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4 unusual facts about Arnold Machin


Arnold Machin

In the 1956, while resident at number 15, The Villas, Stokeville, (an estate of 24 Victorian houses in Stoke-upon-Trent) he received publicity in the national press when he chained himself to an old metal lamp-post in protest at its planned removal.

In 1966 the Queen approved Machin's similar design for an effigy of her to be used on what come to be known as the "Machin series" of British definitive postage stamps.

Australian one-cent coin

From 1966 until 1984 the obverse featured the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin.

Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II wearing the tiara, designed by Arnold Machin, has appeared on many Commonwealth currencies, including those of Britain, Australia, Jamaica, Canada and Ceylon.


Australian twenty-cent coin

Three different obverses have so far been used; 1966 to 1984 the head of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin; between 1985 and 1998 the head by Raphael Maklouf; and since 1999 the head by Ian Rank-Broadley.

Country definitives

Each stamp had a reduced size portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin with a national emblem in the top left corner, the latter designed by Jeffery Matthews.


see also