Glossary of Stamp Collecting Terms

S

7-1-71: issue date of the new USPS emblem, issued at every post office in the nation, creating a new field of specialization.
S: 1:Auction abbreviation term for "Superb" or best there is. 2: auction abbreviation term for Specimen. 3: international postal code for Sweden. 4: Scott Catalog number prefix for Franchise. 5: shilling, ship, Seville; pre-adhesive postmark. 6: Sucre; currency unit in Ecuador. 7: Som; currency unit in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan. 8: auction abbreviation for "scarce," in scale of rarity. 9: British canceler for Stamboul, Constantinople, or Istanbul; 1884-1914. 10: in Cyrillic is the letter "C"; thus C.C.C.P. = S.S.S.R., known as the U.S.S.R.; Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 11: in circle. arrival mark for mail routed through Spain, used in Gibraltar. 12: in barred oval; Salonica. 13: Colombia-Scadta consular overprint for Switzerland. 14: Sheriff, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74. 15: Straits Settlements-Selangor surcharge overprint, 1879-91. 16. Colombia-Scadta consular overprint for Switzerland. 17. Sheriff, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74.
$S: Dollar, currency unit in Singapore.
S20, S30, S40: marginal markings on some rotary press plates made from a die with an experimental variation in the frame line depth.
SA: Latvia overprint, Russian Occupation.
S.A.: 1: Saudi Arabia. 2: see self-adhesive. 3: pressure sensitive gum or see self-adhesive.
Saar: region between France and Germany, southeast of Luxembourg; currency: 100 pfennig = 1 mark, 100 centimes = 1 franc (1921) 1920-35 administered by France under League of Nations control, 1920, Jan.30: No.1, 2 pfennings gray, issued its own stamps, those of Germany and Bavaria overprinted “Saare” (Fr.) or “Saargebiet” (Ger.), 1922: first official stamp, 1926, Oct. 25: first semipostal stamp, 1928, Sept. 19: first air mail stamp, 1934, December to February 1935: British Field PO 10 used during plebiscite, 1935, March 1: became the Saarland Province of the Third Reich as a result of the plebiscite, stamps of Germany used, 1945, Dec. 17-Jan. 3, 1947: French Occupation Zone of Germany, 1947, Jan.: region had its own stamps as French Administration Protectorate, inscribed “Saar,” 1948, Oct. 12: first air mail semipostal stamp, 1951, Jan.1: State of Saar established, 1957, Jan. 1: reunion with Federal Republic of Germany, stamps inscribed “Saarland,” but valued in French currency, 1959, July 6: Saar stamps discontinued, German Federal Republic stamps and currency used.
Saare: (Ger.) overprint on stamps of Bavaria and Germany for Saar.
Saare: (Fr., Ger., It.) Saar.
Saaremaa: bogus, Russia area, not valid for postage.
Saargebeit: (Ger.) overprint/inscription for Saar.
Saargebeit Luftpost: (Ger.) Saar air mail.
Saargebeit Volkshilfe: (Ger.) Saar semipostals.
Saarland: (Ger.) inscription from 1957-59 for Saar.
Saarpost: (Ger.) Saar mail.
Sabadell: city in Spain, local post, Civil War; Republican forces,1937
Sabah: formerly North Borneo; 1963: became Sabah before joining the Federation of Malaysia, 1964, July 1: No.1, 1¢ red brown and green, Sabah overprint on stamps of North Borneo, 1964: no stamps for the territory above 25¢ issued since the 1964 issue; see North Borneo.
Sabot: Dutch; see Evans, Donald.
Sacha-Yakutia: bogus Russian issue.
Sach(s)en: (Ger.) Saxony, German State.
Sachet, stamp: containers/folders of loose stamps sold in British post offices vending machines.
Sachsen: (Ger.) Saxony.
Sachsen Bundesland: (Ger.) on stamps of Germany for the Russian Zone of Saxony.
Sächische Schwärzungen: (Ger.) Saxon blackouts; Hitler and Hindenburg definitives with the portrait obliterated; provisional postal use, Soviet-occupied Germany, beginning May 12, 1945. Sac postal: (Fr.) mail bag
Sad Polowy D.O.E. Wolyn: (Pol.) army field court marshal, handstamp, Poland, 1921.
SAE: stamped-addressed envelope.
Særstempel: (Dan.) cachet.
Safad Issue: provisional issue authorized by Israel Commissioner of Postal Services, April 1942.
Safety paper: two-ply paper made by two webs of different quality paper pressed together, used to make stamps hard to forge, a common form has silk threads in it, also known as Duplex paper.
Safety paper overprint: same as underprint, except printed on top of already printed stamps.
Safety paper underprint: applied prior to printing the stamp's design; can be a pattern of repeated words in very small type, numbers, bars, straight lines, network patterns or other designs.
Safe vinyl: vinyl is not chemically safe or stable and it is impossible for a vinyl product to be inert; from: Preservation and Storage Library of Victoria.
Safeway Car Service: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Saffi / Marrakech: local post, Morocco, 1898-1900
Safieh: city in Egypt, 1880, see Interpostal seals.
Safir: (Nor.) sapphire, deep purplish-blue (color).
Sage type: French series, 1876-1900, designed by Jules-Auguste Sage who won a French government competition for a new stamp design.
Saggio: (It.) proof, essay. 1: Italy, Italian Colonies, overprint for specimen. 2: Italy, Italian Colonies, overprint for proof.
Saggio di colore: (It.) trial color proof.
Sagittair: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Sagunto: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War; Republican forces, 1937.
Saha, Saha-Yakutia: bogus Russian local overprint.
Sahara, Empire of: bogus, West Coast of Africa strip of land between Cape Bojador and Cape Juby, 1907.
Sahara Espanol: (Sp.) overprint on stamps of Spain for Spanish Sahara, 1924.
Sahara Occidental: (Sp.)inscription on stamps of Spain for Western Sahara.
Sahara Occ. R.A.S.D.: (Sp.)Western Sahara.
Sahara Occidental La Aguera: (Sp.) La Aguera.
Saharan republic: Saharan republic, illegal issues, not issued by Morocco, based on UPU circular of Nov. 18, 2002.
Sahraoui, République Arabe Démocratique: (Fr.) bogus, labels, does not exist, reported to the UPU April 10, 2000 by Morocco.
S.A.I.D.E.: Service Aérien Internationale d'Egypte (Fr.); (International Air Service of Egypt) overprint on stamps of Egypt, 1948, for inaugural flights from Cairo to Athens and Rome.
