High-Value definitive stamp reprints - 1 July 2003

The high-value Machin definitives have been reprinted using the (photo-)gravure process instead of intaglio/recess. Iridion ink will be used, as on the £1 stamp. Problems with printing the £5 in brown and iridion mean that the colour is changed to grey-blue. All stamps will have two phosphor bands, and be printed in sheets of 200. Illustrated below are sheet corners of the high value stamps showing DLR logo and cylinder number, with an enlargement of £2 and £3 stamps showing '£' sign missing from £2 stamp. This only occurs on a single stamp in the sheet - the one next to the cylinder number D1.

The 1st class gold definitive in ordinary gummed sheets will be reissued on the same date, printed by De La Rue. This is likely to be noticeably different to the similar stamp issued in 1997 which was printed by Walsall Security Print.

Images are from Stamp Preview, the Philatelic Bulletin and the Postmark Bulletin and are copyright 2003, Royal Mail.

Norvic Philatelics will service Post Office first day covers for the High Value stamps, price £16.50
FDC for the 1st class gold (marginals will be used) - £2.25
There will be no Norvic Exclusive FDCs for ordinary definitive stamps.

Mint stamps: set of 4 high value £13.95 

Special postmarks which were available on the day of this issue are shown below:

Ref FD333 - Bureau 'Scottish Coat of Arms' postmark	Ref FD334 - Windsor 'English Coat of Arms' postmark	Ref E4680 - Windsor Castle, Royal Mail permanent handstamp	Ref E7748 - Bath Postal Museum, Postal History Brought to Life	Ref W8331 - Centenary of the Old Post Office Tintagel
Ref E8611 Great Britons, Blenheim, Woodstock, Oxon	Ref E8612 Hastings	Ref E8610 Great Britons, Portsmouth Hampshire	Ref M8600 Great Britons, Althorp, Northmapton	Ref L8598 70th Anniversary of London Passenger Transport Board, London SW1
	<<<<<<<< Ref M8621 High Value Definitives, Stoke-on-Trent		<<<<<<<< Ref L8617 Downe, Orpington, Kent