to revert back to a To Pay Handstamp. Large used blocks can be found of most values, these were used to indicate various forms of duty that needed to be paid, for example import duty. Great British Edward 8 Stamps - Issued 1936 The shortest Reign for British Stamp issues. Amazingly there are more Postage Due Stamps than there are Postage Stamps in this Reign, even if you include the Inverted Watermarks as well. Only the four most commonly used stamps were produced. The stamps themselves are to say the least very bland, almost as though no one could be bothered to make any effort compared to what had gone before. Maybe the King wanted a return to the simplistic look of the early Line Engraved stamps. If so, then they failed miserably in my opinion.

Great British George 6 Stamps - Issued 1937 to 1951 A least a little more effort went into the designs for George 6th compared to his brother Edward 8th. All the definitive values over 4d lasted in their original designs throughout his reign. The lower values however had two changes, firstly during the War, when the original colours were used, but in a lighter shade so as to save on ink and then again in 1950/51 when the colours were changed. The tradition of producing beautiful high value stamps continued with both the Arms High Value Set and the later 1951 set. Following on the success of the George 5th Commemorative issues, the Post Office issued the first Coronation GB Commemorative stamp. Actually, we have only had one more ever issued. This stamp was immensely popular selling over 388 million copies, hence the reason why it is so cheap to buy today. 1940 celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Postage stamp and to commemorate this Royal Mail issued a set of stamps depicting both Victoria and George 6th.

There were several commemorative sets issued over a short period in the latter part of his reign. As it turned out, this was only a small taste of the things to come. Great British Commemorative Stamps - Issued 1924 to Date Great British Commemorative Stamps are as the name implies issued to commemorate something. The first set was issued in 1924 for the Wembley Exhibition and issues have continued every since, firstly, very occasionally (4 issues over an 11 year period) to more modern times, where 10+ is the norm for each year. Commemorative sets contain from between one and 10 stamps showing various images related to the chosen theme. Unlike definitive issues that can have a varied issued life span depending on the need for a particular value, commemorative sets are only available for one year after their initial issue, or until the available stock runs out. After one year's availability Royal Mail removes any unsold stock. In 1978 Royal Mail issued its first Miniature Sheet in support of raising funds for the 1980 London International Stamp Exhibition. Two further sheets were issued in 1979 and 1980 for the same purpose.

1988, 1989 and 1990 saw three more sheets issued in support of Stamp World London 90. A wait of nine years followed before the next sheet, only this time, not issued in support of anything other than Royal Mails coffers. 2005 saw the height of Miniature Sheet Issues with no fewer than nine. As with most series of something, some Commemorative issues are wonderful, whilst others are in my opinion junk. Some issues have had a great deal of effort put into the design and printing and can be called miniature works of art and are informative as well, whilst others, look as if someone really couldn't be bothered. Quite a few of the stamps in the various Millennium Series received a lot of criticism for this. My favourite issue of all time has to be the 1985 Trains Set of five stamps. Not only because they beautiful work's of art from paintings done by Terence Cuneo, but because Cuneo always drew a Mouse somewhere in his Pictures. You will need very good eyesight to spot them on the stamps, but if you look carefully at the set of PHQ cards, then you should be able to find them.

Most Commemorative Stamps are also available in Presentation Packs and I have done a separate description for these else ware on this page. Likewise for First Day Covers, PHQ cards, Traffic Light Gutter Pairs and Smilers Sheets. Royal Mail do seem to be slowly bringing about the death of the Commemorative issues, as very few Post Offices stock them at all in any format. This would be a great shame for GB collectors, particularly those who only collect the modern era. I'm afraid that I personally find it very difficult to get existed about a new value and coloured Machin stamp! Great British Smilers Sheets Issued 2000 to Date I remember walking towards the Royal Mail stand at Earls Court 2000 chatting to another British Stamp dealer. I wanted to buy a few bits from Royal Mail for stock. We got to one of the counters and he asked for 200 of the Stamp Show 2000 sheets. Not knowing what he was talking about and not wanting to seem like an idiot, I just opened my mouth and said "I'll take 100 as well".

