Postal Union Congress
The second rolls to contain commemorative stamps were made for the Postal Union Congress held in London in 1929. The stamps were printed in letterpress by Waterlow on Block Cypher paper. (The first commemorative rolls were made for the British Empire Exhibition in 1924.)
All rolls were continuously printed and issued from 10 May 1929, the first day of the Congress. All rolls were handstamped “P.U.C.” in black. Rolls (K), (P), and (WXYZ) showed face value, but all others showed handling charges which were cancelled with three black lines. It is said elsewhere that these were obsolete leaders, but they were not, Waterlow was still working off the considerable stock of leaders that had to be modified when the handling charge was abolished in Sept 1927, and only (K) and (P) leaders had run out and been reprinted before the PUC rolls were issued.
| B | 1d | 960 | £4 ☰ | Lower End | Red/White | c |
| D | ½d | 960 | £2 ☰ | Lower End | Green/White | c |
| E | 1d | 480 | £2 ☰ | Top End | Red/White | c |
| G | ½d | 480 | £1 ☰ | Top End | Green/White | c |
| K | 1½d | 960 | £6.0.0 | Lower End | Buff | c |
| L | 1½d | 480 | £3 ☰ | Top End | Buff | c |
| N | 1½d | 480 | £3 ☰ | Left Side | Buff | csw |
| O | 1d | 480 | £2 ☰ | Left Side | Red/White | csw |
| P | ½d | 480 | £1 | Left Side | Green/White | csw |
| W | ½d | 960 | £2.0.0 | Lower End | Green/White | c |
| X | 1d | 960 | £4.0.0 | Lower End | Red/White | c |
| Y | ½d | 1,920 | £4.0.0 | Lower End | Green/White | c |
| Z | 1d | 1,920 | £8.0.0 | Lower End | Red/White | c |
c: continuous csw: continuous sideways 12/20: strips
☰ handling charge cancelled with three black lines.
| ½d | 1d | 1½d | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 2,993 | B | 952 | K | 3,245 |
| G | 11,811 | E | 5,916 | L | 2,847 |
| P | 43,458 | O | 4,653 | N | 38,077 |
| W | 14,555 | X | 15,373 | ||
| Y | 7,628 | Z | 8,219 | ||
Stamp Vending Machines
Rolls for use in Post Office vending machines (WXYZ) have 960 or 1,920 stamps wound lengthways, facing inwards, onto ¾” diameter cores, for delivery lower end first.
POKO Affixing Machines
Rolls for use in POKO affixing machines (DBK) have 960 stamps wound lengthways, facing outwards, onto 1¼” diameter cores, for delivery lower end first.
FIXO Affixing Machines
Rolls for use in FIXO affixing machines (GEL) have 480 stamps wound lengthways, facing outwards, onto ½” diameter cores, for delivery top end first.
Multipost Affixing Machines
Rolls for use in Multipost affixing machines (PON) have 480 stamps wound sideways, facing outwards, onto ½” diameter cores, for delivery left side first.
Continuously printed, watermark sideways (PON):
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