Leigh Mardon returns to Australian Stamp Business

Sometimes not receiving your order from Australia Post can result in you discovering something new about the production of Australian stamps.

Back in January, when the Greetings Personalised Stamps™ were released I ordered a sheet of each design. Unfortunately, one did not arrive, and after several emails back and forth a replacement sheet was sent. Interestingly this sheet was sent direct from the producer and as such did not come in the usual Australia Post A4 envelope, rather an Express Post envelope stamped on the back 'ABnote'.

It appears that Australia Post has outsourced the production of Personalised Stamps™ to ABnote (part of the American Banknote Company). Leigh Mardon was sold to ABnote in 1996, and so in a round about way it appears Leigh Mardon (under the ABnote brand) has returned to stamp production. Collectors may remember Leigh Mardon was a significant printer of Australian stamps in the 1980s and 1990s, but with the rapid introduction of self-adhesive stamps (a technology Leigh Mardon did not rapidly embrace), and a re-focus on their main product, security products, Leigh Mardon exited the stamp printing business.

The question now is when did Australia Post outsource their Personalised Stamps™? I suspect that it happened in 2015. In early February 2015, Australia Post sold Post Connect, their variable print and mail house service to ABnote. Further digging reveals that eLetter was part of Post Connect, and eLetter for a time was also involved in Australia Post's in house production of Personalised Stamps™. Furthermore emails sent to Karen B. who managed their production for Australia Post were returned to me in late 2015.

Information Released on this Year's Stamp Collecting Month Issue

This year's Stamp Collecting Month issue will feature Endangered Wildlife, with four species from Australia and three from overseas.

It appears six of the stamps are the regular landscape commemorative stamp size (37.5 mm x 26 mm) with the Southern Corroborree Frog being a larger 50 mm x 30 mm size. No doubt there will be a miniature sheet combining the seven designs. Also, as happened last year two of the values are half the price of the standard domestic rate.

Printing Error on Upcoming Weddings Prestige Booklet

Staff at Australia Post have advised that the $2 Weddings Prestige Booklet, due for release on 25 January, may be delayed due to a printing error.

Details are sketchy about the actual error, but it is believed that somewhere on the booklet it says the contents are twenty stamps, whereas the booklet only contains 16. Rather than scrap and reprint the booklets, post offices are being issued with stickers that need to be stuck over the error. As of yesterday these haven't been seen, although many post offices have their Love to Celebrate stock in.

Surprise Personalised Stamps™ for Wildflowers Stamps

Australia Post surprised modern collectors by releasing personalised versions of the four Wildflowers stamps on 6 January (the official date of release was 4 January, but the stamps could not be ordered until 6 January). The release is noted in the press release from Australia Post, and may get mentioned in the next Stamp Bulletin (due for release on 11 January).

Why this release is even more surprising is that this is first time we have a $2 non-Wedding/Greetings Personalised Stamp™, and on 25 January there will be 10 more Personalised Stamps™ due for release with the $1 and $2 Greetings issues!

Free Imperforate Miniature Sheet from Australia Post

To encourage collectors to sign up for their free electronic newsletter, Australia Post is giving away a free imperforate miniature sheet.

See http://www.australiapostcollectables.com.au for more information. Offer ends 31 March 2016.

More Information on Priority Stamp, Priority Service and New Definitives

Brochures have been sent to post offices explaining the change in services from the 4 January 2016.

Post offices have also been sent booklets of the Priority labels, as well as sheets of 20. The sheets appear to be self-adhesive with the stamps die-cut and with rouletting between the stamps.

Post offices can also now order 'Wildflower 2015' definitives in $1, $2, $3 and $5 denominations. The suggested release date is late December 2015, allowing businesses and the general public to buy the stamps in advance of the rate rise. The theme of the new definitives is also indicated by the stamp on the cover of the brochure, which shows a wildflower, with a very carefully covered denomination.

Interestingly, this is the first time Australia Post has issued self-adhesive stamps/labels in a sheet format before, and may be indicative of the future.


Update: Customers have started receiving the booklet of five labels, and they appear to have security slits in them (see Stampboards)

Postal Rates to Increase on 4 January; Priority Letter Service Introduced

The ACCC has approved Australia Post's proposal to increase the base letter rate from 70c to $1 from 4 January 2016. In addition Australia Post will introduce a two speed service, with Priority letters taking 1 to 4 business days to deliver, and Regular letters taking up to an extra 2 days. Concession card holders will still be able to post mail at 60c, and Christmas cards will still cost 65c.

To ensure an item is sent Priority a label must be added next to the stamp. The Data Matrix code on the label will be read by the mail sorting machinery, and hence the letter will be given priority. The Priority label must be attached to the letter to ensure Priority delivery. Priority stickers can be attached stamped letters (including those posted at the Concession and Christmas rates) and prepaid envelopes. The Priority service is on available for letters; parcels have their own separate delivery schedule, and are pointless on Express Post items which delivered the next business day (within the Express Post network).

Priority labels are now available for purchase via the Australia Post online shop (under Pack and Post > Postage Stamps).