I don't know what my face looked like when they were plonked on the counter in front of me, but I remember thinking 'What the hell have I bought this rubbish for, no one is going to want these, they're too big' and to cap it all, they cost me more than face value! Boy, was I wrong! A classic case of a dealer not having a clue. Actually, I wasn't the only one. Ask any GB dealer and if they are honest, they will all tell you, we didn't think they would ever take off. That all changed the moment Royal Mail produced the Smilers Album, then everyone seemed to want them. As can now be seen, the fact that virtually no dealer thought they were going to go anywhere, meant that after the initial issue, very few people brought any of the early sheets in quantity. So the subsequent issues became hot property and started to rise in price fast and I do mean fast. The 2001 Christmas issue is without any doubt the fastest price rising issue ever.

Not even back in the daft heydays of the late 70's and early 80's did anything rise at such a mind boggling rate for a new issue as this pair did. The 2001 Christmas Pair is just a wonderful story. Everyone who had a Royal Mail account for everything issued was sent the 2000 Christmas Smilers Sheets, A few dealers got some, a lot of these went onto First Day covers, mostly split, as they were too big for one cover. They were then put away. 2001 comes along and though and behold Royal mail have the same sheets again, issued as 2001 Christmas Smilers Sheets. Reaction of most people, " I don't want these, I've already got them" So they either sent them back or just didn't bother to order any. Big mistake! Take a look at the images below, would you have spotted the difference and kept them. Did you? If you did, well done, you made a brilliant Investment. You roughly made a 10,000% profit in 6 years. This is unique in modern general issued British stamps. Actually I can't think of any other period it happened either.

Unless you know different! LS2 & 3 2000 Christmas LS2a & 3a 2001 Christmas Most People think that there is only one difference on each sheet. Actually there are two. The 2001 issued pair has the word Smilers added to the top left corner of each sheet and the inscription is Consignia PLC 2001 as opposed to Post Office 2000 for the 2000 issue. I did one Stampex Show, I can't remember which one now, but by the end of the show, I was selling both these items for twice as much as I was at the start. It wasn't profiteering, I'd sold everything that I had and was paying whatever anyone was asking in order to get more in again. One thing that no dealer ever did predict though is the amazing rise in price of the Christmas 2001 pair.

Ever time they went up a bit more, we all thought that's got to be it, ï¿½75, ï¿½150, ï¿½350, ï¿½750 the prices just kept rising and the demand was still there and still is today. In my blurb about Investment, I mention a Crystal Ball. Now that's when I wanted one. I first started selling the 2001 Christmas sheets for ï¿½35.00, if I had just held on to all of them. Obviously as with all things, once everyone realised that these Smilers sheets were good, subsequent issues were not as scarce, dealers started to get reasonable stocks in, but it did take a time, as can be seen by the prices of most of the earlier issues. Errors on Great British Stamps 1840 to Date Errors or mistakes have occurred on stamps since the beginning. However, major ones on very early material are very rarely seen. Most Line Engraved errors for example tend to be blank areas of print, or in the case of the perforated issues: misperfs. Surface Printed has quite a few Inverted Watermarks.

By major I mean something that is very visual and can easily be seen. There are only two major errors listed for Queen Victoria issues in the Concise Catalogue. The first is the OP-PC error instead of CP-PC on 1ï¿½d Reds plate 1 (SG 51/52). Issued in October 1870 and continued for 4 years, it was not discovered by anyone until 1894. Amazing, as the error occurs on every sheet of Plate 1. The second is LH-FL instead of LH-HL on the 2ï¿½d Rosy Mauve (SG 140). There are quite a few errors on the Kings issues, but very few of those stand out and hit you in the face. The typical type of errors that are listed in the Concise catalogue for stamps in King George VI reign for example are the Lakes of India and Asia on the 1949 UPU 2ï¿½d value, Hardly stunning! For this, you really have to wait until Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne and there at last in 1961 is the first truly missing colour.

