Championship Stamp Supply Definitions of Philatelic Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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C Press	A three-color, web fed intaglio press utilized by the BEP (obtained in 1982) to print numerous definitive issues of the 1980s and 1990s. The press was officially designated as Press 901.
Cachet	A design on an envelope, most frequently a first-day cover. Although they are primarily illustrative in nature, cachets can be completely composed of text. The term is also less frequently applied to any illustration on a commercial cover, including advertising that is increasingly important to the value of the cover. In fact, cachets created by certain artists, individuals or companies frequently sell for may time the value of standard FDCs. Cachets may be applied in any number of ways, including by rubber stamp, printing, drawing or painting. A cachet can even be a special label or photograph created for an event or issue.
Canceled-To-Order (CTO)	Stamps that have been canceled without having served postal duty. This is frequently done by postal agencies with their remainders, before selling them to stamp dealers for the packet trade. Some countries that rely heavily on stamp collector income order a certain number of canceled-to-order stamps along with the standard print run. CTOs may appear with hand, machine, or printed cancels, and the cancels frequently have a rather uniform appearance. Most CTO stamps are worth considerably less than their postally used counterparts, but many catalogs list used values based on CTO, rather than postally used stamps. Many CTO stamps have full gum, even though they are canceled. Despite their low esteem through the hobby, CTOs provide collectors with inexpensive, highly collectible stamps in generally excellent condition.
Cancellation	Any form of stamp defacement applied to prevent revenue loss through illegal reuse of stamps. Although cancellations are most commonly encountered as ink obliterations, they also can be holes, cuts, tears or even laser burns. While any for of cancellation is legitimate, collectors deem some forms highly desirable (such as fancy cancels) and others undesirable (such as ballpoint pen), which can have a vast influence of the value of a used stamp.
Carbon Tetrachloride	A very volatile and dangerous fluid that was marketed for many years to stamp collectors as a watermark fluid. Although it was effective for viewing watermarks and detecting repairs, the hazards outweighed the benefits. All use of this hazardous material was halted in the late 1960s after its use was connected to cancer.
Carrier Stamps	Stamps (and similar markings) used in the United States from 1842-60 to pay the delivery fee on items from the receiving office to the recipient, or from one address to another within the same delivery area. At that time, postage stamps paid fees only from one post office to another. Two basic types of carrier stamps exist: official and semi-official. Official carrier stamps were produced by the government, while semi-officials were privately produced but sanctioned by the local postmaster. After the discontinuance of carrier fees June 30, 1863, all letter carriers were government employees. The United States is one of few countries to ever have used carrier stamps.
Catalog	A priced list of stamps, covers or other philatelic material. Although there are only a few dominant catalogs, many different types exist, each an important reference for stamp collectors. A catalog may be as simple as a small price list or as elaborate as a multi-volume set of books.
Catalog Number	The identifying assigned to any individual stamp or set by the catalog publisher. The numbers may be either strictly numerical or alphanumeric, a combination of letters and numbers.
Catalog Value	A value placed upon a stamp by catalog publishers. The values may reflect the true market value of a stamp or be a more general price guide. In most cases, a minimum catalog value is assigned to common stamps of little real value to represent the cost of time involved to individually price and stock common stamps for sale to collectors.
CDS	Abbreviation for the circular date stamp.
Censored	Any cover or mail that has been opened, read, and altered to conform politically or informationally. Most censored covers are created during wartime to stem the flow of vital information. Censored covers generally feature a marking or special tape, or both, applied by officials opening the mail.
Centennial Stamps	Released to mark the 100th anniversary of an event or the 100th birth anniversary of an individual.