Saigon: Vietnam, now known as Ho Chi Minh City.
Saint Christophe: (Fr.) St. Kitts.
Saint Christopher: see St. Christopher.
Saint Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla: see St. Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla.
Saint Christopher Nevis, Anguilla: Beach Cricket inscription, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Sainte Helene: (Fr.) St. Helena.
Sainte Foy la Grande: local provisional, France, 1944
Sainte-Marie de Madagascar: French 1881: administered from Diego Suarez, 1894, April: first stamps issued, 1890: used stamps of Diego Suarez, 1898, Jan. 18: stamps withdrawn,
Saint Helena: see St. Helena.
Saint Helena Tristan Relief: overprint on stamps of St. Helena; semipostal for Tristan da Cunha, 1961.
Saint James: local label, Danish West Indies, 1910?
Saint John's College: local, United Kingdom, Cambridge, 1883-85.
Saint Kilda: bogus local, United Kingdom
Saint Kitts: see St. Kitts.
Saint Louis: 1: U.S. postmaster provisional US 11X. 2: City Dispatch, US local post, 1851. 3: Clark & Hall's Penny Post, U.S. local post, 1851. 4: Saint Louis City Delivery Company, US local post, 1883. 5: Smith & Stephens' City Delivery, US Local post. 6: Squier & Co.'s Letter Dispatch, U.S. local post, 1859-60.
Saint Lucia: see St. Lucia
Saint Lucia Steam Conveyance Co., Ltd.: West Indies local post, 1871-72
Saint Marino: (Fr.) San Marino.
Saint Petersburg: 1: Deutsch-Baltisches Comite; Russian local post, 1918. 2: "SPB" local overprint on stamps of Russia, 1992. 3. city in Russia, formerly known as Leningrad and Petrograd.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: see St. Pierre and Miquelon.
Saint Thomas and Prince Islands: see St. Thomas and Prince Islands.
Saint Thomas-Porto Rico: bogus local post, 1869.
Saint Vincent: see St. Vincent.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: see St. Vincent Grenadines
Saisprezece: (Rom) sixteen (number).
Saizeci: (Rom) sixty (number).
S.A.K.: Saudi Arabia Kingdom.
Sakha: 1: 2002, Jan. 14: illegal labels, purporting to be stamps, Russian Federation report to the UPU; not valid for postage. 2: city in Egypt, 1880, see Interpostal seals.
Sakhalin: 2002, Jan. 14: illegal labels, purporting to be stamps, Russian Federation report to the UPU; not valid for postage.
Sakha-Yakutia: state at Yakutsk, cinderella local post, 1994.
Sakura: specialized catalogue of Japan.
SAL: Surface AirLift, form of overseas mailing.
Salamanca: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1938
Salamanca Province: province in western part of Spain near border of Portugal; 1868-69: provisional stamps used in the Spanish province; handstamped with "Habilitado Por La Nacion." (Provisional Government) Spain 117f-122f, 1868-70.
Salamon Szigetek: (Hung.) the Solomon Islands.
Sale by tender: auction whereby the highest bidder gets the lot at the bid price, regardless of the next highest bidder's offer.
Salem, N. C. Paid 5: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Sales circuit: see Circuit Book.
Salhagar: city in Egypt, 1880, see Interpostal seals.
Salida: (Sp.) exit; used in post-Civil War censor marks as a "S" to indicate item was sent from the Censorship Department.
Salinas: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Salins: local provisional; France; 1944.
Salisburgo: also known as Salzburg, Austria. Salisbury: now known as Harare, Zimbabwe.
Salisbury, N. C. Postage five cents: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
S. Allan Taylor Boston: inscription for Samuel Allan Taylor, stamp dealer, who produced many labels for sale to collectors.
Sällsynt: (Swed.) scarce.
Salobrena: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937-38
Salon de Provence: local provisional, France; 1944
Salonica: Greek seaport on the Aegean Sea, now known as Thessaloniki; 1912-pre: part of the Turkish Empire, 1909, Feb.: No.1, 10 paras on 5c green, “Salonicco” surcharge on stamps of Italy; Italian post office in the Levant; Russian post office in Turkish Empire, 1916: British post office in the Levant; see Salonika and Salonique. WW I: base for Allied operations, WW II: occupied by Germany.
Salonicco: see Salonica; city in Egypt, 1868, see Interpostal seals.
Salonicco: See Salonica; overprint on stamps of Italy for Italian Offices in the Turkish Empire; Salonika, 1919-11.
Saloniceo: overprint on stamps of Italy for Italian Offices in Turkish Empire, Salonika
Salonika: 1911, overprint on stamps of Turkey for Sultan's visit to Macedonia.
Saloniki: (Ger.) Salonica.
Salonique: city that was gateway to the Adriatic Coast; 1909-10; overprint on stamps of Russia; Russian Offices In the Turkish Empire, Salonica; issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Russian post office in the Turkish Empire.
Saltillo: overprint on stamps of Mexico for this district, 1856-1883.
Salung: unit of currency in Siam (Thailand).
Salvador, El: Pacific coast of Central America, formally known as El Salvador; official name of postal administration: Dirección General de Correos currency: 100 centavos = 8 reales = 1 peso, 100 centavos = 1 coló 1822, Sept. 2: became independent of Spain, 1841, Jan. 30: assumed formal name of El Salvador, 1867, May: No.1, ½ real blue, first stamp, 1879, April 1: joined the U.P.U., 1890-98: signed agreement with Seebeck for free stamps in exchange for the right of Seebeck to make and sell reprints to collectors, 1895: first postage due, parcel post stamp, 1896: first official stamp, 1897: first Acknowledgment of Receipt stamp, 1929, Dec. 28: first air mail stamp, 1931: first postal tax stamp.
Salve Hospes: "National Tourist Assn.," inscription on stamps of Netherlands for semipostal.
Salvonia: bogus overprint on stamps of Yugoslavia overprinted for Bosnia Republic.
Salzburg: province of Austria; 1921: local issue for plebiscite, 1945: AMG stamps issued for use during occupation.
SAM: Space Available Airmail; to be sent via airmail if space is available, usually on US military transportation.
Samalout: city in Egypt, 1880-84, see Interpostal seals,.
Samanoud: city in Egypt, 1864-84, see Interpostal seals.
Samara: local post; Russian Zemstvo; 1908.
Samarinda: local overprint for Japanese Naval Control Area; Japanese occupation; 1942-45.
Sambata: (Rom.) Saturday.
Sambia: (Ger.) Zambia.
