Editor: Alastair Nixon, 7 Bramblegate, Edgcumbe Park, Crowthorne, Berks, RG45 6JA. Tel: +44 (0) 1344 775378
Email: Web site: http://www.meterfranking.co.uk
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Meter of the Month
Another meter ‘first’ this month – a town name in italic letters! It is from a Neopost machine, serial N1381857. It appears that quite a number of these may exist as Peter Mantell has found another example from the same series (see below). Other reports would be welcome.
Editorial
This marks the completion of Volume 7 of Meter News. Included in this month’s issue is the index for the last 12 months, which I hope members will find useful.
I have recently extended my web site (hyper-link above now corrected!) to include scanned examples of some the meter series. I have so far completed the FM, FU and FSC7 series and am working on the FSC9 series. This is a long-term project but I hope these scans will provide a useful reference in the years to come.
Last month I welcomed new member Ross Irwin (Member No. 0022). Ross, in fact, is from Canada and not from the USA as I stated in error last month – my sincere apologies. Ross published the Canadian Meter Postage Stamp Catalog, 2004 and used to be a member of John Mann's study group. Ross has very kindly supplied a copy of a write-up of the Study Group taken from the magazine Stamp Collecting back in 1953 – see page 84-4.
Interestingly, Ross is trying to understand the "coding" Canada Post uses in the meter indicia. For example there are PB030 and PB031 prefixes. The next three digits he assumes to be the meter model and the last four the meter serial number. Ross says that Canada Post will not confirm this and they had their high price lawyer answer his query!
Acknowledgements
My thanks this month go to Jim Ashby, David Aspinwall, David Crotty, John Fowler, Alan Godfrey, Richard Goring, Ross Irwin, Keith Lloyd, Peter Mantell, John McCallum, John Notton, Robert Rowe and Peter Wood for their reports and communications.
Latest Numbers
Below is the list of ‘Latest Numbers’ as at 27th October 2007 – with updates shown in red. Please could I have next month’s reports by 26th November, thanks.
Frama (UK)
EcoMail FSC 347116 28.09.07 See MN 83
MailMax FSC 907331 13.09.07 Reported by RG
Francotyp-Postalia
Optimail T 402072 17.10.07 Reported by PM
Optimail 30 F04110649 18.10.07 Reported by PM
JetMail FJ0710961 26.06.07 See MN 81
Mymail FM2116272 24.08.07 See MN 83
Mymail FM2504785 27.04.07 See MN 79
Ultimail 60 FU8002246 09.08.07 See MN 82
Ultimail 90 FU9001110 06.09.07 See MN 83
Neopost
IJ25 Autostamp N1160912 14.09.07 Reported by PM
IJ-40e? N1240140 06.09.07 See MN 83
IJ-50e? N1252826 12.10.07 Reported by DA
IJ-90e? N1290014 02.03.07 See MN 81
IJ40 / IJ50 N1316948 02.07.07 Reported by PW
IJ-110e? N1359935 18.10.07 Reported by DA
IJ-70e? N1371045 02.10.07 Reported by PM
IJ-80e? N1381857 16.10.07 Reported by AN
Pitney Bowes
Paragon PBP84065 04.06.07 See MN 80
DM50, 55 PB015668 09.10.07 Reported by AN
DP400? PB143127 04.09.07 See MN 83
Personal Post PB276764 10.09.07 Reported by PM
DM 200? PB311451 16.04.07 See MN 81
Personal Post PB478603 18.05.07 See MN 81
DM 550 etc PB523230 21.09.07 RG - omitted from MN83
DM 400C / 450 C PB610934 22.10.07 Reported by AN
Post Perfect PB762973 14.05.07 See MN 80
DM100i PB831112 15.10.07 Reported by AG
On my web site (under ‘Series Images’), I have now included scans of all the latest number reports sent in this month, but I have not yet decided whether to make this a regular occurrence – your views would be appreciated.
Dead Series Update
Further to page 84-1, I am now maintaining the table of ‘Dead Series’ on my web site (under ‘Series Images’). I am grateful to both Richard Goring and Peter Mantell for their recent updates to the table.
Francotyp-Postalia - Centormail
According to their web site, Francotyp-Postalia launched a new franking machine on 1st Oct 2007 – called the Centormail:
The key features of the Centormail Digital Mailing System are advertised as:
§ Modular Design
§ Real mixed mail feeding
§ Unique vertical feeding system
§ Smudge-free digital ink-jet printing
§ Dynamic Scales
§ Whisper quiet operation
§ Integrated account with Infoprint
There are 4 different models available:
§ Centormail 240 plus
§ Centormail 240 dynamic
§ Centormail 300 plus
§ Centormail 300 dynamic
The speed of the machines is 120 i.p.m. & 150 i.p.m. (not 240 i.p.m. & 300 i.p.m. as one might expect!). The ‘dynamic’ variants incorporate dynamic weighing facilities – with a speed reduction to 60 i.p.m. on all models. The ‘300’ variants handle 300 accounts compared with 100 accounts on the ‘240’ models.
