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A Glossary of Terms for the Collector of United States Stamps

Editor’s Foreword

This glossary is intended for use by the collector of United States stamps who wishes to better understand a term that is encountered in philatelic literature.
 
Entering a word in the “search” box will bring up all occurrences of that term in the glossary.
Some terms within definitions appear in red. Hovering over these with your cursor will bring up definitions of those terms.
 
Catalogue numbers used in this glossary are from Scott Specialized Catalogue of U.S. Stamps and Covers.
Definitions provided are intended only for application to United States stamps and covers. Applying some of them to foreign stamps could result in error or misunderstanding.
 
Rodney A. Juell, editor

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Term Definition hideme
"A" 1.) a marginal marking used on flat plates indicating uniform vertical spacing between columns of stamps.  This marking was intended to assist operators of perforating equipment.  2.) the prefix letter used by the American Bank Note Co. in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. a
"B" prefix letter used by Banknote Corporation of America in front of the plate number on its modern postage stamp production. b
"D" prefix letter used by Dittler Brothers, Inc. in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. d
"F" a marginal marking punched on flat plates, usually to the left of the UR plate number, indicating that the plates were hardened and approved for use.  Most commonly used in the 1920s and 1930s. f
"G" prefix letter used by Guilford Gravure, Inc. in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. g
"K" prefix letter used by KCS Industries in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. k
"M" prefix letter used by 3M Corporation in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. m
"P" prefix letter used by Ashton-Potter (USA) LTD. in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. p
"S" prefix letter used by Stamp Venturers (until 1998) in front of the plate number on its modern postage stamp production.  Since 1998 the S prefix has been used by Sennett Security Products. s
"T" a UPU auxiliary marking indicating postage due, typically applied by the Post Office at an exchange office. t
"U" prefix letter used by U.S. Bank Note Company in front of the plate number on its modern stamp production. u
"V" prefix letter used by Avery Dennison in front of the plate number on its modern postage stamp production. v
"A" Combination Press a webfed, eight color press (three intaglio colors and five gravure colors) in use at the BEP from 1973 to 1993.  It created panes with floating plate numbers. a combination press
"A" Grill one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, which covers the entire stamp.  Example: Scott 79. a grill
"A" Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in 1978 with an assigned postage value of 15¢. a stamps
"B" Press webfed, three-color, intaglio press used exclusively to print coils and booklet panes from seamless cylindrical sleeves.  Used at the BEP from 1973-1993. b press
"B" Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in March 1981 with an assigned postage value of 18¢. b stamps
"C" Grill one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, about 13 x 16mm in size.&nbsp Example: Scott 83. c grill
"C" Press webfed, three-color, intaglio press used exclusively to print coils and booklet panes from seamless cylindrical sleeves.  Used at the BEP from 1982 to 1996. c press
"C" Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in October 1981 with an assigned postage value of 20¢. c stamps
"Coil Stamps" a marginal marking found on certain flat plate sheets.  These sheets have increased spacing between the 10th and 11th vertical rows.  These sheets were intended to become coil stamps, but some became sheet stamps known as coil waste.  This marginal inscription was trimmed off the sheet during coil production, but remained on the panes sold as coil waste. coil stamps
"CS" marginal marking meaning "Chromed Steel" indicating that a plate has been chromium plated.  Example: Georgia Bicentennial Issue ( Scott 726). See also: Chrome Plating and Chrome Stain. cs
"D" Press webfed press with both offset and intaglio capacities in use at BEP 1984-1996. d press
"F" Press web-fed  offset- intaglio press (four color offset, three color intaglio) obtained by the BEP in 1991.  The first stamp printed on this press was the 1992 World Columbian Stamp Expo, Scott 2616. f press
"Free" handstamp marking sometimes used on free franked mail. free
"G" Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in 1995 with assigned postage values of 5¢, 20¢, 25¢ and 32¢. g stamps
"H" Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in 1998 with an assigned postage value of 33¢. h stamps
"Mail Early in the Day" a slogan used as a marginal marking from 1966 to 1978. mail early in the day
"Track" Tagging Lines two or more continuous horizontal tagging lines that resemble "train tracks" that are sometimes found on coils.  Under ultraviolet light the lines can be brighter tagging, or untagged lines.  The cause is wearing of the tagging ink transfer roller that was previously used for precancelling coil stamps with two lines on the Cottrell 803 press.  Track tagging is more commonly found on the Cottrell Press 1983 2¢ Locomotive coil, Scott 1897. track tagging lines
(Bill) Pickett Stamp see Legends of the West. pickett stamp
(The) Bureau Specialist the monthly journal of the Bureau Issues Association ( USSS) from 1930 to 1966 when the journal was renamed The United States Specialist. bureau specialist
(The) Farwell Company a Chicago firm that produced its own private coils for use in Schermack affixing machines. farwell co.
(The) Schermack Mailing Machine Company a Detroit, Michigan based manufacturer of stamp affixing machines, vending machines, and private coils.  Became Mailometer Co. in 1909. schermack mailing machine co
1847s nickname for the first two postage stamps, Scott 1 and 2, issued in 1847, and demonetized in 1851. eighteen forty seven
3M Corporation private printer of modern stamps, beginning with the 1994 29¢ Eagle self-adhesive, Scott 2598.  National Label Co. actually printed this stamp for 3M. three m corporation
7-1-71 the date of issue for the 1971 U.S. Postal Service  stamp,  Scott 1396.  This stamp was issued at every post office in the country, thus creating a specialty in the field of First Day Cover collecting. seven one seventy-one
A.R. a postal marking used on registered mail to foreign countries; an abbreviation of “Avis de reception,” indicating return receipt service is requested a r
Abroad see Offices Abroad. abroad
AC Tagging Added to Color tagging.  See also Phosphored Ink. ac tagging
Achrovure Division of Union-Camp, Corp. private printer of the 1968 6¢ Walt Disney commemorative,  Scott 1355. achrovure division of union camp, inc.
Acknowledgement of Receipt Service see Return Receipt. acknowledgement of receipt service
Add-on a cachet added to a first day cover subsequent to its cancellation. add-on
Advertised Letter a letter which was advertised in a newspaper by the post office in an attempt to induce the addressee to claim it. Advertising of letters ended in the early 1920s. advertised letter
Advertising Cover a cover with an inscription or illustration advertising some product or service of the sender. advertising cover
AEF see American Expeditionary Force. aef
Aerogram a sheet of paper with a strategically placed stamp-like indicium that prepays air mail  postage.  After the message and the name and address of the recipient are written, the sheet is folded, sealed and mailed.  No enclosures are permitted.  Also see Private Aerogram.  Scott numbers for aerograms and air mail stamped envelopes begin with UC. aerogram
Affixing Machine a machine that affixes stamps to an envelope, card or wrapper.  The first affixing machines appeared in the 1850s but were not widely used until the early 20th century affixing machine
Air Letter Sheet see Aerogram. air letter sheet
Air Mail the carrying of mail by airplane or other airship.  This service, provided for a fee, originated in 1918.  Since 1977 no separate fee has been charged for domestic air mail service. air mail
Air Mail Field a postal facility located at an air mail field.  Frequently the abbreviation AMF appears in postmarks applied at such facilities. air mail field
Air Mail Postal Card a postal card intended to be sent by air mail.  Scott numbers begin with UXC. air mail postal card
Air Mail Semi-Official Stamps privately printed stamps issued for a balloon flight in 1877 and an airplane flight in 1911.  see Buffalo Balloon and Rodgers Aerial Post.  Scott numbers are prefixed with CL. air mail semi-official stamps
Air Mail Special Delivery Stamp a stamp that pays the fee both for air mail and special delivery.  Although the first two air mail stamps of 1918 also provided for special delivery service, they are not generally included in the category of Air Mail Special Delivery Stamps.  Scott numbers for air mail special delivery stamps begin with CE. air mail special delivery stamp
Air Mail Stamp a stamp paying the postage for air mail.  Since 1977 Air Mail stamps are issued only for international air mail.  Scott numbers for air mail stamps are prefixed with C. air mail stamp
Air Mail Stamped Envelope a stamped envelope intended for air mail service.  Scott numbers for air mail stamped envelopes and aerograms are prefixed with UC. air mail stamped envelope
Air Post Semi-Official Stamps see Buffalo Balloon and Rodgers Aerial Post. air post semi-official stamps
Air Post Stamp see Air Mail Stamp. air post stamp
Airlift see Parcel Airlift. airlift
Albino Stationery a stamped envelope on which the embossed stamp-like indicium is entirely lacking in intended color. albino stationery
Allied Military Government Stamps postage stamps issued following World War II by the Allied Military Government for use in Italy, France, Germany and Austria.  Most of these stamps were printed by the BEP.  These stamps are unlisted by the Scott Specialized Catalogue but are regarded by many collectors as belonging within the family of US stamps. allied military government stamps
Ambulance Bag a nickname for the plastic bags used by the USPS to deliver mail that has been damaged.  Paper envelopes serving a similar purpose were used by the Post Office as long ago as the mid-19th century. ambulance bag
American Bank Note Co. a contractor which printed postage stamps from 1879 to 1894, the Overrun Nations stamps of 1943-44, and various issues since 1979. american bank note co.
American Commemorative Cancellations commemorative pages sold on a subscription basis by the USPS since 2002.  Previously known as souvenir pages. american commemorative cancellations
American Design Series series of definitive  postage stamps that begun in 2002 with the 5¢ American Toleware coil postage stamp,  Scott 3612. american design series
American Expeditionary Force the American Forces in Europe during World War I for which two different booklets of stamps were produced.  The booklets contained panes of 30 stamps each, sometimes called AEF panes.  Scott 498f & 499f. american expeditionary force
American Packaging Corp. subcontractor to Sennett Security Products for stamp printing.   Example: Scott 3052, the 1999 33¢ Rose stamp. american packaging corp.
American Philatelic Center the home of the American Philatelic Society and the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. american philatelic center
American Philatelic Expertizing Service service of the APS that renders authoritative opinions on the genuineness of stamps and covers. american philatelic expertizing service
American Philatelic Research Library largest private philatelic library in the United States, with extensive resources for researchers and collectors. american philatelic research library
American Philatelic Society largest philatelic organization in the United States. american philatelic society
American Postal Machines Co. major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from the 1880s to the 1940s.  This company is known for its flag cancels. american postal machine co.
Americana Issue series of definitive  stamps that began in 1975.  The first Scott # is 1581. americana issue
Ameripex '86 one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.  Ameripex '86 was held in Chicago in 1986.  A stamp ( Scott 2145), souvenir sheets ( Scott 2216-2219) and an Air Mail Postal Card ( Scott UXC23) were issued in conjunction with this show. ameripex '86
AMF see Air Mail Field. amf
AMG see Allied Military Government. amg
AMSD see Air Mail Special Delivery. amsd
Andreotti Press a seven color gravure press installed at the BEP in 1970. The first stamp printed by this press was the 1971 Missouri Statehood Issue ( Scott 1426).  In addition to stamps this press also produced aerograms. andreotti press
Aniline Ink a fugitive ink made with synthetic organic pigments produced as derivatives of nitrobenzene.  Aniline ink was used in the production of stamp ink from before the Washington-Franklin era until its importation from Germany became impossible during World War I.  When inferior quality aniline ink was used, bleeding of pigment resulted in stamps known as pink backs.  Aniline ink was also used to surcharge some revenue stamps. aniline ink
APC see Automated Postal Center. apc
APEX see American Philatelic Expertizing Service. apex
APO see Army and Air Force Post Office. apo
APRL see American Philatelic Research Library. aprl
APS see American Philatelic Society. aps
Army and Air Force Post Office (formerly Army Post Office)  A U.S. post office established for military units overseas.  APOs, as they are called, first established in 1917, are designated by a number. army and air force post office
Army Flights 1.) air mail flights flown by army pilots from May 15 to August 11, 1918.  Beginning August 12, 1918 the mail was flown by civilian pilots.  2.) air mail flights flown by army air corp pilots during a short, disastrous "emergency" period in 1934 when President Roosevelt cancelled CAM contracts. army flights
Arrow a marginal marking, shaped like a "V" which served as a guide for cutting sheets into smaller units, and as a guide in the perforation process. arrow
Arrow Block margin block with a "V" shaped marginal marking. arrow block
Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd. private printer of postage stamps since in 1991, and of stamped envelopes since 2008.  Printer of the first commemoratives produced exclusively by offset lithography, the 1992 Wildflowers Stamps pane,  Scott 2647-2696. ashton-potter (usa) ltd.
Atherton Shift a striking double transfer on the 1861 2¢ black Andrew Jackson postage stamp. atherton shift
Atlanta Trial Color Proofs proofs, in various colors, of previously issued stamps, created for display at the 1881 Atlanta Cotton Exposition.  Example: Scott 116TC. atlanta trial color proofs
Attached Rate Handstamp A handstamp of a circular postmark to which is attached a postage rate value or the word " PAID" or " Free."  Used in the 1830s and 1840s. attached rate handstamp
Attleboro Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate flat plate stamps by the Attleboro Stamp Co. for use in an affixing machine. attleboro perforations
Attleboro Stamp Co. a stamp company in Massachusetts that produced private coils for use in its own affixing machine. attleboro stamp co.
August Issues nickname for a group of essays and trial color proofs once erroneously given catalogue status as postage stamps.  The nickname derives from the belief that they were printed in August 1861.  Example:  Scott 63-E11e. august issues
Austrian Occupation Issues see Allied Military Government Stamps. austrian occupation issues
Auto-wound 1.) the semi-automatic, mechanical process of creating coil stamps from manually assembled flat plate sheets, introduced at the BEP in 1910.  2.) a phrase printed on the coil leader of some stamps. auto-wound
Automated Postal Center a machine introduced by the United States Postal Service in 2004 allowing customers to use a debit or credit card to purchase computer-generated postage stamps and also mail items. automated postal center
Automatic Canceling Machines canceling machines introduced in 1963 when phosphor tagging was introduced.  These machines replaced manual canceling machines. automatic cancelling machines
Auxiliary Marking postal marking applied to covers indicating that the covers were given special attention due to some special circumstance.  Examples: "Postage Due," "Return to Sender," and "Refused."   Auxiliary markings are sometimes known as Instructional Markings. auxiliary marking
Avery Dennison private printer of postage stamps beginning in 1991 with the 29¢ Libery Torch, Scott 2531A. avery dennison
Avery International private printer of postage stamps beginning in 1990 with the 25¢ Flag self-adhesive stamp, Scott 2475.  Previously Avery International provided pressure sensitive materials for other stamps, including the first self-adhesive stamp, the 1974 10¢ Dove Weathervane, Scott 1552. avery international
AVSEC Clearance Stamp AVSEC is USPS shorthand for “Aviation Security.”   This auxiliary marking was introduced in 2002 as a security feature. avsec clearance stamp
B Grill one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, about 18x15mm in size.  Example: Scott 82. b grill
Baby Zepp a nick name for 1933 50¢ Century of Progress Flight air mail postage stamp, which portrays the Graf Zeppelin.  Scott C18. baby zepp
Back numbers sequential numbers printed on the back of large rolls of coil stamps to aid in counting. back numbers
Back-of-the Book items listed in Scott Catalogue following Postage Stamps, which begin their Scott number with a letter prefix.  For example, catalogue numbers for Air Mail Stamps are prefixed with "C" and those for revenue stamps are prefixed with "R". back-of-the book
Backprint printing which intentionally appears on the back of a stamp. backprint
Backstamp a postal marking, usually applied to the back of a cover, evidencing either the arrival of a cover at its destination post office or the handling of a cover while in transit.  Applying a backstamp to First Class Mail upon arrival at the destination post office was mandatory from 1879 until 1913.   The backstamping of ordinary air mail was discontinued in 1929.  See Receiving Mark and Transit Mark. backstamp
Band Tagging a continuous narrow band of horizontal or vertical tagging that extends across a pane of stamps.  Example: 1973 8¢ Postal Service Employees stamps, Scott 1489-1498. band tagging
Bank Notes nickname for the stamps of 1870-1894 produced by the National Bank Note Co., Continental Bank Note Co., and American Bank Note Co.  The Bank Notes are sub-divided into Large Bank Notes and Small Bank Notes.  Begins with Scott 134. banknotes
Banknote Corporation of America private printer of modern stamps, beginning with the 1992 29¢ Eagle & Shield, Scott 2595. banknote corporation of america
Barcode 1.) a machine-readable code typically in the form of parallel lines of variable height or spacing sprayed in a row on the front or back of a cover by the U.S. Postal Service or mailer.  The POSTNET barcode is used to expedite the sorting and delivery of mail.  Other barcodes are used for tracing and tracking mail and are used in indicia for security purposes.  2.) a machine-readable code used by the BEP as part of their Electronic Stamp Inspection process.  Barcodes are sprayed onto the margins of all coil and booklet  stamps to facilitate the identification and removal of defective stamps.  While these bar codes are usually trimmed off in the manufacturing process, booklet panes do exist with a barcode on the tab. barcode
Barr-Fyke manufacturer of cancelling machines from 1897 to about 1905; best known for cancels with long vertical bars barr-fyke
Barrel Duplex a duplex handstamp in which the cancel has a central section shaped like a barrel, usually containing a number or letter.  2.) the impression left by a barrel duplex cancel handstamp on a cover. barrel duplex
Barry Postal Supply Co. major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from the 1890s to the 1910s; an oval dial is this company's most distinctive postmark. barry postal supply co.
Barton Press subcontractor to Banknote Corporation of America for printing the 1994 Wonders of the Sea stamps ( Scott 2863-2866). barton press
Battleships nickname for the documentary and proprietary revenue stamps of 1898 depicting the U. S. Navy battleship Maine.  ( Scott R161-172 & RB20-31) battleships
Bear Stamps nickname for the St. Louis, Missouri postmasters’ provisional stamps of 1845. bear stamps
Beecher-Wawrukiewicz authors of postage rate studies.  Their definitive works are U.S. Domestic Postal Rates, 1872-1999 and U.S. International Postal Rates, 1872-1996.  Both works have updates available. beecher-wawrukiewicz
Beer Stamps revenue stamps ( Scott REA) issued 1866 - 1951 to pay the federal tax on beer. beer stamps
BEP see Bureau of Engraving and Printing. bep
BIA see Bureau Issues Association. bia
Bisect see Fractional Usages. bisect
Black Hardings black stamps issued in 1923 to mourn the death of President Warren Harding; Scott 610-613. black hardings
Black Heritage Series series of commemorative  postage stamps honoring Black Americans; begun in 1978 with the Harriet Tubman stamp ( Scott 1744). black heritage series
Black Jack nickname for the black 2¢ Andrew Jackson stamps and postal envelopes first issued in 1863.  Examples: Scott 73 and U46. black jack
Blind Perforations an impression made by perforating pins in a place where perforations were intended, but from which chads were not removed.  These interesting varieties are not imperforate stamps.  Blind perforations are considered freaks, not errors. blind perforations
Block a unit of stamps, generally four or more in number. block
Block Tagging a rectangle of clear phosphor taggant ink applied over a stamp's design, as opposed to taggant covering the entire stamp. block tagging
Bluish Paper paper with 35% rag content (instead of all wood pulp) and a blue mineral colorant used to print certain postage stamps issued in 1909.  The resulting stamp papers have a pale bluish color.  Examples: Scott 357-366. bluish paper
Boating Stamp revenue stamp used on applications for motorboats.  Scott RVB. boating stamp
BOB see Back of the Book. bob
Bobst-Champlain Perforator work-horse perforator at the BEP for definitive sheet stamps during the late 1980s and beyond.  Introduced in February 1985, this machine uses a Eureka bullseye perforation die to perforate two adjoining panes across a printed web at a time.  It also separated the web into sheets four panes square then stacked them. bobst champlain perforator
Body Bag see Ambulance bag. body bag
Booklet a unit of stamps, sold by the post office, comprising one or more booklet panes.  Traditional booklets used cardboard covers stapled or glued together to protect the enclosed booklet panes.  With a few exceptions, traditional booklet panes used water-activated gum.  Contemporary booklets (both convertible booklets and vending booklets) contain self-adhesive stamps and are sold as single panes.  Contemporary booklets do not have separate covers.  The backing paper serves as the cover. booklet
Booklet Pane 1.) a unit of stamps produced for use in a traditional booklets (those with cardboard covers).  Such booklet panes usually, but not always, have water activated gum.  Panes in a traditional booklet usually (but not always) have six stamps.  2.) a unit of self-adhesive stamps sold by the post office as a complete booklet that may be folded for the sake of convenience to form a convertible booklet.  3.) a unit of stamps sold as a booklet through a vending machine. booklet pane
Branch a retail postal facility that is subordinate to a primary (main) post office. branch
Brinkerhoff Company a manufacturer of vending machines and private coils once located in Sedalia, Mo., and Clinton, Iowa. brinkerhoff co.