Centering	Refers to the placement of the stamp design in relation to the perforations or edges of a stamp. The more perfect the centering (and the larger the margins), the higher the stamp's grade. The more off center the design, the lower the grade to the stamp. Centering plays a very important role in valuing stamps. Many catalogs value stamps in fine to very fine centering - the condition in which most stamps are encountered by collectors. Other catalogs value stamps in very fine condition, a higher quality and less frequently encountered centering, which is worth more. Stamps with nearly perfect centering (superb) frequently sell for multiples of catalog value, while those that are quite off-center (but not misperforated) sell for far less than catalog value. Although centering alone plays a large role in determining the value of a stamp, it does not take into consideration any faults a stamp may have; therefore an undesirable damaged stamp may have superb centering, but may be worth a small fraction of its catalog value.
Centimeter	Unit of measurement in the metric system, where 100 centimeters (2.54 to the inch) equal one meter. In stamp collecting, perforation measurements rely on how many perforation holes are contained in a 2-centimeter area. Thus a stamp that gauges 10.5, for example, would have 10-1/2 perforation holes in a 2-centimeter length.
Ceremony Program	See First-Day Ceremony Program.
Certified Mail	A first-class mail service for which the sender receives a receipt certifying that an item has been mailed. If desired, and for an additional fee, the sender may also receive a return receipt, signed by the recipient. Although there is no compensation for loss, certified mail does provide proof that an item was mailed. In the United States, the service has been available since 1955, but only one stamp has been released specifically to pay the fee. Covers bearing certified markings and the appropriate postage are prized by postal history collectors.
Chad	The technical term given to the little bits of paper punched out during the perforating process.
Chalky (or coated) Paper	A special form of security paper, true chalky paper has a layer of chalk on its surface upon which the stamp image is printed. The surface not only makes for a clean stamp image, but any fraudulent attempt to remove the cancellation from a chalky stamp (including soaking) results in the removal of the chalk layer, including the stamp design.
Chalon	Several British countries released postage stamps bearing the famous portrait of Queen Victoria painted by Alfred Edward Chalon in 1837. The first stamp to utilize this portrait was the 12-pence Canada stamp released in 1851. Stamps with this portrait are frequently referred to as Chalons.
Chameleon Paper	A special form of security paper utilized to prevent illegal reuse of revenue stamps on documents. One of the components of chameleon paper is pigmentation that changes with attempts to remove the cancellation.
Charity Stamp	Another term for a semipostal stamp. A semipostal is a postage stamp that is sold by the post office at an amount higher than face value, with a portion of the proceeds going to a designated charity. Most semipostals express their face value additively, as in "45pf + 15pf," indicating a 60-pfennig stamp of which 45pf pays postage and the remaining 15pf is a contribution to a designated charity.
Check Letters	Letters positioned in the corners of many British stamps to indicate the location of a stamp in the original sheet. Check letters were used to help prevent the forgery of stamps. As they affect collectors, check letters, combined with printed plate numbers, help to fully identify stamps and their positions in the original sheet. The letter in the upper-left corner identified what vertical column contained the stamp, while the letter in the upper-right corner indicated the horizontal row. Thus, a stamp with letters "C" and "Q" would indicate the stamp from the third vertical column, and the seventeenth horizontal row.
Chewing Gum Booklet	A somewhat tongue-in-cheek moniker given to some small booklets of stamps produced by Canada from 1943-53. These tiny booklets, about the dimensions of a stick of chewing gum, contain panes of three stamps each, with natural straight edges at the top and boom (and on the right side of the end stamp). Because of their odd appearance, stamps from these booklet panes are often mistakenly put aside by collectors and dealers as coil stamps. Chewing gum booklets were initially created during World War II to conserve resources and to fit into quarter vending machines.
Chill Rollers	These are special rollers on some presses that help cool the web after the stamps have been printed, often to prepare the web for another step, such as tagging. These chill rollers occasionally pick up ink from the printed stamps and deposit it on others, creating what collectors refer to as chill roller doubling.
Chop	A marking consisting of Japanese or Chinese characters that have been overprinted, hand-stamped, handwritten, or otherwise applied to stamps and covers. Chops were used extensively in the territories occupied by the Japanese during World War II. Such markings were provisionally used to create occupation stamps until new stamps could be printed and distributed.