The Post Office Savings Bank 2ï¿½d Missing Black is not only the first missing colour listed in the Concise catalogue, but it's one of the best. Queen Elizabeth II is the period most collectors of errors cover. The variety of errors in Elizabeth is amazing and some are very inexpensive when you consider the figures involved. Missing Colours for example that are all listed in the catalogue, start at about ï¿½45.00. Maybe 5 million stamps were produced of one value and out of that five million; only 200 or so exist with the error, that's not a bad price. Obviously the fewer there are known to exist the higher the value. Misperfs are another very inexpensive type of error to collect. Even the most spectacular misperf will only cost ï¿½100 -150 and they are many that will cost only a few pounds. Missing Phosphors is another very popular area, though these are not visual, they are listed in the Concise catalogue.

Channel Islands and Isle of Man Stamps - Issued 1969 to Date Guernsey and Jersey were given Postal Administration Independance in 1969 and were followed by the Isle of Man in 1973. In 1983 Guernsey started to issue stamps for use on Alderney as well. Guernsey and Jersey did Occupation War Time Issues and details of these can be found in the regional section of this site. Since their Postal administration Independance they have become a very popular collecting area, mainly for issuing superb topical and thematic stamps. They have not been confined to regulations in the same way that Royal Mail have or probably more to the point, in the way that jobs worth's in Royal Mail insist on sticking to the rules no matter how daft. A classic example is Fine Used stamps. If you want a Fine Used Commemorative set of British stamps, they rules say that you can't just take them into a Post Office and have them postmarked. Nor can you order Fine Used stamps from the Bureau. You basically have to have someone post them to you with all the dangers entailed trying to get a nice postmark. The Channel Islands and Isle of Man are not so daft.

You can order Fine Used CTO (Cancelled to Order) and that's what you get. Same for First Day Covers, you can order back issues of any cover as long as it is in stock or the stamps are still on sale. Not so, our Royal Mail. Missed the day of issue, tough! Most of the topics that have been produced on the Islands stamps are very popular, Flowers, Birds, Planes and Ships to name a few and most issues are very colourful. The Isle of Man also cottoned on to the popularity of The Lord of The Rings trilogy of Films and was the first to have a set issued for Harry Potter, 3 years before our own Royal Mail thought of jumping on the gravy train. Great British Presentation Packs and Year Books Issued 1960 to Date Yes, it does say from 1960 and not 1964 as many people think. This is because the first Post Office items of this nature were actually the 1960 Wildings and Regional Packs that are now termed as Forerunner Packs. They along with 2 other slightly later packs were in the form of a sealed Envelope with a clear window.

Two versions of each exist, one priced in GBP and the other in US$ for the American market. The high value packs are very scarce and command very high prices, far more than the Forth Road Bridge Pack of 1964. The first pack in the format we know today of a set of stamps with an information card about the stamps, printer and designer in a plastic sleeve (originally these were cellophane, which as many people know, over the years of time have usually degraded to such an extent that the sleeve has shrunk and buckled the pack) was the 1964 Ordinary issue of Shakespeare. The format now is larger, but the general idea hasn't changed in over 40 years. The Forth Road Bridge pack issued in the same year is generally regarded the pinnacle of everyone's Commemorative Presentation Pack collection. Why is this? Simple really, it is the scarcest. If you look at the quantities issued of the early packs, you will see that the first Shakespeare pack was very popular selling in excess of 108,000.

Next was Geographical selling fewer than 30,000, next Botanical at just over 16,000 and then we have the FRB pack coming in at 11,450. Now bear in mind that this was a boom time in stamp collecting, not because of a rise in value, but basically because nearly every kid and a great many adults in the country collected stamps. So, 11,450 is a tiny sales figure. I can only assume that the dwindling sales figures are down to a lot of people deciding that these packs were just a gimmick and didn't want to pay the extra for them or maybe the Post Office just decided to issue less and once stocks had sold out, that was it. Who knows? Do you? Anyway after this, figures rose and fell over the next couple of years of about 25,000 to 40,000, then regularly increasing until hitting sales in excess of 100,000 per issue in 1969.

If you look at my price listings for Commemorative Packs, you will see a few gaps from 1965 to 1975 (in 1977 there was no 9p in the Silver Jubilee pack either). This isn't just because I haven't got them in stock, but because for some reason the Post Office didn't issue packs for these issues. In the late 70's someone cottoned on to these missed packs and produced them as what have become known as Eastbourne Packs. In 1967 the first Definitive Pack as we know it, was issued. Royal Mail only produces a pack where new stamps are issued. It does not recognize a new printer, paper or gum type as being a new issue, so these are never found in packs. Regional Packs followed a few years later and then a Postage Due Pack joined the fray. In 1968 and 1969 the Post Office issued German Packs with unsurprisingly, the Text in German, more had German insert cards enclosed. Other languages followed over the next few years. Since then, there have been various Privately Produced Packs. In 1967 the first Year Pack was issued.