Same Day Delivery: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Samenhanged: (Dut.) setenat.
Sämisch: (Ger.) buff, brownish-yellow (color).
Samling: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) collection.
Sammantryck: (Swed.) se-tenant.
Sammaröarnas: (Fin.) used on steamships, carrying mail, serving Finland cities, 1913.
Sammeln: (Ger.) collect; to assemble or bring together.
Sammenhengende: (Nor.) se-tenant.
Sammermarken: (Ger.) "Philatelic handling label" for careful canceling and handling of mail, supplied by postal authority, Germany.
Sammler: (Ger.) collector, a person who collects, especially rare things.
Sammlerverein: (Ger.) collector's club.
Sammlung: (Ger.) collection, an assembly of philatelic material.
Samoa: : island in the South Pacific, east of Figi, aka Western Samoa; islands in the South Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and New Zealand; Stamps of this country can be found in these catalogs:Stanley Gibbons, Michel, Scott, Yvert et Tellier. Currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 pfenning = 1 mark (1900) 100 sene (cents) = 1 tala (dollar) (1967) 19th century, late: islands divided between Germany, Great Britain and the U.S.: 1877: first stamp, “Samoa Express,” postal service by local newspaper, Samoan Times, 1878: No.1,1 shilling, orange yellow, first stamp, 1881: service closed, but reprints exist, 1891: joined the U.P.U., however mail to the U.S.A. required an additional 5¢ American stamp to pay for inland delivery, 1895: “Samoa Postage” inscription on stamps, 1898: Britain withdrew, used overprinted stamps of Germany, 1900: (German Samoa) islands divided between Germany and the U.S.; #8220;Samoa” overprint on stamps of Germany, and German colonial keytypes, eastern group used U.S. stamps, 1914, Aug. 29: German dominated islands occupied by New Zealand, “G.R.I.” overprint on stamps of Germany and surcharged in New Zealand currency, 1914, Sept. 29: overprint “Samoa” on stamps of New Zealand, "G.R.I." overprint on stamps of German Samoa and surcharged in New Zealand currency, 1920: mandated to New Zealand by the League of Nations, 1920s: mourning label issued by German stamp dealer Sigmund Hartig, 1921: New Zealand stamps replaced by stamps of Samoa, 1935, Aug. 7: “Western Samoa” inscribed / overprinted on stamps, 1962, Jan. 1: Western Samoa became independent, 1962, July 2: became the independent country of Samoa, stamps inscribed “Samoa I Sisifo” (Western Samoa), 1965, Dec. 29: first air mail stamp, 1966, Sept. 1: first semipostal stamp, 1977: name officially shortened to Samoa, 1989, Aug. 9: joined the U.P.U.; see G.R.I.
Samoa Express: local post, 1877-80
Samoa i Sisifo: (Samoan) Western Samoa, Independent State, 1958; see Samoa.
Samoa Occidental: (Fr.) Western Samoa.
Samorzad Warwiszki: (Pol.) overprint on stamps of Poland for South Lithuania, Polish occupation, March 23-27, 1923.
Samos: aka Vathy, Aegean Island; 1878-1912: Aegean Island; Ottoman Principality, Turkish control with British, French and Russian protection, 1894: stamps of France surcharged / overprinted “Vathy,” 1912, Nov. 14: captured by Greece from Turkey, provisional government; issued own stamps, No.1, 5 lira gray green, 1913, May 30: Samos united with Greece by the Treaty of London, stamps of Samos overprinted “Greece” in Greek letters, 1914: stamps of Greece used, WW II: occupied by Axis forces.
"Sample (A)": an overprint used on stamps instead of specimen; produced by the American Bank Note Co. at the request of the U.S. Post Office Department to avoid confusion with "Specimen" overprinted issues; 1889.
Sample labels, stamps: security printer products to show prospective clients the capabilities of different printing processes.
Sample Post: an international special rate for trade samples packed in small parcels.
Samsoun: current name is Samsun; French post office opened Nov. 1857, closed Aug. 1914.
SAN: 1: Sanabria's Air Post Catalog 2: (Sp.) saint
Sanad, Sunnud: Indian States term for title deed, charter, etc.
Sanahuja: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
San Antonio, Tex Paid 10: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Sanar: currency unit in Afghanistan.
San Augustin: (Sp.) St. Augustine postal marking used in 1784.
Sanda Island: Great Britain local carriage label, Scottish island, 1962.
Sandia Crest: local post, New Mexico, delivered mail from a visitors' center on top of the mountain Sandia Crest to the post office, 1956-61.
Sand Dune States: 1960s nickname for desert sheikdoms that issued a large number of stamps.
Sandjak d'Alexandrette: overprint on stamps of Syria for Alexandretta, 1938.
Sanjak: local overprint on stamps of Yugoslavia; 1990s.
Sands, A. B. & D.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Sands, M.P.J. & H.M.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Sandwich Islands: former name for the Hawaiian Islands, discovered by Capt. Cook in 1778, named by Cook after Earl of Sandwich.
Sandzak: Jugoslavia labels.
San Francisco: 1: California City Letter Express Co.; US local post; 1850s-60s. 2: California Penny Post Co.; 1850s-60s. 3: Carnes' City Letter Express: US local post; 1864. 4: Gahagan & Howe City Express: US local post; 1864-70. 5: Reed's City Despatch post; US local post; 1853-54. 6: William E. Loomis Letter Express; US local post; 1868
San Francisco Match Company: see Private die match proprietary stamps. San Francisco roulettes: postal authorities found sheets in 1907 of the 2¢ carmine with shield on 1903, with horizontal perforations missing between two top rows; rouletted at San Francisco.
Sang: unit of currency in Tibet.
Sanita: (Sp.) marking on mail that has been fumigated so that the letter will not be a carrier of disease.
Sanitary Fair stamp: unofficial stamps issued by the U.S. Sanitary Fair Commission and considered a forerunner of the Red Cross; 1863, Dec.: first stamps inscribed, "Young Ladies of Brooklyn Bazaar."
Sanitatsstempel: (Ger.) postmark that the item has been disinfected.
Sanitorium: with cross of Lorraine, inscription on stamps of Dominican Republic for postal tax.
San Juan: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937.
San Juan de la Pena: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937.
San Juan del Puerto: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces,1936-37.
San Juan Despi: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1939.
San Luis Potosi, State of: region in Mexico; 1914: revolutionary provisional stamps issued.
