Post by Perfs14 on Jul 26, 2013 23:25:12 GMT
Here is a start on these, please feel free to add or correct where I have made a typo or worse
Adhesive.- The glue used to stick stamps to the item being posted. It is also referred to as 'gum' because its main base was Gum Arabic and dextrins. Peel and stick stamps have an elastomer based adhesive
Airmail Stamps.- Postage stamps used to pay the airmail postage rates. Most countries stopped issuing airmail stamps in the 1970s - 80s when all mail began to be sent by air.
Approvals.- A priced selections of stamps sent to collectors by dealers or fellow collectors. Collectors pick what they want to buy, and return the selection to the dealer with payment.
Arrow. - On many sheets of stamps, small arrow markings appear in the sheet margin. This was done to aid in the perforation process.
As Is.- A term usually used by auctions to denote that a stamp is offered for sale without any guarantees.
Authentication or expertising Mark.- A tiny mark that appears on many older and rare stamps. It denotes that an expert has examined and approved the stamp’s authenticity.
Backstamp.- Postmark applied to the reverse of a cover (see below for "Covers") to indicate transit or receipt of mail.
Block. - An even-numbered group of stamps, which are still attached to each other: i.e. a block of four, six, 12, etc.
Bogus.- A fictitious stamp-like label created solely for sale to collectors. Such "bogus stamps" are not good for postage.
Cancel, Cancellation-. A marking, usually a hand-stamp or postmark, that indicates a stamp has been used.
Catalogue.- Comprehensive listing of postage and revenue stamps, including current price valuations and illustrations.
Catalogue Value or CV.- The value of a stamp given by a stamp catalogue (basically a price list from the company that has published it e.g. Stanley gibbons). These valuations are not necessarily the prices at which the stamps can be purchased. Often, depending on condition, stamps can be purchased below catalogue value (or above, if the condition of the stamp(s) is outstanding or if the demand is rising).
Centring.- The relative position of a stamp’s design in relation to the margins surrounding it. Centring is one of many very important considerations in determining a stamp’s value and/or desirability.
Classic Stamp/Issues.- An early well known issue, with connotation of rarity e.g. Canada's Bluenose issue.
Coil.- Stamps prepared in rolls (of from 100 to 1,000) for use in vending machines or for sale in dispensing boxes.
Commemorative.- A stamp issued to commemorate a person, a place or an event.
Condition.- The overall state of a stamp or cover. There are many factors that influence condition.
Counterfeit.- Any stamp or cover or cancellation not created by the original issuing body, usually for the purposes of deception.
Cover-. An envelope, a postcard, or piece of postal stationery or packaging that has gone through the mail.
Crease-. A fold
Cylinder.- A printing plate used on a modern rotary printing press.
Definitive-. A stamp issued for an indefinite period to pay a particular rate of postage. Also called "regular issues".
Denomination-. The face value of a stamp (i.e. the value printed on the stamp).
Essay-. Artwork for a proposed design for a stamp or piece of postal stationery. The essay is submitted to postal authorities by the artist for approval. If approved the essay will probably be changed to suit the printing needs.
Expertization.- The examination of a philatelic item by an acknowledged expert in order to see if the item is genuine.
Face Value-. The value of a stamp as noted on its face.
Fake.- a counterfeit stamp, postmark or postal item that has been altered in order to raise its value or appeal to a collector.
First Day Cover.- An envelope bearing a stamp which has been cancelled (with the official first day of issue postmark) on the day the stamp was issued to the public.
Forgery-. A fraudulent reproduction of a postage stamp, postmark or cover.
Frame.- The outside area of a stamp’s design.
Freak-. An abnormal stamp that has some kind of printing flaw.
Grill-. A waffle iron type of pattern impressed into some mid-19th century U.S. stamps to prevent re-use.
Gum-. A type of adhesive or glue that is applied to the back of stamps to stick them onto the article to be posted..
Gutter.- The selvedge between two parts of a full sheet of stamps.
Hand-stamp.- The tool used to apply the postmark at the Post office.
Hinge.- A tiny piece of glassine paper, gummed, folded and then used to mount stamps into an album.
Imperforate.- Stamps produced without perforations between stamps.
Invert.- A term used for stamps printed in two or more stages, where one of them is printed upside-down. e.g. the U.S. 24-cent inverted "Jenny" airmail stamp of 1918.