They contain all the basic commemorative issues for the year. 1984 saw the issue of the first Year Book and speaking personally, I think this was one of royal mails better ideas. They are lovely books (you can find them in Leather Bound and other format editions, those most are scarce) with a wealth of information and pictures to accompany the stamps. Most of the issues, barring the early ones, due to scarcity and the later issues due to the value of the stamps contained are also very inexpensive for what they are. Over more recent years a few packs that have been issued have shown an amazing increase in value compared to the pretty stagnant value of most packs issued. Notably and the most famous is probably the Welsh Diana Pack of 1998. Millions of people and I do mean millions, went and brought some stamp related souvenir of Princess Diana when she died. A lot brought the presentation pack, but few realized until too late, that there were actually two versions, English and a Welsh one. Most people got the English one, but very few the Welsh, hence it's meteoric rise in price at the time. Another notable pack is the high value Definitive Pack Number 13 issued in 1987.

As this pack contained the same ï¿½1, ï¿½2 and ï¿½5 stamps that had previously been issued in pack number 91 in 1977, it isn't surprising to think that most people just thought this was a con in order to get more money out of the collector (which of course it was) and so didn't bother with it. Hence the reason this pack now sells for well in excess of One Hundred Pounds. So, one tip to end this section, if Royal Mail bring out anything new or something that has been re-issued in a new format, buy it, a lot of the time, these are the things that have shown the biggest increase in value. Great British First day Covers (FDC) Issued 1840 to Date The first postage stamp FDC was the Penny Black issued on the 6th of May 1840 and is obviously worth a considerable amount of money. Issued is not really the correct term for early First day Covers, as the Covers were not really done by design but by accident in nearly all cases.

In a lot of the earlier issues (mostly Queen Victoria) the exact date is unclear so the earliest used date known prevails. Unless you have very deep pockets and can find this material, I wouldn't bother unless you really want to. Since then a large percentage of the stamps of GB have had a known First Day of Issue date (FDI). Condition is a very important part of FDC collecting. The cover below on the left is of a poor quality as far as collecting goes. It is poorly hand addressed and the stamps have not been applied straight. it is of such a poor quality that I wouldn't sell it as a cover but would cut it up for the fine used stamps. The one on the right has much more going for it. It is very pleasing to look at. Some people like the personal look of covers such as the one on the left, which is fine, but don't expect much of a return on your money. All FDC's after 1965, except the very rare ones, should in my opinion, always be either typed, printed, label addressed or unaddressed, unless the price is such that it becomes a real bargain.

Before 1970 the general rule would be the higher the catalogue value or the earlier the cover, the more acceptable hand written becomes. Pre 66 hand written FDC's should be about 50% of the typed addressed price. The majority of pre 48 FDC's are hand addressed and are very collectable and are the norm. Typed or unaddressed of this period generally command a premium. Slit or opened tops do lower the value (particularly poorly opened) but this is very much a personal decision as the appearance from the front is seldom affected. All covers should have the full set of stamps, except rare ones, where sometimes due to price or availability the only option is to get a one stamped cover as a space filler. Make sure all the stamps are postmarked and have not been missed or applied at a later date. The most common FDC is the one produced by Royal Mail (Post Office as was) for each new issue. Their first cover was for the 1964 Shakespeare issue and barring a few early gaps has been available for every Commemorative issue since.

They do not issue different covers for each Definitive issue, preferring to use the same design over a period to cover all releases that they consider to be "new issues". For this reason there are a great many Definitive based issues that the Royal Mail do not list, but a lot of collectors strive to obtain. There have been a lot of different cover producers over the years, from some individuals to small firms producing very small quantities to large stamp dealers or organizations producing thousands. Some are produced randomly, while others form a series (an example being the save the children fund which ran through the early 70's). A lot of collectors just collect one producers cover along with the different postmarks available, while others find it a very reasonably cheap way of obtaining all the different Special Handstamps that are available. The description above is a very brief introduction to Great British First day covers. I now only sell what can be termed as basic covers. I used to sell what are termed as Specialised First Day Covers, before the stamps section of my business got too large for me to cope with everything. If you are interested to read more on this subject, then there is an excellent article about this on another website site run by a mate of mine.