San Marino: eastern Italy, European republic; currency: 100 centesimi = 1 Italian lira, 100 cents = 1 euro (2002) 1850-70; stamps of the Papal States, 1870-77: stamps of Italy, 1877, Aug. 1: No.1, 2 cents green, first stamp, 1897: first postage due stamp, 1907, April 25: first special delivery stamp, 1915, July 1: joined the U.P.U., 1917, Dec. 15: first semipostal stamp, 1923, Sept. 20: first semipostal special delivery stamp, 1928, Nov. 22: first parcel post stamp, 1931, June 11: first air mail stamp, 1933, Apr. 28: “Zeppelin” surcharge on air mail stamps, 1944, Apr. 25: first air mail semipostal stamp, WW II: not occupied by foreign powers.
San Nicolas: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1936.
San Paulo: province of Brazil; revolutionary government issued stamps, Sept. 1932.
Sans: (Fr.) without.
Sans charnière: (Fr.) unhinged.
Sans Dinero: (Without Money) South America mythical country.
San Paulo: seceding state in Brazil; 1932
San Sebastian: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1937
Sans gomme: (Fr.) ungummed.
Sans-serif type: (without caps or serifs), type without an ornamental projection to one side of a letter, at top or bottom.
Sans Valeur: (Fr.) without value overprint, used as a training stamp.
Santa: city in Egypt,1879-84, see Interpostal seals.
Santa Ana la Real: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Santa Claus: children's stamps; see Toy stamps.
Santa Claus post: label produced by Dennison, 1908-12.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: largest of the Canary Islands; 1936: Spanish stamps overprinted Viva Espana/18 Julio/1936, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist and Republican forces.
Santa Cruz del Comercio: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937-38.
Santafe: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937-38
Santa Fe Express: handwritten marking to indicate mail via the Missouri frontier via a military express.
San-Tai: local post; Southwest China; 1949.
Santa Landia: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Santa Maria Albarracin: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist and Republican forces,1936.
Santa Maura: aka Lefkas, Greek stamps with Italian overprints are fraudulent; see Lefkas.
Santander: 1: Department in Colombia, formerly a state; stamps issued 1884-1907. 2: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1937 3: Correo Rapido de Santander; local post; 1926-28
Santapola: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Santavakia: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Santiago de la Espada: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Santim: unit of currency in Hatay.
Santimi, Santims, Santimu: 1923-25; surcharge, stamps of Latvia.
Santi Quaranta: Epirus port bogus overprint on stamps of Italy, 1914.
Santisteban del Puerto: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937.
Santo Domingo: formerly Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic.
San Tomas: local from Venezuela, 1864, used by Blohm, Nolting & Co., a German shipping company, that traveled between La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, St. Thomas (Danish Antilles) and Curazao (Curacao).
Sant Petersburg: (Rus.) Saint Petersburg, straight line cancel, about 1819-21
Sao Paulo: 1932, Sep.13: stamps issued by revolutionary forces; stamps later recognized by the government for general use.
S.A.O.R. Eire: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Saorstát Eireann 1922: overprint on stamps of Great Britain for use in Free State of Ireland, Dec. 1922, 1925-27.
Sao Tome and Principe: see St. Thomas and Prince Islands.
Saouakin: city in Egypt, 1868-82, see Interpostal seals.
SAPDA: South African Philatelic Dealers Association.
Sapozhok: local post; Russian Zemstvo; 1870-1913
Saptamâna: (Rom.) week.
Sapte (Rom.) seven (number).
Saptesprezece: (Rom) seventeen (number).
Saptezeci: (Rom) thirty (number).
S. Ar.: (Sp.) Sevilla Aracena, Spain, pre-adhesive postmark.
SAR: Syria; Syrian Arab Republic.
S.A.R.: South African Railways.
Sar.; Sard.: (It.) Kingdom of Sardinia, pre-adhesive postmark.
Sarafou, Principality of: three islands issued labels, 175 leagues from the Phoenix Islands.
Saransk: local post, Russian Zemstvo; 1908
Sarapul: local post, Russian Zemstvo; 1893-94
Saratoff: city in Russia, local post, Russian Zemstvo; 1869-1879
Sarawak: northwest coast of the island of Borneo; currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar 1869, March 1: No.1, 3¢ brown yellow, stamps first issued, British protectorate, 1941, Dec.17-Sept. 11, 1945: Japanese occupation issue, stamps of Sarawak overprinted in Japanese, 1945, Nov.1: British military administration, stamps of Australia used, 1945, Dec. 17: Sarawak stamps overprinted “BMA” (British Military Administration), 1946, April 15: civil government restored, 1946, July 1: first stamp, ceded to Great Britain, became a Crown Colony, 1963, Sept.: joined the Federation of Malaysia, uses their stamps with overprint “Sarawak.”
Sarawak: Mad Dogs and Englishman, inscription, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Sârb: (Rom) Serbian (adj.).
Sardaigne: (Fr.) Sardinia.
Sardegna: (It.) Sardinia.
Sardinia, Kingdom of: Kingdom of Savoy, Piedmont and Sardinia; formed in 1815; 1817: world’s first postal stationery, carried by private agencies, each sheet embossed with a figure of a horse and rider, known as “little horses,” 1851, Jan. 1: No.1, 5 centesimi gray-black, first adhesive stamps issued, variations re-issued in 1853, 1854, 1855, 1855: Sardinia issue (imperforate) is identical to first issue of Italy (perforated), 1860: King of Sardinia became King of Italy, Savoy and Nice ceded to France, 1860: states of Italy joined Sardinia; Modena (March 16); Parma (March 18); Tuscany (March 22) and Romagna (March 25), 1861, March 17: became the Kingdom of Italy, 1862: stamps issued as Kingdom of Italy.
Sardinien: (Dan., Ger., Nor., Swed.) Sardinia.
Sardin' Island: Swiss origin fantasy.
Sárga: (Hung.) yellow (color).
Sárga Papíron: (Hung.) (on) yellow paper (color).
Sárgásbarna: (Hung.) yellow(ish)-brown (color).
Sárgászöld: (Hung.) yellow(ish)-green (color).
Sargent's Express: private mail delivery serviced Boston and Lowell, Mass., used a label, 1850.
Sark: island in English Channel, Guernsey Dependency, 1919-39: used British stamps, 1937: air service to Jersey, 1939 to Guernsey, 1962-1971: local posts.
Sarkari: overprint on stamps of Saurashtra for official use.
Saroelangoen: local overprint for Palembang district of Sumatra; 1942-45.
Sarral: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Sarroca: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
SAS: Sassone Specialized Italy Postage Stamp Catalog
SASE: "Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope" is an unused envelope addressed to the sender with return postage affixed. Many stamp correspondents will not reply unless you include a SASE.