Christmas Seal	A non-postal label, created by various charities and sold or distributed (for a requested donation) to people for use on outgoing holiday mail. Seals may be found anywhere on an envelope, but are most desirable when positioned near a stamp and tied by a postal cancel. The first U.S. Christmas Seal was issued in 1907.
Chroma	The brightness of a color. A high-chroma color is very intense and pure, while a low-chroma color is very dull in appearance. (See also Value)
Chromed	The hardened state of modern printing sleeves. After the metal is hardened, a coating of chrome is applied to help the printing sleeve have a longer printing life. Chromed printing sleeves may be rechromed.
Cigarette Tube Stamps	These served as receipts for taxes paid on tubes of hollow cigarette paper sold to people who made their own cigarettes.
Cinderella	Any collectible stamp-like item that isn't a postage stamp. This area defined differently by many, can include revenue stamps, local post labels, Christmas and other charity seals, test labels, and a host of other items. Although some collectors specialize in cinderella material, many enjoy adding cinderella's to their existing topical or thematic collections or other specialized collections.
Circular Date Stamp (CDS)	The circular marking which feature the date and the name of a town. It can also have the country and the time as part of the CDS. In modern times, it can include an APO (Army Post Office) or FPO (Fleet Post Office) number.
Classic	Any stamp, postal stationary or other postage or revenue item that has gained a particular position of distinction among collectors. Most classics, however, are considered to be at least 100 years old. Such stamps have gained universal acceptance and popularity, due to their longevity. Although many classics are quite rare, not all stamps considered classics are expensive.
Cleaned	A canceled stamp that has had the cancel or other marking removed, usually to be fraudulently sold as an unused stamp.
Cliche	An individual stamp image on a printing plate. More specifically, the term applies to a cast block representing a partial plate, usually used in connection with letterpress printing.
Coarse Perforations	Refers to any stamp with large holes and perforation teeth far apart. Coarse perforations are found on stamps of many different countries, often combined with crude forms of perforation. (See also Rough Perforations)
Coil Stamp	Coil stamps are those issues usually released in a long strip or roll format. Such stamps are generally created for use in automatic vending and affixing machines. Coil stamps are easily identified from sheet-stamp counterparts. United States coils posses straight edges on two opposite sides and perforations on the remaining two sides. Coil stamps of other countries, such as Great Britain, may be perforated on all sides, but may be identified by watermarks or other distinguishing features. Early coil stamps are usually collected in pairs as an identification and verification aid.
Coil Wrapper	The seal, label, or wrapper used by stamp printers to package or finish completed coil rolls. Although these items were intended to be removed from coil rolls and discarded, they have become a specialized colleting area, either as an adjunct to coil collecting or as part of a study of stamp printing and processing.
Collateral Material	Any literature, photographs, maps, or other material that is relevant to a specialized stamp collection or exhibit. In most cases, collateral material is not desirable in exhibits seeking awards, but it can be very helpful to the casual viewer or the researcher.
Collect	Half of one type of telegraph stamp that was affixed to and sent with a telegram. The copy kept in the office had a 'duplicate' stamp affixed. Both types were printed se-tenant on a single sheet. (See also Coupon)
College Stamps	Labels resembling postage stamps created for use in business colleges to teach mailing and mail handling practices. Such cinderella's are highly sought after and avidly collected. Another form of college stamp is a type of adhesive used to prepay fees for delivery of mail matter with their messenger services. The most well-known of these are Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England (1871-86). Use of these stamps was discontinued at the request of the British postmaster general.
Color Changeling	A stamp of which the colors have been altered or eliminated by physical or chemical tampering. Certain stamp dyes are susceptible to alteration, especially bleaching by sunlight, heat or chemicals. Color changelings do occur naturally, as in the case of sun bleaching, and they occur as a result of chemicals and other substances that have come into contact with stamps. Color changelings have little philatelic value, except as novelties.