The user can have up to 9 advertising slogans, 15 personalised logos as well as 9 types of mail clichés.
To date, no examples from the Centormail have been reported to your editor. I guess we should be on the lookout for the ‘FC’ prefix?
Advanced Mail Users
Further to page 83-4, with so many new additions, I will now only be maintaining the complete table of Advanced Mail (blue ink) users on my web site. Any unusual items will, of course, be included in the Newsletter, but please continue to send scans of all blue ink examples. My thanks for reports of blue ink meters this month go to David Aspinwall, John Fowler, Richard Goring, Peter Mantell, Peter Wood and PMSC member John Notton.
Meter Stamp Study Group
Ross Irwin kindly supplies a copy of an article on the Meter Stamp Study Group that was published in Stamp Collecting back in July 1953. The essential text of this article is repeated below:
“This Group was started in January 1950, with the object of bringing together those people interested in the collection and study of meter postage stamps (or “meter marks” as they are often popularly termed). This enables them to make known to one another their knowledge and discoveries in this little explored field and also to get into touch with one another for the exchange of material.
It is the only society in this country catering solely or mainly for meter stamp collectors. It takes the place of the “Meter Club” founded in 1938, which, after a war-time suspension, had finally to close down at the end of 1946. Although intended primarily for collectors in the United Kingdom, the Group has now a large proportion of members overseas – in the United States, several European countries, South and East Africa, South America and Australia.
The Group issues to members a quarterly Bulletin, containing articles and notes on all aspects of meter stamps of all countries – though naturally most attention is devoted to Great Britain. Correspondents from all over the world supply the information.
Members are entitled to borrow from the Group’s “Library” a variety of books and magazine articles, published in Great Britain and elsewhere, dealing with meter stamps. The only charge is the postage both ways. Most in demand is “The Meter Postage Stamp Catalogue” by the late A. H. Harris, “listing, illustrating, classifying and pricing impressions from automatic postal franking machines of the whole world”. The third and last edition was dated 1940 and it is now difficult to obtain. An entirely new whole-world catalogue to supersede that of Harris is under active preparation by one of the Group’s members. There are also the up-to-date “Classification of United States Postage Meter Prints”, illustrating all the numerous types used in that country; “The Development of the Postage Meter Machines of the United States, 1898-1920"”and others.
A circulating Exchange Packet on the usual philatelic lines proved impracticable for meter stamps, but members are entitled to have inserted, free of charge, in the Bulletin short announcements of their wants and offers, inviting others interested to get in direct touch with them.
Any person interested in the collection and study of meter postage stamps, whether a “specialist” or not, is welcome to join the Group for details of which they should apply to the Hon. Secretary: A. A. Dewey, M.A, B.Sc. (Econ) ……………”
Editorial Comment: It is interesting to note the similarities between the Meter Stamp Study Group and Meter News. Also, your editor was unaware of the existence of the pre-war “Meter Club” forerunner. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has any publications of the “Meter Club”.
Recent Interesting Items
Peter Mantell sends this example from an Optimail 30 machine (F04110649). It includes a ‘FIRST CLASS’ mini-slogan – the first report for this machine type.
It is worth noting that the mini-slogan is right justified for the F04 series whereas it is left justified on the FM and FU series – see example below.
On page 51-5 I listed those machines that would need to be converted by the end of September 2002 in order to meet the regulations imposed by Royal Mail. The 2NE series was such machine, but I stated that I couldn’t recall seeing any example in 2004. Richard Goring now reports two 2NE machines still going strong in 2007. Below is an example of one of them – although it is starting to show some signs of stress!
Further to page 83-5, Peter Wood reports seeing HS01186Z from Belfast dated 21.12.04 which extends this ‘Z’ series:
Manufacturer
/Series
/LRN
/EKD
/HRN
/HRN Date
Ascom Hasler
/HS-Z (2004)
/HS01186Z
/21.12.04
/HS01245Z
/08.12.06
Ascom Hasler
/HT-Z (2004)
/HT38016Z
/03.03.04
/HT38018Z
/03.03.04
Recent Interesting Items Continued
Peter Mantell sends this item with a ‘FIRST CLASS’ pre-loaded message as well as (in error) an ‘AIR MAIL / PAR AVION’ mini-slogan (also called a mail cliché). I must say, we have waited a long time to see a live example where both message types appear on one item!
Richard Goring sends this unusual item with the townmark ‘CATTERICK GARRISON’. Catterick Garrison is located in the North Yorkshire dales and is the largest garrison in the British Army. It embraces 7500 regular soldiers as well as employing 2000 civilians.
