WHO IS THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL ?

What are your views Paul (or anyone else for that matter) on the duration of the Machin portrait, that over the years has created so many complicated variations based on a particular single design ?

Fred.

Well Fred,

whilst it is not my "cup of tea", it makes it interesting to collect. I see no problems in having a unified design for definitives and the Machin head is quite striking. If they use the same design it is boring, if they issue a new set it is exploiting collectors! I suppose it enables you to tell the story of all the technical advances in printing and document security in a way that emphasises the technology.

Paul

So in your opinion Paul you would like to see the Machin profile remain in fear of upsetting/exploiting collectors with a completely new portrait, surely this is already being done by RM !

I'll make a note of that as it's not "your cup of tea", I wonder what other collectors think that like the beverage ? Fred.

Edited By Fred Sellars on 02/01/2021 19:11:47

You know, it hadn't occurred to me that the Machin head had not changed while the coinage head has changed ( see Royal Mint for the 5 designs (including Machin)).

Wikipedia suggests that there were proposals in the 80s to update but the Queen herself was not too keen. If there was a subsequent time to have updated then maybe with the Jubilee issues or the Millennium but I think it may have passed now. Wonder if there are already top-secret designs for the next monarch? (George VII apparently rather than Charles III.)

Based on your theory Neil, what would Prince Charles and William have to say on your assumptions ?

SEND HIM TO THE TOWER !!!!!!

I don't think that your idea is very plausible in reality. Fred.

The Prince of Wales has already suggested his regnal name would be George making him the 7th of that ilk - did you think I meant HM would outlive the next two generations and pass the crown to her great-grandson??? Or that some terrible accident would take out two levels of Waleses? In the latter case, would we end up with Harry as Prince Regent (or Andrew!) until the smaller George is an adult.

As I said - wonder if there are secret designs planned out already? Would they be based on a photo or a bust?

Apologies for my misinterpretation of your original assumption Neil with the heir to the throne having 4 Christian names to choose from (Charles Philip Arthur George).

But in the meantime as previously stated with our coinage, a new image of the Queen on the stamps of the realm would not go amiss. Fred.

It would appear that Paul prefers a continuation of the current Machin image for one reason or another even though its around 53 years since it was first introduced.

The image of her majesty needs to be brought up to date, in line with our coinage, she is no longer 41 ! Fred.

There was some speculation back in 2013 when Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and king Albert II of the Belgians abdicated in that year and that our queen could be on the verge of abdicating in favour of her eldest son, but that was 7 years ago and it never happened !

Here is a cartoon of the possibility shown at that time by Krista Opettaa on the 6th of July 2013 >

https://kristaopettaa.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/big-words-abdicate/

Therefore it is possible that what you have suggested Neil may be about to happen, ! And is the reason for not replacing the Machin portrait that is currently 53 years old. Fred.