The Modern GB Bookshelf

The definitive annual catalogue for Great Britain stamps. Lists every GB issue from the Penny Black to the latest Royal Mail releases. An essential reference for any collector.

A more detailed companion to Collect British Stamps, with expanded listings for varieties, shades and specialist items. Ideal for collectors who want to go deeper.

The most comprehensive reference work on Machin definitives ever published. If you collect Machins seriously, this is the bible. Covers every printing, paper, phosphor and perforation variety in extraordinary detail.

A useful companion catalogue for collectors who extend their interest to the Crown Dependencies. Well-organised and regularly updated.

A comprehensive guide to collecting British First Day Covers, covering cachets, handstamps, slogan cancels and the key issues to look for. A solid foundation for any FDC collector.

An invaluable reference for collectors interested in special handstamps, slogan cancels and commemorative postmarks. Covers the full range of British postmark collecting.

A practical guide to the FDC market, covering valuation, condition grading and what makes a cover genuinely collectable versus merely decorative.

An accessible introduction to the Machin series — the world's most collected definitive stamp. Covers the history, design evolution and key varieties without overwhelming the newcomer.

Royal Mail's transition to barcoded stamps from 2022 opened a new chapter in GB philately. This guide introduces the new issues, explains the technology and highlights what collectors should be looking for.

A specialist reference covering the regional definitive stamps of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Useful for collectors who want to build a complete modern GB collection.

Self-adhesive stamps present unique collecting challenges. This reference covers the key issues, varieties and the identification of genuine used examples — an increasingly important area of modern GB philately.

A scholarly but accessible history of the British postal system from its origins to the modern era. Essential background reading for any serious postal history collector.

A well-illustrated account of the development of the postal service in England, from the Tudor posts to the modern Royal Mail. Accessible and engaging for collectors at all levels.

A practical reference for collectors of modern postal history covers. Understanding postal rates is essential for correctly identifying and dating items of mail.

Understanding barcode technology is increasingly relevant for modern stamp collectors. This practical guide explains how barcodes work, the different standards used and how Royal Mail's Data Matrix codes function.

As stamps become more technologically sophisticated, so do forgeries. This reference covers digital authentication methods, UV fluorescence, paper analysis and modern detection techniques.

A thought-provoking exploration of how digital technology is changing the nature of collecting — from online catalogues and databases to NFTs and digital certificates of authenticity.

The book that introduced the world to the Scarcity Heuristic — and the one that inspired the Modern GB philosophy. Cialdini's six principles of influence explain why collectors behave the way they do, why limited editions work and why we value what is rare. Essential reading for any serious collector.

Why do we collect? This fascinating exploration of the psychology behind collecting behaviour draws on research from psychology, anthropology and economics to explain what drives the collector's impulse.

Kahneman's masterwork on decision-making is essential reading for any collector who wants to understand why they make the choices they do — and how to make better ones. Particularly relevant to auction bidding and valuation.

Ariely's exploration of irrational decision-making is both entertaining and illuminating. Explains why we overpay at auction, why free shipping changes our behaviour and why scarcity makes things more desirable.

A broad survey of collecting as a cultural and personal practice, drawing on interviews with collectors across many fields. Thoughtful and inspiring — a reminder of why collecting matters.