I know it's excellent, I wrote it about 7 years ago! This page will remain in the background for when you wan to return. Jersey Post Philately Philatelic Glossary If some of the terms that we use throughout the website don't make sense to you, you will find them here, in our glossary. With our list of terms you will be able to understand exactly what it is you will be buying. Adhesive A stamp affixed to envelopes by means of gum on the reverse. Some stamps are printed directly onto postcards, envelopes or wrappers. See Postal Stationery. Aerogrammes Lightweight postal stationery, otherwise known as Air Letter Sheets, used for the economical transmission of letters by air. Airmail Stamp A stamp produced specifically for use on airmail letters/parcels although usually valid for postage on any mail. Block of Stamps Any multiple of unsevered stamps, other than a complete pane or sheet, which contains at least two parallel rows of stamps in any direction. Booklet Many post offices sell stamps in small books, either over the counter or from vending machines, or both. Booklets may contain definitive, commemorative or self-adhesive stamps.

Booklet Pane A small "page" of stamps in a stamp booklet. The panes are sometimes made up of mixed-value stamps, popular with some collectors. Some panes contain a mix of stamps and non-postally valid labels advertising postal services or products. Cachet A printed, embossed or (usually) handstruck inscription or device impressed on a postal packet to denote the special circumstances in which it has been posted (usually an exhibition). The cachet may be official and applied by the Post Office or one of its overseas agents. Cancellations A mark applied to a stamp to prevent its re-use. Usually referred to as a Postmark. Charity Stamp A stamp sold at a premium over its face value, the premium supporting a worthwhile cause. Cinderella Stamps A term used to denote all manner of stamps and labels produced by official and private postal services, which are not mainstream postage stamps as listed in the main catalogues. Coil Stamps Stamps prepared in rolls or coils to be dispensed by shops or vending machines. Commemorative Stamps Stamps designed to commemorate current or historic events and personalities and nowadays on sale for only a limited period. A Jersey Post commemorative issue is generally withdrawn after two years after its issue.

Composite Stamps Stamps in which the design is spread over two or more stamps. Cylinder Blocks Printed marks appear on the stamp margin (selvedge). Blocks of stamps with the marks printed on the selvedge are popular with collectors. Datestamps Implements for applying a date to postal matter. The term is also loosely used to denote the postmarks made by these instruments. Stamps affixed to envelopes may bear a postal cancellation but CTO (cancelled to order) items, ie mint or unaffixed stamps, will receive a Philatelic Bureau cancellation. Definitives The stamps in general use, often of small size and featuring a monarch or other national symbol. Usually on sale for at least five years. Embossed A method using a stamp to create texture. Europa Stamps Uniform designs of the Conference of European Posts and Telecommunications Authorities were used by the member countries until 1974, when it was decided that stamps should be issued in a common theme; the interpretation of which was left to individual countries. Guernsey's first Europa design was produced in 1976. These stamps incorporate the Europa logo of CEPT.

Error A mistake in the design of a stamp, such as an incorrect spelling or inscription, or a mistake in the printing that results, perhaps, in a stamp with a missing colour or without perforations. Face Value The postal value expressed on a stamp, not to be confused with the value to a collector, based on stamp catalogue valuation. First Day Cover A cover bearing new stamps cancelled on the day of issue, normally with a special "First Day" postmark. Greetings Stamp A stamp specially designed for use on greetings mail, such as birthday cards, Valentine's Day mail, Get Well cards, etc. Some countries call them "Love Stamps". Gutter The gutter is the blank space, usually of stamp format, between the panes of a sheet of stamps. A gutter pair consists of two stamps separated by a stamp-sized piece of the gutter. Handstamp Strictly speaking, the implement used to apply a postmark by hand, but often used loosely to signify the postmark itself. Historically, some overprints were applied by means of handstamps. Imprint The name of the printer (or designer) in the margin of the stamp. Sometimes the imprint appears in the sheet margin instead of on each stamp.

