British Machin Definitives
Also called Machins.
Period: 1967 onward
One of the most heavily studied series in the world, issued continuously since 1967 in hundreds of variations. To a casual eye they are all the same stamp; to a specialist there are thousands of distinct entries.
What you are looking at
The sculpted profile of Queen Elizabeth II on a plain coloured background, with a denomination and no country name.
What to check
- Denomination and colour give the basic issue.
- Phosphor bands under UV — none, one band, two bands — are a major distinguishing feature.
- Gum type: gum arabic on earlier issues, PVA later, and self-adhesive from the 1990s.
- Perforation type, including elliptical security perforations introduced in 1993.
- Printer and printing method vary across the series and are catalogued separately.
- Security features including iridescent overprints and slits date from 2009 onward.
What it is worth
The vast majority are worth face value or less. A small number of errors and specific printings are genuinely valuable, and telling them apart requires a specialist catalogue rather than a general one.
Confused with
The earlier photographic portrait series, 1952 to 1967, with a different portrait and watermarked paper.
Questions about this
How do you identify british machin definitives?
Denomination and colour give the basic issue. Phosphor bands under UV — none, one band, two bands — are a major distinguishing feature.
Are british machin definitives valuable?
The vast majority are worth face value or less. A small number of errors and specific printings are genuinely valuable, and telling them apart requires a specialist catalogue rather than a general one.