Color Guide	A printed set of color swatches used by collectors to match stamp colors used to print stamps. Such guides are usually printed on coated paper, with currently available. A collector then matches the stamp against the swatches to identify shades. Un fortunately, because color is perceptual and different inks aged differently, there has never been a truly accurate color guide, nor is there likely to be one. Color guides can prove useful, however, to help collectors identify basic shades used on stamps.
Color Omitted Error	A stamp in which one or more colors of ink have been completely omitted. To be considered a color-omitted error, 100% of the affected color or colors must be absent on a stamps.
Color Shift	Also known as misaligned or misregistered color; occurs when one or more of the plates used to print multi-colored stamps is out of register with the other colors, or when sheets ore fed incorrectly on one or more of multiple passes through the press. Color shifts make up a form of stamp printing freak possible only with multicolored stamps. Most multicolored are printed using variations of red, blue, yellow, and black. The combination of these hues and black forms the illusion of any color in the spectrum. To achieve this illusion, images must be separated by color and each is produced by a separate on-press printing plate, sleeve or cylinder. In some cases this involves separate press runs (which is how inverts sometimes occur). Generally, multicolored printing is accomplished with different color stations on a single press. When any one color (or more) becomes misregistered, a color shift occurs. Depending upon how major the shift, variations are created in the stamp's appearance; thus, a stamp may look only slightly blurry, individual elements of design may appear to be doubled, or, where the color shift is dramatic, some features may appear quite bizarre. This freak may occur on many stamps or only a few. Although these misregistered freaks are highly collectible, most do not sell at the price level of true errors, such as missing colors or inverts.
Color Smear	A broad category of freak items that includes any unintended color that appears on a stamp as a result of a printing fluke. Color smears may be very small and insignificant, affecting a single stamp or they may be very noticeable and affect a full pane.
Color Trials	Proofs of a stamp design, printed in different colors to select the final, most suitable, color of a stamp. Also known as trial color proofs.
Column	A vertical, single-stamp-width multiple of stamps from a sheet, pane, or booklet.
Comb Perforations	A type of perforation is named for its appearance. Comb perforations are repeating rows of one horizontal and numerous vertical rows of perforations resembling a comb. This pattern is repeated across the sheet, forming final conventional-looking perforations.
Combination Cover	In its classic sense, a combination cover is one in which stamps from two or more different countries or stamp-issuing entities combine to pay the postage. Such covers were not uncommon in the early years of stamped mail, when international postal treaties were inconsistent. Today, the term also is sometimes used to describe a cover franked with stamps of more than one issue of a single nation. Stamps of the United States and Canada were used to pay the postage to London on this combination cover. (See also Mixed Frankings)
Commemorative Panes	A pane of stamps in which paper around the stamps (the selvage) has text, illustrations and a header printed across the top or other information about the stamps and what they commemorate. Unlike older commemorative sets in which each value was printed on a separate pane, commemorative panes are printed with the stamps se-tenant.
Commemoratives	Stamps issued to honor an individual, institution or event; almost all are denominated at the basic U.S. first-class letter rate in use at the time of issue. The are printed from a relatively small number of plates and are usually sold until stocks are largely depleted, at which time they are taken off sale. Although commemoratives are generally larger than definitives, they cannot always be determined by their size or even subject matter. Several countries lay claim to having produced the first commemorative stamp. The United States produced a 15-cent black Lincoln stamp in 1866, which is considered by some to be a mourning or commemorative issue. The 1869 series, the United States first pictorials, are considered by many to b the commemoratives. Peru issued a stamp in 1871, marking the 20th anniversary of the railway in South America. The 1862, Laureated stamps of France, showing a portrait of Napoleon III with a laurel, that represented Napoleon's victories in Italy were released. Although France claimed at one time these stamps were commemoratives, they are definitive in nature. Other late 19th century issues have been heralded as the first commemoratives, but the credit us usually given to the 1869 series or the Peruvian stamp.