Brinkerhoff Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate  flat plate  postage stamps by The Brinkerhoff Company for use in its vending machines. brinkerhoff perforations
Broken Hat nickname for a plate variety on the 2¢ Columbian of 1893.  Scott 231. broken hat
Brunswick Printings AMG printed in 1945 in Brunswick, Germany. brunswick printings
Buffalo Balloon an 1877 balloon flight in Tennessee that carried mail and for which a privately printed stamp was issued.  Scott CL1. buffalo balloon
Bulk Mail quantity mail that is rated by bulk (aggregate weight), rather than by the piece, although minimum per-piece rates apply. bulk mailing
Bullseye a stamp on which the postmark is struck directly on the center of the stamp.  Also known as " socked-on-the-nose." bullseye
Bullseye perforations perforations that meet perfectly in the corners of stamps. bullseye perforations
Bureau Issue a product of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. bureau issue
Bureau Issues Association former name of the United States Stamp Society. bureau issues association
Bureau of Engraving and Printing a division of the U.S. Treasury Department with production facilities in Washington, D.C. producing almost all stamps from 1894 through the 1960s.  Since 1967 the BEP shared the production of stamps with a wide variety of private companies.  Production of stamps by the BEP ended in 2005. bureau of engraving and printing
Bureau Precancel a stamp with the precancel applied at the BEP. bureau precancel
Bureau Print see Bureau Issue. bureau print
Bureau Specialist the monthly journal of the Bureau Issues Association (USSS) from 1930 to 1966 when the journal was renamed The United States Specialist. bureau specialist
Burnish the process of removing unwanted entries from an engraved printing plate, which is performed by a plate finisher. burnish
Business Reply Mail a postal service that allows a mailer to receive mail back from customers on which the customer has not paid postage.  The mailer pays the postage and fees when the mailed item is returned to the mailer. business reply mail
Butler & Carpenter printers of the revenue stamps issued from 1862-1871. butler & carpenter
Cachet 1.) any text or graphic applied to an envelope for a commemorative purpose.  Cachets are frequently found on First Day Covers, Patriotic Covers and Event Covers.  2) any advertisement, censor marking or commercial handstamp applied to a cover. cachet
CAM see Contract Air Mail. cam
Canadian Bank Note Company subcontractor to Stamp Venturers.  Example: 1992 29¢ Earl Warren definitive  postage stamp ( Scott 2184). canadian banknote corp.
Canal Zone a territory leased to the United States from 1904 to 1979 and for which stamps were issued.  Those stamps include overprinted issues of Panama and the U.S., and stamps designed and printed specifically for the Canal Zone by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. canal zone
Cancel see Cancellation. cancel
Cancellation any postal marking applied to a stamp to prevent its reuse.  Cancellation is not synonymous with postmark, although the two terms are frequently confused and used interchangeably.  Cancellations have been applied by handstamps, machine, including sprayed on, and pen or marker cancellation
Cancelling Machines machines that cancel stamps and postmark envelopes in a single operation.  Many different makes and models of cancelling machines have been used by post offices. cancelling machines
Carmine Error nickname for Scott 467, 485, and 505.  The transfer roll for a 5¢ stamp, normally printed in blue, was mistakenly used on a plate of 2¢ stamps printed in carmine, thus creating a color error for the 5¢ stamp. carmine error
Carpenter, Jos. R. printer of 19th century revenue stamps. carpenter, jos. r.
Carrier Service the pick-up of mail by an official letter carrier from collection boxes and residences along his route, and the delivery of that mail to the local post office, or directly to an addressee in the same city.  Sometimes carrier service included delivery of mail from the post office to an addressee.  The fee for this service (prior to the elimination of the fee on June 30, 1863 and establishment of free city delivery) was either 1¢ or 2¢.  Special Carrier Stamps were issued to pay for this service.  Prior to July l, 1863 the payment of regular postage only paid for transportation of mail between post offices. carrier service
Carriers' Stamps stamps that paid for carrier service.  Carriers' Stamps for national use were issued beginning in 1851 and are called Official Issues or general issues ( Scott LO).  Other carriers' stamps were used locally in Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. ( Scott LB).  They were issued by or under the authority of the local postmaster.  They are called semi-official issues, and were issued as early as 1842. carrier stamps
Catapult Mail mail carried by air, for a fee, from a ship at sea to land.  This obsolete service was intended to shorten the length of time it took mail to cross the Atlantic Ocean. catapult mail
CDS see Circular Date Stamp. cds
Censored Mail a cover that has had its contents examined by civilian or military censors, and which bears a marking evidencing such examination. censored mail
Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once a decade in the U.S.  Held in New York City in 1947.  A stamp (947) and souvenir sheet (948) were issued in conjunction with this show. centenary international philatelic exhibition
Center Line Block a block of stamps from the very center of certain sheets, that is, a block on which two guidelines intersect each other. center line block
Century of Progress Issues Scott 728-731 and an air mail stamp (C18) issued in conjunction with the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago.  The air mail stamp also marks an October 1933 flight of the Graf Zeppelin to the Century of Progress Exposition. century of progress issues
Ceremony Programs programs issued in conjunction with First Day events.  While formerly individualized for each new issue, generic programs are noe used. ceremony programs
Certificate of Authenticity a certificate from a recognized authority attesting to the genuineness of a philatelic item.  Also see expertization. certificate of authenticity
Certificate of Mailing service for a fee that provides evidence of mailing.  Certificates of Mailing were first made available in 1915. certificate of mailing
Certified Mail service for a fee that provides a mailing receipt and maintenance by the USPS of a delivery record.  Certified Mail requires the signature of the recipient.  First offered in 1955. certified mail
Certified Mail Stamp a stamp issued in 1955 to pay the fee for Certified Mail.  Scott FA1. certified mail stamp
Chads the bits of paper removed in the perforating process. chads
Champions of Liberty series of commemorative  postage stamps (late 1950s to early 1960s) honoring foreign nationals who sought freedom in their homelands.  Example: Scott 1125. champions of liberty
Changeling a stamp on which the color has been changed as the result of a chemical reaction. changeling
Charity Stamp see Semi-postal. charity stamp
Chicago Perfs nickname for the first perforated stamps produced by a machine.  These unofficial perforations were privately applied to 3¢ imperforate stamps ( Scott 11) by a Chicago businessman. chicago perfs
China Clay Paper a paper with a 15 to 20% mineral content, used to print a small quantity of stamps in 1909.  Example: Scott 331b.   Some authorities dispute the existence of China Clay paper. china clay paper
China Clipper the seaplane depicted on the three "China-Clipper" air mail stamps of 1935 and 1937 ( Scott C20-22), and the 1985 Air Mail Postal Card, Scott UXC22, which carried mail across the Pacific to and from San Francisco, with inaugural service to Manila on November 22, 1935, on FAM 14. china clipper
Christmas Seals privately produced, fund raising labels intended for use on mail during the Christmas season.  First issued in 1907.  Scott numbers are prefixed with WX. christmas seals
Chrome Plating technique of covering engraved steel plates with a thin layer of chromium to make them last longer. Also see: CS. chrome plating
Chrome Stain a printing variety on a stamp that is the result of chrome plating stripping off a printing plate.  See CS chrome stain
Cigarette Tubes Stamps revenue stamps used the pay a tax on cigarette paper.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RH. cigarette tube stamps
Cinderella a nickname frequently used for fantasy labels with no postal validity. cinderella
CIPEX see Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition. cipex
Circular Date Stamp circular postmark, which generally contains the city and state of mailing as well as the date and time the postmark was applied. circular date stamp
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee advisory committee to the Postmaster General, formed in 1957 to recommend new postage stamp issues. citizens' stamp advisory committee
City Despatch Post a private local post established in New York City in 1841.  The first local stamp it issued ( Scott 40L1) was the first adhesive stamp used in the United States.  This organization was purchased by the Post Office and re-organized as United States City Despatch Post. city despatch post
Clay Paper see China Clay Paper. clay paper
Clipper generic name for the planes flown by Pan American on its trans-oceanic routes.  See also China Clipper. clipper
Closed Mail mid-nineteenth century mail moved by ship in sealed bags from an exchange office to an exchange office in another country, containing mail for that country. closed mail
Closed Transit Dispatches closed bags of international mail that pass through an intermediate country without being opened. closed transit dispatches
Closing of the Mail the time after which mail will no longer be accepted by a local post office for dispatch by a specific train or ship.  See Supplementary Mail. closing of the mail
Clothes-line Stamp nickname for the 1939 commemorative ( Scott 858) marking the 50th anniversary of statehood for North and South Dakota, Montana and Washington. clothes-line stamp
Coated Paper paper that has a smooth surface when viewed under magnification.  The "hills and valleys" visible on uncoated paper will either be filled in or have rounded edges.  Coated paper has a range of smoothness.  See Uncoated Papers and Prephosphored Papers. coated paper
COD see Collect on Delivery. cod
Coil Core see Core. coil core
Coil Counting Number see Counting Number. coil counting number
Coil Leader see Leader. coil leader
Coil Line Pair see Joint Line Pair. coil line pair
Coil Paste-up see Paste-up Pair. coil paste-up
Coil Plate Numbers 1.) numbers that appear at regular intervals at the bottom of modern coil stamps.  2.) numbers used on coil stamp platesprior to 1981.  These numbers were normally trimmed off the sheet as a part of the production process and did not normally reach the public.  See also: Partial Plate Numbers. coil plate numbers
Coil Stamps stamps produced in a long strip, either vertically or horizontally.  Some were once issued imperforate.  More commonly coil stamps have been issued with perforations, die cuts or roulettes between the stamps.  Coil stamps have been produced by the BEP and by private printers under contract to the Post Office.  Coil stamps were once produced by private manufacturers from imperforate sheets provided by the Post Office.  Coil stamps are sold by the Postal Service in rolls of 100, 3,000 and 10,000.  Historically they have also been sold in rolls of 500. coil stamps
Coil Waste sheet stamps created from leftover pieces that were intended to become coil stamps, but that were too short for coil stamp production.  Coil waste was released in sheet format as an economy measure.  Example: Scott 578. coil waste
Collateral material material that is not intrinsically philatelic but that is related to philatelic material, and that enhances appreciation for and understanding of philatelic material.  Examples: photographs and maps collateral material
Collect on Delivery service for a fee in which the post office collects money from a mail recipient and forwards the money to the sender. collect on delivery
Collection and Distribution Wagons horse drawn vehicles used briefly by the post office in four cities at the turn of the 20th century for collecting, sorting, postmarking and distributing mail. collection and distribution wagons
Color Changeling see Changeling. color changeling
Color Missing an error resulting from color transferred from a press not appearing on a stamp. color missing
Color Omitted an error resulting from the complete failure of a press to print a color. color omitted
Color Registration Markings marginal markings of various sizes and shapes, in each color used to print a stamp.  When these colored markings are properly aligned with one another, it indicates that the color alignment ( registration) on the entire sheet is correct. color registration markings
Color Trials see Trial Color Proofs. color trials
Columbia Postal Supply Co. major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from the 1900s to the 1950s. columbia postal supply co.
Columbians nickname for the first commemorative series of postage stamps, issued in 1893 to commemorate Christopher Columbus and the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago.  Stamped envelopes ( Scott 230-245 & U348-351) were also issued. columbians
Comb Perforator a rotary perforator with one long horizontal row of pins and numerous short vertical columns of pins.  This pin format resembles a comb.  A single rotation perforates three sides of each of the stamps in a single row. comb perforator
Combination Booklet a booklet containing panes of stamps of more than one denomination. Example: BK68. combination booklet
Combo (combination) a First Day Cover combining a new issue with related stamps or postal stationery. combo
Commemorative a stamp, generally larger in size than a definitive, on sale in limited quantities for a limited period of time, honoring a person, place, event, etc. commemorative
Commemorative Panel a product of the USPS, sold in conjunction with commemorative postage stamps.  Each panel has the commemorative stamp affixed and contains background information and illustrations. commemorative panel
Commercial Cover a cover of commercial (as opposed to philatelic) origin. commercial cover
Complete Matched Set a set of plate blocks representing every number and ""pane <#position" " "pane <#position" pane <#position possible for a given <#stamp>. complete matched set
Compound Perforation two different gauges (sizes) of perforations used on the same stamp.  Most frequently one gauge is used for the vertical perforations, and another for the horizontal perforations.  Example: Scott 857, the Printing Tercentenary Issue.  See also Perforation and Perforation Gauge. compound perforation
Computer Generated Postage postage generated by a computer. computer generated postage
Computer Vended Postage stamps dispensed by a vending machine on which the face value of the postage is imprinted at the time of sale.  See also Denominated Postal Cards. computer vended postage
Concession Rate see Convention Rate. concession rate
Constant Variety a plate variety that appears on a plate and on every sheet printed from it.  All sheets printed from a plate will show the variety from the time the trait is entered on the plate until the time it is removed from the plate.  Sheets printed from the same plate before the trait appeared on the plate, or after it was removed, will not exhibit the constant variety. constant variety
Consular Service Fee Stamp a revenue stamp paying a fee (not a tax) for certain documents issued by American diplomats at consular offices in foreign countries.  Scott RK. consular service fee stamp
Continental Bank Note Co. a contractor which printed postage stamps ( Scott 156-179) from 1873 to 1879. continental bank note co.
Contract Air Mail (CAM)- the system of carrying air mail over established routes, by private contractors, as opposed to air mail carried by government-employed pilots. contract air mail
Contract Station a subunit of a larger post office, operated by a private individual or firm; frequently operated in a private business. contract station
Control Number see Counting Number. control number
Control Perfin a perforation composed of a square pattern of up to nine holes arranged in three rows of three, made by an affixing machine through the face of a Schermack or Mailometer coil.  See Perfin. control perfin
Convention Rate see Treaty Rate convention rate
Convertible Booklet a small pane of modern self-adhesive  postage stamps, sold flat, but designed to be folded into booklet form when the peelable strip(s) is removed.  These booklets do not have separate covers.  The backing paper serves as the cover.  The complete unfolded convertible booklet is considered to be a booklet pane, and the liner paper to which the stamps are attached is the booklet cover. convertible booklet
Copyright Block a margin block of stamps containing a copyright notice.  Copyright notices first appeared in 1978. copyright block
Cordials, Wines, etc. Stamps revenue stamps paying the federal tax on wines.  Issued from 1914 to 1954.  Scott RE. cordials, wines, etc. stamps
Core a strip of brown kraft paper attached to the innermost (last) stamp on a roll of coil stamps. core
Cork Cancel a 19th century cancelling device, made out of cork, usually carved with an image, produced by or at the direction of a local postmaster. cork cancel
Corner Card the printed address of a sender in the upper left corner of an envelope. corner card
Corrosion Stain a printing variety resulting from corrosion on a metal plate. corrosion stain
Cotton Order Stamps stamps produced by the BEP as part of a subsidy program that enabled low income families to purchase goods made with cotton. cotton order stamps
Cottrell Press see Huck-Cottrell Presses. cottrell press
Counting Number 1.) a number printed on the back of the liner of some self-adhesive coil stamps.  This number is an accounting device.  2.) number printed in the trimmed off margin of some earlier coils.  This number aided BEP employees who cut the web of coil stamps into specified lengths (100, 500, or 3,000 stamps), spliced together by a piece of kraft paper.  After such splicing the web was cut and processed into individual coil rolls.  See also: Leader and Core. counting number
Covel Coils privately perforated Second Bureau Issue coil stamps made by the Covel Manufacturing Company of Benton Harbor, Michigan using a Rossback perforator. covel coils
Cover(s) 1.) any intact envelope, postal card, wrapper or similar mailed item.  2.) the printed pieces of cardboard used for the front and back of traditional booklets.  The Scott numbers identifying such booklet covers are prefixed with BC. cover(s)
Cracked Plate a crack in a printing plate that shows up on the corresponding stamps.  Cracks can be progressive, that is, they can get worse with time and use. cracked plate
Crash Cover a cover rescued from the crash site of the plane or other vehicle in which it was being carried.  Such covers generally bear some postal marking explaining their delay and possibly damaged condition. crash cover
Cross Gutter Block a block of stamps containing the intersection of the vertical and horizontal gutters. cross gutter block
CSAC see Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee. csac
Cuba island under U.S. administration from 1899 to 1902, and for which overprinted U.S. stamps were issued. cuba
Curvature Crack see Gripper Crack. curvature crack
Customized Postage postage sold by authorized private vendors containing images supplied by purchasers. customized postage
Customs Fee Stamps revenue stamps used to pay certain customs fees (not duties).  Scott RL. customs fee stamps
Cut Cancel a cancellation that slices into the stamp paper.  Most commonly found on revenue stamps.  Stamps with cut cancellations are generally considered less desirable. cut cancel
Cut Square a section of postal stationery, cut from the entire, which contains the stamp-like indicium.  Cut squares are considered less desirable than entires.  While cut squares from stamped envelopes are considered collectible, cut squares from postal cards are not. cut square
Cut-to-shape the stamp-like indicium from a stamped envelope that has been cut from the entire and trimmed to the size of the indicium.  A cut-to-shape piece is generally less desirable than a cut square. cut-to-shape
Cylinder 1.) the drum-like part of a rotary printing press, also called a mandrel, to which curved printing plates are attached.  2.) the seamless curved plate used on a press to print gravure stamps. cylinder
D Grill one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, about 12 x 14mm in size.  Example: Scott 84. d grill
Danish West Indies territory purchased by U.S. from Denmark on March 31, 1917 and renamed U.S. Virgin Islands. danish west indies
Dated Precancel a precancel stamp marked by the user with the month and year of use. dated precancel
De La Rue Security Printing private printer of postage stamps.  Example: 34¢ Nobel Prize (Scott 3504). de la rue security printing
Dead Letter Office unit of the post office that receives undeliverable mail with no return address, and attempts to return it to the sender.  Until 1917 the Dead Letter Office was located in Washington, D.C.  In 1917 its work was decentralized, with branches in various cities. dead letter office
Decorative Banner the illustrated margin on the top of some modern commemorative  panes.  It has no postal value.  Example: 1996 Summer Olympics, Scott 3068. decorative banner
Definitive postage stamp intended for routine postal use, issued for an indefinite period of time in indefinite quantities.  Also called ordinary stamps. definitive
Delivery Confirmation service for a fee that provides the sender with the date and time of delivery of a piece of mail. delivery confirmation
Demonetized Stamp (or Stamped Envelope) a stamp or stamped envelope that is no longer valid for postage.  Those issued prior to the Civil War have been demonetized.  Most pre-1979 postal cards have been effectively demonetized because they do not meet current minimum size requirements.  Likewise Special Delivery stamps and Newspaper and Periodical stamps have been effectively demonetized. demonetized stamp
Denominated Postal Cards postal cards printed by vending machines in selected locations during the early 1990s.  Scott CVUX. denominated postal cards
Denomination the face value of a stamp, as printed on the stamp, normally in numerals.  Compare: Nondenominated Stamps. denomination
Departmental Stamp see Official Stamps. departmental stamp
Design the image on a stamp. design
Designer the person who creates the artwork that is the basis for a stamp.  Most stamps were once designed by employees of the BEP (e.g. Smith, Huston, Meissner, McCloskey and Chickering).  More recently the Postal Service has relied on non-government employees for designs. designer
Diagonal Half a fractional usage - a stamp bisected diagonally. diagonal half
Dial circular postmarking  die, used to impress a postmark on an envelope, generally containing the following information: city and state of mailing, as well as the date and time the postmark was applied. dial
Die 1.) the piece of steel on which a design is engraved.  A die has the stamp image engraved in reverse (mirror-image).  The creation of the die is the first step in the production of engraved stamps.  2.) the printing surface, found in a cancelling machine, from which a cancellation and postmark are printed on an envelope.  3.) the metal form used for the embossing process. die
Die Cut a modern method of separating self-adhesive stamps.  A cut completely penetrates the paper all around the stamp, making it possible to remove individual stamps from the liner that is underneath.  Die cuts can have a variety of shapes, including straight lines and wavy lines that simulate traditional perforations. die cut
Die Cut Gauge 1.) a number that equals the total quantity of serpentine peaks (or valleys) within the space of 20 mm on die cut stamps.  2.) a tool that measures the total quantity of serpentine peaks (or valleys) within the space of 20 mm on die cut stamps.  Compare: Perforation Gauge. die cut gauge
Die Essay a print made from a die that has not yet been completely engraved, generally made to check the phases of engraving, also known as a progressive die proof. die essay
Die Flaw an imperfection that existed on the surface of a blank die before the die was engraved.  This imperfection can appear on the printed stamps. die flaw
Die Proof a printed impression made directly from a die.  See also: Large Die Proof and Small Die Proof. die proof
Die Sinkage on a large die proof, the impression or indentation in the card made by the die. die sinkage
Directory Markings postal markings applied to a cover indicating forwarding for delivery, or a failed attempt to deliver mail, such as "Address Unknown" or "Forwarding Time Expired". directory markings
Discontinued Post Office a post office no longer in operation, or in operation with a different name. discontinued post office
Disinfected Mail mail that has been treated to prevent the spread of a contagion.  Also see Irradiated Mail. disinfected mail
Distilled Spirits Stamp revenue stamp for payment of taxes on distilled spirits.  Used from 1950 to 1959.  Scott RX. distilled spirits stamp
Distinguished Americans series of definitive stamps begun in 2000 with the 10¢ Joseph Stilwell, Scott 3420. distinguished americans
Dittler Brothers, Inc. private printer of postage stamps.  Their first stamp was the green denominated 29¢ Eagle and Shield of 1992, Scott 2596. dittler brothers, inc.
