Glossary

Authentication mark
A marking, such as initials, placed on the reverse of a stamp examined and certified to be genuine by an expert

Block
Collector arrangement of four stamps

BMA
British Military Administration

Booklet
One or more small blocks (known as booklet panes) attached between thin card covers

catalog number
Number assigned by a catalog publisher to each individual stamp of a country

CDS
Circular date stamp

chalky paper
Stamp paper which has a coating of chalk or clay on the surface

coated paper
Paper with a slick, hard surface

coil stamp
A coil stamp is a type of postage stamp sold in strips one stamp wide

color error
A stamp that is missing a color or which has been printed with the wrong color

Commemorative stamps
A commemorative stamp is one that celebrates a particular person, or a social, historical event of national importance

Definitive stamps
Definitive stamps have commonly used values, so they stay in circulation for a long time

De La Rue
British stamp printing firm

Error
A major mistake in the production of a stamp or postal stationery item. Production errors include imperforate or imperforate-between varieties, missing or incorrect colors, and inversion or doubling of part of the design or overprit. Major errors are usually far scarcer than normal varieties of the same stamp and are highly valued by collectors.

Face value
The value of a stamp as inscribed on its face. For letter-denominated stamps, the understood postal value of the stamps

FDC
First-day cover A cover bearing a stamp tied by a cancellation showing the date of the official first day of issue of that stamp. An envelope or postcard bearing canceled stamps denoting the date of the stamp’s release. Sometimes they are released with a commemorative cachet – a design stamped onto the cover to commemorate the issuing of the new stamp

FIAP
Federation of Inter Asian Philately

FIP
Federation Internationale de Philatelie
Founded on 1926 in Switzerland, the Federation Internationale de Philatelie was established to promote, establish and maintain close relations with the philatelic trade and postal administrations around the world. The non profit and non political federation of philatelic federations in Asia and Australia, Federation of Inter Asian Philately (FIAP) was formed by a group of enthusiastic philatelist from Asian and Australasian formed a philatelic federation in 1972. Malaysia, being part for the federation, hosted the 4th Asian Stamp Exhibition in 1992 for the first time. In present time, Malaysia 2014 will celebrate 160 years of postage stamps used in Malaysia, paying homage to Malaysia’s study of stamps and postal history.

Gum
The mucilage applied to the backs of adhesive postage stamps, revenue stamps or envelope flaps

Inperforate
In philately, imperforate simply means that the stamp was issued without perforations. Issuing imperforates was a common practice in the beginning of stamp productions and later in the early part of the 20th Century when private companies used vending and affixing machines and converted imperforated sheets to coils for dispensation purposes.

ISC
International Stamp & Coin catalogue (produced by Steven Tan)

Joint issue
are stamps released by two or more countries on the occasion of a common event or anniversary and that are characterized either by a common design or the same date of issue.

Lithography
(Perf) Printing from a flat surface with a design area that is ink-receptive. The area that is not to print is ink-repellant. The process is based on the principle that an oil-based design surface will attract oily ink.

mint
Stamps in original unused condition, never canceled

MS
Miniature Sheet A sheetlet of one stamp, a set of stamps or several associated stamps issued as a philatelic souvenir

multicolor
more then two colors

Native paper
Crude, handmade paper produced locally, as opposed to finer, machine-made paper

NB
North Borneo

Occupation issue
An issue released for use in territory occupied by a foreign power

Offset
A printing process that transfers an inked image from a plate to a roller. The roller then applies the ink to paper.

OPP
Oriented Polypropylene

On paper
Stamps (usually postally used) that are affixed to portions of original envelope or wrapper. Often used to describe stamps prior to soaking

original gum
The adhesive coating on a mint or unused stamp or envelope flap applied by a postal authority or security printer, usually before the item was issued

overprint
Any printing over the original completed design of a stamp

part-perforate
A stamp with all perforations missing on one or more sides, but with at least one side perforated

Pair
Two unseparated stamps joined either vertically or horizontally

Perfins
Stamps perforated through the face with identifying initials, designs or holes in coded positions

Perforation
(Perf) The punching out of holes between stamps to make separation easy. – Comb perforation-three sides of a stamp are perforated at once, with the process repeated in rows. – Harrow perforation-the entire sheet or unit of stamps is perforated in one operation. – Line perforation-holes are punched one row at a time. Line perforations are distinguished by the uneven crossing of perforation lines and irregular corners. Comb and harrow perforations usually show alignment of holes at the corners. Some forms of perforation may be difficult to distinguish.

Philately
The collection and study of postage stamps, postal stationery and postal history

Postal history
The study of postal markings, rates and routes, or anything to do with the history of the posts

reprint
Stamps printed (from original plates) after the issue became obsolete or demonetized

Se-Tenant
Term describing adjoining stamps that differ from each other in design, denomination or some other aspect – two or more stamps that are joined, but which differ by denomination, design or colors.

SPM
Security Printer of Malaysia

Series
a group of stamp, printed over a period of time and using a similar design or theme

Sheetlet
Small sheets with five, 10 or 20 stamps (gummed or self-adhesive) that can be of the same or different designs

Strip
Three or more unseparated stamps in a row, vertically or horizontally

Thematic
A collection of stamps or covers relating to a specific topic

Type
A basic design of a stamp or a set. Catalogs use type numbers or letters to save space (Rubrik Literature: Type is a article or a book)

unperforated
An error in the production of stamps that did not receive perforations and were released to the public by mistake. The more common and less precise term used among philatelists for a stamp issued “unperforated” in error, is called an “imperf error”

unused
An uncanceled stamp that has not been used but has a hinge mark or some other characteristic or defect that keeps it from being considered a mint stamp. Uncanceled stamps without gum may have been used and missed being canceled, or they may have lost their gum by accident.

UPU
Universal Postal Union Malaysia = MY / ISO Code 3166 Date of entry into the UPU:17-01-1958
Designated operator:POS Malaysia

used
A stamp or stationery item that has been canceled by a postal authority to prevent its reuse on mail. In general, a used stamp is any stamp with a cancel or a precanceled stamp without gum. See also Postally Used and Philatelic Cover.

variety
A variation from the standard form of a stamp. Varieties include different watermarks, inverts, imperforates, missing colors, wrong colors and major color shifts. See also Freak, Error.

Watermark
Shortcut: Wmk Watermarks are an integral part of some papers. They are formed in the process of paper manufacture. Watermarks consist of small design, formed of wire or cut from metal and soldered to the surface of the mold or, sometimes, on the dandy roll. The designs may be in the form of crowns, stars, anchors, letters or other characters or symbols. These pieces of metal – known in the paper making industry as bits – impress a design into the paper. The design sometimes may be seen by holding the stamp to the light. Some are more easily seen with a watermark detector. This important tool is a small black tray into which a stamp is placed face down and dampened with a fast-evaporating watermark detection fluid that brings up the watermark image in the form of dark lines against a lighter background. These dark lines are the thinner areas of the paper known as the watermark. Some watermarks are extremely difficult to loacte, due to either a faint impression, watermark location or the color of the stamp. There also are electric watermark detectors that come with plastic filter disks of various colors. The disks neutralize the color of the stamp, permitting the watermark to be seen more easily. Standard Types of Watermarks – Crown CC – Multiple Crown CA – Crown over CA – Multiple St. Edwards Crown Block CA – Spiral CA – Multiple Script CA – Rosette – Multiple Rosettes – Five-Pointed Crown – Multiple PTM – CA over Crown – Half Check Pattern – Scrolled “S” multiple – Harrison – POS – SPM – Watermark error: Crown missing – Watermark error: St. Edwards Crown