Stamp Collecting Terms You Should Know
If you are a stamp collecting enthusiast and you are newer to the hobby, there are some stamp collecting terms that you should know. Use this guide to better understand classifications and philatelic terms.Take a look at some of the terminology below:
A
- Adhesive: A gummed stamp
- Albino: Design impression that has no color
- Aniline: A water soluble dye/ink
- Approvals: This is whenever a stamp collector is offered a large amount of stamps to examine and select from ahead of the purchase, but they need to buy or return to the dealer in a specific period of time.
- Average (AVG): A stamp is considered “average” if the design shows cuts from perforations, the outside margin shows, or if there are significant cancellation marks.
- Average Mounted Mint (AVMM): An AVMM will have good gum and fully complete perforations, with hinge marks on the back and/or any other noticeable faults.
- Average Unmounted Mint (AVUM): An AVUM stamp will be in the condition it was since it was issued by the Post Office. These stamps should have good gum and fully complete perforations, but still have visible faults.
- Average Used (AU): Any stamp in good, used condition with small defects, significant postmarks, or cancellation marks.
B
- Bisect: This is the portion of the stamp that’s cut in two (usually for whenever there was an era of stamp shortages.)
- Blind perforation: Also called just blind perf, this refers to a perforation that hasn’t been fully punched out (e.g. there is paper where perforation holes ought to be.)
- Block: A block typically forms a rectangle or square of stamps, and it refers to four or more stamps that are unseparated.
- Blunt perforation: Also called blunt perf, this is any stamp with a perforation that is shorter than normal.
- Booklet: A booklet is any small book that contains stamps in what is known as “panes.”
C
- Cachet: Usually applied by a rubber stamp, a cachet is a marking, illustration, or description that explains the commemorative purpose when it was mailed.
- Cancellation: This is any authorized mark applied to a stamp to prevent its reuse by defacing it surface.
- Centering: Centering refers to the positioning of the design in relation to the perforations.
- Chalky paper: This is stamp paper that is covered with a chalky solution for security to prevent potential removal of the postmark or damage to the stamp’s surface.
- Charity stamp: Any stamp that was issued with a surcharge/premium for charity.
- Circular date stamp (CDS): A CDS is a circular cancellation mark which typically has the name of the place, location, and date printed on it.
- Classic: This term refers to a country’s earliest stamp issues. The cutoff date for a stamp to be considered “classic” is usually around 1900.
- Coil join: This term refers to uniting two sections from a roll of stamps.
- Coil Stamps: Any stamps that have a pair of straight edges on opposing sides. Created in rolls to be used in vending machines.
- Comb perforation: This refers to whenever the perforation pins have been arranged in a comb pattern.
- Commemorative stamp: This is a special stamp that is issued to recognize an anniversary, special event, or person. Commemorative stamps typically are available for purchase for a limited time. There are also commemorative sheets of stamps.
- Cover: A cover includes any envelope, postcard, or letter-sheet that can be used to send correspondence by mail.
- Cut Square: This refers to the cut corner of any envelope or postcard that has the imprinted stamp with plenty of margin space.
D
- Defective Mint (DEFM): Any DEFM stamp features significant creasing or missing perforations, but would otherwise be classified in “mint” condition.
- Defective Used (DU): Any stamp that is in “used” condition that shows significant signs of defects. These include small tears, clipped perforations, etc.
- Definitive: A definitive stamp is a stamp that is used for standard postal use but is available on sale for an extended amount of time.
- Denomination: This refers to the monetary value printed on a stamp.
- Die: The die is a piece of flat, soft steel that uses an engraving plate to impress the stamp design onto the paper.
- Disturbed gum (DG): This refers to whenever the gum of the stamp has been damaged.
- Doctor blade: This is a steel blade that removes surplus ink from the cylinder in the press.
E
- Embossed Envelope: Any envelope that features a raised surface design that’s printed on the envelope itself.
- Embossing: A form of printing. Raised surface design.
- Error: Error stamps can be among the hobby’s most collected stamps due to the mistake in the stamp’s design during the printing or production and the small number of these stamps.
- Essay: The essay is a trial, test stamp design which is sometimes different from the official stamps later issued.
- Extremely Fine (XF): Any stamp where it has a well-centered design, and the margins are near-perfect and clear of any perforations. For unused or mint stamps, the original gum must be present for it to be considered an XF or Extremely Fine stamp.
F
- Face Scrape: This refers to where the stamp’s front side has been scraped and there is a spot.
- Face value: The monetary value (or denomination) of the stamp. The face value is printed on the face of the stamp.
