Great Britain · Reign
Queen Elizabeth II Stamps: A Collector's Guide
Queen Elizabeth II reigned from 1952 to 2022, the longest reign in British history, and her stamps fill that span. The definitives moved from the early Wilding portrait to the Machin head of 1967, which served for over fifty years, while a vast and colourful series of commemoratives marked the events of the age. The reign also saw decimal currency arrive in 1971. Most Elizabeth II stamps are common, while specific Machins, errors and early issues are collected closely.
At a glance
The longest reign
Elizabeth II's seventy years on the throne produced more stamps than any reign before it. The story divides neatly: the early years carried the Wilding definitives, a photographic portrait of the young Queen, until 1967, when the sculpted Machin head took over and went on to become one of the longest-serving designs in the world.
Alongside the definitives ran an ever-growing series of commemoratives, marking anniversaries, achievements and themes in colour and variety. Our Great Britain stamps hub places the reign after George VI and before King Charles III.
Definitives, from Wilding to Machin
- The Wilding definitives. The first Elizabethan definitives, using a photographic portrait of the young Queen by Dorothy Wilding, issued from 1952. They carry the differences of watermark and perforation that collectors study.
- The Machin definitives. From 1967, the sculpted profile by Arnold Machin replaced the Wildings and served for over fifty years. The Machin is a vast specialist field in its own right, distinguished by value, colour, phosphor, paper and printer. Our Machin stamps hub and Machin value guide cover it in full.
Wilding to Machin
Seventy years of British stamps
From the photographic Wilding portrait to the sculpted Machin head of 1967, and a vast, colourful commemorative series alongside, the longest reign in British history offers an affordable, endlessly varied field, with the Machins a deep specialism of their own.
Commemoratives and decimalisation
The reign is also defined by its commemoratives and by the change of currency. From the 1950s onward, Britain issued a steady stream of commemorative stamps, colourful and thematic, which form a popular and affordable area of collecting, as our guide to commemorative stamp values explains. And in 1971 decimal currency arrived, dividing the reign's stamps into pre-decimal (pounds, shillings and pence) and decimal, a useful dating clue covered in our guide to dating a stamp.
How to identify and value Elizabeth II stamps
For any Elizabeth II stamp, the questions are what it is and what it is worth. The Elizabeth II profile, Wilding or Machin, and the absence of a country name identify the reign; the exact stamp, especially a Machin, is pinned down by phosphor, paper, perforation and printer, as our guides to identifying British stamps and identifying a Machin explain. For value, most are common, while specific Machins, genuine errors and certain early issues are collected closely. Our Machin value guide and commemorative value guide give the detail.
Collecting Elizabeth II stamps
Something for everyone
The reign offers something for everyone. The commemoratives give an affordable, colourful and endlessly varied field, ideal for a thematic or chronological collection, while the Machins reward the specialist with one of the deepest studies in all philately. Most stamps are inexpensive, so a great deal can be collected for very little. We are glad to help you find Elizabethan material, honestly described and photographed front and back; browse our Great Britain stamps, or ask us what is available.
Frequently asked questions
The British stamps of Elizabeth II's reign, from 1952 to 2022. The definitives ran from the Wilding portrait to the Machin head of 1967, alongside a vast series of commemoratives.
The Wildings, from 1952, use a photographic portrait of the young Queen; the Machins, from 1967, use a sculpted profile by Arnold Machin. The Machin replaced the Wilding and served for over fifty years.
Most are common and worth little, while specific Machins, genuine errors and certain early issues are collected closely. Our Machin value guide explains which Machins are valuable.
In 1971. Elizabeth II stamps before 1971 carry pre-decimal currency (pounds, shillings and pence), and those from 1971 carry decimal currency, a useful dating clue.
Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026