REGIONALS

1) The First Issues

Scotland	Northern Ireland	Wales	Isle of Man	Jersey	Guernsey

Despite the introduction of the pre-decimal Machins, the regional issues continued to use the pre-Machin designs based on the Wilding issues, of which 5 regions had their own designs. However, with the coming of the decimalised currency on the 7th the Post Office took the opertunity to utilise the Machin design for the regional issues.

No regionals were issued for Guernsey, which left just the four regions. The first stamps issued were the 2½p, 3p, 5p and 7½p values which were printed by Harrison and Sons who, at the time, printed all British stamps and used the photogravure method of printing.

Each region's stamps were only made available to the general public via Post Offices in the appropriate region although they were valid as postage from anywhere in the Great Britain.

Two Bands (1st class rate)		Single band (2nd class rate)

Each stamp would have either two phosphor bands, indicating a value intended for 1st class mail, or a single central phosphor band intended for 2nd class mail. As postal rates increased, what were values for 1st class stamps would become values for second class mail and hence some values, such as the 3p, 3½p and 5½p values, can be found with both types of phosphor bands.