Doane Cancel a duplex handstamp, common in the early 20th century, containing a numeral as a part of the cancel.  The numeral indicates the annual compensation of the postmaster.  For example, a number 5 in the cancel means that for the year prior to the issuing of the handstamp, the postmaster's annual compensation was between $400 and $499. doane cancel
Docketing notation written on a cover by the recipient.  Docketing sometimes helps establish the date of a cover. docketing
Documentary Stamps revenue stamps used to pay a federal tax on certain transactions that are documented on paper.  The stamps were attached to the documents.  They were first used in 1862 to help pay for the Civil War.  Scott numbers are prefixed with R.  Some documentary stamps have been overprinted to serve other purposes. documentary stamps
Domestic Mail mail that never leaves the mailstream of the United States, as opposed to International Mail. domestic mail
Doremus Machine Company major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from 1900 to the 1930s; known for its vertical bar cancels. doremus machine co.
Double Grill a stamp  grilled twice. double grill
Double Impression a stamp on which the design, or a portion of the design, is doubled.  This occurs when a sheet slips against an offset blanket, or when the press is stopped, relaxing the tension on the web.  Double impressions are freaks.  A double impression is not the same as a double printing or double transfer. double impression
Double Joint Line a joint line on rotary press  stamps that appears to be two parallel lines.  It is caused by a gap between the two rotary plates that is wider than normal. double joint line
Double Line Electros Precancels produced from an electro printing plate with the city and state designation between double lines above and below. double line electros
Double Line Watermark a watermark in which the initials USPS have double lines.  In other words, the initials USPS are outlined and hollow.  Example: Scott 264. Exists with backward-stepping and forward-stepping patterns. double line watermark
Double Paper a stamp printed on two layers of paper.  There are two distinct causes of double paper: 1.) a double paper was intentionally used on some stamps by the Continental Bank Note Co. in the course of printing its Large Banknote stamps of 1873.  2.) double paper resulted on some rotary press stamps when a tear or cut in the web was repaired with a splice.  Splicing required some overlapping of the web, hence creating a double paper variety.  Double paper varieties were also created when two webs were attached to each other. double paper
Double Perforation a stamp or multiple stamps with an extraneous row of perforations; These are freaks, not errors. double perforation
Double Printing a stamp that has passed through the press twice. double printing
Double Transfer a plate variety in which a portion of the design is doubled, that is, it appears twice.  A double transfer occurs on engraved stamps when a design is " rocked" into a plate from a transfer roll in such a way that the rocked images are out of alignment.  Thus, if the siderographer is not careful, the rocking in of the design will cause a part of the design to appear more than once.  Sometimes a double transfer on a plate is discovered and is " burnished" out.  But if this process is not totally successful, some amount of doubling of the design may remain.  All sheets printed from a plate with a double transfer will show the double transfer.  Thus, the double transfer will be a constant variety. double transfer
DPO see Discontinued Post Office. dpo
Drop Letter a letter deposited at a post office for delivery to another patron at the same office.  Drop letters were sometimes charged less than letters requiring dispatch to a different post office.  See also: Local Letter. drop letter
Dropped Mail mail intentionally dropped from an aircraft for forwarding to its destination. dropped mail
Dropped Transfer 1.) an impression on an engraved printing plate caused when a transfer roll accidentally touches the blank plate before being properly positioned.  This results in a narrow band of doubling across the design.  2.) one or more entries on a plate that are lower than intended and lower than the other entries on the plate. dropped transfer
Dry Printing the printing of intaglio stamps on paper with low moisture content.  Dry printing was first used at the BEP in 1953.  All Bureau Issues have been dry printed since the late 1950s.  Compare: Wet Printing. dry printing
Duck Stamps revenue stamps, officially known as "United States Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation" stamps, issued annually, and required to be signed by hunters and affixed to their hunting licenses.  Collected both on and off license.  Scott RW. duck stamps
Dumb Cancel see Mute Cancel. dumb cancel
Dummy Booklet see Dummy Stamps. dummy booklet
Dummy Coil see Dummy Stamps. dummy coil
Dummy Stamps stamp-like labels either without denomination or with a value shown that has a defacement line through it.  Such stamps were used for training and testing purposes.  Produced in sheet, coil and booklet format.  These "stamps" have no postal value or validity. dummy stamps
Duplex Handstamp 1) a single unit handstamp uniting both a postmark and a cancel.  First introduced in the 1860s and in use through the 1940s.  2) the impression left by a duplex cancel handstamp on a cover. duplex cancel
Durland abbreviated term for Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog, the authoritative catalog of plate numbers originally published by Clarence Durland beginning in 1950, and now edited and published by the United States Stamp Society. durland
E Grill one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, about 11 x 13mm in size.  Example: Scott 86. e grill
E-COM (Electronic Computer-Originated Mail) a service of the USPS begun in 1982 enabling a customer to send a bulk mail message from a computer terminal.  The Post Office delivered the messages in special blue and white envelopes.  The service ended in 1985. e-com
Earliest Documented Use the earliest date on which a stamp or item of postal stationery is known to have been used, as documented by expert opinion.  Generally applied to items issued in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that did not have formal first days of issue and that might have arrived at different post offices at different times. earliest documented use
Earliest Known Use the earliest known date on which a stamp is used, even if prior to the official first day of issue.  Generally applied to contemporary stamps. earliest known use
Early Impression a stamp produced in the first phase of a plate’s life, before the plate shows any indication of wear. early impression
Early Matching Use a term applied to a First Issue Revenue stamp used in the last few days of 1862 or early 1863 when the stamp is used on the type of document for which it was intended. early matching use
EDU see Earliest Documented Use. edu
EFO see Errors, Freaks and Oddities. efo
EKU see Earliest Known Use. eku
Electric Eye 1.) a device that employs a beam of light to facilitate more accurate perforation of stamps during the manufacturing process.  2.) the markings (see Electric Eye Dashes,  Electric Eye Margin Line,  Electric Eye Gutter Bar, and Electric Eye Frame Bars) in the margins and gutters of sheets of stamps that enable the electric eye device to accomplish its purpose of more accurately perforating stamps.  Stamps with electric eye markings were first sold in 1935. electric eye
Electric Eye Dashes vertical dashes in the vertical gutter between the right and left panes that were used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  First used experimentally in 1933. electric eye dashes
Electric Eye Frame Bars horizontal lines in the sheet margin used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  This marking was first used in 1939. electric eye frame bars
Electric Eye Gutter Bar horizontal line in the left sheet margin at the end of the horizontal sheet gutter that was used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  This marking replaced the Electric Eye Margin Line on some plates in 1939. electric eye gutter bar
Electric Eye Margin Line horizontal line in the right margin of a sheet at the end of the horizontal sheet gutter that was used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  First used experimentally in 1933. electric eye margin line
Electronic Computer-Originated Mail see E-COM. electronic computer-originated mail
Embossed Double Impression a stamped envelope on which the embossed stamp-like indicium is doubled.  Such doubling usually involves some overlapping.  An error. embossed double impression
Embossed Envelope a stamped envelope produced by the embossing process.  Example: New York World's Fair Issue, Scott U546. embossed envelope
Embossing the process of impressing a design into paper with a die so that the design is raised up on the paper; similar to a rotary seal.  The embossing process was used for most stamped envelopes of the 19th and 20th centuries. embossing
EMU see Early Matching Use. emu
Encased Postage a postage stamp encased in a coin-like container that was treated as if it were a coin with a face value equivalent to that printed on the stamp.  Encased postage was used in the Civil War period.  Scott numbers are prefixed with EP. encased postage
Endwise Coil coil stamps with perforations along the top and bottom, as opposed to a sidewise coil. endwise coil
Engraver a skilled craftsperson who engraves a die. engraver
Engraving a process by which a stamp's design is cut into a metal die.  The design is then transferred to a transfer roll and then from the transfer roll to a printing plate.  The recesses created by transferring the design to the plate are filled with ink in the printing process.  Paper that is forced under pressure into these recesses picks up ink, thus reproducing the design on the paper.  A distinguishing characteristic of the engraving process is that the dried ink on the printed sheet has texture that can be felt by lightly touching the surface with a fingernail or a pair of stamp tongs.  Although few modern stamps are printed by the engraving method, it was the dominant method of stamp production until well into the middle of the 20th century. engraving
Entire 1.) an intact piece of postal stationery, that is, a piece of postal stationery that has not been reduced in size.  Not a cut square.  2.) any intact cover. entire
Entry the image of a stamp on a printing plate. entry
Ephemera printed material of a transient nature, not intended to be stored, filed or kept. ephemera
Error a major and total production mistake, often defined as a mistake that can be identically repeated.  Examples: Inverts (such as Scott C3a), imperforate stamps that were intended to be perforated, use of the wrong perforation gauge, and totally missing colors or tagging. error
Errors, Freaks, and Oddities a collective term for philatelic material that deviates in some manner from an intended norm.  An error may be considered to have a greater deviation from the intended norm than a freak.  Oddities encompass a wide range of unusual variations. errors, freaks and oddities
Essay artwork officially proposed as the design for a stamp.  An essay is artwork that was not adopted for the design; hence it differs from the design that was issued.  A Progressive Die Proof is a special type of essay sometimes referred to as a "die essay."  Scott numbers contain an E preceded by a number. essay
Etiquette a gummed label placed on an envelope indicating a desired postal service.  Air mail etiquettes are the most common. etiquette
Europe - Pan America Round Flight 1930 flight of the Graf Zeppelin from Germany to South America, to Lakehurst, New Jersey and then back to Germany.  The U.S. issued three high value air mail stamps - the " Zepps" - for this flight. europe - pan america round flight
Even Tagging tagging that appears smooth or even when viewed under short wave ultraviolet light, as opposed to mottled or grainy tagging.  An example is the 1995 Milton Hershey stamp, Scott 2933. even tagging
Event Cover a cover, usually with a cachet, marking an event.  Examples of event covers include: first flight covers, airport dedication covers, and stamp show covers. event cover
Exchange Label gummed labels used by post offices designated as exchange offices to distinguish and account for international registered mail during the period 1883 to 1911.  They are known from at least 25 post offices, with New York being the most common. exchange label
Exchange Office a postal facility, typically in a large port city, which handled the "exchange" of mail between the U.S. and foreign countries. exchange office
Expertization the process by which an expertizing service renders an authoritative opinion on the genuineness of stamps and covers.  Most authoritative opinions are provided by the American Philatelic Expertizing Service (a service of the APS), and by The Philatelic Foundation. expertization
Exploded Booklet a booklet that has been disassembled, usually to facilitate the display of the individual components: covers, panes, interleaving and staple. exploded booklet
Express Mail 1) an expedited delivery service provided to the general public by the Postal Service since 1971.  2) a premium priced government service in the early (pre-stamp) 19th century.  3) a private service provided since the mid-19th century by companies such as Wells, Fargo and Co. which operated "The Pony Express." An 1845 law prohibited private express companies from carrying letter mail unless regular postage was paid in addition to the express company charges. express mail
F Grill one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, about 9 x 13mm in size. Example: Scott 92. f grill
Face the front of a stamp, that is, the side bearing the printed design.  Compare: Face Value. face
Face Value the postage value of a stamp, generally indicated in numerals printed on the face of the stamp. face value
Facing the orienting of envelopes by the Postal Service in a consistent manner for subsequent sorting or mail processing operations. facing
Facing Slip a piece of paper placed by a postal employee on the top of a bundle of mail as a part of the sorting and distribution process.  It was usually postmarked. facing slip
Facsimile Mail Service a service provided briefly by the USPS beginning in 1971 that enabled customers to send fax messages which were then delivered by the post office in specially designed envelopes. facsimile mail service
False Franking use of a stamp, generally on bulk-rate mail, which pays only a portion of the actual cost of mailing the item. false franking
FAM see Foreign Air Mail Route. fam
Famous Americans series of commemorative  postage stamps honoring authors, poets, educators, scientists, composers and artists appearing in 1940.  Begins with Scott 859. famous americans
Fancy Cancel a cancel that is pictorial or geometric in nature, produced by a local post office. fancy cancel
Farley's Follies a nickname given to a 1935 special printing of stamps ( Scott 752-771).  Postmaster General James Farley had given selected individuals imperforate, ungummed, uncut sheets of 1933-1934 commemoratives.  After protests from collectors similar imperforate sheets were made available to the public at face value. farley's follies
Farwell Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate  flat plate  postage stamps by the Farwell Company for use in Schermack affixing machines. farwell perforations
Fast Mail a train which consists exclusively of mail cars. The first one operated between New York and Chicago. fast mail
FDOI see: First Day of Issue. fdoi
Feed Lines lines placed upon certain flat plates as an aid to the proper placement of sheets of paper upon the plate. feed lines
Fergusson & Sons (J.W.) private printer of modern postage stamps.  Example: Scott 2454, which is one of the 5¢ Canoe stamps. fergusson & sons (j.w.)
Fermented Fruit Juice Stamps revenue stamps, used in 1933 pending the repeal of prohibition, to pay the federal tax on certain wines and fermented juice products legalized by Congress effective April 7, 1933.  Scott numbers are prefixed with REF. fermented fruit juice stamps
Fifth Bureau Issue see Presidential Series. fifth bureau issue
Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition one in a series of international stamp shows hosted in the U.S. once every ten years.  It was held in New York City in 1956.  A stamp ( Scott 1075)and souvenir sheet (1076) were issued in conjunction with this show. fifth international philatelic exhibition
Finisher Initials see Plate Finisher Initials. finisher initials
Finishing the processing of a web of printed stamps into units ready for sale to customers. finishing
FIPEX see Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition. fipex
First Bureau Issue see Series of 1894. first bureau issue
First Class Mail the class of mail required for sending letters, post cards,  postal cards, invoices, statements and payments.  First Class Mail is sealed against inspection, a feature that permits private messages.  Priority Mail is a form of First Class mail. first class mail
First Day Cover a cover  cancelled on the day a stamp is issued, in the city in which it is released.  Modern First Day Covers may actually be cancelled up to 30 days after the date of issue, and not necessarily in the city whose postmarks they bear. First Day Covers may be addressed or unaddressed, and with or without cachets.  See also Unofficial First Day Cover and Second Day Cover. first day cover
First Day of Issue the date on which a stamp is issued. first day of issue
First Flight Cover a cover flown on a flight marking the inauguration of a new air mail route, or a new stop on an existing air mail route, or the initial flight of an airline. first flight cover
First Issue Revenue Stamps revenue stamps ( Scott R1-R102) issued from 1862-1871 to help finance the Civil War. first issue revenue stamps
Flag Cancel a cancel (generally a machine cancel) that features a flag as part of its design.  Flag cancels were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most of them produced by American Postal Machine Co. machines.  See also Involute Flag Cancel. flag cancel
Flat Plate Press a press that prints from a flat plate (as opposed to a curved or cylindrical plate).  Until 1915 only the Flat Plate Press was used to print stamps. flat plate press
Flats Post Office term for large envelopes in the mailstream. flats
Fleet Post Office a military post office for Navy and Marine personnel.  APOs and FPOs are often referenced together. fleet post office
Flexography Letterpress printing that employs a resilient synthetic or rubber composition plate. flexography
Flier the most enduring cancelling machine ever used by the Post Office; manufactured by International Postal Supply Company.  Introduced in 1888, some later versions of the machine were still in service at the beginning of the 21st century. flier
Floating Plate Numbers numbers on a plate block whose positions vary from pane to pane, thus creating a large number of possible combinations.  Example: 1976 13¢ Currier & Ives Christmas stamp, Scott 1703.  Plate numbers on most stamp  panes do not float. floating plate numbers
Flora & Fauna Series definitive series of postage stamps begun in 1990.  Begins with Scott 2476. flora & fauna series
Flown Cover a cover that has been carried by air mail, and bears evidence of having been flown. flown cover
Fluorescence stamp paper or inks containing fluorescent brighteners that glow brighter while exposed to short or long wave ultraviolet light.  There is no afterglow, and fluorescent papers usually glow a bluish-white.  Stamp inks containing fluorescent brighteners can glow in a variety of colors. fluorescence
Flyspecking the act of seeking, examining, studying or collecting stamps with minor variations. flyspecking
Folded Letter a sheet of paper with a message written on one side, and folded in such a way that the name and address of the recipient could be written on the exposed blank side of the paper.  Folded letters were gradually made obsolete by the introduction of envelopes. folded letter
Foldover (under) stamp(s) affected during the printing or perforating process by a paperfold, often producing spectacular freaks. foldover (under)
Food Order Stamps stamps produced by the BEP as part of a subsidy program that enabled low income families to purchase food at grocery stores. food order stamps
Foreign Air Mail Route air mail service provided by contract carriers, on established routes, to foreign countries. foreign air mail route
Foreign Entry see Foreign Transfer. foreign entry
Foreign Transfer 1) the appearance on a plate (and resulting stamp) of the remnants of a wrong design.  This occurs when an incorrect transfer roll is used to enter a design on a plate, and when, upon discovery of the mistake, the incorrect impression is not completely burnished out before the correct one is entered in its place.  2) the intact appearance of an incorrect design on a plate (and resulting stamp), caused by the undetected use of a wrong transfer roll by a siderographer.  Classic example: 5¢ rose stamps of 1917 ( Scott 467, 485 and 505). foreign transfer
Forever Stamp a nondenominated stamp that is always valid for an amount of postage equal to the then current cost of mailing a 1-ounce first class letter. forever stamp
Forwarding the service of sending a piece of mail to an address other than the one originally on the cover in order to deliver it to the person to whom it is addressed.  This service has, at various times, been provided both with and without additional charge. forwarding
Forwarding Agent a person or entity, usually in a foreign city, who sends a piece of mail entrusted to him on to an addressee in the most expeditious manner.  This was a service made obsolete by the formation of the Universal Postal Union. forwarding agent
Four Bar Cancel a duplex handstamp consisting of a circular postmark and four parallel bars as a cancel. four bar cancel
Fourth Bureau Issue see Series of 1922. fourth bureau issue
Fourth Class Mail obsolete mail classification for packages, also known as parcel post. fourth class mail
FPO see Fleet Post Office. fpo
Fractional Usages use of a portion of a stamp.  Stamps were sometimes cut in half (or some other fraction) and placed on an envelope in an attempt to pay postage equal to one half (or other fraction) of the face value of the whole stamp.  Occasionally an approved practice, sometimes tolerated, especially when there was a shortage of stamps in a needed denomination.  Fractional usages are generally collected tied on cover.  One half of a stamp is known as a bisect. fractional usages
Frame the outer portion of a stamp design, which encloses the central portion ( vignette) of the design. frame
Frank(ing) an indication on an envelope (e.g.  stamp,  meter,  PVI,  signature, printed message) that the postage has been paid or that the envelope is to be carried without payment of postage. frank(ing)
Franklin-Washington Series see Washington-Franklin Head Issues. franklin-washington series
Freak a mistake in production caused by an unusual circumstance not likely to be identically repeated, such as a color shift, perforation shift, inking irregularity or paper fold.  A freak is a less severe and less valuable mistake than an error. freak
Free Frank the right to send mail without payment of postage.  Usually indicated by a signature where a stamp is usually affixed.  This privilege has been extended to various individuals at different times, including government officials and military personnel. free frank
French Occupation Issues see Allied Military Government Stamps. french occupation issues
Front the front (face) of a cover from which the back panels have been removed.  A front is less desirable than an entire. front
Fugitive Ink soluble ink that tends to dissolve when placed in water or watermark fluid.  See also Aniline Ink and Pink Backs. fugitive ink
Future Delivery Stamp revenue stamp issued to pay the tax on a future delivery instrument.  All Future Delivery Stamps are overprints of the Documentary Stamps of 1917.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RC. future delivery stamp
Gaps in Tagging tagging gaps and bright lines as observed under ultraviolet light.  They can be caused by: the gap where tagging plates butt together; screws and clips used to hold tagging mats to their cylinders; the scraping action of perforating wheels and guides; scratches and foreign matter on the tagging plates or rollers; cleaning solvent residue on the tagging rollers; etc. gaps in tagging
Gauge see Perforation. gauge
General Delivery the delivery of mail over the post office counter to customers in a community without local delivery or post office boxes, or to other persons, such as travelers, who lack an address in the community. general delivery
General Post Office typically the main post office in a given city. general post office
German Occupation Issues see Allied Military Government Stamps. german occupation issues
Ghost Tagging Images portions of a stamp's image, or more commonly the plate number from the just previously printed plate, setoff on the following printed stamp.  Ghosts occur during offset tagging, are usually faint, and slightly off center. ghost tagging images
Giori Press sheet-fed, multicolor, intaglio,  rotary presses that were first used to print the 4¢ American Flag stamp of 1957 ( Scott 1094).  This press could print in three colors and is best known for the bright, multicolored commemorative  postage stamps of the late 1950s through the 1970s. giori press
Glow-Bar Tagging vertical bar of tagging used on some Postal Stationery issues.  Size varies, and the bar is usually to the left of the indicium.  Examples: 1982 20¢ Purple Heart stamped envelope  ( Scott U603); 1987 14¢ Plow postal card  ( Scott UX115). glow-bar tagging
Goebel Booklet Forming Machine machine introduced at the BEP in 1977 for the manufacture of booklets. goebel booklet forming machine
Government Coil coil stamps produced by the BEP, or by a private manufacturer working under contract to the Post Office, as opposed to coil stamps produced by a private company from BEP sheets for its own proprietary purpose. government coil
Government Flight air mail flight on which the pilot was a federal employee, as opposed to Contract Air Mail Flights. government flight
Government Printing Office federal agency that has printed all postal cards since 1910 and many aerograms. government printing office
GPO see 1) General Post Office.  2) Government Printing Office. gpo
Grainy Tagging tagging with an uneven, grainy appearance when viewed using ultraviolet light, as opposed to even or mottled tagging. grainy tagging
Gravure a printing process utilizing cylinders (a separate one for each color) upon which the design has been recessed in dots by photographic and chemical means.  The web is printed directly from these cylinders.  The first stamp to be produced by gravure was the 1967 5¢ Eakins Commemorative, Scott 1335. gravure
Great Americans Issue the longest running definitive stamp series, issued between 1980 and 1999.  Its 63 face-different stamps give it more face-different stamps than any other series.  The first Scott number is 1844. great americans issue
Gridiron Cancels common 19th century cancellations consisting of rows of parallel lines enclosed in a circle. gridiron cancels
Grill 1) a device with a waffle-like pattern of parallel rows of raised points that is used to break the paper fiber of stamps  2) the waffle-like pattern of raised, broken points on a stamp, created by a grilling device.  Stamps were grilled from 1867-1871 by the National Bank Note Co. as a security device.  By breaking the fibers of paper it was hoped to make the ink used in cancellations more completely absorbed and thus harder to wash out. grill
Gripper Cracks cracks formed in a curved rotary press plate at the spot where clamps hold the plate to the press. gripper cracks
Guam a U.S. territory for which overprinted stamps were used from 1899-1901. guam
Guide Dot a dot placed upon an engraved plate as a guide to the siderographer in properly placing subjects upon the plate. guide dot
Guide Line Block a block of stamps that is divided in half, either vertically or horizontally, by a guide line.  See also Center Line Block guide line block
Guide Line Pair a pair of flat plate stamps with a segment of a guide line between them.  This term is most commonly used in association with coil stamps. guide line pair
Guide Lines lines inscribed on a plate as an aid to perforating or cutting a sheet into panes.  Guide lines are not the same as Joint Lines. guide lines
Guilford Gravure Incorporated private printer of postage stamps.  Their association with stamp production began when their plant and presses were used by BEP employees to print the 1970 Anti-Pollution Issue ( Scott 1410-1413) and 1970 Christmas stamps ( Scott 1414-1418). guilford gravure inc.
