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Stamp Collecting Terms

Philately, also referred to as stamp collecting, is a hobby involving the accumulation and cataloging of postal and commemorative stamps. An extensive glossary of terms has grown up around philately. These terms relate to aspects of the hobby such as determining the value and condition of each stamp, as well as to the processes used in the production of stamps, and to the historical context that surrounds stamp manufacturing.

Stamp Tongs
- These are essentially tweezers used for the safe handling of stamps. The stamp collector might use the tongs when removing a particular stamp from an album for example, since to handle the stamp with her fingers could cause tearing or otherwise damage the stamp.
Perforation
- Perforation refers to the tiny holes in stamps. These holes are typically made to enable individual stamps to be easily separated from other stamps. Not all perforations are the same; as the Stamps Net web site points out, perforations can vary by size or by style, and sometimes a minute difference in perforation is all that separates different versions of a similar stamp.
Plate Numbers
- Many stamp sheets are printed on a particular plate, or in some cases on two or more different plates, as part of a flat-bed press. These stamp sheets are then marked with a plate number, which indicates which plate was used in their manufacture. This detail can be found in the margins of the sheet, typically at the sides or at the bottom of the sheet, as indicated on the Stamp2 web site.
Specimen
- Sometimes a new type of stamp is first distributed on a limited basis. Stamps from these early batches of sheets are easily recognizable by the word "specimen," which is printed or perforated clearly on the stamp's surface.
Watermark
- Some stamps are given a more distinctive design through a watermark, which appears as a semi-transparent pattern on the stamp's surface. This effect is achieved during the stamp's production by thinning the paper on which the stamp is printed.
Mint
- The term mint refers to the condition of a stamp that hasn't been used for post, and hasn't yet been entered into a collector's album; essentially, the stamp is as good as new. Collectors can tell a mint stamp by the presence of the stamp's original adhesive gum, which will still be attached to the back of the stamp.
Centering
- Centering refers to how close the design shown on the stamp is to the paper's margin. Some stamps are positioned incorrectly when manufactured, and the stamp's central design is noticeably closer to one margin. Experts pay attention to how a stamp is centered when assigning value to a stamp.

Stamp Collecting