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
Click on a letter to jump to the definition you are searching for.

AAPE	Abbreviation for the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, which serves the needs of those collectors who choose to exhibit their philatelic material.
AAMS	Abbreviation for the American Air Mail Society. An organization dedicated to the study and collecting of airmail-related material.
A Press	A printing press at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The press, capable of producing up to eight colors (five-color gravure and three-color intaglio), has produced a number of single-color definitives in the Transportation coil and Great Americans series, as well as a number of commemoratives and airmails, such as the 36-cent Igor Sikorsky. The A Press, actually designated press 702, was obtained by the BEP in 1973.
Abnormal's	During the time the early line-engraved Queen Victoria issues were being produced in Great Britain, it was standard practice to produce six preliminary sheets for each new plate. One of these sheets was kept for archiving purposes, and the remaining ones were frequently processed, perforated, and released. Many such issues differed from the normally released ones in color, watermark, paper, or even perforations. Because the quantities of these "abnormal" stamps were so limited, they were immediately considered highly collectible rarities.
Accessories	Any type of supply that aids a collector in his or her hobby. This can include hinges, mounts, albums, magnifying glasses, tongs, and scores of other items.
Acknowledgement of Receipt Stamp	A stamp used to pay the additional fee required by some countries for return-receipt service. In some countries, such as the United States, this fee is paid with regular postage stamps.
Adhesive	Any stamp-like item that is affixed to a letter or document to represent payment of postage or duties. Adhesives can range from Penny Black to city or local revenue stamps and all categories in between. Postal stationery, such as stamped envelopes, postal cards, and revenue stamped paper are not considered adhesives because the stamps are printed on, rather that affixed. Adhesive also refers to the gum or other mucilage used to affix the stamp itself.
Adson	A derivative of "ads on." Refers specifically to the 1893 stamps of New Zealand that were printed with various advertisements on their backs. These ads promoted a number of products, from the relatively unknown to Cadbury Chocolates and other well-known brands.
Adstamps	This was a short-lived United States innovation in the mid 1980s, where stamps were affixed to an advertising collar (see definition below) that could then be affixed to the envelope. Some samples were used for publicity purposes, but their use was quickly discontinued.
Advertising Collar	Ornate, printed advertising surrounding the area of an envelope intended for the placement of postage. These collars, most commonly collected on full covers, provided the advertiser with a handy way to peddle his goods. In many cases, the advertisement visually agreed with whatever postage stamp was current. Despite the widespread use of advertising collars, the practice was short-lived and eventually prohibited by postal regulations. The idea refused to die, however, and has been dredged up several times during the past century.
Advertising Cover	A cover prepared by a commercial source, such as a retail business or manufacturer, that includes advertising copy or illustrations promoting a product. The most desirable covers are those that are elaborately illustrated (especially in color), and those that represent some industries (such as gun making) that have captured the fancy of collectors or have strong topical appeal.
Advertisements on Stamps	A theory that advertising may be placed on the gum side of a stamp to get the message to postal users (a concept that has never really worked). The concept was tried on the 1/2-pence Great Britain stamps of 1887 and the 1-pence stamps of 1881. The backs were overprinted "Pear's Soap," over the gum, but their postal use was never allowed. They do exist in collector hands and are prized.
Advertising Postmarks	The idea of including advertisements in postmarks is almost as old as stamps themselves, but the actual practice has been slower in catching on; however, it is this concept that allowed slogan cancels, which are used all over the world, to flourish. In 1963, the British Post Office launched a program where resorts could promote their benefits in cancellations for a fee. Many resorts took advantage of the program, and numerous resort cancels exist. During the early 1900s, the British Post Office began using jet-sprayed advertising postmarks to promote everything from Kit-Kat candy bars to movies and theatrical productions.
Aerogram	Official Universal Postal Union name for airmail lettersheets created for international use. Such lettersheets are made from lightweight paper to minimize bulk, and they frequently enjoy reduced postal rates. They are known to have been used as early as 1933 (in Iran), but their widespread use came during and after World War II. Aerograms may be pre stamped or have adhesive stamps added and are not permitted to have enclosures.
Aerophilately	The collection and study of items related to all phases of airmail, from the stamps themselves to covers and studies of rates and routes.
AFDCS	Abbreviation for the American First Day Cover Society. An organization dedicated to the study and collecting of first-day covers.
Affixing Machine	A type of automation that allows mailers to have stamps placed on envelopes by machine. Forms of these machines date back to the 1850s, but they did not become standard equipment until the early 20th century. Stamps affixed by machines often feature clipped or damaged perforations but are desirable on cover to show the use.