Gum the adhesive substance applied to the back of stamps that enables them to be affixed to an envelope.  See also Water-activated Gum and Self-Adhesive Stamp gum
Gum Breakers the horizontal or slightly diagonal impressions created on the gum of rotary sheet stamps by physically "breaking" the gum.  Breakers look something like speed-bumps, and were created as part of the perforating process.  The intended purpose of breakers was to reduce the tendency of panes to curl.  Gum breakers are known in several configurations, and were used from about 1920 until as late as 1970. gum breakers
Gum Crease a naturally occurring crease found on flat plate stamps, usually caused by handling during production. gum crease
Gum Ridges vertical ridges of gum on the backs of rotary sheet stamps, created as a part of the printing process when gum was applied to stamps using rollers that had ridges engraved on them.  Ridges are known in two varieties: 1/16 and 1/32 of an inch apart.  The intended purpose of ridges was to make stamps adhere better.  They were used in the 1920s and 30s. gum ridges
Gum Skip a generally small area on a stamp to which no gum adhered during production.  Gum skips are most commonly encountered on flat plate stamps from the first part of the 20th century. gum skip
Gutter the margin between the panes of a sheet of stamps.  The gutters of mid-20th century sheets may contain markings such as dashes or crosses that aid in perforation.  The gutters of modern sheets, containing more than the traditional four panes, may contain other marginal markings, including plate numbers.  The margin around the outside edge of the sheet is not a gutter.  Gutters are only found between panes. gutter
Gutter Block a block of stamps that includes complete stamps from two or four adjacent panes, and the gutter or gutters between them.  Gutter blocks are generally not available to collectors when the stamps are sold only in pane form.  They are available to collectors when stamps are sold in sheet form. gutter block
Gutter Pair a pair of complete stamps separated by a gutter.  A gutter pair is of more value than a corresponding guttersnipe. gutter pair
Guttersnipe a stamp or stamps to which is attached the full adjacent gutter, including perforations, and sometimes including portions of the stamp(s) on the other side of the gutter.  A guttersnipe is a freak that may be caused by a paper fold or a misregistration in the production process. guttersnipe
Hammarskjold Special Printing (Scott 1204) a printing of the 1962 Hammarskjold Issue with the yellow background inverted.  When several panes of the Hammarskjold stamp unintentionally reached the public with the background inverted, the Postmaster General intentionally printed a large quantity of the error for sale to collectors. hammarskjold special printing (<#scott=scott> 1203)
Hand Cancel a cancellation applied with a hand-held device, as opposed to a cancellation applied by machine. hand cancel
Handback a cover that is cancelled at a post office window and returned to the person presenting it.  A handback cover is never carried in the mailstream. handback
Handstamp 1) a hand-held device used by a postal worker to cancel a stamp or apply a postal marking  2) the impression left by a handstamp on a cover. handstamp
Handwound the labor-intensive process of making the earliest coils before the introduction of a mechanical process.  See also autowound. handwound
Hardening the process of taking a soft die, transfer roll, or plate and making it metallurgically hard.  In the process of producing engraved stamps, the design can only be worked into soft steel, but is generally only transferred from hard steel.  The hardening process can be reversed.  That is, a hardened die, roll or plate can be made metallurgically soft again. hardening
Harrow Perforator a plate with pins that perforates a complete sheet or pane of stamps with a single stroke.  Its name comes from its resemblance to the farming implement of the same name. harrow perforator
Hartford Manufacturing Company manufacturer of stamped envelopes and wrappers from 1903-1907. hartford manufacturing co.
Helicopter Mail mail transported by helicopter between an airfield and a post office.  Instituted in 1946. helicopter mail
Hidden Images obscured images, placed on certain modern postage stamps, which can be viewed with a Stamp Decoder. hidden images
Highway Post Office a motorized bus-like vehicle used by the Post Office.  As it traveled along a route connecting a number of post offices, mail would be picked up, sorted and delivered (to post offices, not individual customers).  The first HPO ran in 1941, the last in 1974.  Postmarks usually contain the initials H.P.O. highway post office
Hologram an image which, viewed at an angle, appears to be three-dimensional.  Holograms are used on selected modern postage stamps and postal envelopes. hologram
Hopkinson Memorial Award prestigious award, given annually by the United States Stamp Society, for the best article published in The United States Specialist. hopkinson memorial award
Hopkinson Trophy prestigious award given at the annual meeting of the United States Stamp Society for the best exhibit of 20th century material by a USSS member. hopkinson trophy
Horizontal Half a fractional use of a stamp; a horizontal bisect; a stamp cut in half horizontally. horizontal half
HPO see Highway Post Office. hpo
Huck Multicolor Press a nine-color, web-fed, intaglio press used by the BEP from 1968 to 1976.  The Huck Press could print, tag, gum, and perforate stamps in one continuous operation.  The first stamp printed from this press was the 1968 Christmas stamp, Scott 1363. huck multicolor press
Huck-Cottrell Presses a group of high speed, intaglio, web-fed presses first used to print the bi-color International Red Cross stamp of 1952 ( Scott 1016).  These presses were similar to a Stickney press, but faster.  The last Huck-Cottrell presses were decommissioned in 1985. huck-cottrell presses
Hunting Permit Stamps see Duck Stamps hunting permit stamps
Hurletron Marks solid right-angle triangular electric-eye markings for use with the eight-color intaglio- gravure press. First used on the Civilian Conservation Corp issue, Scott 2037. hurletron marks
Hybrid Proof generally, a 19th century plate proof cut close and typically mounted on India paper, which is then mounted on a larger piece of cardboard.  It may also show die sinkage.  Some hybrid proofs were made from die proofs.  Hybrid proofs resemble Large Die Proofs. hybrid proof
Hyphen-Hole Perforations perforations in the shape of comparatively large rectangles, applied to imperforate stamps by Schermack Mailing Company, for use in affixing machines. hyphen-hole perforations
IBI see Identification Based Indicia. ibi
Identification Based Indicia a commercial product which is a computer generated, postage paying, stamp-like imprint authorized by the USPS. identification based indicia
Illegal Use an illegal use of a stamp, such as a revenue stamp used in an attempt to pay postage. illegal use
Image Tagging the tagging of only the image ( design) or a portion of the image on a stamp.  Examples: 1988 25¢ Classic Autos ( Scott 2381-2385); 1999 33¢ American Glass ( Scott 3325-3328). image tagging
Imperforate stamps without perforations.  The earliest stamps were issued in imperforate form.  Imperforate stamps that were intended to be perforated are errors. imperforate
Imprint design containing the name of the producer of the stamps, which appears on the sheet margin, usually near the plate number. imprint
Imprint Block a margin block of stamps, analogous to a plate block, which contains an imprint instead of a plate number. imprint block
In-line Perforator a perforating device included in the mechanized portion of a printing press, automatically activated as the printed web or sheets pass through the station. in-line perforator
India Paper a thin, tough, translucent paper used for making die proofs. india paper
Indicia plural of indicium. indicia
Indicium 1) the stamp-like impression on postal stationery,  2) the imprint of postage made by a postage meter. indicium
Ink-Jet Cancel a dot matrix cancel also known as a Sprayed-on Cancel. ink-jet cancel
Instructional Marking see Auxiliary Marking. instructional marking
Insured Mail mailed articles insured for a fee by the Postal Service. insured mail
Intaglio a process of printing from the recessed portion of a printing plate.  See also engraving intaglio
Intagliocolor 8 Press high-speed, three-color, sheet-fed  intaglio press used at the BEP from 1976 to 1985. intagliocolor 8 press
Integral a device that applied initials, date, and precancel simultaneously. integral
Integrated Retail Terminals Computers in post offices that weigh items, calculate postage, print receipts and maintain records. integrated retail terminals
Interleaves sheetlets of glassine paper placed between panes in stamp booklets. interleaves
International Envelope Corporation manufacturer of early and mid-twentieth century stamped envelopes and wrappers. international envelope corp.
International Mail mail sent from the United States to a foreign nation or sent from a foreign nation to the United States, as opposed to Domestic Mail. international mail
International Philatelic Exhibition one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.  Held in New York City in 1926, the Battle of White Plains stamp and souvenir sheet ( Scott 629 & 630) were issued in conjunction with this show. international philatelic exhibition
International Postal Supply Company major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from the 1880s into the 21st century. international postal supply co.
International Reply Coupon a coupon sold by the post office that is redeemable by its recipient in a foreign country for return postage.  Scott catalogue numbers are prefixed with IRC. international reply coupon
International Vending Machine Company Baltimore-based manufacturer of vending machines and private coils. international vending machine co.
International Vending Machine Company Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate  flat plate  stamps by the International Vending Machine Company for use in its vending machines. international vending machine company perforations
Interphil '76 one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.  Held in Philadelphia in 1976, a stamp ( Scott 1632) was issued to honor Interphil '76. interphil '76
Interrupted Mail mail that has been delayed by some external event such as a plane or train crash, war, fire, etc. interrupted mail
Invert a stamp or item of postal stationery on which one portion of the design is upside down in relation to the rest of the design.  Inverts can only be produced when the production process requires at least two independent passes through a press.  Inverts are errors. invert
Inverted Jenny nickname for the 24¢ air mail  error  stamp of 1918 on which the airplane ( vignette) was printed upside down in relation to the frame.  Scott C3a. inverted jenny
Involute Flag Cancel a flag cancel in which the flag is folded. involute flag cancel
IRC see International Reply Coupon. irc
Irradiated Mail mail irradiated by the U.S. Postal Service during the anthrax terrorism of 2001-02. irradiated mail
IRT see Integrated Retail Terminals. irt
Italian Occupation Issues see Allied Military Government Stamps. italian occupation issues
Jeffries Banknote Company subcontractor to American Banknote Co.. for the 1991 $14 postage stamp ( Scott 2542). jeffries banknote co.
Jenny see Inverted Jenny. jenny
Joint Issue stamps issued by two or more countries simultaneously, with similar designs, honoring the same person or event.  Example: 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Space Issue, Scott 1569-1570. joint issue
Joint Line the printed line produced on the web by the rotary press at the point where two plates met.  Two plates were used in combination with each other on the classic rotary press.  Each plate would fit over half of the printing cylinder.  Ink would gather in the joints between the plates, leaving an impression (a joint line) on the web.  One complete revolution of the press cylinder created two joint lines on the web.  Joint lines were produced on both sheet and coil stamps, but only those produced on the coil stamps are commonly collected.  A Joint Line is not the same as a Guide Line. joint line
Joint Line Gap Pair A joint line pair of precancelled coil stamps that shows the gap between the auxiliary plates used to print the precancel. joint line gap pair
Joint Line Pair a pair of coil stamps produced from the rotary press with a joint line between them.  A joint line pair will contain one stamp from each of two different plates.  See also Joint Line. joint line pair
Junk Mail nickname for advertising send by bulk rate mail. junk mail
Kansas City Roulettes improvised perforations applied by roulette to imperforate 1¢ and 2¢ postage stamps ( Scott 408 and 409) by the postmaster of Kansas City in 1914 and 1915. kansas city roulettes
Kansas-Nebraska Overprints Series of 1922 postage stamps overprinted "Kans." or "Nebr." in 1929 for sale in those states, but valid in all states.  Scott 658-679. kansas-nebraska overprints
KCS Industries private printer and finisher of postage stamps.  Example: non-denominated Tulip booklet of 1991 ( Scott 2520). kcs industries
Killer Cancel a cancellation that is very heavy, obliterating most of the design of a stamp. killer cancel
Knife 1) the pattern used to cut an envelope from a sheet of paper.  2) the device that cuts stamps apart as they are fed through an affixing machine. knife
L perforator an L-shaped manually fed perforating machine on which stamps receive horizontal perforations on one leg of the L and vertical perforations on the other. l perforator
Label a stamp-like adhesive of no postal value, often used for promotional purposes.  Christmas Seals are examples of labels.  "Label" may also be used to describe the stamp-like units that bear messages that sometimes appear in stamp  booklets. label
Laid Paper paper with the appearance of alternating dark and light lines, created by wires used in the paper making process.   Similar to but less pronounced than ribbed paper.   Example:   2¢ Jackson of 1863 (Scott 73). laid paper
Large Bank Notes postage stamps produced from 1870-1888 by the National, Continental and American Banknote Companies ( Scott 134-218).  See also Small Bank Notes. large banknotes
Large Die Proof a die proof printed on card stock that is considerably larger than the image created by the die, as opposed to a Small Die Proof.  The die print on a Large Die Proof is located in a recess on the card known as a sinkage. large die proof
Large Holes perforation holes that are larger than other perforations holes of the same gauge.  For example, Scott 1055 in the Liberty Series exists with perforation holes of two different sizes (large and small) even though all are perforation gauge 10.  Compare: Small Holes. large holes
Last Day of Sale 1) the day a stamp is removed from sale by the Postal Service.  2) a slogan cancellation applied to stamps on the last day of sale.  A "Last Day of Sale" cancellation was used for the first time on March 16, 1997. last day of sale
Late Fee 1)  payment required for mail accepted for dispatch (usually on a particular ship) after the closing of the mails.  2) a Supplementary Mail Marking applied to Supplementary Mail. late fee
Laundry Tags two-sided address cards used on suitcase-like containers (mostly by college students) to mail dirty laundry home to be cleaned and returned. laundry tags
Layout Marks dots, lines and arcs that are scribed by a siderographer on a blank plate to determine the precise location for each entry to be made from the transfer roll. layout marks
Leader a strip of brown kraft paper (white paper beginning in 1948) attached to the leading (first) stamp on a roll of coil stamps. leader
Leavitt, Thomas major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from the 1870s to the 1890s.  Leavitt cancelling machines were the first to receive extensive use. leavitt, thomas
Legends of Hollywood series of commemorative stamps honoring famous Hollywood personalities.  The first stamp in this series is the 1995 Marilyn Monroe ( Scott 2967). legends of hollywood
Legends of the West a pane of twenty stamps that was recalled because an incorrect picture appeared on the stamp honoring Bill Pickett ( Scott 2870).  A limited number of recalled panes was sold by public lottery.  The corrected version (Scott 2869) was then printed and issued. legends of the west
Letter Sheet an item of postal stationery similar in format to an aerogram.  Example: Scott U293.  Privately produced letter sheets exist. letter sheet
Letterpress a process of printing which is the exact opposite of intaglio, that is, the inked portion of the plate is raised above the surface of the plate, as opposed to be being recessed below it.  Letterpress (also see typography) has been used to print overprints on U.S. stamps.  It is also used in perfecting (back printing) inscriptions on the gum of many stamps, and to print most modern stamped envelopes. letterpress
Liberty Series definitive series of postage stamps appearing in 1954, consisting of sheet stamps, coils, and booklets.  Also known as Sixth Bureau Issue.  First Scott number is 1030a. liberty series
Library Mail Rate special rate for mailing certain materials to or from certain non-profit organizations, a sub-category of Package Service.  Commercial libraries could also use this rate as long as the contents were suitable (books, motion pictures, etc.). library mail rate
Line Engraving see Engraving. line engraving
Line Gaps the gap between plates printing precancels that appears on coil stamps at regular intervals. line gaps
Line Pair see Joint Line and Guide Line. line pair
Line Perforator A perforator that applies lines of perforation holes in only one direction. line perforator
Liner slick paper used as peelable backing for self-adhesive stamps. liner
Linerless Coil self-adhesive  coil stamps sold in a roll without a liner.  Example: 1997 32¢ Flag over Porch stamp, Scott 3133. linerless coil
Literary Arts Series series of commemorative stamps honoring important American writers, begun with the John Steinbeck stamp of 1979, Scott 1773. literary arts series
Lithography printing from a smooth surface on which the area that is not to be printed repels the ink.  One form of lithography is direct lithography, in which printing occurs without the use of an intermediate roller or blanket.  Some early Post Office Seals were printed from such direct lithography.  Indirect lithography uses an intermediate roller or blanket, and is called offset.  See also Offset Lithography. lithography
Little America the Antarctic base of Admiral Richard Byrd that was home to a special post office, for which Scott 733, the “Little America Issue", was released in 1933.  Covers bear a Little America postmark. little america
LL Lower left.  Refers to the lower left pane from a traditional sheet of four panes.  These initials are also used to describe plate blocks taken from the lower left corner of the sheets. ll
Local Letter a letter mailed within a city at a rate sometimes less than the regular first class rate.  Such local letters are of two types: those mailed in cities with carrier service and those mailed in cities without carrier service.  Some form of local letter rate was in existence from 1863 to 1968.  See also: Drop Letter. local letter
Local Post a private postal system operating in a limited area, usually a major city.  Example: Hussey’s Post, New York, N.Y.  Local posts once played a significant role in mail delivery. local post
Local Precancel a precancel applied to stamps locally, as opposed to being applied at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.  See also Bureau Precancel. local precancel
Local Stamps stamps issued by private companies operating in limited service areas.  Most of these stamps were issued by companies operating in a single city, but local stamps were also issued by independent mail routes and express companies.   Scott numbers contain an L. local stamps
LOOK Coil phosphor tagged version of the 3-cent Statue of Liberty coil in the 1954 Liberty Series, issued without advance notice in October 1966 for use on LOOK Magazine promotional mailings.  Use by LOOK Magazine was limited to about a six month period, after which the stamps were recalled, marking the first time the U.S. Post Office Department bought stamps back from the private sector for distribution to collectors.  Tagging applied by rubber mats and glows brightly under ultraviolet light.  See also LOOK Coil Reprint. look coil
LOOK Coil Reprint a special printing of the LOOK Coil made to satisfy collector demand.  The reprint became a new variety because the BEP applied the tagging by metal plates.  The tagging on the reprint glows duller and grainier under ultraviolet light than the tagging on the original LOOK Coil. look coil reprint
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Stamps commemorative  postage stamps issued for the St. Louis Exposition of 1904.  Scott 323-327. louisiana purchase exposition stamps
Lozenges the bi-colored border frequently found on air mail postal stationery. lozenges
LR Lower right.  Refers to the lower right pane from a traditional sheet of four panes.  These initials are also used to describe plate blocks taken from the lower right corner of the sheets. lr
Luminescence the light given off by fluorescent brighteners and phosphorescent tagging in paper and ink when activated by ultraviolet light. luminescence
Lunar New Year Series series of twelve postage stamps honoring the Chinese New Year.  The first of the series is Scott 2720, issued in 1992. lunar new year series
Machine Cancel a cancellation applied by a machine, as opposed to one applied by a hand-held device.  Machine cancels were first used in the 1870s. machine cancel
Mail Stream the movement of mail from the moment it is entrusted into the care of the Postal Service until it is delivered to its recipient. mail stream
Mail Use Stamps term used by the United States Postal Service for stamps intended for use on mail. mailusestamps
Mailer’s Permit Postmark a postmark applied to mail by a mailer prior to submission to the Postal Service.  Such private postmarks were first authorized in 1925. mailer’s permit postmark
Mailgram a joint effort between Western Union and the USPS in which Western Union handled electronic transmission with hard copies delivered by the Postal Service.  The service is known to have been provided from 1972 to 1992. mailgram
Mailomat a coin operated, self-service Pitney Bowes machine that imprinted a meter and retained mail for collection.  It was primarily used in the 1940s. mailomat
Mailometer Company successor corporation to The Schermack Co. mailometer co.
