Redrawn Value Tablet:

Because of the ever increasing values and the size of the denominations set on the value tablet, the powers that be at the Royal Mail decided that a new set of value tablets would be drawn up. Jeffrey Matthew’s was chosen to design a sleeker set of numerals. Each value in turn was reprinted with this new ( narrower ) more modern style, the denominations were also repositioned onto a uniformed grid in the bottom left hand corner.

The change started to take place on 30th March 1983 and carried on for a period of about 5 years. 1988 saw the change over completed right through the whole of the machin range.

Bolder Colours:

At around about the same time the colours were also improved upon, they changed from the graduated colours to the new Jeffrey Matthew’s colour palate.

This was a range of 30 colours of a stronger nature and consisted of a lighter Machin head on a dark background, this in turn with the value changed improved the actual visual look greatly. This can be noticed by comparing the two 10p stamps to the right.