- Fine (F): Any stamp that has unbalanced margins (top or bottom). However, the margins are not cut at all by any perforations.
- Fine to very fine (F-VF): For a stamp to be in F-VF condition, the stamp design is only slightly off-centered but is absolutely clear from perforations.
- Fine Used (FU): Fine used stamps are only lightly cancelled and feature a circular date stamp.
- First Day Cover (FDC): Any envelope or card that has been postmarked/used on the first day of issue.
- First Flight Cover: Any envelope or postcard that was transported on an inaugural mail flight between two destinations.
- Flaw: This occurs whenever a printing fault causes a significant blemish on the stamp.
- Forgery: A forgery, or a fraudulent copy of a real stamp, is any false stamp that is usually created to deceive collectors.
G
- Gem: The term “gem” is a general term that refers to a high-quality stamp with perfect centering, margins, and no other faults.
- Greetings stamp: Any postage stamp that’s used for birthday cards or for a special greeting.
- Grill: This refers to the series of small dots that are embossed on a stamp to allow ink from the postmark (to prevent the stamp from being reused).
- Gum: The gum is the adhesive glue on the back of an unused stamp.
- Gum bend: Also called the gum crease or gum wrinkle, this refers to the natural occurrence wherever the paper and the gum didn’t shrink at the same rate, causing a slight wrinkle in the stamp. (Note: this doesn’t lower the value of stamp unless it is very noticeable.)
- Gum skip: This refers to the part of the stamp that has no gum due to it not being spread completely over the stamp during production.
- Gutter: The gutter refers to the blank margins of space that divide a sheet of stamps into panes.
H
- Handstamp: Any postmark or overprint that’s applied by hand.
- Heavily hinged (HH): This refers to whenever the gum has been hinged and it leaves a significant mark.
- Hinge Remnant (HR): Whenever the gum has a hinge and a portion of it was hard to remove from the stamp, so it was left attached.
- Hinged (H): This means that the gum surface of the stamp has had a hinge applied to it.
- Hinges: Hinges are a small gummed strip which fixes stamps to album pages.
I
- Imperforate (Imperf): These stamps have been specifically printed/issued without any perforations. This means that they intentionally should have four straight edges on all four sides.
- Imprint: An imprint refers to the name of the printer, which is inscribed on the stamps/in the sheet margins.
- Imprinted stamps: This refers to stamps that have been printed directly onto postcards or envelopes.
- Invert: This refers to a stamp where only one part of the design was printed upside down. Many times throughout postage stamp history, inverted stamps were printed and circulated by mistake, making them a rare and valuable find for collectors.
J
- Jubilee Line: This refers to the colored line that is found in the sheet margin of certain Q.V. and K.E.VII British stamps.
- Jumbo or Boardwalk Margins: Any stamp where the border between the edge of the design and its perforations is larger or smaller than that of other stamps in the same sheet. If this space is large, the stamp is considered “jumbo” and is therefore more attractive and desirable for collecting.
L
- Lightly hinged (LH): Any stamp where the gum has had a hinge applied but the resulting mark is either very small or light.
- Line perforation (P): Line perforation refers to whenever a sheet of stamps is separated by a single line or row of holes.
- Local: A local stamp is issued/only allowed to be used for post in certain geographical areas.
M
- Margin: This refers to the unprinted edging that divides a sheet of stamps.
- Miniature sheet: This is a small sheet of one or several stamps which are usually intended for decorative purposes.
- Mint: This refers to the stamp’s most unused, original, and pristine condition it can possibly be in. It also includes its original gum.
- Mint Never Hinged (MNH): A stamp that has its full original gum and hasn’t been hinged.
- Mint Sheet: An entire sheet of postage stamps in their original unused condition.
- Mounted Mint (MM): MM stamps include good gum and fully complete perforations, but will have hinge marks on the back.
N
- Never hinged (NH): Also just called unhinged, this refers to a stamp that has never been hinged, has its full original gum, and has no marks at all.
- New Printings: This refers to whenever additional supplies of current stamps are reprinted.
- No gum (NG): An unused stamp that has no gum.
- Non Value Indicator (NVI): A stamp that has no monetary value, but has a postage class (1st, 2nd) instead.
O
- Obsolete: This refers to a stamp that may still be valid for use in post, but is no longer sold by the Post Office.
- Official Stamp: A postage stamp that is only valid for use by a government agency.
- Overprint: This refers to printing that’s added to a stamp after production to denote a change in value or to commemorate an event.
