Wanted: A specific GB QEII "Boots" label

[Dave.mbe]

Apparently according to another series of posts, most members don't know what constitutes a "Boots" label, and I understand that. However, if you see something in your box of miscellaneous items that looks like this illustration, and with the same overprint, in either mint or used condition, I would be very interested in taking it off your hands.



This is my first attempt at a WANTED TO BUY and I'm hopeful that it generates a reply or two. Thank you in advance.

[norvic]

If nobody here has it you could almost certainly get one from Rushstamps who seem to have all of them.

[Dave.mbe]

Thanks for the suggestion, Ian, but Rushstamps says that they have been out of stock for a long time. I'm remaining hopeful that a Stampboards reader will find one of these old 'souvenir' pieces in a stockbook someplace and offer it for sale to me. Apparently there were quite a few of these printed, so there must be some around.

[norvic]

Thanks for the suggestion, Ian, but Rushstamps says that they have been out of stock for a long time. I'm remaining hopeful that a Stampboards reader will find one of these old 'souvenir' pieces in a stockbook someplace and offer it for sale to me. Apparently there were quite a few of these printed, so there must be some around.

That's unfortunate since they almost certainly produced most of these; obviously no unoverprinted stock left to do some more.

[librarianc]

Is there any specific catalogue reference to this BOOTS label.......a specific pane or booklet number or value, if that is how it was issued?

John A

[librarianc]

So, maybe, I am answering my own question now that I have done a bit of research:

from http://stamp-collector.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_13_339_530

The background design brief to this idea was that Boots wanted to be able to promote sales and increase revenue from its own-brand greeting cards and to offer postage at the same time as the card was purchased. These were both to be made available in an attractive and innovative package instead of selling them separately, as had been the case until then. Internal trials of cards with stamps inserted, pre-paid stamped envelopes – an idea later to be used by Marks and Spencer for a short time – and stamps in glassine bags attached to cards were each considered and subsequently rejected at meetings with Royal Mail.

'Boots Labels' went through reprints before later appearing without its branding on them, the text and brand was instead printed on the cellophane wrapping in the area where the label was placed. The sheets exist from different printings and printers, they also have differences in fluorescence, roulettes and elliptical perforations.

[norvic]

.... and the blank ones were then overprinted by somebody with the identity of several worldwide philatelic events, and other commemorations to provide souvenirs for the collector and profit for the overprinter. The overprints (other than Boots) have no official status, and are not catalogued in mainstream catalogues. I suppose they could be described as cinderellas valid for postage, but they have the same status as Australian (and British) PSBs and miniature sheets privately overprinted. There are a lot more worthy things to spend your money on, IMHO.

[Dave.mbe]

There are a lot more worthy things to spend your money on, IMHO.

And while I respect your "humble opinion", I should draw your attention to a 3-frame, (that would be a 48 page), exhibit on this topic entitled, 'Putting the Boots to Machin'.

This exhibit was awarded a silver medal at a recent Royal Philatelic Society of Canada national convention, which IMHO, adds credibility and interest to another, albeit obscure area of philatelic interest.

[norvic]

I've got no problem with collectors collecting (and exhibiting) anything.

What class was that exhibit in? Because it ought to have been in the cinderella class: only about 6 different versions of the 1st class 'Boots' label were produced by Royal Mail. All the overprints apart from Boots were private productions, and would not - I would have thought - qualified for the 'traditional' classes, supposing that the judges knew what they were looking at, that is.

[norvic]

So, maybe, I am answering my own question now that I have done a bit of research:

from http://stamp-collector.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_13_339_530

And what's really interesting is the price of these. The basic Boots label as produced by Royal Mail is priced at only £1.20. The privately overprinted ones, for stamp exhibition and dealer publicity, are priced over £5 and over £10. I'm not quite sure why the presence of the Machin 1st class stamps gives these any legitimacy over Exhibition poster-stamps, but somebody is clearly trying to make more money from overprinting than from stamp dealing!

[Dave.mbe]

I suppose they could be described as cinderellas valid for postage

I think credibility must be given to the fact that Boots labels and their unbranded 'offspring' have received much recognition over the years from such respected philatelic authorities as Glenn H Morgan FRPSL writing in the British Philatelic Bulletin.

See http://www.stampprinters.info/SPI_Boots.htm

Forgetting for a moment about the 'commercial' overprints; one should first consider that the Post Office ordered 3 common labelled format printings and as many as 8 different unbranded printings. Then think about the additional specialized collecting opportunities presented by gum varieties, paper varieties, phosphor band varieties, (including phosphor omissions) and perforation varieties and errors; each of which is recognized as collectible in any other legitimate post office stamp issue. Then of course, there is the collectability of the label found legitimately as used for the originally intended purpose; the mailing of a greeting card. Lots to consider...

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion; Norvic thinks the collecting of these items is foolish, while I think that Horizon Labels or any other machine-printed and machine dispensed pieces of paper do not qualify as stamps.

As the man said, "opinions are like belly-buttons; everyone has one!"

[norvic]

I think credibility must be given to the fact that Boots labels and their unbranded 'offspring' have received much recognition over the years from such respected philatelic authorities as Glenn H Morgan FRPSL writing in the British Philatelic Bulletin.

Absolutely, no argument at all.

