Glossary

Below are some common terms used in stamp collecting.

Stamp Condition

Stamps can be rated S, XF, VF, F-VF, F and Ave. Those letters stand for Superb, Extra Fine, Very Fine, Fine to Very Fine, Fine and Average. These ratings mainly refer to the stamp's centring, but they consider other factors as well. For example, a perfectly centred stamp with a hole should not be classified as extra fine or superb. Generally, dealers and catalogues will use these condition terms only to describe a stamp's centring. You will need to research stamps in catalogues to determine how well centred a stamp is.

Superb
The stamp vignette is exactly centred on the paper; opposite margins are equal and large.

Extra-Fine
The stamp's design is almost perfectly centred, with all margins nearly the equivalent of a superb copy. Imperforate stamps will have 4 normal-sized margins. Used stamps will have light, neat cancels.

Very-Fine
Stamps whose designs are fairly well-centered, but you can measure how off-center it is. All margins are substantial, with perforations well away from the design. Imperforate stamps will have at least three margins of normal size, and used stamps will have light, unobtrusive cancels.

Fine-Very Fine
Stamps whose designs may be a little off centre to one or two sides. Imperforate stamps will have at least two full margins, and the design will not touch the edge. Used stamps will not have cancellations that detract from the design.

Fine
Stamps whose designs are visibly off centre, but the perforations do not cut into the design. Imperforate stamps may have small margins, and used stamps may be heavily cancelled.

Average
Stamps that show the perforations cutting into the design. Cancellations on used stamps may be extremely heavy.

Poor
These stamps are fit only to be used as space fillers until a better copy may be obtained. The perforations are well into the design, and the centring is awful. The stamp may be dirty and smudged. For a few rare and valuable stamps, such as the 1 cent magenta of British Guiana, only poor copies exist. Only then are stamps in poor condition acceptable.

Gum Condition
Gum condition is generally divided into six major classifications.

Original gum (OG)
The stamp has all of the gum with which it was issued.

Regummed (RG)
New gum was applied to the stamp. This greatly decreases its value. Many years ago, regumming was detectable with a high-powered microscope; examination of the perforation teeth would show very minute strands of new gum extending outward. That couldn't have happened during the original printing, since stamp paper is gummed before it is perforated.

However, regummers have become more expert now. In fact, regumming is now so difficult to detect that many collectors no longer will pay extreme prices for a so-called original-gum stamp. Even stamp experts will not judge gum to be original or not. For those reasons, the beginner and even the experienced collector may want to avoid collecting original-gum stamps.

No Gum (NG)
The stamp was issued without gum, or the gum has been removed.

Never hinged (NH)
The stamp shows no traces of being hinged, and the gum has not been disturbed. If the gum has been disturbed, the stamp's price will not be valued as having original gum. Never hinged stamps are often described as Mint Never Hinged (MNH).

Lightly hinged (LH)
The stamp has been hinged with a peelable hinge that has been carefully removed. Only slight traces of hinging remain.

Heavily hinged (HH)
Stamps that have heavy remnants of a hinge or missing where the hinge used to be. The stamp paper may have been thinned, in which event the stamp has a fault.

Commemorative
A stamp issued, generally for a limited period, to note a particular event, person, or anniversary, as opposed to regular issues which are intended for everyday usage for an extended period.

Cover
An envelope, card, or wrapper which has been used for mail with the appropriate postal markings and stamps.

Cut Square
Envelopes with pre-printed stamps that are sold by most post offices. One way that these are collected is by cutting a square corner off the envelope including the pre-printed stamp with good margins. When both the front and back of the envelope are cut off, the item is called a full corner. If it is impractical to save the entire cover, full corners are preferred.

Entire
A complete envelope, wrapper, or postcard on which a stamp has been printed.

Franking Privilege
Post offices often permit officials the privilege of free mail by signing their name in the place where a stamp would normally go.

Hinge
An oblong piece of tough, thin paper generally rounded on the corners with gum on one side which is used to mount stamps. Hinges are often pre-folded. Hinges first appeared as early as the 1860s. NEVER USE PRESSURE-SENSITIVE TAPE!!

Imperforate
Without perforations or other means for separating the stamps such as rouletting. The first stamps were imperforate and cut apart with scissors.

Mint
A term used to define condition of a stamp which has been unused and is just as it was sold by the post office. The gum is original and unmarked by application of a hinge.

Perforation Gauge
Used to measure the perforations used to separate stamps. Consists of a simple printed or engraved card made of paper, metal, or plastic which is imprinted with various perforations, generally in whole and half measures, which can be compared with the stamp in question. Measurements of perforations less than 1/2 perforation are often unreliable because of paper shrinkage which occurs when stamps are dampened for printing or soaked to remove them from the envelope.

Philately
The term which was coined in the 19th century by M.G. Herpin, a French collector, to describe stamp collecting. It is a combination of the Greek words philo -- lover, or fond of -- and atelia -- free of payment or tax.

Rouletting
A method for using a line of short slits between stamps to facilitate separation. There are a number of methods which have been used to separate stamps using various forms of rouletting.

Space Filler
A defective stamp which is used to fill a mounting spot in a set of stamps, until a better copy can be found.

Tongs
Similar to tweezers (a term which the British still use) but made of springy brass or steel plated to provide a smooth finish which does not corrode. Having a pair of good tongs and learning to use them to protect stamps during handling is a rewarding skill which everyone can acquire.