Hello and welcome to Australia Day. Perhaps I should be showing something from Australia but I have been looking at GB Regionals again and thought I would keep with that theme.

In a recent piece I wrote about the redrawn eye of the dragon on a GB Wales regional stamp. I commented about the catalogue price difference and how important I think it is to know about these differences and check for them.

Continuing this theme let’s look at this stamp from Northern Ireland. SG NI 43, the 17p grey blue on phosphorised paper issued in 1984. I was not aware there were two types to this stamp. But as I was checking I found both Types in my stock.

Try as I might I cannot get a scan of the differences from the actual stamps so am using the image from the SG Concise catalogue. see image below - Type one shown to the left has the crown with all the pearls individually drawn, that is they are not touching, while Type II - issued in 1986 and SG NI 43Ea - has the first three pearls on the left of the crown joined. There are a few other differences to look for but this one is very clearly seen with a good magnifying glass.

All very nice I hear you say again. Even nicer when you see the catalogue prices of the Type II stamp is £150 versus £0.80 for the Type I issue. Check your stamps. Perhaps you have a gap in your collection :-) or something of higher value than you realised.

enjoy your stamps...........Michael cddstamps.com one place you can fill a few gaps in your collection and with confidence

Hello, As you can see from the image, I have been sorting. I have been meaning to do this for years, but since I have been listing more Machins to the Online store I decided to look through a few boxes for more GB Regionals. I have plenty in stock albums but given there are some rather high catalogue perfs and redrawn printings I thought why not look to see what else I can find. I had forgotten the number of packets I had and well you know how it is, once you get started it is fun so why stop.

Then this comment, Mr Dodd you do realise we have people coming for dinner tonight. Ooooops. Table needs to be cleaned doesn't it. Well it is now, all in stock albums where they should be and I live to sort another day :-)

Then I thought what is your caption to the image? It would make a fun competition perhaps. So here it is. I will send 100 different Machins to whoever comes up with the best - as by my judgement - caption to this image. Send me your words by February 1st to cddstamps@gmail.com and include your mailing address - no address no possible chance of winning as I will not be able to mail the stamps to you. Perhaps you will get a nice Valentines gift!

And, if you are short of a Machin or two, GB or England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales Regionals please visit the Online Store. and enjoy seeing what we have on offer. Of visit us here to see the other British Commonwealth countries we stock. Over 38,000 listing and 10,700+ feedbacks.

Enjoy your philately Michael cddstamps.com

Hello, I thought these might be interesting for readers to see and learn about, just in case you are not aware of this redrawn design variation, and especially if you do not have a detailed catalogue. These two are from Wales, the regional UK issue from 1984 and 1986 respectively. On the face of it a fairly common stamp but a stamp worth studying because of the redrawn design of the eyes of the dragon.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue listing for the above stamp is SG W44 ( Scott WMMH30 ) This was the 1984 issue and is an all over phosphor coated paper.

The 1986 issue is SG W44Ea ( Scott WMMH30a) and is the 1986 issue. as I hope you can see from the scan the 1984 issue has the eye of the dragon closed or complete as described in the catalogue whereas the 1986 redrawn printing has the eye with an opening.

All very interesting, you may say, but look at the catalogue pricing, SG W44 is GBP £0.80 and W44Ea is £50. There are various other stamps in the definitive issues from 197 to 1998 like this bit this is the best example with a significant catalogue difference. And anyway, I think it is enjoyable to study your stamps and find the various printings.

Enjoy your stamps, Michael cddstamps.com

Happy New Year, I hope it is a brilliant year for you. Happy and healthy and always rewarding.

I just saw this stamp while sorting through some Bahamas stock. I don't think it needs me to say anymore. It says it all, and with an aviation theme, albeit a plane from many years ago - it is a BAC 111.

I flew a lot on these back in the UK in the 1970's aaaarrrrgghh.... reminiscing those fun days . :-)

see you during the year I hope Michael cddstamps.com