Sase: (Rom.) six (number).
Saseno: island in harbor of Valeno, Albania; currency: 100 centesimi = 1 lira 1914: seized by Italy, 1923, April: "Saseno" overprint on stamps of Italy, 1947: returned to Albania by the Treaty of Paris.
Sassone: specialized catalogue of Italian area, includes Trieste, San Marino, Vatican and more.
Satang: currency unit in Siam, Thailand.
SATAS: Societé pour l'Affranchissement et le Timbrage Automatiques (Fr.) postage meter firm founded in 1934, headquartered in Paris.
Satellite, French A-1; D-1: common design on stamps of the French Community of Nations, 1965-66.
Satellite Post Office: postal facility that has counter services, accepts mail and packages and sells stamps, but does not have any mailboxes.
Satinado: (Sp.) glazed, glossy.
S Atlantic Fund: surcharge on stamps of Barbuda.
Satzpreis: (Ger.) price for a complete set.
Satzware: (Ger.) series, stamps in set.
Saudi Arabia: on the Arabian peninsula between Red Sea and Persian Gulf, formerly Al Arabitan as-Saudiyah; currency: 40 paras = 1 piaster = 1 guerche (garch, qirsh), 11 guerche = 1 riyal (1928) 110 guerche = 1 sovereign (1931), 440 guerche = 1 sovereign (1952) 20 piasters (guerche) = 1 riyal (1960), 100 halalas = 1 riyal (1976) 1916: Grand Sherif of Mecca established the Arab State “Sanjak of Hejaz” and “Lawrence of Arabia” drove out the Turks, 1916, Oct.: first stamps issued considered as first issue of Hejaz and forerunner to those of Saudi Arabia, 1917, June 27: first Hejaz postage due stamps, 1921, Dec. 21: stamps for the Kingdom of Hejaz, 1925: No.1, 5 piaster ocher, first issues of the Nejd Administration of Hejaz on Turkish stamps, 1925, April: first Nejdi Administration of Hejaz postage due stamps, 1925: first newspaper stamp; may be unofficial, 1927, Jan. 1: joined the U.P.U. 1932: renamed Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1934, Jan.1: No. 1, 1/4 guerche yellow green, first stamps for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1934, May 15: first postal tax stamp, 1937: first postage due stamp, 1939: first official stamp, 1949: first air mail stamp, see Hejaz-Nejd.
Saudiarabien: (Swed.) Saudi Arabia.
Saugor Island: local post; United Kingdom; rocket dispatch; 1934.
Saunders' Express: private mail delivery firm serviced Mass. and N. H.; used labels, 1860s.
Saurashtra: State in India, 1948: United States of Saurashtra formed of 216 former states on the Kathiawar Peninsula of India, 1949-50; stamps issued, 1956: became part of the Bombay State; see Soruth.
Säuregehalt: (Ger.) acidity.
Sav.: Savannah (Georgia) pre-adhesive postmark.
Savage Republic: rock band labels.
Savannah, Ga. paid 5, paid 10: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Savannah, Georgia: occupied by British from 1778 to 1781.
Saventhem: Belgian church fair label.
Saverne: 1: local provisional; France; 1944. 2: Local for Alsace; German occupation; 1944
Savings Stamps: see U. S. War Savings Certificate Stamp.
Savona: Co. Nazionaldi Liberazione; local post; Italian liberation; 1944?
Savory & Co.'s Express: private mail and parcel delivery serviced Boston and Salem, Mass.; used labels, 1849-73.
Sawin's Express: local express firm serviced Boston and Cambridge, Mass., used labels, year unknown.
Saw-tooth: roulette type that gives the perforation a saw tooth appearance; British used term when automatic vending machines got out of register with the grips.
Saxony: central Germany, German State, aka Sachsen; currency: 10 pfennings = 1 neu-groschen, 30 neu-groschen = 1 thaler 1850, June 29: No.1, 3 pfennings brick red, first stamps issued, inscribed Sachsen, 1850, July: joined the Austro-German Postal Union, 1852-66: used double circle with crossed design as postmark, 1868, Jan. 1: stamps of the North German Confederation, 1871: became part of the German Empire, 1872: stamps of the German Empire, then the Weimar government, followed by stamps of the Third Reich, 1945: Saxony Province; issued “Provinz Sachsen” stamps under Russian occupation, 1945: East Saxony (Dresden) issued stamps under German occupation, 1945: West Saxony (Leipzig) issued local stamps under Russian occupation, 1946, Feb. 12: West Saxony issued semipostal issues under Russian occupation, 1946, Jan 19: Saxony Province; issued semipostal stamp under Russian occupation, subsequently part of the German Democratic Republic.
S. Ay.: (Sp.) Sevilla Ayamonte (Spain) pre-adhesive postmark.
Sayalonga: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1938
Sayles, Welcome B.: postmaster, Providence, RI, 1844-46, issued Postmaster's Provisional stamps.
SB: 1: softbound. 2: stock book, suggested bid. 3: boat: steamboat, pre-adhesive postmark.
SBZ: (Ger.) Soviet Occupation Zone, Germany.
SC: 1: USPS abbreviation for South Carolina. 2: auction abbreviation for stampless. 3: souvenir cover. 4: Stamp Collecting, Great Britain publication. 5: Small Crown (British Watermark). 6: Scott Catalogue. 7: South Carolina, pre-adhesive postmark.
SC: Supreme Court, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74.
sc.: (Lat.) signifying the stamp's artist
S.c: small crown, watermark.
SCADS: Stamp Collectors Against Dodgy Sellers; formed in 2002 to educate collectors about fakes, forgeries, etc.
S.C.A.D.T.A.: Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transportes Aéros; (Sp.) a South American air line which issued private stamps until 1932; 1928, Aug. 28 - Dec.27, 1930: private air firm under government contract had their own stamps to show the airmail fee, 1932: succeeded by Avianca.
Scale print: each color printed separately.
Scanalatura: (It.) ribbed.
Scandinavie: (Fr.) Scandinavia.
Scanning marks: refers to electric eye markings, dashes, guides, etc.
Scarab cancel: appears vaguely like a beetle.
Scarab seal: see seal, scarab.
Scarce Plate Number: a plate number that had a limited printing.