Mailometer Perforations see Schermack Perforations. mailometer perforations
Main Post Office the primary post office of a city that has secondary post office facilities.  Formerly known as General Post Office. main post office
Make-shift booklets see MDI booklets. make-shift booklets
Make-up Rate Stamp a nondenominated  postage stamp, intended for use on first class mail, printed in anticipation of an increase in postal rates.  The stamp is equivalent in value to the amount of the increase.  Example: Weathervane stamp of 1998 ( Scott 3257). make-up rate stamp
Manhardt-Alexander subcontractor to Ashton-Potter (USA) LTD. for the printing of the 1994 lithographed American Music Series postage stamps ( Scott 2854-2861). manhardt-alexander
Manila Paper a coarse, light brown paper used in the manufacture of stamped envelopes. manila paper
Manuscript Cancel cancellation of a stamp by pen or marker.  Some early manuscript cancellations were applied by post offices with no cancelling device.  Modern manuscript cancellations are often applied in the field to stamps that escaped normal cancellation.  Stamps with manuscript cancellations are considered by some to be less desirable than stamps with other types of cancellations. manuscript cancel
Maps nickname for airmail stamps of 1926-1927 ( Scott C7-C9) that include a map in their design. maps
Margin any printed or unprinted paper on a sheet or pane of stamps that does not contain a stamp.  Marginal markings are found in the margin. margin
Margin Block any block of stamps with a margin attached.  Frequently, but not necessarily, a marginal marking will be found be found on a margin block. margin block
Marginal Marking any intentional marking found on a plate except for the stamp itself.  Such markings will also appear on the printed sheet.  Examples of marginal markings include plate numbers, siderographer initials, Mr. Zip, and copyright notices. marginal marking
Match and Medicine Stamps see Private Die Proprietary Stamps. match and medicine stamps
Matrix the waste produced by the process of die cutting. matrix
MDI Booklets hand made booklets produced by Minnesota Diversified Industries.  Most contained 15 water-activated gum  sheet stamps placed within blue cardboard covers having a rectangular opening through which the stamps could be seen.  By comparison, other MDI booklets contained self-adhesive stamps that were produced from pieces of web originally intended to be processed into convertible booklets.  With these booklets, special die cut mats were used to create booklet panes of 14, 15, or 16 stamps that were glued into the blue covers. mdi booklets
MeadWestvaco Williamsburg, Pennsylvania based manufacturer of stamped envelopes from 1964 to 2008. meadwestvaco
Mercantile Corporation manufacturer of early twentieth century stamped envelopes and wrappers. mercantile corp.
Merry Widow nickname for the 1908 green Special Delivery stamp ( Scott E7). merry widow
Meter 1) a machine that imprints evidence of payment of postage.  2) the imprint of such a machine. meter
Micro-printing extremely small words, or acronyms printed on some modern stamps as a security measure. microprinting
Middle West Supply Company manufacturer of early twentieth century stamped envelopes and wrappers. middle west supply co
Miehle Press 1) flat plate press first used at the BEP in 1894.  2) offset press used at the BEP in 1970s miehle press
Minnesota Diversified Industries manufacturer of MDI booklets. minnesota diversified industries
Mint a stamp in the same unused condition in which it came from the post office.  Sometimes this term is also applied to unused stamps that have been previously hinged. mint
Miscut a freak that is created when a stamp or pane is not cut in the normal manner during the production process. miscut
Misregistration see registration. misregistration
Missionaries a nickname for the 1851-1852 stamps of Hawaii. missionaries
Mixed Franking 1) a cover bearing the stamps of two or more nations.  2) a cover with any other unusual combination of stamps used together, such as an Official and a definitive. mixed franking
MOB see Money Order Business Cancellation. mob
Mobile Post Office post office facility that sorts and distributes mail while in transit, whether by rail (including street car), water, or highway. mobile post office
Model the final, approved drawing of a stamp.  It can be in the form of a drawing, a sketch, a photograph, a print or engraving, or any combination, or composite, of layers. model
Money Order Business Cancellation a circular handstamp cancellation containing the initials MOB; intended for use only on money orders but occasionally used on cover. money order business cancellation
Morgan Envelope Company manufacturer of nineteenth century stamped envelopes and wrappers. morgan envelope co.
Motor Vehicle Use Revenue Stamp a revenue stamp paying the tax on the use of a motor vehicle.  Scott RV. motor vehicle stamp
Mottled Tagging tagging with an uneven, rough, or dappled appearance when viewed under ultraviolet light, as opposed to even or grainy tagging.  Some causes of mottled tagging are uncoated paper, worn tagging rollers, and offsetting of wet taggant ink when sheets are stacked.  Example: 1991 Dennis Chavez stamp, Scott 2186. mottled tagging
Mourning Cover a cover with a black border, conveying news of a death. mourning cover
MPO see Mobile Post Office. mpo
MPP see Mailer’s Permit Postmark. mpp
Mr. ZIP a cartoon-like character used as a marginal marking from 1964 to 1986 promoting the use of ZIP Code. mr. zip
Multi-Color Corporation private printer of modern postage stamps.  Example: 19¢ Fishing Boat, Scott 2529. multi-color corp.
Multiple a unit of two or more unseparated stamps. multiple
Mute Cancel a cancel that does not include a date or time.  Generally used on Registered Mail and mail other than first class. mute cancel
Name Block a block of stamps from the 1943-1944 Overrun Countries Issue ( Scott 909-921) with a country name in the location where a plate number is customarily located. name block
Narcotic Tax Stamps revenue stamps paying the federal tax on opium, coca leaves and their derivatives.  The tax was in effect from 1917 through 1971.  Scott RJA narcotic tax stamps
National Air Mail Week a campaign by the Post Office Department to promote air mail, conducted May 15-21, 1938, the twentieth anniversary of regularly scheduled air mail service.  A large variety of cachets and special flights were used in this observance. national air mail week
National Bank Note Company holder of the contract for printing postage stamps from 1861 to 1873. national bank note co.
National Bureau Precancels BEP produced precancels with two parallel lines only and valid for precanceled mail at any U.S. post office. national bureau precancels
National Defense Issue set of three postage stamps promoting national defense in 1940.  Scott 899-901. national defense issue
National Label Co. subcontractor to 3M for printing the 1994 Eagle stamp ( Scott 2598). national label co.
National Parks Issue commemorative  postage stamp set of 1934 honoring various National Parks ( Scott 740-749).  See also Farley's Follies. national parks issue
National Postal Museum a museum of the Smithsonian Institution, located in the old Washington City Post Office, housing the national postage stamp collection. national postal museum
Nesbitt, George F. & Company printer of stamped envelopes and wrappers from 1853 to 1870. nesbitt, george f. & co.
Never hinged a stamp with gum undisturbed by the presence of a hinge. never hinged
Newspaper and Periodical Stamps stamps issued to document payment of postage on newspapers and periodicals.  From their release in 1865 until 1869 the stamps were affixed to wrappers on bundles, not to individual newspapers.  Beginning in 1875 stamps were placed in a receipt book.  These stamps were discontinued in 1898.  Scott numbers begin with PR. newspaper and periodical stamps
Niagara Lithograph Company the Buffalo, New York company that printed some of the 1917 documentary stamps for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. niagara lithograph company
Nixie Clerk a post office clerk responsible for handling items not readily deliverable because of a deficiency in address. nixie clerk
Nondenominated Stamp a stamp that does not have a value printed on its face, but often has an assigned value.  Such stamps often have a letter of the alphabet as part of their design that represents an assigned value.  Example: 1978 "A" stamp, Scott 1735, has an assigned value of 15¢. nondenominated stamp
Nonstandard Mail First class mail weighing less than one ounce, and also of non-standard size or thickness.  An additional charge is imposed for nonstandard mail. nonstandard mail
Nonstandard Postmark A postmark created by a privately procured handstamp, i.e., one not supplied by the Post Office Department. nonstandard postmark
Number on number a coil stamp with a plate number on the face and a back number on the back. number on number
Obliterator a device that cancels a stamp; may also be called a " killer". obliterator
Occupation Stamps see Allied Military Government Stamps. occupation stamps
OCR see Optical Character Reader. ocr
Oddity a broad category of unusual variations.  Examples: stamps used before their first day of issue, errors in postmarks, and semi-official separations such as the Kansas City roulettes. oddity
Off Center a stamp whose design is not centered in relation to the edges of the stamp. off center
Off-line Perforator a perforating device that is an independent machine; not an integral portion of a printing press. off-line Perforator
Offices Abroad a post office maintained on the soil of a foreign county.  Between 1919 and 1922 the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai, China was provided with surcharged postage stamps for use by that agency. offices abroad
Offices in China U.S. postage stamps surcharged for use by the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai, China.  Issued in 1919 and 1922.  Scott are prefixed with K. offices in china
Official Mail mail sent by a government agency, using official stamps or a penalty envelope. official mail
Official Postal Cards postal cards issued for use by federal government departments.  Scott numbers are prefixed with UZ. official postal cards
Official Stamped Envelopes envelopes (and wrappers) used by federal government departments in the 1870s and early 1880s, and again beginning in 1983.  Scott numbers are prfixed with UO for envelopes and WO for wrappers. official stamped envelopes
Official Stamps stamps used by federal government departments in the 1870s and early 1880s, and again beginning in 1983.  Scott numbers are prefixed with O.  See also Postal Savings Mail. official stamps
Officially Sealed Label See Seal. officially sealed label
Offset Lithography see Offset Printing. offset lithography
Offset Printing a method of printing in which the inked image is first transferred from the printing plate to a rubber roller or blanket.  The inked image is then transferred from the roller to paper.  postage stamps were first printed from offset lithography in 1918-1920.  More recent stamps have been produced by a combination of offset and intaglio printing.  Offset printing is usually lithography, but not always.  For example, the Overrun Countries stamps were printed by offset letterpress, sometimes called dry offset or letterset.  The background colors on the 1968 and 1969 Christmas stamps ( Scott 1363 and 1384) were printed by offset intaglio. offset printing
Open Mail mid nineteenth century mail sent from an exchange office to an exchange office in another country for further processing and subsequent transmittal to another exchange office. open mail
Optical Character Reader postal equipment that "reads" the address on an envelope.  Sometimes this term is also used for the entire system, including the device that sprays the address on the envelope as a bar code. optical character reader
Optiforma Press six-color offset lithographic presses purchased from Goebel primarily intended to produce aerograms. optiforma press
Orangeburg Coil nickname for the rare 3¢ Washington-Franklin  coil with a vertical perforation gauge of 12 ( Scott 389).  Used only by a drug company in Orangeburg, New York briefly in 1911. orangeburg coil
Ordinary Stamps see Definitives. ordinary stamps
Original Gum gum on a stamp as issued by the post office. original gum
Overall Tagging Phosphor tagging that completely covers a stamp, as opposed to block tagging.  The clear taggant ink is applied on top of the stamp, as opposed to prephosphored paper tagging in which the taggant is in the paper itself. overall tagging
Overland Mail mid-nineteenth century mail that traveled across the U.S. by land. overland mail
Overprint printing placed on top of a stamp's face for some special purpose.  Overprints have been used for precancelling,  service inscription,  surcharging,  commemorative and security purposes, and on AMGs.  Example: Hawaii Sesquicentennial stamps ( Scott 647-648). overprint
Overrun Countries set issued in 1943-1944 honoring countries overrun during World War II.  Scott 909-921. overrun countries
Pacific '97 one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.  Held in San Francisco in 1997.  Stamps  ( Scott 3130-3131) and souvenir sheets  ( Scott 3139-3140) were issued in conjunction with this show. pacific '97
Packet Letter a letter carried by a ship operating on a regular schedule and under contract to the Post Office. packet letter
PAID a marking applied to a stampless letter to indicate that postage had been paid in cash. paid
Paid Reply Postal Cards two postal cards that are attached to each other and sold by the post office as a single unit.  One card is for sending a message.  The other is for the recipient to detach and send a reply.  Scott numbers begin with UY. paid reply postal cards
Pair two unseparated stamps. pair
PAL see Parcel Airlift. pal
Pan-American Issue commemorative  postage stamps issued for the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901.  Scott 294-299. pan-american issue
Panama Canal Zone see Canal Zone. panama canal zone
Pane a unit of stamps cut from a full sheet, either for assembly into booklets, or for individual sale at post offices.  Sheets intended to be cut into panes for assembly into booklets will each produce a large number of relatively small panes, typically 30, 40, or 60.  Sheets intended for division into panes to be sold individually are divided into fewer but larger panes.  Many early sheets consisted of only two panes.  Most twentieth century sheets consisted of four panes.  Modern sheets consist of six or more panes.  Panes are commonly, but inaccurately, referred to by the public as sheets. pane
Pane-Position Diagrams marginal marking first used in 1992.  This diagram identifies the position on a sheet from which the pane was cut. pane-position diagrams
Pantone Matching System a popular color matching system used by the printing industry to print spot colors.  Most applications that support color printing allow specification of colors by indicating the Pantone name or number. pantone matching system
Paquebot see Packet Letter. paquebot
Parcel Airlift service for a fee that provides for air transportation, on a space available basis for mail on which the normal postage is paid, to or from military post offices outside the contiguous 48 states.  This service was popular during the Viet Nam conflict.  One special stamp was issued in connection with this service, Scott 1341. parcel airlift
Parcel Post the traditional name for the service for mailing most domestic packages, which began in 1913.  International Parcel Post was introduced in 1887.  Parcel Post is now a sub-category of Package Service, formerly Fourth Class Mail. parcel post
Parcel Post Postage Due Stamps stamps used to account for postage due on parcel post mail, issued in 1913.  Scott numbers are prefixed with JQ. parcel post postage due stamps
Parcel Post Stamps stamps issued for use on Parcel Post, beginning January 1, 1913.  Only these stamps could be used on Parcel Post until July 1, 1913, when any stamps could be used for Parcel Post, and Parcel Post stamps could be used as regular stamps.  Scott numbers are prefixed with Q. parcel post stamps
Part Perforate stamps on which at least one side is perforated as intended, and on which one or more sides are lacking any intended perforations.  Note: This term originally referred to properly perforated coil stamps that were not perforated on the two edges perpendicular to the perforations.  Such stamps were thus distinguished from imperforate coils. part perforate
Partial Plate Number a less than complete plate number appearing on a traditional coil stamp, or on certain booklet panes.  These are freaks.  Plate numbers on these coils and booklet panes were generally trimmed off in the production process and were not regularly available. partial plate number
Paste-up the location on a flat plate  coil stamp (or, more commonly, on a pair or more of such stamps) where two sheets of flat plate stamps were pasted together.  Rolls of coil stamps were made from lengths of flat plate sheets that were 20 stamps long.  Thus a paste-up is normally found at 20 stamp intervals. paste-up
Paste-up Pair a pair of coil stamps joined together by a paste-up. paste-up pair
Patent Cancellation a cancelling device patented by the inventor.  These were popular in the period of the 1860s to 1880s.  In general, these devices operated by destroying, in some way, a portion of a stamp's paper. patent cancellation
Patent Lines lines printed on the inside of a stamped envelope to guide writers in aligning the addressee’s name and address. patent lines
Patriotic Cover a cover with a patriotic cachet, which was especially popular during the Civil War. patriotic cover
Peak the portion of a simulated perforation on a "self-adhesive <#stamp" self-adhesive <#stamp that protrudes from the side of the stamp. peak
Pen Cancel see Manuscript Cancel. pen cancel
Penalty Envelope an envelope sent free of postage by a government agency that contains a printed inscription, usually in the place where a stamp is customarily affixed, warning of a penalty for unauthorized use of the envelope.  Authorized in 1877.  Penalty envelopes are still used by the U.S. Postal Service but are obsolete for executive departments of the federal government. penalty envelope
Perf see Perforation. perf
Perfecting the process of printing inscriptions on the gum of some modern stamps by letterpress. perfecting
Perfin (shortened form of "perforated initials" or "perforated insignia") a stamp with privately produced perforations through its face.  The perforations are generally in the form of initials or a symbol that identify the owner of the stamp.  Perfins are produced by businesses or organizations to discourage theft or misuse of their stamps.  Perfins were first made in 1908, and were most popular through the 1950s.  See Control Perfin. perfin
Perforated Initials see Perfin. perforated initials
Perforated Insignia see Perfin. perforated insignia
Perforation 1.) the rows of holes between stamps that enable easy separation of stamps.  The gauge (perforation size) has frequently changed.  For example, perf 15 was introduced in 1857, perf 12 in 1861, perf 10 in 1913, and perf 11 in 1917.  Other perfs have also been used.  "Perf" is a common contraction for perforation.  2.) the holes that were privately added by some private companies to help coil stamps pass through a vending or affixing machine. perforation
Perforation Gauge 1) a number that equals the total quantity of perforation holes (or teeth) within the space of 20 mm.  For example, the Wildlife Conservation Issue of 1970 ( Scott 1392) is said to have a perforation gauge of 11 x10 &frac12;.  When referencing perforations, the horizontal perforation gauge is given first, and then the vertical. 2) a tool that measures the total quantity of perforation holes (or teeth) within the space of 20 mm. perforation gauge
Perforation Teeth the tooth-like projections of paper on the edges of perforated  stamps. perforation teeth
Periodicals-Class Mail the mailing classification for newspapers, magazines and other periodicals.  This classification was previously known as Second Class Mail. periodicals-class mail
Permit Mail Indicium an imprint in the upper right hand corner of a cover indicating the authority, under permit, of a mailer to make large ( bulk) mailings at a special ( quantity) rate. permit mail indicium
Persian Rug nickname for the $200 and $500 revenue stamps of 1871.  Scott R132 and R133. persian rug
Personalized Computer Postage postage purchased from an internet vendor and printed at a customer's convenience. personalized computer postage
Personalized Postage see Customized Postage. personalized postage
Phantom Numbers unintended, lightly printed plate numbers found in varying locations in the margins of sheets produced on the rotary press.  These are freaks caused by a set-off that occurs when the dryer on the press is not operating at a warm enough temperature. phantom numbers
Philatelic pertaining to the hobby of collecting stamps,  postal stationery,  postal history, and related materials. philatelic
Philatelic Cover a cover that is philatelic in origin, as opposed to a cover produced in the normal course of commercial or personal correspondence. philatelic cover
Philatelic Foundation, The a leading organization in the expertization of stamps. philatelic foundation, the
Philatelic Plate Number Association predecessor organization to the United States Stamp Society. philatelic plate number association