Line pair-. A line printed between a pair of coil stamps. Appears because of the guideline that is printed between panes on a sheet of stamps.
Lithography.- Flat surface printing with a design area that is ink-receptive. The area that is not to print is ink-repellent.
Margin.- The selvedge surrounding the stamps on a sheet.
Meter Stamp-. A face value printed by machine on the actual envelope to indicate postage paid.
Miniature Sheet.- A smaller than normal sheetlet of stamps issued only in that form or in addition to the normal full panes of stamps.
Mint.- A stamp in the same condition as when it was issued and purchased at the post office. Original gum is on the reverse and the stamp has never been hinged into an album.
Mounts.- Vinyl or plastic holders, clear on the front and with gum on the back. Stamps and philatelic items are placed inside the mount and them mounted into an album.
Multicolour-. More than two colours.
NH.- Never Hinged.
Odontometer.- A metal, plastic or cardboard instrument used (easily) to measure the size of perforations
Official-. Stamp or stationery used to pay postage by a government agency.
Offset Printing-. A printing process that transfers an inked image from a plate to a roller, the roller then applying the ink to the paper.
On Paper-. Stamps, usually used, which have been used on mail and still adhere to all or part of that original piece of mail.
OG or Original Gum.- The gummed surface on a stamp is the actual gum that was originally applied to that stamp.
Overprint.- Any official printing over the original design of a stamp. For instance, an overprint that upgrades or changes the value of a stamp.
Pair.- Two joined stamps.
Pane-. The unit into which a full sheet of stamps is divided before it is sold at a post office. Many U.S. stamps were printed in sheets of 400 and broken down into four panes of 100 stamps each before sale.
Penny Black. -The world’s first postage stamp, the one-penny stamp issued by Great Britain in May 1840.
Perfins-. Stamps punched with "perforated initials" or other designs and used generally by governments and commercial firms in order to deter theft.
Perforation.- The punching out of holes between stamps in order to aid in their separation. There are various kinds and sizes or perforations which are measured by a perforation gauge or odontometer.
Perforation Gauge.- A metal, plastic or cardboard instrument used (easily) to measure the size of perforations (see above).
Philately. -The collection and study of postage stamps and related items.
Photogravure-. Modern printing process where stamps are printed through the photographic plate making process.
Plate-. The printing unit used to print stamps.
Plate Block, or Plate Number Block.- A block of stamps which includes the corner selvage from the pane and bearing plate numbers from the printing process.
PNC.- Plate number coil.
Postage Dues.- Stamps or markings that indicate an underpayment of postage.
Postal History.- The study of postal markings, routes and rates of mail. And anything to do with the history of the mails.
Postmark-. An official postal marking usually giving the date and origin or a piece of mail and is often part of the cancellation obliterating a stamp to prevent reuse.
Precancel-. Stamp with a special cancellation or overprint and which was applied before the stamp is used on mail. This bypasses normal cancelling and saves much time when large numbers of mail are being used.
Proofs-. Trial impressions from a die or printing plate that are made before the formal production of stamps. Such proofs are made to check defects in the plate work or design of the stamps.
Reprint-. Stamps printed from original plates after the first issue has run out.
Revenues-. Stamps for the prepayment of payment of various kinds of taxes.
Rouletting.- The cuts pressed on the spaces between stamps (perforations are holes) that create slits to allow the separating of the stamps.
Selvedge-. The margin around the outer edges of a sheet or pane of stamps.
Specimen-. Stamps overprinted "Specimen" and not to be used for postage.
Tagging-. The impregnation/printing of phosphorescent dies into the paper used to print a stamp. Normally invisible but can be seen with UV light. used to prevent counterfeiting and for quick processing of mail.
Topical or Thematic.- A collection on a particular subject; i.e., horses, birds, pandas, etc.
Unused-. An uncancelled stamp, not a mint stamp, but one that has been hinged for mounting into an album. These can be either gummed or un-gummed.
Used.- A stamp that has been used on mail. Such an item usually bears all or part of a cancel or obliteration device.
Variety-. A variation from the standard form of a stamp. Varieties can include watermarks, different kinds of perforations, wrong colours or printing and production mistakes
Watermark-. A machine-applied, deliberate thinning of paper during its manufacture, to produce a semi-transparent pattern or design of some kind. Applied to prevent counterfeiting.