Agency	There are two philatelic meanings to this term. The first is a reference to a postal agency of one country's post office, operated in the territory of another, by special arrangement. The Morocco Agency of Great Britain (complete with overprinted stamps) is just one of many different examples. The second, and probably more commonly known, type of agency is the representative of one country's post office in another. Examples of this type of agency include Unicover, Inter-post and Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corporation, each of which handles the stamps of other countries at face value.
Air Label	See Etiquette
Airmail	Any and all postal matter carried by air, and stamps or posted stationery inscribed to prepay such service. The 1859 Jupiter balloon flight marked the first government-sponsored airmail, which continued with the 1870 Siege of Paris balloon mail. The first actual airmail wasn't carried by powered aircraft, however, until about 1908. Regular airmail flights in the United States did not begin until 1918. For modern collecting purposes, the term airmail narrows somewhat to designated airmail, because most modern mail travels by air routinely, with no special designation.
Albino	An uninked stamp, one from which all colors are omitted. An albino stamp may have a blind, intaglio plate impression embossed on its surface, which may permit identification of the stamp. A blank stamp results when all colors are omitted from a stamp printed by lithography or photogravure, and no intaglio blind impression occurs. For stamps printed by methods other than embossing or line-engraved intaglio, it is almost impossible to know a stamp is a true albino without a colored stamp attached to it. Albino stamps occur as a result of foreign matter adhering to the stamp paper, foldovers, or two pieces of paper traveling through the press a once (the bottom piece becomes the albino). Albino stamps are generally quite rare and are very desirable to collectors.
Albino Envelope	Embossed postal stationery with colorless stamps. Although albino envelopes are technically color-omitted errors, they are generally considered freaks. They are created when two or more pieces of stamped enveloped paper travel through the press at once. The top piece accepts both the embossing and the color, while the bottom piece receives only the embossing. The resulting ghost design can range in intensity from bold to nearly unrecognizable.
Album	Describes any of dozens of ways to house a collection. Most collectors consider albums to be commercially printed pages (with printed spots for stamps), housed in a special binder and supplemented as necessary. Popular lines of albums in this country include Minkus, Harris, and Scott. A stamp album may also consist of a number of homemade pages ranging from blank paper to those containing intricate drawings or specialized descriptions of the stamps they include. The first stamp album created for collectors was published in France by a man named Lallier in 1862.
Album Weeds	A fake, forgery, or fantasy. The term was coined during the late 19th century to refer to what was considered a flood of undesirable items. It was popularized by the Rev. R.B. Earee, who published a series of eight books on the subject in 1906, Album Weeds. The books were derived from a series of articles begun in 1871. Earee's work is still considered an essential reference in this collecting area.
Ambulance Bag	Describes any of a number of different types of plastic, paper, and glassine envelopes used to enclose damaged mail for delivery. For many years, most damaged envelopes were simply rubber-stamped with the notation that items were damaged in mail handling, in most cases with the specific cause (such as fire or depredation). In rare cases of extreme damage, such envelopes were enclosed in larger envelopes and so marked By the mid 1980s, the United States Postal Service and other postal entities began using specially printed bags and envelopes to enclose such mail. Most of these modern-day ambulance bags carry a generic description of damage, rather than a specific auxiliary marking.
Andreotti Press	An Italian-made press at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, acquired in 1970 to produce stamps by photogravure. The seven-color web fed press has been used as the workhorse press for the majority of all U.S. multicolored commemorative stamps since that time; it has also produced some aerogramme's. It is officially designated by the BEP as Press 601.
Aniline Inks	Printing inks derived from coal tar. Aniline inks were designed to be brightly colored for their day and are water-soluble. This made aniline inks desirable to stamp-issuing authorities, because attempts to remove cancels though rubbing or soaking would damage the stamps. (See also Fugitive Ink) Most stamps printed with aniline inks fluoresce under long wave ultra-violet, which aids as an identification tool.
APO	Abbreviation for Army Post Office.
APS	Abbreviation for the American Philatelic Society, also known as America's Stamp Club. The APS was founded in 1886 and is the anchor organization in the United States for organized philately. For those of you interested in more information about, or perhaps you'd like to join the APS, their address is: APS, Box 8000, State College, PA. 16803. Their phone number is 814.237.3803. You can send them an email at: apsinfo@stamps.org.
Approvals	Selections of stamps sent out to collectors to examine for a few days and purchase what they wish, returning the balance with payment for stamps kept. Although most approvals accompany some form of introductory gift requested by a collector, some companies send out unsolicited, or un requested, approvals. This practice is not only considered improper, but postal regulations allow recipients to keep unsolicited approval material without being liable for payment. For requested approvals, however, 10 days is the standard examination period. Many companies specialize in approval selections.
