Unlock the World of Philately: Your Ultimate Guide to Stamp Terminology
Excited about stamps and eager to learn more about collecting? Our guide is here to help! We cover all the stamp terms you need to know, from “airmail” to “watermark,” making stamp collecting easy to understand for everyone. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been collecting for years, our guide will give you the confidence to enjoy this fascinating hobby to the fullest. Let’s start building your stamp collection today!
Airmail: Stamps used specifically for sending mail by air.
Album: A book or binder used to store and display a collection of stamps.
Back of the Book (BOB): Stamps that are not part of regular issues, such as airmail, postage due, or official stamps. (Note: this term is less common in British philately).
Cancel: A mark placed on a stamp to show it has been used, typically including the date and place of mailing.
Cachet: A design or inscription, other than the cancel, on an envelope to commemorate a special event.
Cinderella: A stamp-like label that is not a postage stamp but may resemble one. Examples include charity labels and propaganda labels.
Coil: Stamps issued in rolls, often used in vending machines or by large mailers.
Commemorative: Stamps issued to honour a person, event, or subject, often available for a limited time.
Cover: An envelope or package with stamps on it. A “first day cover” is a cover with a stamp postmarked on the first day of issue.
Definitive: Regular-issue stamps produced in large quantities and used for everyday postage needs.
Die: The original engraved design used to produce a stamp.
Duplex Cancel: A cancel that includes both the postmark and the obliteration of the stamp, typically applied in a single operation.
Error: A stamp that has a mistake in its design, printing, or production. These can be very valuable.
Face Value: The nominal value of a stamp as printed on it.
First Day Cover (FDC): An envelope bearing a stamp cancelled on the first day the stamp is available for sale.
Gum: The adhesive on the back of a stamp.
Hinges: Small, gummed strips used to affix stamps to an album page.
Imperforate: Stamps without perforations or separation marks, often cut from a sheet with scissors.
Mint: A stamp in its original, unused condition, with full gum.
Overprint: An additional printing on a stamp after it has been issued, often to change its value or commemorate an event.
Perforation: The holes punched between stamps to make them easy to separate.
Philatelist: A person who studies or collects stamps.
Postmark: A mark applied by postal authorities to indicate the date and place of mailing, usually rendering the stamp invalid for reuse.
Proof: A trial print of a stamp, produced to check the design and colour before the final printing.
Reprint: Additional printings of a stamp from the original plates after the initial issue.
Revenue Stamp: Stamps used to collect taxes or fees on documents, not for postal use.
Se-tenant: Adjoining stamps that differ in design, colour, or denomination, often forming a single unit.
Sheet: A larger piece of paper containing multiple stamps, usually printed together.
Souvenir Sheet: A small sheet of stamps with a decorative margin or special theme.
Thematic: Collecting stamps by subject rather than country, such as animals, sports, or space (in British English, this is more commonly referred to as “thematic” rather than “topical”).
Watermark: A deliberate design embedded into the paper during its manufacture, used to identify the authenticity and prevent counterfeiting of stamps.