Forgetting for a moment about the 'commercial' overprints; one should first consider that the Post Office ordered 3 common labelled format printings and as many as 8 different unbranded printings. Then think about the additional specialized collecting opportunities presented by gum varieties, paper varieties, phosphor band varieties, (including phosphor omissions) and perforation varieties and errors; each of which is recognized as collectible in any other legitimate post office stamp issue. Then of course, there is the collectability of the label found legitimately as used for the originally intended purpose; the mailing of a greeting card. Lots to consider...

Absolutely: top-class contender for philatelic study.

Norvic thinks the collecting of these items is foolish.

No, he doesn't, and nowhere in this thread will you find those words.

Forgetting for a moment about the 'commercial' overprints
Norvic thinks collecting the 'commercial' sheetlets is foolish if it involves spending silly money on unused examples.

The only merit that these private overprints have is that they contribute to the profits of the stamp dealers who produced them, and therefore contribute to maintaining a retail existence.

[Dave.mbe]

Six and a half years later, and I'm back with a follow-up to this "BOOTS" label saga!
During that time, I have extensively researched, and finally completed a full-colour, 52 page manual/catalogue detailing the production and history of this somewhat iconic GB single stamp minisheet, and its many varieties from the mid-1990's.

This morning, I see a new ebay listing by the dealer, RUSHstamps; producer of many of the commercially over-printed variables. The listing is offering this inverted over-print error which was originally printed by the same RUSHstamps, and even carrying the RUSHstamps logo, with the quote, "believed to be unique".

This time, I suspect I'll get the full agreement of Norvic, when I say that it's hard to believe that the producer of this printing "error", just discovered this item after all these years. A quick look, only on ebay, will show that there are many lots of the same original blank minisheet still available and suitable for similar over-printing using the original plates when they too, are available.
Just saying... let the buyer beware!!

[norvic]

It's quite possible that this has only just been discovered; the person who did the overprinting for them (I don't think he was actually an employee) may well have erred, and just left this in the pile to be discovered many years later.

[warm]

I suppose they could be described as cinderellas valid for postage

I think credibility must be given to the fact that Boots labels and their unbranded 'offspring' have received much recognition over the years from such respected philatelic authorities as Glenn H Morgan FRPSL writing in the British Philatelic Bulletin.

See http://www.stampprinters.info/SPI_Boots.htm

Forgetting for a moment about the 'commercial' overprints; one should first consider that the Post Office ordered 3 common labelled format printings and as many as 8 different unbranded printings. Then think about the additional specialized collecting opportunities presented by gum varieties, paper varieties, phosphor band varieties, (including phosphor omissions) and perforation varieties and errors; each of which is recognized as collectible in any other legitimate post office stamp issue. Then of course, there is the collectability of the label found legitimately as used for the originally intended purpose; the mailing of a greeting card. Lots to consider...

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion; Norvic thinks the collecting of these items is foolish, while I think that Horizon Labels or any other machine-printed and machine dispensed pieces of paper do not qualify as stamps.

As the man said, "opinions are like belly-buttons; everyone has one!"

Any chance of an update on the Stamprinters link

See http://www.stampprinters.info/SPI_Boots.htm

Could be interesting to read. Perhaps somebody has saved the contents

[norvic]

As you have quoted this, allow me to require you response.

Dave.mbe wrote:
Norvic thinks the collecting of these items is foolish.

No, he doesn't, and nowhere in this thread will you find those words.

Forgetting for a moment about the 'commercial' overprints
Norvic thinks collecting the 'commercial' sheetlets is foolish if it involves spending silly money on unused examples.

The only merit that these private overprints have is that they contribute to the profits of the stamp dealers who produced them, and therefore contribute to maintaining a retail existence

[ViccyVFU]

Now, I understand collecting the raw (not overprinted) labels in all their varieties and nuances, but surely trying to collect "every way someone has embellished the margins" seems to be more of "a representative sample" requirement, than "a pressing urge to be bled dry, by Rushstamps"?

What's different about this ? ....

Rush(tobleedyoudry)Stamps "Variety"

Well, I've seen lots of the border overprints (which of course, creates no offence, and the blanks are fairly easy to obtain, even today).

This is the first overprint I've seen by them "that cancels the stamp" (by being inverted), so its more of "a private cancellation". Again, no offence committed, but its no longer valid for postage (or swap out ).

Its not an official error "as issued by the post office".
Its a stamp issued by the post office, and privately defaced.

If its "your thing", go for it, but don't go crazy on price, as its provenance and production quantities "may well turn out surprising".

[Dave.mbe]

This is the first overprint I've seen by them "that cancels the stamp" (by being inverted), so its more of "a private cancellation". Again, no offence committed, but its no longer valid for postage (or swap out ).

There are a few others where the overprint runs onto the stamp

[ViccyVFU]

This is the first overprint I've seen by them "that cancels the stamp" (by being inverted), so its more of "a private cancellation". Again, no offence committed, but its no longer valid for postage (or swap out ).

There are a few others where the overprint runs onto the stamp

I look at that and just see "95p of postage wasted"
(but if its your thing, "fill your boots").

Once you've committed "beyong a certain level", I do understand the obsession, (and appreciate the displays),
but "its not for me".

Happy hunting.