Commercial Cover	To postal history specialists, a commercial cover is far more desirable than one that originated philatelically. A commercial cover is one that traveled through the mail for business purposes, such as to carry a gas bill or subscription payment. Some stamps, however, such as those created for sale to collectors, are virtually impossible to obtain on commercial covers.
Complete Set	A group of stamps that includes all values from a series or all stamps from a defined issue.
Compound Perforations	This term describes stamps with sides that have more than one gauge of perforation. The cause of such stamps can be intentional or accidental. A stamp with compound perforations may measure, 11 x 10½ or it may have three sides with one measurement and the fourth with a different type. Some triangular stamps are even know with three different gauges. (see also Perforations)
Computer-Vended Postage	Stamps sold by interactive vending machines, which allowed the user to select the desired denomination and print the stamp to order. Although some experimental types of U.S. computer-vended postage have come and gone (see also Autopost stamps), variable-denomination stamps with a red and blue shield motif printed by postage and mailing center machines produced by ECA GARD and Unisys were fairly successful, in limited use.
Condition	A postage stamp's overall state of being. For example, a stamp may be perfectly centered and feature a light cancel, but be in poor condition if it is torn or thinned. Generally, the description of a stamp's condition takes all factors including centering, cancellation, damage, color and others into consideration.
Condominium	An arcane term that describes stamps released by a territory that is governed by more than one entity. Such stamps may be bilingual, or they may be similar-looking stamps bearing the same denomination and separate country names.
Consummation (Papier de Grande Consummation)	A rather poor grade of granite paper used for French war-time stamp issues of 1917-20.
Constant	Although mat varieties are similar in definition to plate varieties, they affect only an overprint (the mat). Damage apparent on a mat will print consistently on stamps produced from it and will be consistent in appearance. If the sleeve size of an overprint mat is a different size than the printing plate of a stamp, the variety will appear in different positions on a sheet or coil, when gauged by sheet-counting standards.
Constant Plate Variety	A plate variety that is consistent through the printing of a stamp, from the time damage occurred to the plate until a stamp's press run is finished, or the damage is repaired. Some plate varieties become more pronounced with wear and tear on the plate. Because the damage is done to the printing plate itself, the resulting crack, gouge, or other marking will always appear on stamps printed in the same position from the same plate. If a stamp has been printed by line-engraved intaglio, plate varieties will appear as printed lines, cracks, or other shapes. If a stamp was produced by letterpress, plate damage appears in the form of un printed areas.
Consular Service Fee Stamps	Those stamps affixed to various documents where consular officers of the United States showed payment of specific set fees for various duties connected with their offices.
Contingency Stamp	See non-denominated stamps.
Control Mark	A letter, number, or symbol applied to a stamp or its selvage, usually for accounting purposes. The marking may be printed, hand-stamped, or even handwritten.
Controlled Mail	Many collectors use mail between each other as a form of controlled mail to obtain philatelic-quality used stamps that are difficult to obtain. Years ago, some large countries also participated in this practice, using high-denomination stamps and then selling the lightly canceled examples to stamp dealers, thus recouping some of their normal mailing costs.
Cork Cancel	A marking that appears on stamps applied by the end of a carved cork, an inexpensive form of cancellation device. Such cancellations were common the 1850s and 1860s. Some cork cancels are very basic, while others are intricate or fancy. Such cancels are prized by many collectors, may of whom collect these cancels. Example of a "Cork Cancel"
Corner Block	A block of four or more stamps from the corner of a sheet or pane of stamps, complete with marginal selvage if it exists. Corner blocks may contain plate numbers, designer initials or other marginal inscriptions that make them more collectible that a standard block.
