Can You Still Use Stamps With The Queens Head

Hey there, stamp enthusiast! You know what's been bugging me lately? All these newfangled apps and digital whatnots, making us forget about the good old days of licking and sticking. So, let's talk about the elephant in the room - or rather, the queen on the stamp. Can you still use stamps with the queen's head?

First things first, let's rewind a bit.

Remember when we were kids, and every letter was a mini adventure? You'd lick that stamp, stick it on, and off it went, like a tiny, royal-approved spaceship. But then, along came emails, texts, and now even video calls. Who needs snail mail, right?

Well, hold your horses (or should I say, hold your letters).

Believe it or not, snail mail is making a comeback. And yes, you can still use those classic stamps with the queen's head! But here's the thing, it's not as simple as it used to be. Let's dive in, shall we?

Meet Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

She's been on our stamps since 1952, and she's not going anywhere anytime soon. But here's where it gets a tad confusing. You've got your Machins (those are the ones with the queen's head on the left), and then you've got your definitives (those are the ones with the queen's head in the middle).

Now, you might be thinking, "Who cares where her head is? I just want to send my letter!" And fair enough, but here's where it gets a bit tricky. The definitives, they're a bit like the royal family - they never change their price. So, if you've got a stamp with a 1st class price on it, you can use it forever (well, until they change the price, but that's another story).

But what about those Machins?

Ah, the Machins. They're a bit more temperamental. You see, they've got a little value indicator on them. And when the price of a stamp goes up, they update the value. So, if you've got a Machin with a 1st class price on it, and the price goes up, you'll need to top it up with another stamp.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "This is all well and good, but what if I've got a drawer full of Machins with the old price on them?" Well, my friend, you've got a couple of options. You can either use them on parcels (yes, they're still valid for those), or you can use them as 'makeweights' - that's stamp speak for topping up the value of another stamp.

But what about all this 'postal reform' malarkey?

You might have heard about this. The Royal Mail decided to shake things up a bit and change the way we buy stamps. Now, instead of buying them by value, we buy them by size and weight. So, you've got your 'large letters' and your 'parcels', and it's all a bit confusing, I know.

But fear not! The queen's head is still very much present on our stamps. In fact, they've even given her a little makeover. She's now got a more modern look, and she's even got a bit of a tan (well, as much as a queen can tan, I suppose).

So, can you still use stamps with the queen's head?

Absolutely! Whether she's in the middle or on the side, she's still very much the face of our stamps. And who knows, maybe one day they'll put Prince George on there, and we'll all have a good laugh about it. But until then, let's appreciate our queen and her trusty stamps.

So, next time you're reaching for a stamp, remember, it's not just a piece of paper. It's a little piece of history, a little piece of royalty, and a whole lot of fun. Happy stamping, my friend!