Philatelic Truck Souvenir Sheet a souvenir label, with no postal value, distributed by a post office truck that toured the nation from 1939 to 1941. philatelic truck souvenir sheet
Philatelist a stamp,  postal stationery,  or postal history collector. philatelist
Philippines now independent country over which the U.S. exercised sovereignty from 1898 to 1946.  Overprinted U.S. stamps were used there beginning in 1899.  Beginning in 1906 the BEP printed stamps for use in the Philippines. philippines
Phosphor Tagging a clear phosphor colloidal solution ( taggant ink) applied over a stamp, or to its paper, or mixed with stamp printers' ink.  Tagging glows bluish-green or reddish when exposed to short wave ultraviolet light.  Reddish tagging was only used for air mail stamps from 1963 to 1978.  Beginning with the 1978 31¢ Wright Brothers ( Scott C91-C92), bluish-green tagging was used for all subsequent air mail stamps.  Tagging has a brief afterglow that is used by automatic cancelling machines to find, face, and cancel an envelope's stamp. phosphor tagging
Phosphored Ink ink to which a clear taggant compound has been added.  Phosphored ink is infrequently used on stamps, but is frequently used for postal stationery.  Example of use of phosphored ink: Leif Erikson stamp of 1968, Scott 1359, and the Bicentennial envelope of 1976, Scott U582. phosphored ink
Photo essay an essay in the form of a photograph. photo essay
Photogravure see gravure. photogravure
Photogravure and Color Company private printer of the 1967 5¢ Thomas Eakins Commemorative,  Scott 1335. photogravure and color company
PhotoStamps Personalized postage produced by Stamps.com. photostamps
Pictorial Cancel a cancellation that contains an illustration. pictorial cancel
PictureItPostage Personalized postage produced by Endicia. pictureitpostage
Pigeon Blood Pink a color found on a rare variety of the 3¢ 1861 stamp (Scott 64a). pigeon blood pink
Pink Backs nickname for those Washington-Franklin stamps that "bleed" a pink coloration into the paper when placed in water.  This condition results from the use of inferior quality aniline ink. pink backs
Pioneer Flights air mail flights flown prior to the establishment of regularly scheduled air mail service.  The Pioneer Flight period is 1910-1916. pioneer flights
Pitney Bowes the oldest supplier of postage meters (since 1920); manufacturer of mailing machines, inserters, cancelling machines, sorters and other postal equipment;  bought out Mailometer in 1924. pitney bowes
Plate the unit of a printing press from which stamps are actually printed.  19th and early 20th century stamps were produced from flat plates.  Beginning in the mid-1920s most stamps were produced from curved (180º) plates that were used in pairs on a rotary press.  Still more recently, many stamps have been printed from cylindrical plates.  A plate is sometimes also known as a printing base. plate
Plate Arrangement see Plate Layout. plate arrangement
Plate Block a block of stamps, traditionally four in number, but sometimes more, which has a plate number printed on the attached margin.  Most collectors of plate blocks collect them in sizes as standardized by the Scott Catalogue. plate block
Plate Cleaner see Plate Finisher. plate cleaner
Plate Finisher the employee of the BEP who removes extraneous lines or dots from an engraved plate after the siderographer has completed his job. plate finisher
Plate Finisher Initials marginal marking consisting of the initials of a plate finisher, punched into the plate, found in different locations on various plates before the location for them was standardized as the lower right corner.  These initials are known from 1909 until 1928. plate finisher initials
Plate Flaw a flaw in a printing plate that shows up on the corresponding sheet of stamps.  A plate flaw may be a crack or other defect that develops in a plate, or damage inflicted on a plate, such as an accidental dropping. plate flaw
Plate Layout the layout of a plate; that is, the relationship of the elements on a plate, especially of the panes, to each other. plate layout
Plate Marking any marking on a plate that is printed on the corresponding sheet. plate marking
Plate Number the numbers that appear on a printing plate.  These numbers are a part of the plate layout and most typically appear one or more times on each printed pane.  Numbers were once assigned to BEP-printed plates sequentially, in ever ascending order, with the same number never being assigned twice.  Such plate numbers appeared on sheets printed at the BEP from 1894 through 1980, when the practice was changed.  Beginning in 1980, plate numbers are Representative Numbers. plate number
Plate Number Block see Plate Block. plate number block
Plate Number Coil see Coil Plate Number. plate number coil
Plate Number Single an individual stamp, mint or used, with a plate number attached. plate number single
Plate Printer Initials see Printer's Initials. plate printer initials
Plate Proof a proof printed ( pulled) from a plate, as opposed to one pulled from a die. plate proof
Plate Sequence Number A number engraved in the corner of the vignette and frame plates of the bicolored Pan-American issue of 1901 (Scott 294 and 295) to permit the same set of vignette and frame plates to be kept together on the press. plate sequence number
Plate Varieties minor variations between apparently identical stamps that were printed from different plates.  Plate varieties can result from a damaged plate, or when there is some irregularity in the way a plate is made.  Plate varieties are constant, that is, as long as the variety appears on the plate, it will appear on every sheet produced from that plate.  More information about Plate Varieties may be obtained by referring to the Encyclopedia of Plate Varieties on U.S. Bureau-Printed Postage Stamps. plate varieties
Plating 1) the art of reconstructing a pane by determining the position of any given stamp on a pane.  Each position is assigned a consecutive number, beginning with the upper left corner and concluding with the lower right.  Plating is only done on early stamps where each stamp on a pane is unique due to minor variation.  2) the art of reconstructing a production-size sheet of certain booklet panes. plating
Playing Cards Stamps revenue stamps issued from 1894 to 1940 to pay the federal tax on playing cards.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RF. playing card stamps
Plimpton Manufacturing Company manufacturer of 19th century stamped envelopes and wrappers. plimpton manufacturing co.
PMG see Postmaster General. pmg
PNC abbreviation for Plate Number Coil.  See Coil Plate Number. pnc
Pneumatic Mail mail moved between post offices and railroad stations by pneumatic tubes in certain large cities, beginning with Philadelphia in 1893.  Pneumatic tube service was discontinued June 30, 1918. pneumatic mail
POD see United States Post Office Department. pod
Points down the grill of a stamp, which, when viewed from the face, has the points of the grill directed downward.  Example: Scott 84. points down
Points up the grill of a stamp, which, when viewed from the face, has the points of the grill directed upward.  Example: Scott 79. points up
Pony Express mail service operated in 1860 and 1861 between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California.  Local stamps were issued for this service by Wells, Fargo and Co. pony express
Position the place (location) on a printing plate from which a given stamp or pane was printed. position
Position Blocks blocks taken from various places on a sheet which show guide lines, arrows or other marginal markings. position blocks
Possessions and Administered Areas foreign territories owned or administered by the United States, and for which the US issued stamps, including: Canal Zone, Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Ryukyu Islands. possessions and administered areas
Post Card a privately produced mailing card, as opposed to a Post Office produced postal card.  A post card does not have an indicium. post card
Post Office Department see United States Post Office Department. post office department
Post Office Seal see Seal. post office seal
Post Road a road, airway, waterway, or railway officially designated for the carrying of mail. post road
Postage the fee charged for sending an item through the mail. postage
Postage Currency postage stamps affixed to or printed on treasury paper during the Civil War as a way of making stamps negotiable.  Scott numbers are prefixed with PC. postage currency
Postage Due Bill a government generated form to which postage due stamps are attached.  It represents the amount of money owed by a postal customer, and frequently represents many individual pieces of business reply mail. postage due bill
Postage Due Stamp a stamp indicating a deficiency in postage paid by the recipient.  First used in 1879.  Scott numbers are prefixed with J. postage due stamp
Postage Rate the amount of money charged for postage.  See also Postal Fee. postage rate
Postage Stamp a piece of printed security paper, usually gummed, produced by the BEP or other authorized printer under controlled and secure conditions, sold by the Post Office, to be used by a mailer to document payment of postage. postage stamp
Postage Validation Imprints labels generated in post offices in conjunction with Integrated Retail Terminals (IRTs).  Postage Validation Imprints, which evidence payment of postage, replaced meters in post offices and first appeared in 1993. postage validation imprints
Postal Buddy Machine see Denominated Postal cards. postal buddy machine
Postal Card a mailing card produced by the post office, as opposed to a privately produced post card.  A postal card has a stamp-like indicium.  Postal Cards were first issued in 1873.  Since 1999 Postal Cards have been sold for 1¢ over face value.  Scott numbers are prefixed with UX.  See also Denominated Postal Cards and Stamped Card. postal card
Postal Convention see Convention Rate. postal convention
Postal Envelope see Stamped Envelope. postal envelope
Postal Fee the amount of money charged for a postal service, such as registered mail. postal fee
Postal History the study and collection of covers that chronicle the movement of the mails.  Desirable covers will have significant postal markings,  rates, routes, usages, origins and destinations. postal history
Postal Insurance Stamps stamps sold in a booklet of one stamp, from vending machines, to provide insurance on parcels.  Scott numbers are prefixed with QI. postal insurance stamps
Postal Marking any impression (whether by machine,  handstamp, or pen), placed on mail by an employee of the Post Office in the course of handling mail. postal marking
Postal Note Stamp stamps used on Postal Money Orders.  Scott numbers are prefixed with PN. postal note stamp
Postal Savings Mail official stamps issued in 1910 for use by the Postal Savings System. postal savings mail
Postal Savings Stamps stamps issued by the Post Office Department, beginning in 1911, redeemable in the form of credits to Postal Savings Accounts.  Scott numbers begin with PS. postal savings stamps
Postal Savings System an interest paying savings system operated by the Post Office Department from 1910-1966. postal savings system
Postal Service see United States Postal Service. postal service
Postal Stationery a category of products which includes Postal Envelopes,  Postal Cards,  aerograms,  wrappers, and international reply coupons. postal stationery
Postal Transportation Service successor to the Railway Mail Service in 1949 with responsibility for the transportation of mail by land, sea, and air. postal transportation service
Postal Treaty see Convention Rate. postal treaty
Postmark the impression made by the post office or authorized mailer on a cover, typically indicating the date, time and place of mailing.  Postmarks may be made by machine or handstamp.  Postmarks are most commonly circular, but are also found as ovals, boxes, straight lines and spray ons.  While postmarks are not cancels, they are sometimes used for that purpose, and the two terms are often and incorrectly used interchangeably. postmark
Postmaster the postal official in charge of a post office in a given locality. postmaster
Postmaster General the chief executive officer of the old United States Post Office Department, and now of its successor, the United States Postal Service. postmaster general
Postmasters' Provisionals stamps and envelopes issued unilaterally by postmasters to meet local needs.  Scott numbers are prefixed with X (XU for envelopes). postmasters' provisionals
POSTNET U.S. Postal Service term for ZIP Code  barcode (acronym of POSTal Numeric Encoding Technique). postnet
Potato Tax Exempt Stamp stamp documenting exemption from tax under the Agricultural Adjustment Act.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RI.  See also Potato Tax Paid Stamp. potato tax exempt stamp
Potato Tax Paid Stamp revenue stamp required by the Potato Act of 1935.  Because the Supreme Court quickly declared the act unconstitutional, these stamps were never used.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RI.  See also Potato Tax Exempt Stamp. potato tax paid stamp
Precancel a postage stamp or revenue stamp that has been cancelled, under proper postal authority, before being affixed to mail (or taxable) matter.  Precancels are either Bureau Precancels or Local Precancels.  Some postal stationery has also been precanceled. precancel
Predates stamps or postal stationery  postmarked with dates prior to the official first day of issue.  These are not First Day Covers. predates
Prefix Letter the letter preceding plate numbers on plates produced since the 1980s by private printers.  Each letter designates a specific private printer.  BEP plate numbers do not use a prefix letter. prefix letter
Premiere Gravures see August Issues. premiere gravures
Prephosphored Paper paper that has taggant added during its production.  There are two types of prephosphored paper: Uncoated Paper and Coated Paper.  Uncoated paper tagging will be mottled.  Coated paper tagging may be grainy, mottled or even. prephosphored paper
Preprinting Paper Crease a stamp printed on paper that was creased at some point prior to printing.  When this crease is eventually opened up, an unprinted area becomes visible.  Preprinting paper creases are freaks. preprinting paper crease
Presentation Album an album presented by postal authorities to a dignitary.  Examples are albums containing panes of newly released stamps presented at First Day Ceremonies, and the so-called " Roosevelt Albums" of small die proofs. presentation album
Presidential Series a series of sheet,  coil and booklet stamps, also known as Fifth Bureau Issue.  Most of the Presidential Series stamps were issued in 1938-1939.  Scott numbers begin at 803. presidential issue
Presort Stamp a postage stamp that documents the payment of postage on mail that is presorted, that is, mail bundled and prepared by the mailer in conformity with USPS standards. presort stamp
Press (The) private printer of modern postage stamps. Example: 45¢ Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Scott 2481. press
Press Sheet see Sheet. press sheet
Prestige Booklet a booklet containing several face different stamps, descriptive text, and illustrations.  The first Prestige Booklet ( Scott BK279) was issued in 2000 and honored U.S. Navy Submarines. prestige booklet
Prexies see Presidential Series. prexies
Printer's Initials a marginal marking consisting of printer's initials, punched into an engraved plate by printers each time a printer printed from a plate.  The practice probably began in 1894.  It was discontinued in 1911 or 1912.  Printer’s initials were again used briefly in 1920 on some Washington-Franklin offset plates. printer's initials
Printer's Waste waste paper that is generated in the production of stamps.  Printer's waste is not a genuine error or freak.  It is simply waste paper intended for destruction and which can only reach the public through the illegal activity of an employee.  Some infamous printer's waste was stolen from the printer during the production of the 1995 Nixon commemorative. printer's waste
Printing Plate see plate. printing plate
Priority Mail a subclass of first class mail, begun in 1968, providing a postage savings for items weighing 13 ounces or more.  The first stamp specifically intended for use on priority mail was the 1989 $2.40 Moon Landing stamp ( Scott 2419).  The first stamped (prepaid) Priority Mail envelope was issued in 2003. priority mail
Private Aerogram an aerogram (air letter sheet) privately printed, under permit, by a non-postal entity.  The air rate is correctly prepaid by postage stamp(s) as opposed to a stamp-like indicium.  Private aerograms are scarce, but are known from the Prexie and Liberty eras. private aerogram
Private Coil coil stamps produced by a private company from BEP printed imperforate  sheets, as opposed to those produced by the BEP. private coil
Private Die Proprietary Stamp a revenue stamp produced from a die and plate created at the expense of a private company and used exclusively by that private company.  The stamp was used to pay the tax on products sold by the company, and the stamps were generally affixed to the products sold.  The dies and plates were controlled by the BEP.  The categories of products that required these stamps were: medicines ( Scott RS), matches ( Scott RO), perfumes and cosmetics ( Scott RT), playing cards ( Scott RU) and canned goods ( Scott RP).  Also see Proprietary Stamps. private die proprietary stamp
Private Mailing Card official term, used from 1898 until 1901, for what are now known as post cards. private mailing card
Private Perforations see Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations. private perforations
Progressive Die Proof a proof made from a die that is not complete.  Such die proofs illustrate how work on a die progressed.  A progressive die proof is a special type of essay sometimes called a die essay or a "progressive essay". progressive die proof
Progressive Essay see Progressive Die Proof. progressive essay
Progressive Relief Break see Relief Break. progressive relief break
Project Mercury the postage stamp honoring the 1962 orbital flight of John Glenn ( Scott 1193).  The stamp was printed and shipped in secrecy, and released simultaneously at many post offices in the country upon Glenn's safe return to earth. project mercury
Prominent Americans definitive series of postage stamps appearing 1965-1981.  Scott numbers begin with 1278. prominent americans
Proof an impression printed ( pulled) directly from a die or a plate, usually done before production of stamps begins.  A proof is made to "prove" (approve) the engraving of the die, or the transfer to the plate.  Proofs are also pulled to enable engravers to see how their work on a die is progressing.  see Progressive Proof.  Proofs have been made as philatelic favors for dignitaries, sometimes years after the stamp was issued.  The BEP kept accurate records of all proofs that were made.  Proofs tend to have sharper images than the corresponding stamps.  Scott numbers for proofs contain a P. proof
Proprietary Stamp a revenue stamp documenting payment of federal tax on a commodity.  The government sold these stamps to many companies.  The categories of products requiring a proprietary stamp were: medicines, matches, perfumes and cosmetics, playing cards and photographs. See also Private Die Proprietary Stamps, which were produced exclusively for a single user.  Scott numbers are generally prefixed with RB although some are prefixed with R. proprietary stamp
Provenance the ownership history of a philatelic item. provenance
Provisional Meter a meter with a surcharge slug inserted to meet a temporary need. provisional meter
Provisional Stamp a stamp produced as an interim (temporary) measure to meet an immediate need.  Such stamps are often made by overprinting existing stamps.  Example: the first Cigarette Tubes Stamp (RH1), which is an overprint on a Documentary Stamp. provisional stamp
PTS see Postal Transportation Service. pts
Puerto Rico U.S. commonwealth that used provisional issues and overprinted U.S. stamps, stamped envelopes, wrappers, postal cards and revenue stamps. puerto rico
Pulling the process of printing a proof or other print from a die or a plate, as in the expression, "to pull a proof." pulling
Punch Cancel cancellation of a stamp by means of punching a hole.  Such cancels are generally found only on revenue stamps, although proofs are also found with punch cancels. punch cancel
Punch Marks marks made on an engraved plate using a punch tool.  Examples of such marks include printer's initials,  plate finisher's initials, " F", and stars. punch marks
Purvis Printing Company overprinter of a small quantity of revenue stamps in 1898. purvis printing co.
Putter-On-er nickname for employees of the BEP who placed unprinted sheets of paper on the flat plate press. putter-on-er
PVI see Postage Validation Imprints. pvi
Quantity Mail bundled business mail that is discounted from the equivalent single-piece rates.  This is an incentive to the mailer to precancel, presort, barcode or otherwise reduce the required processing by the Postal Service.  First Class quantity mailings are discounted at reduced per-piece rates.  Third Class  ( Standard Mail) quantity mailings are discounted at bulk rates. quantity mail
R.F. a postal marking placed on a U.S. stamp, authorized by the U.S. Fleet Post Office during World War II for use on correspondence to the United States and Canada from French naval personnel.  Scott numbers are prefixed with CM. r.f.