Scarpanto: overprint on stamps of Italy, offices in Scarpanto, Aegean Islands; 1912-32
Scarpanto: Dodecanese Island, Aegean Sea 1912 - pre: used stamps of Turkey, 1912: No.1, 2 centesimi orange brown, overprint on stamps of Italy, offices in Scarpanto, 1920: Turkey ceded group to Italy, 1943, Sept.: became part of Greece, 1943: reoccupied by German forces, 1945: liberated by Allied forces, 1945, May 21: stamps of Britain overprinted “M.E.F.” (Middle East Forces), when islands transferred to Greece, 1946, April 17: British post offices closed, 1947: stamps of Greece overprinted “S.D.D.” (Dodecanese Military Occupation), 1947, summer: stamps of Greece used.
SCCS: Space City Cover Society.
Sceau: (Fr.) seal.
Sceau d'Noël: (Fr.) Christmas seal.
Scenic cancellation: Japanese postmark with a graphical representation of a geographical or historical design of cultural significance to the community in which the post office is located.
Scented stamps: Luxembourg had the scent of cinnamon on the selvage of panes of its 2002 Christmas stamp issue.
SCF: Stamp Collector's Fortnightly (Great Britain).
Sch: (Schilling) currency in German States
Schabatz, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1870s, for middle Danube lines.
Schach: (Ger.) chess (thematic).
Schaden: (Ger.) defect, damage.
Schädliche Ausgabe: (Ger.) issued mainly to exploit the collector.
Schalterbogen: (Ger.) pane of stamps as sold by the post office.
Schätzpreis: (Ger.) see Estimated value.
Schätzung: (Ger.) appraisal.
Scheetz's Celebrated Bitter Cordial: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Schenck & Son: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Schenck's Mandrake Pills: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Schenck's Pulmonic Syrup: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Schermack Company: Schermack Mailing Machine Co., Detroit, Mich., type of interrupted perforation to permit feeding through automatic vending machines. manufacturer of stamp vending machines, 1906-26, to be used with its machine that sealed envelopes and affixed stamps to them; perforations noted for their distinctive long slots.
Schermack perfin: made a series of nine pin holes in US 1908 series postage stamps perforated by Schermack Co. as a security device for its customers against pilferage by dishonest employees; missing pin holes stood for a code assigned to each firm..
Schernikow die proofs: die proofs or essays printed from the original master dies for the 1861 and 1871 issues; printed in ten colors on proof paper, colored card stock and pelure papers; dies acquired by Ernest Schernikow when Philadelphia Bank Note Company went bankrupt; he created "breakdown die proofs" in order to produce a series of prints showing the development of the design; also known as "breakdown die proofs."
Schiavi Press: Multi-Color Corp., subcontractor for American Bank Note Co., prints 19 rows of 36 stamps.
Scientific Expedition stamps: official and unofficial stamps created specially for the use of expeditions.
Schiff: (Ger.) ship.
Schiffpost: (Ger.) ship post.
Schiffsbrief: (Ger.) ship letter
Schilling: currency unit in Austria, old German states.
Schlesien: (Ger.) Silesia.
Schleswig: 1920s: mourning plebiscite label issued by German stamp dealer Sigmund Hartig.
Schleswig-Holstein: northern Germany, German state; currency: 100 pfennig = 1 mark, 100 ore = 1 krone, 16 schillings = 1 mark 1848-51: autonomous territory, 1864-pre: placed under Danish rule, 1850, Nov. 15: No.1, 1 schilling dull blue, greenish blue, first stamps by revolutionary government, protesting Danish rule, used circle design of bars as postmark, 1851, May 1: Danish rule, Danish stamps used in Schleswig, withdrawn March 31, 1864, 1853, July 1: Danish rule, Danish stamps used in Holstein, withdrawn Feb, 29, 1864, 1864, Aug. 1: Denmark defeated by Prussia and Austria, Schleswig and Holstein each issued own stamps, 1865: combined Duchies issue for both territories, but individual duchies issued own stamps, 1865, Nov.1: Schleswig awarded to Prussia, Holstein to Austria, 1866: Prussia defeated Austria, took over both territories, became province of Prussia, 1866, Nov. Schleswig and Holstein stamps could be used in either duchy, 1868, Jan.1: stamps of the North German Confederation, 1871: stamps of the German Empire, 1920, Jan. 25: stamps inscribed “Slesvig Plebiscit” followed by “1 Zone” and “C.I.S” Commission Interalliee Slesvig, as a result of the plebiscite, North Schleswig became part of Denmark, south Schleswig remaining part of Germany, one set of stamps in German currency and another with values in Danish currency issued, 1920, Jan. 25: No.1, 2 ½ pfennigs gray, 1920s: mourning plebiscite label issued by German stamp dealer Sigmund Hartig. 1920: first official stamp, 1920, July 9: stamps withdrawn from northern zone, replaced with stamps of Denmark.
Schleswig Zone 1: Northern zone, to Denmark; 1920 Scott Schleswig 15-28
Schleuderflugpost: (Ger.) catapult mail.
Schliersee: city in Germany, local post; 1918-23
Schlitz: (Ger.) slit.
Schloss: (Ger.) castle.
Schmalrandig: (Ger.) with narrow margins.
Schmetterling: (Ger.) butterfly (thematic).
Schmitt & Schmittdiel: see Private die match proprietary stamps.
Schmölin: city in Germany, (Express-Packet-Beförderung) local post; 1891.
Schnittmarkierung: (Ger.) guide line printed on sheets for separation into panes.
Schöenebeck/Elbe: city in Germany, (Privatstadtbrief-Beförderung Courier) local post 1895-1900
Schololaden: (Ger.) chocolate (color).
Schön: (Ger.) fine.
Schönfalz: (Ger.) peelable hinge.
Schongau: displaced persons camp, German, 1946
School stamps: private adhesive stamps used by schools for service payment to and from nearby post offices.
Schottland: (Ger.) Scotland.
Schránka: see Postovní schránka (shránky).
Schriftstempel: (Ger.) script cancel.
Schrifttum: (Ger.) literature.
Schriftverkehr: (Ger.) correspondence.
Schroeter Local Post: see Bergen - F. Schroeter Local Post.
Schutzaufdruck: (Ger.) burelage.
Schutzgebiet: (Ger.) protectorate, colony.
Schutzgebietdruck: (Ger.) colony overprint.
Schwaan: city in Germany, (Privat-Post) local post; 1899-1900
Schwacher bug: (Ger.) slight crease.
Schwach Gestempelt: (Ger.) lightly cancelled.
Schwaren: unit of currency in the German state of Oldenburg.
Schwartz, J. E. & Co.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Schwarz: (Ger.) black (color).
Schwarzdruck: (Ger.) black printing.
