Common Terms And Abbreviations In Philately

 

 

 

 

 

COMMEMORATIVE STAMP (COMM): A stamp issued to honor a person, a group of individuals or an organization  or to mark an important event or series of events

CONDITION: The physical state of the philatelic item as rated by an expert

CREASE: A fold in the stamp which distorts the physical state of the stamp, thereby reducing its value as a collectible item

CTO: "Cancelled-To-Order;" the excess or unsold mint stamps which were postmarked by the post office and, then, sold as used stamps 

DEFINITIVE STAMP: A stamp intended for regular postage use

DENOMINATION: The monetary value of the stamps

ERROR: A mistake in the design of the stamp

ESSAY: The draft design of the stamp which is subject for review by a post office committee

FACE VALUE (FV): The monetary value of the stamp as expressed in the currency of the country

FAKE (STAMP): A stamp whose original design has been altered in order to increase its market value

FAULT: A physical distortion of the stamp such as the following: short perforation, clipped perforation, a hole on the stamp, an ink mark on the stamp, a tear or a crease

FIAP: "Federation of Inter-Asian Philately;" a governing regional organization of the Federation International de Philatelie (FIP) which coordinates the activities of national philatelic federations in Asia and promotes international philatelic exhibitions

FIP: "Federation International de Philatelie;" a governing world philatelic organization with strong ties with and support from post offices of the world, and which coordinates the activities of various national philatelic federations and promotes international philatelic exhibitions

FIRST DAY COVER (FDC): A special envelope with a cachet designed for postage use and which bears a stamp or souvenir sheet that is postmarked with the first-day-of-issue cancellation

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMPERFORATE (IMPERF): The absence of punched holes on the stamps which leave the stamps with straight borders on all sides (See PERFORATION)

 

ISSUE: That which refers to a stamp or a set of stamps released by the post office for public use in the mail delivery system

 

Updated: September 7, 2006

 

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