APS	Abbreviation for the American Philatelic Society, known as America's stamp club. APS, founded in 1886, is the anchor organization in this country for organized philately. Most other organizations are chapters of the APS. APS publishes a monthly journal for members, the American Philatelist. The APS maintains a web site at http://www.stamps.org . Their address is: APS, Box 8000, State College, PA. 16803-8000. The phone number for the APS is 814.237.3803 and their fax number is 814.237.6128
ARA	Abbreviation for the American Revenue Association. This organization caters to specialists of revenue stamps, documents, and related material.
Arc	A form of rouletting where the slit is formed in a semi-circle. The paper is cut, not removed, in making an arc roulette.
Arms Types	Stamps bearing the various coats of arms of heraldic designs of different political entities as the central part of the stamp design.
Army Frank	A special adhesive known to collectors of U.S. stamps, which was released in 1898 and purported to be an actual stamp created by the War Department. The label was really privately produced and was never valid for postage. The design, which comes in four colors, closely resembles that of the 10-cent 1869 and bears the legend "Official Business Only."
Army Post Office	A post office for Army units. Even overseas military unites receive and send mail through the United States Postal Service mail system. (See also Fleet Post Office) Each APO has its own cancel, identified by a special number.
Arrow Block	A multiple of stamps, frequently a block of 4 or six stamps, with an attached margin that contains the arrow-shaped marking and line used to align pane separators and perforators. These arrow blocks are considered premium position pieces.
ASDA	Abbreviation for American Stamp Dealers Association. The largest organization in the United States catering to the needs of stamp dealers. The same initials also refer to the Australian Stamp Dealers Association, although unrelated to the United States organization. For those of you interested in more information about or perhaps you'd like to join the ASDA their address is: ASDA, 3 School Street, Suite 205, Glen Cove, NY 11542-2548. Their phone number is 516-759-7000. You can send them an email at: asdashows@erols.com
ATA	Abbreviation for the American Topical Association, an organization servings the needs of those who specialize in collecting topical's and thematic's. For those of you interested in more information about or perhaps you'd like to join the ATA their address is: American Topical Association, P. O. Box 50820, Albuquerque NM 87181-0820.
ATM Stamps	Stamps formatted for sale by automated teller machines (ATM's) now in use by many U.S. banks and financial institutions. To be suitable for sale through ATM's, self-adhesive ATM stamps and their backing sheets must conform precisely to the length, width, and thickness of the U.S. currency notes that these machines dispense. The first U.S. ATM stamps were stylized 25-cent Flag stamps printed on plastic film, used during a six-month test period in 1990 at 22 ATM machines operated by the First National Bank in the Seattle, WA, area.
Auction	A public sale in which stamps are sold to the highest bidder present. Most stamp auctions feature an auction catalog in which lots are described and illustrated. Although held with live bidders, most public stamp auctions depend upon mail and phone bidding as well.
Autopost	An experimental postage program operated by the United States Postal Service in 1989-90. Autopost postage machines (a total of six) were capable of weighing items, calculating postage, and dispensing a thermal-printed self-adhesive stamp that could be used any time from any location. The experiment was called off after the temperamental machines received little use from anyone other than collectors. Two machines were located in Washington, D.C., two in Kensington, MD, and two temporary machines were set up in the Universal Postal Union Convention headquarters during the World Stamp Expo in late 1989. Today, all Autopost items are fairly scarce, but the special UPU items (identified by machine number) are rare and costly. The most commonly encountered Autopost items are mint sets of first-day-dated Autopost stamps from the Washington and Kensington machine numbers.
Autopost Stamps	Computer-printed and vended variable-denomination postage labels produced in a small number of experimental self-service mail stations. (See Autopost above.) The stamps include four small stars around a large computer-printed "USA" and a vertical fluorescent orange bar at the left edge of the label.
Auxiliary Marking	Any additional marking added to a cover other than the postmark. In most cases, auxiliary markings describe a delay in mail service, including fires, crashes, or simple delays. The most common auxiliary marking is the pointing finger "Return to Sender" marking.
Average	Average relates more to centering than to overall condition of a stamp. A stamp that is described as average is typically off center and has perforations that touch the design. Average imperforates will have at least one side cut so the design touches the cut. (see also Fine, Very Fine, and Superb). Average-centered stamps usually sell for significantly less that catalog value.
Azemar Machine	Perhaps the earliest form of cancellation machine, this model was designed by J. G. Azemar, who introduced it in 1869 in England. The marking consisted of seven horizontal bars, with a central diamond bearing a letter and number. The machines' use was discontinued in 1873. There is evidence to suggest the machine was actually invented in Hamburg, Germany, by a man named Wilhelm Ree.

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.