Schwarzenberg: city in Germany, local post; 1945
Schweden: (Ger.) Sweden.
Schweiz: (Dan., Ger., Nor., Swed.) Switzerland.
Schweizer Post.Vaduz: inscription on local stamp issued by Vaduz municipal council, 1918, to frank mail from Liechtenstein to Sevelen, Switzerland.
Schweizer Reneke: town, southwest of Pretoria, in the Transvaal; 1900, Aug.1- Jan. 9, 1901: town where stamps of Transvaal, and colony of Cape of Good Hope were handstamped "Beseiged" by British troops.
Schweizisk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Swiss.
Schwer Gestempelt: (Ger.) heavily cancelled.
Schwerete: city in Germany, local post ((Private-Brief-Verkehr) 1887-88
Schwindelmarke: (Ger.) bogus stamp.
Scinde: province of Sind in India; 1850: system of camel mail riders introduced, 1852, July 1: established July 1, 1852; using horses and camels, the governor of Sind, established a system of prepaid letter service, stampscalled "Scinde Dawks," 1853: the Indian government took over the postal operation for the entire country 1854, Oct. postal service was discontinued; it is now Pakistan.
Scinde District Dawk: first issue of India; India-Scinde District Post.
Scio: city in Egypt (Ottoman Empire); 1868, see Interpostal seals.
Sciupato: (It.) damaged.
SCM: Stamp Collector's Magazine.
Scolorito: (It.) faded (color).
Scooter Messengers: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Scotland: 1840: British stamps valid for postage throughout Great Britain, 1958, Aug. 18: regional stamps inscribed "Postage Revenue," except for Machin issues which includes the "Lion of Scotland."
Scotland local cancellations: undated name stamps used at small post offices from 1854 to 1860.
Scott Catalogue: American based stamp catalogs of the world.
Scott Catalogue number: number assigned to a philatelic item by Scott editors according to that publisher's criteria for such assignment.
Scottish Lion: national symbol of Scotland used in upper right-hand corner of stamps from Scotland.
Scott's Express: local railroad and steamboat baggage delivery serviced Jersey City, N.J., used a label, year unknown.
Scout Post: postal services operated by the scouts, usually in periods of emergency; Mafeking, Prague, Warsaw Ghetto Rising.
Scouts Fund: overprint on stamps of Siam; semipostal.
Scovell, Hezekiah W.: postmaster, Lockport, N.Y., 1846, used oval handstamp as Postmasters' Provincial.
Scovill, A.L. & Co.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
SCR: Stamp Collector's Review (Great Britain).
Scrambled indicia: name given to hidden encoded imagery used on U. S. stamps; see Decoder, Encoded Designs; Stamp decoder.
Scrape: an abrasion of the stamp surface which removes or moves paper fiber.
Scratchboard: technique in stamp production that looks like traditional line engraving.
Screened Tagging: made of thin lines, or a dot pattern that appears to be lines, when seen with low magnification.
Screw press: press pressure applied by turning of a screw-threaded bar.
Scrim envelopes: Palestine Postal Authority scrim-lined linen envelopes ordered in 1921
Script: a type-face resembling handwriting.
Scrisorei: Romania Moldavia-Wallachia.
Scroll: 1: curved device located within frame of some stamps. 2: British postmark with a curved name panel instead of the circular date stamp. 3: nickname for scroll with word "Canada" at the top of each design, starting August 1928..
Scudo: currency unit in the Roman States.
Scum: colored flaw.
Scutari di Albania: (Town of Albania) northern part of Albania; 1479-1913: under Turkish rule, 1909-16: No.1, 10 paras on 5c green, “Scutari di Albania” surcharge on stamps of Italy in Turkish currency, Offices in Turkey, 1914: “Scutari-Skadar” postmark on stamps of Montenegro and Albania, 1918-19: occupied by Allied forces, fiscal stamps of Austria overprinted “Posta Shkodres Shqypnis,” see Italian Offices in Turkish Empire.
Scutit de taxe postale: (Rom.) post-free.
SCV: Scott Catalog Value.
SD: 1: USPS abbreviation for South Dakota. 2: topical association abbreviation for stamp design. 3: small date variation on U.S. stamps. 4. international postal code for Swaziland; 4: Haiti provisional overprint. 5: Stamp Duty; Hong Kong fiscal overprint, 1891.
S.D.C.: (Sp.) Santo Domingo de la Calzada, pre-adhesive postmark.
S.D.D.: (Gr.) Stratiotiki Dioikisis Dodecanissou (Military Administration of the Dodecanese Islands) overprint on stamps of Greece for Rhodes and the Dodecanese, Mar. 31, 1947.
SdeB: Samuel DeBinder, BEP employees initials, 1906-1928; see Plate Finisher, Siderographer.
S.D.N.: (Fr.) Société des Nations (League of Nations); overprint on stamps of Switzerland.
S.d.N. Bureau International du Travail: International Labor Bureau, overprint on stamps of Switzerland, official.
SDO: Stamp Distribution Office; suppliers of U.S. stamps for either philatelic or standard sales.
SE: 1: Straight edge. 2: watermark on stamps of Ireland are the initials of "Saorstat Eireann" (Irish Free State). 3: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Sweden, such as SE-532 Skara.
Seabury & Johnson: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Sea Floor Bahamas: cancel on mail posted in the bathysphere at the bottom of the sea in Nassau Marine Garden, Aug. 1939.
Sea horses: nickname for the British King George V high value stamps of 1913-34.
Sea Islands: bogus, labels, year, source unknown
Seal: 1: an ornamental paper stamp, such as a Christmas seal; a cinderella. 2: a design, initial or other device placed on a document or letter as a signature or proof of authenticity. 3: letter seals of Egypt, 1932, for use by British forces in Egypt for lower rate on letters to G.B; replaced in 1936 by the "Army Post" stamps.
Sealand: Great Britain fantasy country, made from abandoned WW II concrete platform made into kingdom; source unknown.
Seal, charity: Christmas and Easter seals, not valid for postage.
Seal, dead letter: seal used to seal letters that were opened to find a forwarding address.
Seal, disinfection: letter was opened in the disinfection center, exposed to sulfur fumes and re- sealed with an official seal confirming that the mail piece received this disinfection treatment.
Sealed coil: a full roll of coil stamps that is in the original condition as sold at the post office.
Seal, lead: lead used to "seal" a letter into which was pressed the sender's distinctive mark; high government officials used lead as the sealant
Seal, letter: usually round, may be embossed; used by government departments and private firms as a form of advertising.