Richard also sends this meter correction handstamp from Chelmsford:
Meter Thematics
Just room for this nice Deutsche Bahn train thematic from Peter Mantell.
Index of News Items (Issues 73 to 84)
Machine / Page / Topic /Ascom Hasler
42995 / 83-7 / HF prefix omitted
HAS 1143 / 78-1, 78-3 / ¾ Circle Townmark
A203600995 / 80-4 / Report of the two Ascom 340 machines
HS01186Z / 84-5 / HS with z-suffix discovery and summary
HS01245Z / 75-6 / HS with Z-suffix discovery and summary
HT38016Z / 83-5 / HT with Z-suffix discovery and summary
Frama
FSC906342 / 83-1 / Town-die with county onlyFSC906342 / 83-1 / Breaking of Royal Mail Return Address regulations
Francotyp-Postalia
F04110436 / 79-3 / New Optimail 30 machineF04110649 / 84-5 / Optimail 30 Mini-slogan
FJ1500003 / 82-4 / Blue ink use
FM2115785 / 81-2 / Possible new sub-series
FM2116272 / 83-1 / New sub-series confirmed
FU8000061 / 79-8 / SPECIAL DELIVERY pre-loaded slogan
FU8001017 / 75-1 / OVERSEAS MAIL pre-loaded slogan
FU8001575 / 83-5 / Print head mis-alignment
FU8001948 / 84-5 / Left-justified Mini-slogan
FU8001978 / 81-6 / SPECIAL DELIVERY pre-loaded slogan
FU9000317 / 81-6 / OVERSEAS MAIL pre-loaded slogan
T400150 / 82-6 / Use of pre-printed coloured labels
- / 79-1, 79-3 / New Optimail 30 machine
- / 81-6 / Printer failure half-way through application of the frank
- / 82-4 / Analysis of FJ series – volume of items franked
Neopost
- / 73-1 / 2006 UK Mail Award (Technology category)
- / 76-1 / New range of Franking machines
- / 76-1,76-3 / Myneopost service
- / 77-7 / Neopost National Insurance Specimen card
- / 79-1 / New ‘N129’ series
2NE15029 / 84-5 / Late use of 2NE series
2NE20851 / 82-4 / BFPO Townmark & ‘Printed in UK’ label
4NE12312 / 81-5 / 4-element SM22/26 machine
J 180 / 75-8 / Rebate ‘R’ in slogan position
N1200001 / 82-6 / First machine use of N120 series
N1202046 / 83-6 / Meter correction and Par Avion handstamp
N1204214 / 79-5 / Advanced Mail use (blue ink)
N1207352 / 81-7 / Use on the Simpsons movie promotion
N1240001 / 81-6 / First machine use of N124 series
N1240071 / 76-2 / New sub-series
N1251372 / 84-6 / Meter correction handstamp from Chelmsford
N1252388 / 80-5 / Advanced Mail use (blue ink)
N1290003 / 79-3 / Lowest number from N129 series
N1290004 / 80-2 / Earliest example of N129 series
N1290008 / 79-3 / Earliest example of N129 series (but see N1290004)
N1312044 / 79-8 / Test print
N1315408 / 83-5 / PERSONAL mini-slogan
N1352862 / 83-6 / Meter correction handstamp – Airmail 1st Clas
N1358176 / 84-6 / Catterick Garrison townmark
N1370001 / 73-1 / New sub-series
N1370011 / 78-2 / First commercial use of this series
N1371045 / 84-6 / Pre-loaded message and Mini-slogan on one item
N1380280 / 76-3 / New sub-series
N 62 / 81-1 / Meter Stamp Study Group slogan
N 62 / 81-1 / Neopost franking slogan
N 75 / 77-1 / LV8 Proof item with false perforations in value lug
P37 / 78-5 / Late use of P series
P490, P761 / 77-6 / Roneo-Neopost Model 205 P series
RN-001 / 76-1,76-7 / Frankmaster specimen
Pitney Bowes
PB128158 / 74-3 / Security block format
PB136052 / 73-2,74-3 / New sub-series and security block format
PB140643 / 78-4 / Error in Day Item Count start number
PB143044 / 77-2 / New sub-series
PB375552 / 83-6 / Meter correction handstamp – Air Mail
PB378500 / 77-5 / Invalid value die
PB505881 / 82-6 / Small vertical bars in date
PB506222 / 74-3 / Pricing-In-Proportion slogan
PB506222 / 75-6 / Seasons Greetings in blue ink
PB506222 / 79-4 / Advanced Mail use (blue ink)
PB506804 / 83-5 / Item count omitted
PB508066 / 82-4 / Advanced Mail use (blue ink)
PB509871 / 82-6 / Small vertical bars in date
PB509923 / 80-6 / Blue ink use
PB510330 / 80-6 / Out of date slogan - Birmingham University Open Days
PB520244 / 82-5 / Blue ink use