United Kingdom, 1967-1969
Arnold Machin (1911-1999)
Postage stamps mounted on collector?s album page
George S. Champlin Memorial Stamp Collection

Created by Arnold Machin in 1966, these monochromatic effigies of Queen Elizabeth II have remained the design for the definitive postage stamp series of the Royal Mail in the United Kingdom for nearly 50 years. From the Penny Black until present day, British stamps have featured a silhouette or portrait of the monarch. Known colloquially as ?Machin Heads?, these stamps project the image of the monarchy across the globe through a design that has been compared to Wedgwood porcelain.