P
- Pair: A pair of stamps are two unseparated stamps that are issued as a joined vertical or horizontal pair.
- Pane: A pane of stamps is a group of stamps in a sheet.
- Perforations: Perforations are essentially holes which are punched between stamps on a sheet to make separating the stamps easy.
- Personalized stamp: Any stamp that has an image taken from a personal photograph, but also with an attached non-postal label.
- Philately: The official name for stamp collecting is philately. The technical term for a stamp collector or enthusiast is a philatelist.
- Pictorial: These types of stamps feature a decorative image, instead of typical symbolic designs like a portrait or coat of arms.
- Plate Block: This refers to whenever four or more attached stamps are still fastened to the margin and the number of the printing plate is clearly visible.
- Plate number: Whenever the letters and numerals in a sheet margin indicate the printing plate.
- Postal Stationery: Postal stationery can be postcards, envelopes, or any other covers which have imprinted stamps on them.
- Postmark: The postmark refers to markings on a postal item. For example, this can include cancellation, which records the date of its connection in the postal service.
- Prestige booklet: This refers to a booklet of stamps that highlights a certain topic or event which contains special panes of stamps with descriptive text.
- Proof: A trial impression stamp that comes from an original die or printing plate.
- Provisional: This refers to a stamp issued for temporary use that is often overprinted or surcharged.
- Pulled perf – Pulled perforation (PP): Any postage stamp where the perforation tip is missing entirely.
R
- Re-gummed (RG): A Re-gummed or RG stamp has new gum applied to replace the original gum.
- Remainders: Postage stamps that remain in official stocks after becoming obsolete.
- Re-perforated (RP or Reperf): Alterations that have been made to a stamp to add perforations to one or more of its edges. This is commonly done dishonestly, to improve the worth of lower-value stamps.
- Reprints: Any stamps which are printed from original plates after being withdrawn.
- Roulette: Any time slits or cuts have been used between stamps to separate them instead of by using perforations.
S
- Self-Adhesive: A self-adhesive stamp is a gummed stamp with adhesive that doesn’t need moistening to fix it to the envelope.
- Selvege: Called the margin, this is the unprinted paper around a pane of stamps.
- Semi-Postal: A stamp where all or part of its proceeds is donated to charity.
- Short Perforation (SP or Short Perf): When part of the perforation tip is still present, but isn’t as long as it ought to be.
- Socked on the Nose (SON): The stamp has a CDS that is very close to the center of the stamp.
- Spacefiller: A very defective stamp that sells for a significantly reduced price.
- Specimen: A sample stamp with the word “specimen” perforated or overprinted on it.
- Straight edge (SE): When one or more edges of a postage stamp don’t have perforations.
- Strip: A strip is three or more postage stamps that are joined together in a row.
- Superb (S): A rare, almost perfectly-centered stamp with a perfect design.
- Surcharge: Overprint that’s been used to alter or change a stamp’s face value.
T
- Tab: Illustrated/descriptive label that is attached to a postage stamp.
- Tête-bêche: This is a stamp that’s been inverted in relation to the adjoining stamp in a pair.
- Thin: A stamp that has an area where some of the paper is thinner than the rest of the stamp.
- Tongs: Metal tweezers which are used to safely handle stamps.
- Topicals: A group of themed stamps, such as astronomy, British Royalty, or Walt Disney.
U
- Unmounted Mint (UM): Also known as unused, never hinged, this stamp is in its original unused condition, with good gum that has never been hinged and complete perforations.
- Unused (*): A stamp that usually doesn’t have gum, and has no signs of use.
- Unused never hinged (**): Also called unmounted mint, these stamps are in their original unused condition that hasn’t been hinged.
- Used (O): A postage stamp that has been used and appropriately postmarked.
- Used abroad: Stamps from a country that’s been used and postmarked in another country.
- Used on piece: Any postage stamp that’s part of the original cover to preserve its postmark.
V
- Variety: Whenever a stamp is different from the normal issue.
- Very fine (VF): This is a stamp that’s well-centered with full perforations and light cancellation.
- Very Fine Used (VFU): Any stamp that’s undamaged, nearly perfectly centered, and has a light postmark.
- Vignette: The central parts of a postage stamp’s design that has been printed separately within the frame.
W
- Watermark: A design or pattern formed by “thinning” the paper during the manufacturing process to add security and protect against forgery.
- Watermark Detection: A method that sets a stamp in a tray filled with special fluid to see if there is a watermark on the stamp.
- Wing margin: The wing margin is when a wide margin is present on one side of a stamp because of the center perforation of the sheet gutter margin.