Northern Ireland – Regional Machins 4 [112]

Starting with the 1997 issues, the drawing of the Queen was redone. The portrait appears sharper. The Maltese cross on the Queen’s crown is better defined, and the segments now appear to form a square. Figure 1 is before; Figure 2 is after (Figure 2) (Figure 2A). Other changes to the upper lips, nose, and nostril are noticeable. Figure 3 shows before redrawing; Figure 4 is after.

The initial stamps of this sub-series were 19, 20, 26, and 37p for the postcard, first class, Euro-rate, and airmail, respectively. (Figure 5).

Another change that appeared in the late 1980’s and 1990’s was the use of regional stamps in booklets – not simply a Northern Ireland booklet, per se, but British booklets with the regional stamps of all issuing entities along with normal British stamps. Northern Ireland stamps appeared in panes in five Prestige booklets: The Story of Beatrix Potter,(1993)(Figure 6) Northern Ireland,(1994),(Figure 7) The National Trust,(1995) (Figure 8), Celebrating 75 Years of the BBC (1997). (Figure 9), and Breaking Barriers.(1998)(Figure 10). The stamps used in the booklets have different perforations, 13¾x14, than the sheet stamps which are 14¾x14.

The final printings in 2000 were an orange-red 1^st Class stamp in two different perforation varieties, 13¾x14¼ syncopated and a 15×14 syncopated. (Figure 11)

Regional Machins were replaced by pictorial definitives starting about 2001. Machins, however, are still printed but sold without the provincial markings in values greater than one pound. These are all engraved, and a significant improvement over the previous efforts.

REFERENCE:

Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Snee, C., Ed, Amos Media, Sidney, OH, Volume 3, various years.

11/4/2018