Railway Mail Service a division of the Post Office established in 1882.  In 1949 the Railway Mail Service was consolidated into the Postal Transportation Service, which was itself discontinued in 1977.  The initials R.M.S. (or P.T.S. after 1949) generally appear in cancellations applied by a Railway Post Office. railway mail service
Railway Post Office a postal facility on trains, steamships and street cars for processing mail in transit.  The first official RPO route was established in 1864. The initials R.P.O. generally appear in postmarks applied by a Railway Post Office. railway post office
Rate see Postage Rate. rate
Rate Mark a numeral placed on a stampless letter at its place of origin indicating the amount to be collected from the addressee. rate mark
Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson printers of the first postage stamps, issued in 1847 ( Scott 1 and 2). rawdon, wright, hatch & edson
Re-engraved a transfer roll or plate on which the original design is altered.  Stamps produced from such re-engraving are distinguishable from stamps printed before the re-engraving. re-engraved
Re-entry a second entry on a plate position, made by carefully re- rocking the transfer roll over the initial impression.  If not done carefully, a double transfer may result.  This procedure was used to fix defective entries or to extend the lives of worn plates. re-entry
Re-issue an official reprinting of an obsolete stamp. re-issue
Reay, George H. manufacturer of stamped envelopes and wrappers from 1870 to 1874. reay, george h.
Receiving Mark a postmark applied to a cover (generally on the back), by the receiving post office as opposed to the originating post office.  The requirement for such backstamping of first class mail was in effect from 1879 to 1913. receiving mark
Rectification Tax Stamps revenue stamps issued in 1946 to pay the tax on distilled spirits that were condensed and purified for additional blending through repeated distillations.  Scott RZ. rectification tax stamps
Recut see re-engraved. recut
Recycled Paper paper used in the manufacture of stamped envelopes.  Recycled paper replaced watermarked paper beginning in 1992. recycled paper
Redrawn a stamp whose design is based on the design of an existing stamp, but which has been altered in some way, thus producing a new face-different stamp.  For example, Scott 1283B is a redrawn version of 1283. redrawn
Reds a nickname for 1) the red commemorative  postage stamps of the late 1920s and early 30s.  2) the red documentary revenue stamps of 1940-1958. reds
Registered Mail the most secure service provided by the Postal Service, which closely controls and records the movement of mail given this service.  First offered in 1855. registered mail
Registration 1) the alignment of colors on a stamp.  A stamp's colors can be described as properly registered or misregistered.  2) see also Registered Mail. registration
Registration Stamp a stamp, issued in 1911, to pay the fee for registered mail.  Scott F1. registration stamp
Regressive Die Essay an essay pulled from a transfer roll that has been partially cut way to remove unwanted elements of a design. regressive die essay
Regular Stamp see Definitive. regular stamp
Relief the design of a stamp raised up (as opposed to recessed) on a transfer roll. relief
Relief Break the breaking away of portions of the relief on a transfer roll.  This results in stamps with a blank space where an engraved line was intended.  Relief breaks can be progressive, that is, they can become worse as the transfer roll continues in use.  Progressive relief breaks can result in stamps that show the progressive deterioration of the transfer roll.  A classic example of this is found on the 5¢ Huguenot-Walloon of 1924 ( Scott 616). relief break
Relief Printing see Letterpress. relief printing
Reply Postal Card see Paid Reply Postal Card. reply postal card
Representative Number plate numbers assigned to both BEP-printed and privately-printed plates since 1980.  From 1980 to 2006, the first plate of each type (i.e. intaglio, gravure, offset) prepared for a given stamp was given number 1.  Subsequent plates of the same type were given consecutively higher numbers.  A prefix letter before a representative plate number designates the private printing company.  In the case of BEP-printed coil stamps where space was limited, a suffix letter was sometimes used to indicate plates higher than 9.  Thus 1111A follows 9999, and 1111B follows 9999A.  Since 2007, USPS policy is that the first and only plate number assigned to a given stamp is 1; even if multiple plates are used, all are numbered 1.  Higher numbers are assigned to a plate only if there is a change in stamp design, materials, press or manufacturer. representative number
Reprint an additional printing of a stamp that is still in stock by the Post Office, generally done to meet public demand. reprint
Reproductions official imitations.  Examples: Scott 3 and 4. reproductions
Required Matching Usage term that applies to a First Issue Revenue stamp used from October 1 through December 25, 1862 when the matching of the stamp and the document was required. required matching usage
Restricted Delivery service for a fee, which provides for the delivery of an item of mail only to the addressee or addressee's agent. restricted delivery
Retouch a repair of a damaged die or plate made in such a way that a minor variation results. retouch
Return Receipt service for fee (though once provided at no fee) that provides the sender with evidence of delivery. return receipt
Return Receipt Demanded see Return Receipt. return receipt demanded
Return Receipt Requested see Return Receipt. return receipt requested
Revenue Stamp a piece of printed security paper, usually gummed, produced by the BEP or other authorized printer under controlled and secure conditions, sold to document payment of a tax, duty, or a fee other than postage.  Revenue stamps can be divided into numerous categories, for example, documentary and proprietary. revenue stamp
Revenue Stamped Paper a taxable document such as a stock certificate or check, with a revenue stamp-like design printed directly on the document.  There are twenty-four major designs for revenue stamped paper.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RN. revenue stamped paper
RFD see Rural Free Delivery. rfd
Ribbed Paper paper with corrugated appearance of fine parallel ridges, similar to laid paper, but with a more dramatic appearance.  Example:  The 1¢ Franklin of 1873 (Scott 156). ribbed paper
RMS see Railway Mail Service. rms
RMU see: Required Matching Usage. rmu
Rocking the process of using a transfer roll to create a printing plate for the production of engraved stamps. rocking
Rodgers Aerial Post a 1911 cross-country airplane flight that carried mail and for which a privately printed stamp was issued.  Scott CL2 rodgers aerial post
Roller Cancel a device that applies a continuous cancellation and repeating circular postmark from its cylindrical roller.  Often used to cancel large pieces of flat mail.  Roller cancels are applied both by machine and by hand. roller cancel
Roosevelt Presentation Albums albums presented to dignitaries in 1903 containing small die proofs of stamps issued through 1902. roosevelt presentation albums
Rosette Crack a cluster of fine cracks on an engraved  plate, radiating from a central point. rosette crack
Rossback Perforation a 12&frac12; gauge perforation used by the BEP in 1919 on offset printed 1¢ stamps ( Scott 536). rossback perforation
Rotary Plate the curved plate used on a rotary press. rotary plate
Rotary Press a press that prints from curved plates fastened around a cylinder.  First used in 1914 to print an imperforate  coil stamp ( Scott 459). rotary press
Roughly Opened Envelope a cover opened in such a way that the top or side is torn in an uneven or jagged pattern.  Such a cover is less desirable than one that is neatly opened. roughly opened envelope
Roulette the slitting of paper between stamps to make their separation easier.  No paper is actually removed in the rouletting process. roulette
Round The World Flight flight of the Graf Zeppelin around the world, starting from and ending at Lakehurst, New Jersey, August 8 - September 1, 1929.  The flight was made with the cooperation of a number of postal administrations, including that of the United States. round the world flight
Route Agent a Post Office employee on trains who received and distributed (but did not usually sort) mail along a route. This position became obsolete in 1882 with the reorganization of the Railway Mail Service. route agent
RPO see Railway Post Office. rpo
Rural Free Delivery service of the post office, begun October 1, 1896, that provides mail delivery to rural customers.  In the early years mail was postmarked on the route by the carrier. rural free delivery
Rural Route a route, usually numbered, traveled by a Rural Free Delivery carrier from the parent post office. rural route
S20 marginal marking on certain rotary press plates indicating the plate was made from a die with an experimental variation in the depth of the frame line. s20
S30 marginal marking on certain rotary press plates indicating the plate was made from a die with an experimental variation in the depth of the frame line. s30
S40 marginal marking on certain rotary press plates indicating the plate was made from a die with an experimental variation in the depth of the frame line. s40
Saint Louis Bears see Bear Stamps. saint louis bears
Sanitary Fair Stamps labels sold at post office stations located at fairs held to raise money for the medical care of soldiers in the Civil War.  The labels were issued by the government- chartered United States Sanitary Commission, but were not valid for postage.  Scott WV. sanitary fair stamps
Savings Stamps stamps issued by the Post Office Department that were redeemable in the form of U.S. Savings Bonds.  Sale of Savings Stamps was discontinued in 1970.  Scott numbers are prefixed with S and PS. savings stamps
Schermack Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate  flat plate stamps by the Schermack Mailing Machine Company, which later became the Mailometer Co., for use in its affixing machines.  See also Hyphen-Hole Perforations. schermack perforations
Scott Specialized Catalogue of U.S. Stamps & Covers the most widely accepted and comprehensive catalogue of United States philatelic material. scott specialized catalogue of u.s. stamps & covers
Scrambled Indicia hidden images on stamps that can be viewed through a special lens available from the USPS. scrambled indicia
Scratchboard stamp production technique that resembles traditional line engraving. scratchboard
Screened Tagging tagging that is made up of thin lines, or dot patterns that appear as lines, when viewed with low magnification.  Example: 1998 32¢ Remember the Maine ( Scott 3192). screened tagging
Se-Tenant two or more stamps of different designs printed adjacent to one another on a pane.  Earliest example: 1964 Christmas issue, Scott 1254-1257. se-tenant
Sea Post Office a post office operated on a ship plying one of several sea routes.   Sea Post Offices were full post offices and operated from 1891 into the 1930s. sea post office
Seal 1) a label applied by the Post Office to "seal" mail, which was opened either intentionally, or by accident. Post Office Seals were supplied to larger post offices and have Scott numbers prefixed with OX.   Typeset Seals were privately printed for sale to Fourth Class post offices and have Scott numbers prefixed with LOX.  2) a label such as a Christmas Seal. seal
Second Bureau Issue see Series of 1902. second bureau issue
Second Class Mail class of mail for newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals.  This class of mail is now known as Periodicals-Class Mail. second class mail
Second Day Cover a cover  postmarked on the day following the official release of a stamp.  Such covers were popular from the 1920s through the 1940s when stamps were placed on sale at the Philatelic Agency in Washington on the day after being issued elsewhere. second day cover
Second Issue Documentary Stamps revenue stamps issued in 1871 ( Scott R103-133) printed by Jos. R. Carpenter on paper with silk fibers. second issue documentary stamps
Secret Mark marks added to dies by the Continental Banknote Co. in order to distinguish their stamps from stamps previously produced from the same dies by the National Bank Note Co. secret mark
Sectional Center Facility place where mail is processed for post offices in a specified geographic area. sectional center facility
Self Adhesive Stamp a stamp that employs pressure-sensitive adhesive, as opposed to water-activated gum. self adhesive stamp
Selvage see margin selvage
Semi-Postal a postage stamp sold for more than its face value, with a portion of the difference between face value and sale price donated to a specified charitable activity.  The first semi-postal (Breast Cancer Awareness) appeared in 1998.  Scott numbers are prefixed with B. semi-postal
Sennett Security Products private printer of modern postage stamps.  Example: 1998 Wisconsin Statehood ( Scott 3206). sennett security products
Separated Perforations perforations between stamps in a block or other multiple that are no longer intact. separated perforations
Separating Offices a post office that processes mail in transit.  Also see Transit Mark. separating offices
Series of 1894 the first set of definitive  postage stamps to be printed by the BEP.  Issued beginning in 1894.  These stamps were prepared from dies received from the private company that previously used them to print stamps for the Post Office.  The dies were altered, however, before their use by the BEP.  Begins with Scott 246. series of 1894
Series of 1902 the second set of definitive  postage stamps issued by the BEP.  These stamps appeared in 1902.  Scott numbers begin with 300. series of 1902
Series of 1908 see Washington-Franklins. series of 1908
Series of 1922 the definitive series of postage stamps issued beginning in 1922.  Includes sheet stamps, coils, and booklets.  Begins with Scott 551. series of 1922
Series of 1938 see Presidential Series. series of 1938
Service Indicators see Service Inscribed Stamps. service indicators
Service Inscribed Stamps stamps that include wording in their design indicating the mail handling service for which the stamps were issued, as, for example, "Presorted First-Class." Stamps inscribed Air Mail,  Special Delivery, etc. may also be considered Service Inscribed Stamps. service inscribed stamps
Set-off 1) the result of ink from a newly printed sheet leaving an impression on the back of the sheet stacked on top of it; 2) the result of ink accidentally applied to the roller of a printing press being picked up by the next sheet to be printed.  These freaks are sometimes misleadingly called offsets.  See also Phantom Numbers. set-off
Shade a minor variation in color. shade
Shanghai see Offices in China. shanghai
Sheet a unit of sheet stamps as produced on a printing press that is subdivided into panes.  A sheet contains two or more panes.  Early sheets contained two panes.  Most 20th century sheets contained four panes.  Modern sheets may contain six or more panes.  Although there are exceptions, sheet stamps are generally sold to the public only in pane format, not in sheet format.  In popular usage the term "sheet" is incorrectly used for a "pane." sheet
Sheet Stamp a stamp produced in sheet format and intended for sale in individual panes, as opposed to a stamp issued in coil or booklet pane format. sheet stamp
Sheet Waste odd-sized remnants of the web of rotary press  sheet stamps that were salvaged and perforated  gauge 11, an economy measure that created very rare stamps.  Example: Scott 596.  Not to be confused with Coil Waste. sheet waste
Sheet-fed the process of printing on individual sheets of paper, as opposed to printing on a continuous web of paper. sheet-fed
Shifted Transfer a faulty impression created on an engraved  plate when too much pressure is applied to a transfer roll, causing the plate to move slightly forward in the transfer press.  As a result, the subsequent rocking-in of the transfer roll will not match exactly with the first impression and the lines are doubled at the forward edge of the design. shifted transfer
Ship Letter a letter carried on a private ship that is not under government contract to carry mail.  Such letters were delivered to the post office at the ship's port of entry. ship postmark
Short Paid see Underfranked. short paid
Short Transfer an impression on an engraved  plate on which one edge, or two opposite edges, are weak, incomplete, or missing because the siderographer did not rock the transfer roll far enough in one or both directions.  Example: 1983 Brooklyn Bridge, UL2 ( position 2 of the upper left pane). short transfer
Show Cancel a cancel, unusually decorative and commemorative in nature, applied to covers at a stamp show. show cancel
Siderographer an employee of the BEP who created engraved printing plates from a transfer roll. siderographer
Siderographer Initials a marginal marking; the initials of the siderographer who created the plate, located in the lower left corner of the plate.  This marginal marking first appeared in 1906 and was last used in 1928. siderographer initials
Siderography the process of creating an engraved  plate from a transfer roll. siderography
Sidewise Coils coil stamps with perforations at the sides, as opposed to endwise coils. sidewise coils
Silk Paper paper containing silk threads, used to produce some revenue stamps.  Example: Scott R135. silk paper
Silkote Paper a special paper, very white and smooth, used experimentally by the BEP to produce a small number of the 2¢ Jefferson sheet stamps in the Liberty Series  ( Scott 1033a). silkote paper
Silver Tax Stamp revenue stamp used to pay a tax on profits from transactions in silver.  Some older documentary stamps were overprinted "Silver Tax" prior to stamps being printed that were designed specifically for payment of the silver tax.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RG. silver tax stamp
Single Line Watermark a watermark in which the initials USPS are composed with a single line.  Example: Scott 374. single line watermark
Sinkage the outline, or impression, created by a die, found on most large die proofs. sinkage
SIPEX see Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition. sipex
Sixth Bureau Issue see Liberty Series. sixth bureau issue
Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S. Held in Washington, D.C. in 1966.  A stamp ( Scott 1310) and souvenir sheet (1311) were issued in conjunction with this show. sixth international philatelic exhibition
Skiving a method of stamp separation in which thin layers of paper are removed by grinding instead of cutting or punching.  The result resembles perforations. skiving
Sleeve a seamless cylindrical plate used to print intaglio stamps on a rotary press. sleeve
Slogan Cancel a cancellation that contains words or graphics that promote or celebrate some cause or event. slogan cancel
Slogan Die die in a meter machine which imprints words or pictures to the left of the indicium and town mark slogan die
Slug a removable piece of metal, used in the postmark  die or cancellation  die of a cancelling machine.  The slug contains changeable information, such as date and time. slug
Slurring A smudging on the printing that is characteristic of lithography. slurring
Small Bank Notes nickname for the series of postage stamps produced in 1890-1893 by the American Bank Note Co.  ( Scott 219-229).  This nickname helps distinguish these stamps from the Large Bank Notes that preceded them. small banknotes
Small Die Proof a die proof, often printed on a piece of India paper, which is significantly smaller than a large die proof. small die proof
Small Holes perforation holes that are smaller than other perforations holes of the same gauge. For example, Scott 1055 in the Liberty Series exists with perforation holes of two different sizes (large and small) even though all are perforation gauge 10.  Compare: Large Holes. small holes
Snipe see guttersnipe. snipe
Socked-on-the-nose see Bullseye. socked-on-the-nose
Solid Tagging see Even Tagging. solid tagging
Solo Usage a cover franked with only one stamp. solo usage
Southgate Memorial Trophy prestigious award given at the annual meeting of the United States Stamp Society, for the best exhibit of 19th century material by a USSS member. southgate memorial trophy
Souvenir Card a philatelic card, not valid for postage, often depicting the design of one or more stamps.  Scott numbers are prefixed with SC. souvenir card
Souvenir Pages post office announcement bulletins of new postage stamps that include text and an illustration of the postage stamp to be issued.  Prior to the first souvenir pages in 1960 new issues were for a time announced to customers by postal card.  Scott numbers are prefixed with SP. souvenir pages
Souvenir Sheet a small sheet of one or more stamps, valid for postage, usually issued in conjunction with a philatelic exposition. souvenir sheet
Special Delivery service for a fee that provided for delivery of an item of mail to an addressee immediately upon its arrival at the addressee's post office.  Begun in 1885, it was discontinued in 1997. special delivery
Special Delivery Stamps stamps issued for use on Special Delivery mail.  Scott numbers are prefixed with E. special delivery stamps
Special Handling service for a fee that expedites parcel post mail as though it were First Class mail.  Such mail does not have the protection against examination given to First Class mail.  When this service was first offered in 1925, mailers of live animals such as bees, chicks and alligators were required to use it. special handling
Special Handling Stamps stamps issued to pay the Special Handling fee.  Scott numbers are prefixed with QE. special handling stamps
Special Printing re-issue of a stamp for a special purpose.  This term applies particularly to stamps provided by the Post Office Department for (and subsequent to) the Centennial Exposition of 1876 (Examples: 2-3, 40-47, 102-111, and 123-132), and to “ Farley’s Follies” (Scott 752-771). special printing
Special Usage Stamps stamps that are intended for just one specific function, for example, Special Delivery, Special Handling and Postage Due. special usage stamps
Specimen a sample stamp or stamped enevelope, not valid for postage, generally overprinted "Specimen." specimen
Speed Mail a USPOD service that lasted six weeks in 1960.  It was a “fax” service for inter-agency mail, which the Post Office delivered in specially designed envelopes. speed mail
Speedy a nickname for a Special Delivery letter. speedy
Splice a repair made to the web where it has been torn or cut.  The web is reconnected, often with a piece of paper.  On older rotary stamps this will usually result in a double paper variety. splice
Split Grill a stamp showing portions of two or more grills. split grill
Sprayed-on marking cancellation or other marking sprayed-on a cover by the Postal Service in a dot-matrix pattern. sprayed-on marking
Squash-effect doubling a freak caused when a printing plate contacts the paper with too much pressure, creating a doubling effect of the design.  This is not a double impression. squash-effect doubling
Stamp a piece of printed security paper, usually gummed and perforated, printed under controlled and secure conditions, generally sold to the public to represent payment of a fee for service or a tax.  See also Postage Stamp,  Local Stamp,  Telegraph Stamp and Revenue Stamp. stamp
Stamp Agent USPOD employee responsible for receiving and accounting for deliveries of completed stamps from nineteenth century private security printers and sending them to post offices as needed. stamp agent
Stamp Decoder a device marketed by USPS; used to observe hidden images on certain modern postage stamps. stamp decoder
Stamp Venturers private contractor for postage stamps in partnership with other companies.  An example of its work is the 29¢ Desert Shield/Desert Storm sheet stamp  ( Scott 2551). stamp venturers
Stamped Card the current USPS term for what was formerly known as a postal card. stamped card
Stamped Envelope an envelope with a stamp-like indicium documenting payment of postage.  Stamped envelopes were introduced in 1853. stamped envelope
Stampless Letter a letter that does not have a postage stamp affixed.  Generally used to refer to letters from before the introduction of postage stamps, or from the time when prepayment of postage by stamps was not required. stampless letter
