Graphite lined stamp
Encyclopedia
A graphite lined stamp is a postage stamp
on which vertical lines of electro-conductive
graphite
are printed on the reverse. Graphite lined stamps were used in the United Kingdom
from 1957 to 1960 as an experiment in the automation of mail sorting.
lines were used exclusively on five stamps of the Wilding series
from December 1957. They appear as one or two black lines printed vertically under the gum. The two lined stamps were to identify fully paid mail, which eventually became first class mail, while stamps with only one line paid the printed matter rate, or second class mail as it eventually became. On the two lined stamps, the bands are usually found widely spaced so that one appears at either side of the stamp, but they may also be found close together due to printing errors on the one and a half pence stamp. Several other errors of missplaced graphite lines are also known and not all are included in the Stanley Gibbons catalogue.
The use of graphite lines was developed by British Post Office scientists in conjunction with the stamp printers Harrison & Sons of High Wycombe and the stamps were first used in an experimental machine at Southampton
. The machine used scanners to detect the graphite lines and to face the letters so that the stamp was always in the top right corner. The machine could also sort the letters according to the number of graphite lines on the stamps so that fully paid and printed matter stamps were separated. The machine then cancelled the letters. This was the first time that this had been done automatically.
From November 1969, graphite lined stamps were issued with phosphor band
s printed on the front of the stamp. Ultimately, graphite band marking was superseded by the use of phosphor band marking which was a more effective form of mail sorting and only phosphor bands remained on Wilding stamps after 22 June 1960.
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
on which vertical lines of electro-conductive
Electrical conductor
In physics and electrical engineering, a conductor is a material which contains movable electric charges. In metallic conductors such as copper or aluminum, the movable charged particles are electrons...
graphite
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
are printed on the reverse. Graphite lined stamps were used in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 1957 to 1960 as an experiment in the automation of mail sorting.
Usage and appearance
In the United Kingdom, graphiteGraphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
lines were used exclusively on five stamps of the Wilding series
Wilding series
The Wildings were a series of definitive postage stamps featuring the Dorothy Wilding photographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that were in use between 1952 and 1967 until they were replaced by the Machin series.- History :...
from December 1957. They appear as one or two black lines printed vertically under the gum. The two lined stamps were to identify fully paid mail, which eventually became first class mail, while stamps with only one line paid the printed matter rate, or second class mail as it eventually became. On the two lined stamps, the bands are usually found widely spaced so that one appears at either side of the stamp, but they may also be found close together due to printing errors on the one and a half pence stamp. Several other errors of missplaced graphite lines are also known and not all are included in the Stanley Gibbons catalogue.
The use of graphite lines was developed by British Post Office scientists in conjunction with the stamp printers Harrison & Sons of High Wycombe and the stamps were first used in an experimental machine at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. The machine used scanners to detect the graphite lines and to face the letters so that the stamp was always in the top right corner. The machine could also sort the letters according to the number of graphite lines on the stamps so that fully paid and printed matter stamps were separated. The machine then cancelled the letters. This was the first time that this had been done automatically.
From November 1969, graphite lined stamps were issued with phosphor band
Phosphor banded stamp
Phosphor bands were introduced on British stamps from 1959 as a replacement for the previous graphite lined stamps as an aid in the mechanical sorting of mail....
s printed on the front of the stamp. Ultimately, graphite band marking was superseded by the use of phosphor band marking which was a more effective form of mail sorting and only phosphor bands remained on Wilding stamps after 22 June 1960.
Graphite
The term graphite refers to the substance Naphthadag or Deflocculated Acheson's Graphite which was graphite in a solution of naphtha. This graphite substance went under the brand name dag which was a registered trademark of Acheson Colloids Ltd. The substance is still a product of the firm today.Forgeries
Graphite lined stamps have become very collectable and often command high prices. This has attracted forgers, however, most forgeries are easily identified by comparison with a genuine stamp. Crucially, on the genuine stamps the lines appear underneath the gum.Further reading
- Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue 2008, Stanley Gibbons, London, 2008. ISBN 0852596774.
- "A View of Wildings" by Rob Tibbenham in The GBPS Newsletter, No.268, March/April 2001.