Corner Card	The printed return address of the sender in the top left corner of an envelope, also use to identify any envelope or item of stationery bearing such a marking. As with advertising covers, corner cards may be simple or highly elaborate.
Corner Letters	See Check Letters.
Corrosion Stain	When moisture is left on a printing plate, it will begin to corrode the surface, as it would with any other form of metal. The corrosion leaves small water droplet-like impressions on the plate that retain ink when the plate is inked. The resulting marks print on the stamp paper itself. In most cases, corrosion stains are limited to the margin of a pane, but they are also known within the stamp area.
Cotton Reels	The common name given to the first issues of British Guiana in 1850. These blue, typeset, circular stamps received the nickname because of their similarity in appearance to the small labels applied to spools of cotton sewing thread.
Cottrell Press	From 1956 until the late 1980s, Cottrell Presses were the mainstay of postage stamp printing at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. These presses were designed by the Huck Corporation and built by the Cottrell Co. (thus the name). Most stamps of the Liberty, Prominent Americans, Americana, Transportation, and Great Americans series, as well as numerous commemoratives, were produced on these presses. The BEP owned five of these presses, officially designated as presses 801, 802, 803, 804, and 805.
Counterfeit	See Postal Counterfeit.
Counterfoil	The receipt half of a two-part stamp. Counterfoil issues are known mostly from European countries, such as Italy and San Marino, where the two-part stamps are usually parcel post issues. The intended use of counterfoil stamps is for one half to be affixed to the mail piece, with the other half being affixed on a receipt and retained by the sender. As a result, the most commonly encountered form of a used counterfoil stamp is as a half, although most halves have relatively little value. Used counterfoil entire's are scarcer and frequently command a premium price. Unused counterfoils are expected to be complete.
Counting Numbers	This term has two definitions. First, the Cottrell Press used them for printing coil stamps. At either the top or bottom of the web of paper, small numbers were engraved between plate numbers at intervals of four stamps. These numbers appeared below and above the fourth, eighth, twelfth, and sixteenth stamps. Because their location on the printing plates was so far away from the stamp image, they were normally trimmed off during processing and are rarely found. Such items are considered scarce and desirable. Second, many current coil issues have counting numbers jet-sprayed on the backs of the stamps at regular intervals. These numbers, when applied to large rolls, such as 3,000 and 10,000, help aid in assessing how many stamps remain on an opened coil roll.
Coupon	A non-postal label attached to a postage stamp. This usually applies only to margin-copy stamps, but some types of coupons are found in the interior of a stamp pane. In most cases, a coupon contains printed information that consists of advertising, propaganda, a slogan, or other information or illustrations. Coupons have been used on the stamps of many different countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, and South Africa.
Cover	Any envelope, folded letter or wrapper saved by collectors. The word originated with the advent of the envelope, which covered the contents of a folded letter. Cover collecting also is often colloquially referred to as postal history, a term that in its strictest sense refers exclusively to the study of mail rates and routes. Covers are deemed to be desirable (and are valued) according to the scarcity of their route or destination, the scarcity of the rate they represent or even the degree to which they show a common rate in an uncommon way, or with unusual postal markings. (For example, a 3-cent Jefferson on a cover with hand-stamped markings from a railroad accident is a more unusual way - and therefore a more desirable way - to show the basic first-class letter rate than an ordinary piece of cross-town mail.) In addition to the Prexies, other definitive series that are avidly collected by modern U.S. specialists include the Liberty series of 1954-68, the Prominent Americans series of 1965-78, the Americana series of 1975-81, the Transportation series of coil stamps issued during 1982-95, and the ongoing Great Americans series, which began with the 19-cent Sequoyah definitive in 1980. Many important modern U.S. definitive issues are not part of any coherent series, but are well worth collecting in their own right. Among these are the many U.S. Flag definitives issued intermittently since the 5-cent Flag Over White House of 1963. Also worthy of study are the non denominated definitives of the last 20 years - stamps without a printed face value that could therefore be introduced for immediate use whenever a new letter rate was declared, whatever that rate might turn out to be.
