Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Anything to do with the small format Wilding definitives of 1952-67.
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Wilding Mad
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Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by Wilding Mad »

Under normal circumstances when a new design of stamp is released such as the 1/- Arnold Machin one in 1967, it is common practice that they replace the previous older existing ones such as the Wilding design, however, this does not seem to have been the case with this particular value and for some reason the reverse seems to have been applied.

On the 5th of June 1967 the replacement took place of the 1/- Wilding value and was superseded with the new 1/- Machin design, but on the 28th of June 1967 (just 3 weeks later !) the GPO issued the 1/- Wilding stamp with 9½mm violet phosphor bands, as to why this was implemented after the new design had already been issued poses the question, why?

For the reverse sequence to have been applied with this particular stamp needs some form of explanation, perhaps someone privy to that information can give me an answer, as it will save speculation for future collectors to ponder over.

Thank you, WM.
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mozzerb
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Re: Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by mozzerb »

I'm guessing, but I suspect it was to do with the usual practice for new definitive issues -- sell them as standard for the first 1-2 weeks or so, then revert to using up stocks of the old issue unless anyone specifically asked for the new.

In this case, that would suggest that previously printed stocks of the Wilding 1s with violet phosphor hadn't worked their way through to being supplied by the date of issue of the Machin 1s, but were among the stocks supplied soon afterwards.
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Maurice Buxton
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Wilding Mad
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Re: Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by Wilding Mad »

Thanks Mozzerb for your educated guess, what you state could be quite plausible, but this did not occur on any of the other values replaced, or did it ? WM.
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mozzerb
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Re: Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by mozzerb »

From a quick trawl through the SG Specialised vol 3 (an old edition, so open to correction on these dates), the chronology for violet phosphor stamps is:

13 Aug 1965 --- Wilding ½d, 1d, 1½d, 3d, 4d, 5d, 1s 3d (narrow bands)
17 Aug 1965 --- Wilding 2d (narrow bands)
12 Dec 1966 --- Wilding 1s 6d (wide bands)
29 Dec 1966 --- Wilding 9d (wide bands)
30 Dec 1966 --- Wilding 10d (wide bands)
early 1967 --- Wilding 1d, 4d, 5d, 1s 3d (wide bands)
15 Feb 1967 --- Wilding 7d (wide bands)
5 Jun 1967 --- Machin 4d, 1s, 1s 9d
9 Jun 1967 --- Wilding 5d (wide bands)
23 Jun 1967 --- Wilding 8d (wide bands)
28 Jun 1967 --- Wilding 1s (wide bands)
8 Aug 1967 --- Machin 3d, 9d, 1s 6d
Sep 1967 --- Wilding 2d (wide bands)
Nov 1967 --- Wilding 3d (wide bands, booklets only)
5 Feb 1968 --- Machin ½d, 1d, 2d, 6d
1 Jul 1968 --- Machin 5d, 7d, 8d, 10d

That pattern looks as if they switched to printing Wildings with the wide 9.5mm bands as soon as they needed a new printing of a particular value, with the usual delay between being placed in stock and being issued(*), and the 1s was the only value to "cross over" in this way by happenstance, probably because it was part of the first batch of Machins.

Of those early Machins, the 4d was the inland letter rate stamp and so naturally used in vast quantities, and the 1s 9d (Zone C airmail) was a new value. The 1s was Zone A airmail, but that was less used. The three August 1967 Machins were all for common rates (3d inland printed papers, 9d Europe all-up/world surface, 1s 6d Zone B airmail).

(*) I've not seen a figure for how long the delay would be at this time -- could be several months, assuming that the Supplies Department needed to hold enough stock to cover emergencies and operated a first-in-first-out policy?
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Maurice Buxton
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Wilding Mad
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Re: Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by Wilding Mad »

On the face of it Mozzerb, it appears that the 1/- Wilding with 9½mm violet phosphor bands that had never been issued before was being replaced before it had even been issued, consequently, if your theory is correct, then that must be the case, and this must be the only British stamp to fall into the category of REPLACEMENT BEFORE BEING ISSUED ! WM.
Lennox
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Re: Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by Lennox »

I can assure you the explanation given is correct
I specialise in the Wilding Castles.
There is a file at the Postal Museum that gives instructions to postmasters.
The instructions state that the Machin high values were to be put on sale for two weeks, then withdrawn and replaced by the Wilding Castles until stocks were exhausted.
Customers could ask for the Machin high values if they wanted.
The stamp you refer to would have been printed before the Machin stamp.
Bear in mind Post Office Supplies were not concerned as to the details of stamps. They just issue what is in stock as instructed. Normally six months supply is kept in stock, at least for the Wilding Castles.
Sometimes they get caught out, as in 1967 with the Wilding Castle £1, but that is another story.
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Wilding Mad
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Re: Replacing the 1/- Wilding with the 1/- Machin in 1967

Post by Wilding Mad »

Thank you Lennox for your confirmation relating to supplies of the higher value castles and therefore could also have applied to the lower value definitives, even though their turnover must have been in greater demand. WM.
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