The Australian Philatelic Society Inc. > Dictionary of Philatelic Terms

Dictionary of Philatelic Terms

A
Aerogram

Aerogram

An Aerogram or Air Letter, also called an aérogramme, is a thin lightweight piece of foldable and gummed paper for ...
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Aerophilately

Aerophilately

Aerophilately is the branch of Philately that specializes in the study of airmail.  Philatelists have observed the development of mail ...
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Astrophilately

Astrophilately

Astrophilately is the area of Philately connected with astronomy and efforts to reach outer space, both manned and unmanned.  Topics ...
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Auxiliary Markings

Auxiliary Markings

Markings applied to cards/Covers/Entires by the post office to explain a delay or facilitate delivery ...
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B
Backstamp

Backstamp

Postmark applied to reverse that represents receiving post office or a transit post office ...
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Barred Numeral

Barred Numeral

A type of Cancellation used in Victoria from 1856 until early 20th century ...
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C
Cachet

Cachet

Printed or stamped design on an Envelope ...
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Cancellation

Cancellation

A cancellation (or cancel for short) is a postal marking applied to a postage stamp or postal Stationery indicating that ...
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Cancellations

Cancellations

1] double circle: inner circle being 2 open arcs;2] above: with slotted inner circle;3] above: inner being 2 closed arcs ...
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Cinderellas

Cinderellas

Cinderellas are local stamps, telegraph stamps, railway stamps, Revenues/fiscals, forgeries, bogus and phantom issues.  Christmas, Red Cross, TB and other ...
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Cover

Cover

In Philately, a Cover is an Envelope or package, typically with stamps that have been cancelled. The term originates from ...
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D
Duplex Cancel

Duplex Cancel

Cancel made up of 2 parts: postmark that contains name of post office and date of mailing; plus another cancel ...
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E
Entire - part 1

Entire

An Entire is a folded piece of paper that is folded in upon itself so enabling a seal to be ...
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Envelope

Envelope

An envelope is a packaging product, usually made of flat, planar material such as paper or cardboard, and designed to ...
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Ephemera

Ephemera

Ephemera is transitory written and printed matter, not intended to be retained or preserved.  The word derives from the Greek, ...
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F
First Day Cover

First Day Cover

A first day Cover (FDC) is an Envelope where the postage stamps have been cancelled on their First Day of ...
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Franked

Franked

An Envelope with stamps to a specific rate OR with a machine produced label OR cancelled by a post office ...
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H
Postal History

History

History or Postal History is the study of postal markings, rates and routes, or anything to do with the history ...
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hobby

Hobby

Things we like to do in our leisure time ...
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I
Imperforate

Imperforate

Not separated by rows of perforations.  Separation is the means by which individual stamps are made easily detachable from each ...
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M
Marcophily

Marcophily

Marcophily, occasionally written as Marcophilately, is the specialised study and collection of Postmarks, Cancellations and postal markings applied by hand ...
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Maximaphily

Maximaphily

Maximaphily is concerned with Maximum Card collecting. A Maximum Card is a picture postcard, a cancel, and a stamp presenting ...
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Military

Military

A military stamp, is a postage stamp used by a military organisation, in time of war, or while ensuring a ...
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P
Per Post Office Packet

P.P.O.P.

Per Post Office Packet ...
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Printed To Private Order

P.T.P.O.

Printed To Private Order ...
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Perfin

Perfin

Perforated initials ...
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Philatelic

Philatelic

The collection and study of postage stamps, Postmarks, and related materials; stamp collecting ...
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Philately

Philately

Philately is the study of revenue and postage stamps.  This includes the design, production and uses of stamps after they ...
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Postal History

Postal History

Postal History is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the collecting of Covers and associated ...
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Postal Stationery

Postal Stationery

Such include postal cards, wrappers, pre-stamped Envelopes, lettersheets, aerogrammes, plus other types of officially imprinted Stationery sold by post offices ...
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Postcard

Postcard

A Postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing ...
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Postmarks

Postmarks

A Postmark is a postal marking made on a letter, package, Postcard or the like indicating the (more or less ...
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R
Revenues

Revenues

Revenues are stamps representing the prepayment or payment of various taxes.  Revenues are affixed to official documents and to merchandise.  ...
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S
Stationery

Stationery

Stationery or Postal Stationery is stationery bearing imprinted stamps, as opposed to adhesive stamps.  Postal Stationery includes postal cards, lettercards, ...
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T
Thematics

Thematics

Thematics is concerned with the collection of stamps or Covers relating to a specific topic.  The topic is expanded by ...
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Transit Markings

Transit Markings

Post mark applied by an intermediate post office between the place of origin and destination ...
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W
Watermark

Watermark

A Watermark is a recognizable image or pattern in paper that appears lighter when viewed by transmitted light (or darker ...
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