Crash Cover	A cover or envelope that has been salvaged from a wrecked craft and eventually delivered to the intended recipient. In most cases, such covers are accompanied by an official letter of explanation or some form of auxiliary marking that explains what happened. Some crash covers show little or no trace of damage. Such items are documented primarily by the letter of explanation. Other covers feature significant fire, water, or other damage. Collectors of interrupted mail generally prefer the more spectacular-appearing examples.
Crazy Perfs	Crazy perfs are irregular, freak perforations (misperforations) that appear on many stamps of the world. Their appearance can range from unusually shaped stamps to wildly zigzagging multiples with a bizarre appearance. Such stamps, usually very visibly striking, are classified as freaks, rather than errors because of their inconsistent nature. In some cases, they are caused either by operator error (on hand-operated perforators), or by a malfunction of the feeding mechanism on sheet fed perforators. The most striking crazy perfs are generally caused by foldovers on the sheet, causing the perforator to perforate multiple, misaligned layers of stamp paper at one time. When the folds are opened out, irregular multiples of crazy-perf stamps are the result. Crazy perfs are desirable to collectors of error, freak and oddity material and sell for premium prices. As a rule of thumb, the more unusual, the higher the price.
Crease	A stamp that has been creased is considered to be damaged. Creases (or folds) occur when stamps are improperly stored; as a result, bent corners or center creases occur. If the crease does not break the paper fibers, it may be gently pressed out with a warm iron so that it is barely noticeable. Creases that break paper fibers are more serious, however, because they sometimes break the printed design. If a crease is severe, the paper eventually will separate along the crease.
Curly Head	The name given by collectors to the Spanish Colonial key type used in 1898, depicting a young King Alphonso XIII, with a curly head of hair (he was about 12 years old). (See also Baby)
Current	Any stamp or postal item that is still available at face value from a post office.
Cut Cancels	One of several types of stamp-disfiguring cancellations found on U.S. revenues. Cuts are applied to stamps to prevent illegal reuse. In most cases, revenue stamps with cut cancels are worth considerably less than those with ink cancellations.
Cut Close	Because imperforate stamps had to be cut apart to separate them, their centering and margins depend entirely upon how carefully the user cut them apart. When imperforate stamps are cut or torn from a sheet or pane for use by a non-collector, they are usually not separated with care. As a result, margins are often trimmed very closely to the stamp design. Many imperforate stamp designs were printed very close to each other on the sheet, making large margins extremely difficult to find under normal conditions; therefore, a stamp that has been cut so the design is affected on one or more sides is cut close. Less frequently, the term is used when a margin nearly touches the design, but clears it slightly. For postal stationery, the blame lies with collectors: some who saved cut squares (see below) from stamped envelopes cut the stamped area to shape, or simply did not allow a large enough, desirable margin.
Cut Square	A square or rectangular piece cut from an entire stamped envelope that include the entire stamped area, along with some margin. Squares are cut from full-sized envelopes for storage convenience and were the most popular form of U.S. stamped envelope collecting until recent years. Although a cut square is generally worth more than an item cut to shape, it is frequently worth considerably less that a full envelope. Postal cards are rarely collected as cut squares. Example of a "Cut Square"
Cut-to-shape	Occurs when a revenue stamp with an unusually shaped design has been trimmed to follow the contours of the design, rather that cut square. Cut-to-shape stamps are generally worth considerably less than full stamps, and most are unusual imperforates (such as beer stamps) or postal stationary items.
Cylinder Number	The recording number found on photogravure plates. (see also Plate Number)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Definitions taken from © Copyright All About Stamps, written by Wayne L. Youngblood, used with permission. Championship Stamp Supply wishes to thank Wayne L. Youngblood and Krause Publications for their kind support and permission in using © Copyright All About Stamps for our online definitions of philatelic terms.