Queen Elizabeth II stamps

Queen Elizabeth II stamps - Britain’s longest reigning monarch provides a spectacular choice of beautiful stamps and philatelic items to the collector. The basic small definitive issues fall into just two basic design groups, the “Wildings” and the pre- & post- decimal “Machins”. The high-value Queen Elizabeth II stamps also fall into just a few basic design groups. These include the pre-decimal “Castles”, large recess printed pre/post decimal “Machins”, tall decimal “Machins”, new style decimal “Castles”, a Britannia £10 design with brail dots and recently smaller- format decimal “Machins”. Commemorative stamps have been a feature since the 1953 Coronation set with a major change in overall styling precipitated by currency decimalisation on 15 February 1971.

The small definitive stamps offer the greatest challenge to collectors, the largest area being the elegant and colourful decimal Machins which have been in constant issue and ever-evolving since 1971. These stamps are so-named after Arnold Machin whose plaster bas-relief of the Queen taken from a photograph by Lord Snowden is the central feature of these lovely little stamps.

The rarest Queen Elizabeth II stamps are found among the errors, the most valuable displaying a combination of rarity and visual impact such as the 1963 3d Red Cross stamp with a missing red cross, or the 1976 13p Rose Society stamp with a missing value.

Collectors also enjoy booklets and booklet panes, self-adhesive ‘Post & Go’ issues, Smilers Sheets, Presentation Packs plus so much more. We sell a wide range of Queen Elizabeth II philatelic material including plenty of collections estimated and reserved at well below retail levels.

Interested in 1952+ Elizabeth II stamps? Register for lot alerts