Inscription Any printed information on a stamp, usually giving the reason for issue. Kiloware Used stamps on paper collected and sold by weight. Offset Lithography The most common form of commercial printing. Its basic principle is that oil and water do not mix. A litho-printing plate has non-image areas that absorb water. During printing the plate is kept wet so that the ink, which is inherently greasy, is rejected by the wet areas and adheres to the image areas. Margin The paper bordering the stamps on a sheet, as well as the blank paper bordering the printed image on the stamps themselves. Miniature Sheet A small sheet containing one or more stamps with inscribed or decorated border. The full, intact sheet is valid for postal use, as are the stamps removed from it. Non Value Indicator Stamps Stamps bearing a symbol to show the class of postage they are valid for but without a specified face value. They sometimes remain valid for full postage after postal rates have increased. Obsolete Stamps no longer on regular sale at post offices, but usually still valid for postal use. Overprint An inscription printed on a stamp after manufacture, often to commemorate an event or anniversary or a stamp exhibition.

Photogravure Otherwise known as photographic lithography, photogravure is a photographic image produced from an engraving plate. The process is not commonly used by small companies due to the costs involved, but it produces prints that have the subtlety of a photograph and the art quality of a lithograph. Pictorial Postmarks Handstruck marks and machine impressions which include a pictorial element. Usually a First Day Cancellation or sponsored handstamp. Plate Number A numeral, occasionally with a letter suffix, usually inscribed on the sheet margins to denote the plate from which stamps were printed - for example 1A. Postage Due Labels Labels, sometimes loosely described as stamps but without postal validity in themselves, employed by many postal authorities to denote the charge to be raised from the addressee for unpaid or underpaid correspondence. Postal History A term used to describe covers of the pre-stamp era, ie before 1840. Also used for post-1840 covers of particular interest - unusual postmarks, scarce postal rates, etc. A somewhat misleading term. Postal Stationery Postcards, envelopes, wrappers, etc, on which the postage stamp has been directly printed. Should be kept intact.

Where the stamps have been removed they are known as "cut outs". Postmark A mark, applied by hand or machine, to cancel the stamp and thus prevent re-use. Also a general term for any postal markings applied to mail. Presentation Pack A folder containing a set of stamps with relevant background information. Prestige Booklet A stamp booklet that contains special panes of stamps with illustrations and descriptive text. Proofs An impression made during the production of stamps. For use only by printers and postal administrations, these are not available to collectors. Reprints Stamps printed from the original plates as a result of a particular issue selling out. Self-Adhesive Stamp printed on specially gummed paper that will adhere directly to envelope without moistening. The stamps are thus sold attached to backing paper, which can be peeled, from the self-adhesive paper for attachment to mail. Such stamps are normally produced in booklets or rolls. Selvedge The imprinted edge of a sheet of stamps. Se-Tenant Pairs, strips, or blocks of stamps of different values or designs printed together. Such se-tenant stamps should not normally be split by collectors. Souvenir Sheet A small sheet containing one of each stamp in a given issue sold alongside the set of individual stamps.

They are also available in FDC and in Presentation Packs. Sponsored Handstamp A handstamp paid for by a private individual or organisation to mark a specific event. The handstamp remains the property of the post office. Thematics A popular form of collecting stamps on a particular theme or topic, such as Animals, Sport or Works of Art, rather than those of specified countries. Traffic Lights Term used by collectors to denote the check dots or colour dabs (to use printers' jargon) printed in the sheet margins of stamps printed by modern offset litho or photogravure methods. They assist in checking that all the colours have printed correctly. Blocks of stamps from the corner of the sheet, including the "traffic lights", are collected as a matched pair with the block showing the cylinder numbers. Variety Normally a fairly small printing flaw which renders a stamp different from most in a sheet of stamps. Of minor interest to the beginner, but of significance to advanced collectors. Yearbooks A hard backed book, containing all the stamps from a year's issues, with photographs and information on each topic. Navigation

Question: What term do stamp collectors give to the printers colour markings in the margin of a block of stamps?
Answer: TRAFFIC LIGHTS