Stamps.com first company approved by the USPS to sell postage online. stamp.com
Standard Mail (A) bulk-rate mail known as Third Class Mail prior to July 1, 1996. standard mail
Standard Mail (B) mail known as Fourth Class Mail prior to July 1, 1996. standard mail b
Star Plates flat press plates containing a star in the margin.  Stars were used on some Washington-Franklin and Fourth Bureau plates to indicate a slightly wider spacing in the vertical margins between stamps (when compared to earlier similar plates that had less space between stamps).  The purpose of the star was to alert workers that adjustments needed to be made in perforating these sheets.  Star plates were produced in an attempt to manufacture better centered stamps. star plates
Star Route a route along which a contractor carries mail, as opposed to a route along which a postal employee carries mail.  Sometimes mail was also collected and delivered along a star route. star route
State Revenue Stamp a revenue stamp issued by a state, municipality, or other local jurisdiction. state revenue stamp
Station Cancel a cancellation that identifies the post office branch where the cancelling was done. station cancel
Sterling Sommer private printer of modern postage stamps.  Example: 1995 Carousel Horses ( Scott2976-2979). sterling sommer
Stevens Security Press subcontractor to Ashton-Potter (USA) LTD for printing the 1997 Marshall Plan Anniversary stamps  ( Scott 3141). stevens security press
Stickney Press intaglio, web-fed,  rotary press developed by BEP employee Benjamin Stickney.  The first one became operational in 1914.  The last one was decommissioned in 1962. stickney press
Stock Transfer Stamp a revenue stamp used to pay a federal tax on transfers of stock ownership.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RD. stock transfer stamp
Straight Edge a sheet stamp on which one side (edge), or two adjacent sides (edges), are without perforations.  This is the manner in which many early and some recent stamps were issued.  A straight edge is a normal result of the production process. straight edge
Straight Line Perforator a machine once used at the BEP that had a set of perforating pins and a center cutting wheel.  In one pass through this machine either horizontal or vertical perforations were produced, and the sheet was cut in half. straight line perforator
Street Car R.P.O. a specialized type of Railway Post Office, operated in a street car in one of fourteen cities in the years between 1891 and 1929. street car rpo
Strike 1) the postal marking made on a cover by a cancellation or postmarking device, sometimes described with words like, "clear" or "illegible".  2) the action of making a mark on a cover, usually with a hand-held device. strike
Strip three or more stamps in a vertical or horizontal format. strip
Stripe Tagging see Band Tagging. stripe tagging
Stripper marks small marks of ink between the perforation holes of stamps caused by the accumulation of ink on strippers. stripper marks
Strippers "fingers" used in the perforating process to free the perforated sheets from the perforating pins. strippers
Stroke Perforating perforating accomplished with a straight up and down action of the perforating pins. stroke perforating
Stuffer a piece of card placed in a cover of philatelic origin in an attempt to enable the cover to go through the mailstream without damage and to improve the quality of any postal markings placed on the face of the cover. stuffer
Sub Station designation used from 1890-1902 for certain retail postal units that operated under the supervision of a full station or main post office; they frequently used postal markings containing “SUB”. sub station
Summer gum name given to the comparatively hard gum applied to stamps at the BEP during the summer season during the first decades of the 20th century. summer gum
Supplementary Mail mail dispatched to a particular ship or train after the normal Closing of the Mail.  An extra fee was usually charged for this service. supplementary mail
Supplementary Mail Marking auxiliary marking indicating a cover received Supplementary Mail service. supplementary mail marking
Surcharge an overprint that changes the face value of a stamp or item of postal stationery.  Example: Postal Cards of 1917 surcharged in 1952 ( Scott UX31-UX35). surcharge
Surface Mail international mail that does not travel by air. surface mail
Surface Printing see Lithography. surface printing
Survey Flight a flight made to determine a new air mail route, or to acquaint a crew with a new air mail route. survey flight
Tab the piece of paper selvage, with or without marginal marking, attached to a booklet pane.  In traditional booklets, panes were either glued by the tabs into cardboard covers, or stapled between the covers through the tab. tab
Taggant the phosphor compound used in the tagging of stamps. taggant
Tagging see Phosphor Tagging. tagging
Tagging - Type OP Tagging applied by an offset press.  Example: 1966 5¢ Women's Clubs stamp,  Scott 1316. tagging - type op
Tagging -Type I overall tagging where all four selvage margins on a pane of 100 stamps are only partially tagged.  The stamps are all fully tagged.  This, the first type of tagging used, appears on seven stamps.  Example: Liberty issue 4¢ Lincoln, Scott 1036b. tagging -type i
Tagging -Type II overall tagging where the large margin on a pane of 100 stamps is only partially tagged.  The other three margins and all stamps are fully tagged.  Examples are many Prominent American issue stamps and a few Liberty Issues. tagging -type ii
Tagging -Type IIA overall tagging where all four selvage margins, as well as all stamps on a pane of 100 are fully tagged. Examples are many Prominent American issue stamps. tagging -type iia
Tagging -Type III tagging similar to Type IIA, but characterized by gaps in tagging or bright lines resembling coil joint lines that cross the narrow axis of one row of stamps in a pane of 100.  The lines were produced by the gap where two metal tagging plates butted together.  Examples: 3¢ Statue of Liberty in the Liberty series ( Scott 1035b). tagging -type iii
Taker-Off-er nickname for employees of the BEP who removed printed sheets from the flat plate press. taker-off-er
TAP Tagging stamps that were Tagged After being Perforated.  This was only done to the 1966 6¢ National Park Service ( Scott 1314), and 1969 6¢ Beautification of America ( Scott 1365-68) stamps. tap tagging
Taxpaid Revenue Stamp a revenue stamp that is not denominated in money, but in some other measurement, generally a quantity or unit size, for example: one pint, 1/8 barrel, ten cigarettes.  Example: some Playing Cards stamps. taxpaid revenue stamp
Teeth the tooth-like projections of paper on the edges of perforated stamps. teeth
Telegraph Stamps stamps issued by private telegraph companies for use on their own telegrams.  Scott numbers contains a T. telegraph stamps
Tenebrescence see Tenebrescent. tenebrescence
Tenebrescent a chemical agent that when added to stamp papers or printers ink causes them to appear darker when viewed under long wave ultra-violet light.  This is the opposite of a fluorescent agent that causes paper or inks to glow brighter under long wave ultra-violet light.  Example of tenebrescent ink: 2001 34¢ Flag over Farm, water activated gum, plate P2222. tenebrescent
Territorial Cover a cover posted in what was a territory at the time of its mailing. territorial cover
Test Stamp see Dummy Stamp. test stamp
The United States Specialist monthly journal of the United States Stamp Society. united states specialist
Third Bureau Issue see Washington-Franklins. third bureau issue
Third Class Mail category of mail that has evolved over the years, providing for the mailing of both single-piece items and, since 1928, bulk mailings.  Items mailed by Third Class have included printed mater, catalogs, seed, samples of merchandise, and advertising.  This category has been used for bulk mailings both by commercial and non-profit users.  Now known as Standard Mail. third class mail
Third International Philatelic Exhibition one in a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.  Held in New York City in 1936.  Souvenir sheet Scott 778 was issued in conjunction with this show. third international philatelic exhibition
Third Issue Documentary Stamps revenue stamps ( Scott R134-150) issued in 1871-1874, printed by Jos. R. Carpenter. third issue documentary stamps
Tied a stamp that is connected (tied) to a cover by a cancellation or postmark. tied
Time-Cummins Manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from 1905 to the 1920s, noted for their distinctive large dial postmarks. time-cummins
TIPEX see Third International Philatelic Exhibition. tipex
Tobacco Sale Tax Stamp overprinted  documentary revenue stamps issued to pay a federal tax on tobacco sales.  The Supreme Court declared the tax unconstitutional.  Scott RJ. tobacco sale tax stamp
Toning the undesirable discoloration of a cover or a stamp; also sometimes known as "foxing." toning
TOP a marginal inscription appearing on some bicolored flat press stamps.  The purpose of the inscription was to reduce of the possibility of a sheet being inverted on its second pass through the press, and thus also to reduce the possibility of creating invert  stamps. top
Toppan, Carpenter & Company contractor for postage stamps from 1857-1861. toppan, carpenter & co.
Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Company contractor for postage stampsfrom 1851-1857. toppan, carpenter, casilear & co.
Trailer Permit Stamps revenue stamps issued by the National Park Service.  These stamps were required to bring a house trailer into a national park or monument.  Issued in 1939.  Scott numbers are prefixed with RVT. trailer permit stamps
Trans-Mississippi Issue commemorative  postage stamps issued for the Omaha Exposition of 1898.  Scott 285-293. trans-mississippi issue
Transfer Clerk an employee of the Railway Mail Service responsible for the transfer of mail between a post office and mail trains. transfer clerk
Transfer Press a special press on which a siderographer creates transfer rolls and printing plates. transfer press
Transfer Roll a roll of steel used in the production of a platethat prints engraved stamps. The shape of the roll is not unlike a slice of a modest sized tree branch.  Once a die has been completed, a soft, blank transfer roll is pressed into it.  In this way the design from the die is transferred to the roll in relief.  Several such designs are usually transferred onto each roll.  After being hardened, the transfer roll is used to create a plate by rocking the design into each position on the unhardened steel plate where a subject is to appear. transfer roll
Transit Mark(ings) a postmark applied to a cover by a separating post office while in transit between an originating and destination post office.  A separating post office was one at which mail was received for dispatch to other post offices.  Transit postmarks generally contain the word “transit” and were applied to the back of covers.   Used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  See also Receiving Mark. transit mark(ings)
Transitional Perforations perforations on one side of a stamp that begin as perf 11 and end as perf 10.  These transitional perforations were produced during the early 1920s on some flat plate stamps.  The cause was the use of a gauge 11 perforating wheel on which a small section of pins was replaced by a section of gauge 10 pins. transitional perforations
Transportation Coils an extensive series of definitive  postage stamps, which began appearing in 1981.  Scott numbers begin with 1897. transportation coils
Transports a series of air mail stamps, all with the same design, first appearing in 1941.  Scott C25-C31. transports
Treasury Savings Stamp stamp issued by the Treasury Department, redeemable in the form of War Savings Stamps or Treasury Savings Certificates.  Scott numbers are prefixed with TS. treasury savings stamp
Treaty Rate 1) an international postage rate established by one of several bilateral agreements between the U.S. and other nations prior to establishment of the Universal Postal Union. 2) a special postal rate, less than the standard UPU rate, negotiated between the U.S. and a foreign country.  Also called Convention Rate. treaty rate
Trial Color Proof a proof, typically a die proof, but sometimes a plate proof, printed in a test color, as part of the process of determining the color in which a stamp will be issued. trial color proof
Trieste Occupation Issues see Allied Military Government Stamps. trieste occupation issues
Triple Transfer a plate variety in which a portion of the design is tripled, that is, it appears three times.  For further explanation see Double Transfer. triple transfer
Triplex Cancel cancel similar to a duplex, except that the year is between the dial and the killer. triplex cancel
Twisted Double Transfer two impressions of a double transfer that are not oriented clockwise. twisted double transfer
Type Number a number assigned by the Scott Catalogue to all stamps with a common design. type number
Typeset Seals see Seal. typeset seals
Typography see Letterpress. typography
U.S. Automatic Vending Co. New York based manufacturer of vending machines and private coils. u.s. automatic vending co.
U.S. Automatic Vending Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate stamps by the U.S. Automatic Vending Machine Company for use in its vending machines. u.s. automatic vending perforations
U.S. Bank Note Co. contractor for postage stamps beginning in 1989. u.s. bank note co.
U.S. Official Postal Guide primary resource for information on post office listings, domestic and foreign postage rates, policies, orders and regulations.   Published from 1890 to 1953. u.s. official postal guide
UGAI see Ungummed As Issued. ugai
UL Upper left.  Refers to the upper left pane from a traditional sheet of four panes.  These initials are also used to describe plate blocks taken from the upper left corner of such sheets. ul
Ultraviolet Light light beyond the visible spectrum used to detect luminescence.  Long wave ultraviolet light is commonly used to detect fluorescent brighteners, while short wave is used to detect phosphor tagging. ultraviolet light
Uncoated Paper Paper with a rough surface, with many jagged "hills and valleys" when looked at under magnification.  See also  Coated Paper and Prephosphored Paper. uncoated paper
Underfranked an item of mail bearing insufficient postage. underfranked
Unexploded a stamp  booklet that is intact, that is, not taken apart. unexploded
Ungummed As Issued stamps issued without gum, as opposed to stamps from which the gum has been removed.  Farley's Follies were issued without gum. ungummed as issued
United States Envelope Company manufacturer of modern stamped envelopes. united states envelope co.
United States Post Office Department the branch of government that operated the Post Office prior to its reorganization in 1971. united states post office department
United States Postal Service the government corporation formed to run the Post Office in 1971. united states postal service
United States Specialist monthly journal of the United States Stamp Society. united states specialist
United States Stamp Society leading organization of collectors of U.S. stamps, formerly known as the BIA (Bureau Issues Association). united states stamp society
Universal Postal Union an international organization, tracing its origin to 1863, which facilitates the transmission of mail between member countries. universal postal union
Universal Stamping Machine Co. major manufacturer of cancelling machines in use from the 1900s to the 1990s. universal stamping machine co.
Unlisted a stamp or other philatelic item not recognized by a catalog publisher. unlisted
Unofficial First Day Cover a stamp on cover  cancelled on the first day of issue, but from a city other than the one(s) in which the stamp was officially released. unofficial first day cover
Unwatermarked stamp or postal stationery with no watermark. unwatermarked
UPU see Universal Postal Union. upu
UR Upper right.  Refers to the upper right pane from a traditional sheet of four panes.  These initials are also used to describe plate blocks taken from the upper right corner of such sheets. ur
USIR a watermark found on some revenue stamps and, by error, on a printing of the $1 Woodrow Wilson stamp in the Presidential Issue ( Scott 832b).  USIR is an acronym for United States Internal Revenue. usir
USPOD see United States Post Office Department. uspod
USPS 1) the watermark used on almost all watermarked postage stamps.  Some authorities believe these initials stood for United States Postage Stamp.  See Single Line Watermark and Double Line Watermark.  2) see United States Postal Service. usps
USSS see United States Stamp Society. usss
V-Mail a mail system used during World War II, from 1942 to 1945, to expedite messages to and from active duty military personnel overseas.  Messages were written on standard forms, mailed to processing centers, photographed in quantity on microfilm, and sent by air to or from the U.S.  The microfilm was then processed, printed, and dispatched to the addressee by ordinary mail.  V-Mail letters were sent free of postage by members of the Armed Forces. v-mail
Valley the portion of a simulated perforation on a self-adhesive stamp that curves inward next to each peak. valley
VAMP see Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations. vamp
Variety a stamp or other philatelic item that differs in some way from the norm.  Example: the second type of the 1970 Christmas stamp ( Scott 1414d). variety
Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations perforations privately applied to imperforate  stamps by The Attleboro Stamp Company, The Brinkerhoff Company, The Farwell Company, International Vending Machine Co., The Mailometer Co., The Shermack Co., and U.S. Automatic Vending Co.  These privately perforated stamps were sold in coil format for use in vending machines and affixing machines. vending and affixing machine perforations
Vending and Machine Perforations Society predecessor organization to the United States Stamp Society. vending and machine perforations society
Vending Booklet 1) traditional booklet of stamps (one or more panes attached to a set of cardboard covers) intended to be sold from a vending machine.  2) contemporary booklet of self-adhesive stamps folded and sealed to form a booklet intended to be sold in a vending machine. vending booklet
Vending Machine a machine that sells stamps or other postal material to the public. vending machine
Vignette the central portion of a stamp design, often surrounded by a border or frame. vignette
War Emergency Rate a tax, levied in the form of increased postage rates, to help pay for World War I.  The war emergency rate was in effect from November 2, 1917 until restoration of the pre-war rates on July 1, 1919. war emergency rate
War Savings Stamps stamps issued by the Treasury Department during World War I and World War II that were redeemable during WWI for War Certificates and during WWII for Defense Bonds or War Bonds.  Scott numbers begin with WS. war savings stamps
Wash Drawing a painting or drawing in which thin layers, or washes, of watercolors or India ink are used. wash drawing
Washington 2006 one of a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.; held in Washington, D.C. in 2006. washington 2006
Washington Bicentennials commemorative  stamps ( Scott 704-715) and stamped envelopes (U523-U528) issued in 1932 for the bicentennial of Washington's birth. washington bicentennials
Washington Views series of high face-value Priority Mail and Express Mail stamps begun with the 2001 $3.50 Capitol Dome, Scott 3472. washington views
Washington-Franklin Head Issue the Third Bureau Issue; a series of about 350 definitive  postage stamps issued between 1908 and 1922.  Found between Scott 331 and 547, and K1-18. washington-franklin head issue
Water-activated gum gum on a stamp that must be moistened in order to affix the stamp to an envelope. water-activated gum
Waterbury Cancels fancy cancels used in Waterbury, Conn. that were created by its postmaster. waterbury cancels
Watermark a pattern embedded in paper during the production process, created by an intentional thinning of the paper.  Watermarked paper has been used for stamps, stamped envelopes, and postal cards.  The design of the watermark on stamps generally consists of the letters USPS.  Watermarks on postal stationery vary, but generally contain the letters US. watermark
Way Letter a loose letter handed to an official mail carrier (stage, horseback, boat or railroad) in the absence of a route agent.  A way letter could not be added to sacks of mail being transported because they were locked and the mail carrier did not have a key to them.  The way letter was delivered to the first post office reached for dispatch to its destination. A fee was charged for this service.  The word “Way” was written or stamped on such letters as an accounting device. way letter
Web a continuous roll of paper used on a printing press or off-line perforator. web
Web-fed the process of printing from continuous paper on a roll (a web), as opposed to printing from individual sheets of paper. web-fed
Wells, Fargo and Company An express mail company formed in 1852 that provided service in the West; agents for the operators of the Pony Express; issuers of local stamps. wells, fargo and co.
Wesson "Time-On-Bottom" Handstamp duplex handstamp that displays the date numerically as DD MM YY, with the time of day at the bottom of the dial. wesson time-on-bottom handstamp
Wet Printing intaglio printing on paper that has been dampened to facilitate the transfer of the ink.  Wet printing of Bureau Issues ended in the late 1950s.  See also  Dry Printing. wet printing
Window Envelope envelope with a transparent window for displaying the name and address of the recipient. window envelope
Wine Stamps see Cordials, Wine, etc. Stamps. wine stamps
Winter gum name given to the comparatively soft gum applied to stamps during the winter at the BEP during the early decades of the 20th century. winter gum
Wiper marks streaks of ink left on an intaglio printed stamp due to the failure of the wiper to completely remove ink from the surface of the plate.   A stamp with wiper marks is a freak. wiper marks
Wrapper a sheet of paper imprinted with a stamp-like indicium that can be folded and sealed around a newspaper or periodical for mailing.  A wrapper is an item of postal stationery. wrapper
Wrinkled Tagging Short bright or untagged lines overlying a stamp's tagging that resemble "chicken wire" when viewed under ultraviolet light.  Caused by tagging roller surfaces that became wrinkled from pressure and age. wrinkled tagging
Z Grill 1) one of several types of grills used in the 19th century, about 11 x 14mm in size.  2) a nickname for Scott 85A, of which only one copy is known to exist in private ownership. z grill
ZazzleStamps Personalized postage produced by Pitney Bowes. zazzlestamps
Zepps nickname for the high face value air mail stamps of 1930 issued for mail carried on the dirigible Graf Zeppelin.  Scott C13-C15. zepps
ZIP Block a margin block with inscription urging the use of ZIP Code, or depicting the "Mr. Zip" character.  Zip Blocks appeared between 1964 and 1994. zip block
ZIP Code originally an acronym standing for "Zone Improvement Plan" this five digit number, now an essential part of every address, helps facilitate the sorting of mail.  Begun in 1963. zip code
ZIP+4 the nine digit ZIP Code which includes the basic five digit ZIP Code plus four additional digits representing the sector or segment of the address.  The ZIP+4 encodes an address to a block face (one side of a city block). zip+4
Zone a number that was part of addresses, introduced in Boston in the 1920s, and used in many large cities from 1943 until the institution of the ZIP Code in 1963.  The Zone number was placed between the name of the city and state.  Example: Brooklyn 32, N.Y. The zone number helped facilitate the sorting and distribution of mail.  A prototype of postal zones was attempted without notable success in Chicago in the 1890s. zone
“D” Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in 1985 with an assigned postage value of 22¢. d stamps
“E” Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in 1988 with an assigned postage value of 25¢. e stamps
“F” Stamps nondenominated stamps issued in 1991 with an assigned postage value of 29¢. f stamps


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