You know the famous Oscar Wilde quote.. something along the line 
of when you are bored of London you are bored of life.. well I 
think it was Wilde.. anyway, same has to be true for Machins. Don’t you think. 
  

So much has been written on these stamps, but I think the 
following might be on interest to you. Many thanks to Roy 
Machin Man) from the IPDA for this piece. 

In the early 1960s the stamp advisory commission felt that
the existing Wilding portrait used on definitive stamps and 
special issues (commemoratives) was looking tired and 
needed a revamp. It was decided that several artists would 
submit their ideas for consideration. Arnold Machin’s 
designs were eventually chosen as the way forward. 

Love them or hate them, they are here to stay and are a 
valuable part of British Postal history. 

Arnold Machin OBE RA, (1911 - 1999) was the designer of the 
plaster casts that were used by the Royal Mail. He will go 
down in history as the person who was responsible for over 
180 billion images on the definitive stamps issued so far.

Did you know that at time of the transition to the use of 
the Machin head (1967) it was decided that a smaller version 
of the head was to be used on Special issues? It was decided 
that the head did not work, so Machin created a new cast 
which could be used as a detailed drawing or silhouette on 
special issues.  No one expected that these stamps would run 
a course of 40 years. Yes!  2007 is therefore the 40th 
anniversary of the Machin. 

A miniature sheet reportedly "with a 1.00GBP value Ruby Machin" 
has been chosen to commemorate the event. More information on 
the anniversary stamp when it comes available. 

Anyone got any interesting stores about the Machins?  I’d be 
pleased to hear from you at cddstamps@gmail.com

Best wishes,  Michael