In actual fact, there are many varieties of Machin. Face value and colour are the most prominent differences, which give basic collecting pleasure, but there’s more to it than that. Machins can be issued in sheet, coil, and booklet formats.

Variations in paper, printing style, type face, perforations, self adhesives and phosphor bands, all make up the wide range of collecting options available to the more serious collector.  To read an interview with a Machin collector, click here.

Over the years advances in technology (as well as changing postal rates) have led to a constant stream of new varieties.  Nearly every aspect of the stamp has changed at least once.

A moderately complete collection of Machins is a lesson in every feature of modern philately (the study of stamps). The exception is the watermark - no Machin has ever had one.

A splash of colour

The easiest way to collect is to gather a collection of Machins of different colours. Since the original issue in 1967, dozens have been used. Because the design of every Machin is basically the same at first glance, colour is the main way people differentiate the various denominations available at any time.

The Royal Mail has explored many different colours – in the mid-1980s, it settled on a standard range of 30 created by Jeffery Matthews. In 1990, another shade of blue was added, making 31. That group is still in use today, with some additional ones added from time to time for special occasions.

More variations

Many variations are sought after by collectors. In 1990, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first postage stamp (the Penny Black, issued in 1840), special Machin designs were issued. These showed Queen Victoria from the Penny Black placed behind the Queen Elizabeth Machin portrait.

Since the Penny Black was issued, various methods of printing have been employed to produce the hundreds of thousands of stamps that are needed. A Machin stamp printed by the engraved method (recess printing, consisting of lines to form the image) will look different from one printed by photogravure (consisting of dots to form the image). 

Stamp of approval for Machin?

In fact, there are about 18 different ways to sort and separate used Machin stamps! With every other seemingly unglamorous pastime, such as gardening and knitting, claiming to be the "new rock and roll", maybe it is only a matter of time before trendy teenagers are ditching their iPods in favour of stamp collecting…