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Stamp Term Index

Think of this as a money tree for you. This will tell you every term I can think of and a few others for free. Think of it just solid infomation, for free! It is not complete yet

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stamp type
commemoratives- A stamp that is made to honor something or somebody of importance, like Bugs Bunny stamps. There are fewer of this type.
Definitives- Not to honor, more for postage. There are a lot of them. This is like a flag stamp.
Other- Not for personal use, like nonprofit org.

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albums-where you display your stamps
premade- This is a album that has pages with pictures of stamps, and you put the stamps on the pictures. these tend to be pricy
homemade- You take a notebook and paper, put the paper in the notebook and use it! This is very cheap.

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attachers
hinges-A cheap type of stamp attacher to paper. It is a kind of paper with gum on it.
show Gardes- a window for stamps with gum on the back. It is expesive, so use on new or valueable stamps.

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The three boxes above are the main things you will need down below are other definitions.

Watermark- A mark on the stamp put on by the maker, you can not see them with just the eye.

Cover: An envelope. Usually postally used.

First Day Cover: A cover with stamps canceled on it on the day they were first issued. Abbreviated FDC.

Cachet: The design (usually in reference to a FDC) that complements the stamp on the cover.

Cancel: The mark on a postally used stamp that makes a stamp non-reusable.

Philatelic: Relating to stamps and the collection of related material.

Perforations: The serrated edge on a stamp.

Mint: An unused stamp with full original gum on the back.

Used: A stamp that has seen postal use.

Selvage: The "scrap paper" around the stamps (outside of the perforations!) in a pane.

Plate Block: A block of stamps (usually four) that has the printing plate number in the selvage.

Zip Block: A block of stamps that has the "Always Use Zip Code" slogan in the selvage.

Packet: A grouping of stamps usually well sorted according to country, year, etc.

Mixture: An unsorted grouping of stamps.

Catalog Value: The value placed on a stamp in the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog (always approximate!)

CTO: "Cancel to Order" stamps specially canceled before use for collectors. These usually have their gum still on the back of the stamps. Most have very little value.

RTS: Return to Sender

SASE: Self Addressed Stamped Envelope

SAE: Stamped Addressed Envelope

--Thanks to Tim Odom for most of these definitions.

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