Seal, official: U.S. Post Office Department, in 1877, used official seals to reseal undeliverable letters; they do not pay postage.
Seal, registry: used to seal registered mail.
Seal, scarab: seal carvings engraved on the flat surface of stone scarabs, the emblem of the sacred beetle, and used as rings or fitted into handles and used to impress sealing wax on papyrus as authentication of a message.
Seal, wafer: In 13th century Venice, messages were folded and tied with string; the string ends were adhered to the letter with a blob of sealing wax, overlaid with a small piece of paper, called a wafer, this was inserted into a rudimentary form of a press, which then sealed the paper into the seal attached to the letter.
Seal, wax: formerly, molten wax "sealed" a letter into which was pressed the sender's distinctive seal.
Sea Mail: paquebot marking.
Seapost: operations and markings of governmental postal employees operating a post office aboard a seagoing ship on a route where a fixed schedule is maintained.
Search fee: New York City postmaster held mail addressed to countries that were invaded by Germany in WW II, advertised in newspapers that for a fee, based on time, held mail would be searched for letters which senders wanted returned; postage due stamps were affixed to the letters when returned to sender.
Seasonal gum: gum formula calculated to make the gum resistant to the weather and atmospheric conditions.
Seasons Greetings: U.S. undenominated stamp, valued 20¢, placed on sale Oct. 28, 1981.
Seaway Invert: variety of the 1959 issue printed upside down.
Seaway Issue: The St. Lawrence Seaway issue of Canada; famous because of inverted center.
Sebastopol: bogus Ukranian local overprint.
Secap: Societé d'Etudes et de Construction d'Appareils de Précision (Fr.) French postage meter firm, 1994.
Secheresse Solidarite Africane: (Fr.) overprint on stamps of Gabon, 1973, for African solidarity in drought emergency.
Secondaire (Collection): (Fr.) sideline or secondary (collection).
Second Bureau Issue: second set of definitive stamps issued by the BEP, 1902.
Second Class Mail: former name of Periodicals-Class Mail.
Second Day: ceremony conducted by postal officials on the day after stamp issuance, in locations different than the first day of issue city.
Second day cover: cover postmarked on the day following the First Day of Issue; popular in the 1940s when the stamps were available at the Philatelic Agency in Washington, DC on the second day.
Second issue: replacement for first issues of U.S. revenue stamps, slightly different than first issue; most printed with blue frames and black vignettes; 1871.
Second Issue revenues: enacted Dec. 25, 1862, where any type of stamp could be used to indicate the prepayment of any U.S. tax, featured state seal medallions for the engraved central designs.
Secours: "Relief" used on stamps of Saudi Arabia semipostals.
Secours aux Refugies: "refugee relief" inscription, with airlaine, on 1925-31 stamps of Syria.
Secours aux Victims de la Guerre: "Relief for victims of the war" inscription on stamps of Haiti semipostals.
Secours Guerche: inscription on postal tax stamp, Saudi Arabia.
Secours National: (Fr.) (National Relief) overprint on stamps of French Colonies semipostals.
Secret mark: 1: identification mark, not easily seen in the stamp design. 2: marks placed on dies of U.S. stamps which the National bank Note Co. turned over to its successor, the Continental Bank Note Co, in 1873.
Sector: the sixth and seventh digits of a ZIP + 4 code; it is a geographic portion of a ZIP Code area or a rural route, several blocks or a large building, part of a post office box section, or an official designation; see Segment.
Sécurité (papier de): (Fr.) safety (paper).
Security overprint: applied to a stamp with the specific purpose of discouraging forgery.
Security paper: various types of paper used to prevent stamp counterfeiting.
Security Services: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Security watermark: used to guard against postal misuse.Sedang: fantasy stamp of Annam Kingdom; IndoChina, 1899; by Marie David de Mayrena, considered a classic bogus issue.
Sedá: (Czech.) grey (color).
Sedavi: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Sedella: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937
Sede vacante: vacant see , period between the death of an religious ruler and appointment of his successor; Vatican City overprint, inscription.
Sedfa: city in Egypt; 1884, see Interpostal seals.
Sedocerná: (Czech.) grey-black (color).
Sedofiolová: (Czech.) grey-violet, grey-purple (color).
Sedohnedá: (Czech.) grey-brown (color).
Sedomodrá: (Czech.) grey-blue (color).
Sedoolivová: (Czech.) grey-olive (color).
Sedozelená: (Czech.) grey-green (color).
Seebecks: a nickname given to certain issues of Ecuador (1892-96), Honduras (1890-99), Nicaragua (1890-99) and Salvador (1890-99). Nicholas Frederick Seebeck, as agent for the Hamilton Bank Note Company, printed stamps for these countries at no charge in exchange for the right to sell remainders and reprints to stamp collectors.
Seedorf: displaced person camp, Germany; 1946.
Seelye, Dr. D. H. & Co.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Seepost stempel: (Ger.) sea mail cancel.
Se faner: (Fr.) faded (color).
Sefkat Pullari: Turkey postal tax.
Segment: the eighth and ninth digits of a ZIP + 4 code; a specific block , apartment house bank of boxes, a firm, a floor in a large building, or other specific location; see Sector.
Segnatasse: (It.) "Sign Tax" postage due stamps of Italian Colonies, Italy, San Marino, Vatican; 1863-69.
Segno di Controllo: (It.) control mark.
Segno di garanzia: (It.) marking applied to stamps by the issuing agency indicting that the stamp is genuine and valid for postal use; also "expert's mark."
Segno segreto: (It.) secret identification mark, not easily seen in the stamp design.
Segorbe: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Segovia: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces 1936-38
Seguis: (Sp.) applied to forgeries produced by Sr. Segui.
Segunda Republica: (Sp.) The 2nd Spanish Republic of 1931.
Seguro Postal: (Sp.) 'Safe Post' inscription on stamps of Mexico for insured letter stamps.
Seguro Social del Campesino: (Sp.) 'Social and Rural Workers Insurance Fund' overprint on Ecuador postal tax stamps.
Seid eining, einig, einig!: (Ger.) 'Be One, One, One' inscription on Germany stamp as propaganda for union of North and South Germany, 1900.
Seidenfaden: (Ger.) silk thread.
Seite: (Ger.) side, page.
Seiyun, Kathiri State of: see Aden.
Sejm Wilnie: (Lith.) inscription on stamps of Central Lithuania (Litwa Srodkowa) for opening of national parliament at Vilna, 1922.
Sejour: residence permit; French Colonies revenue inscription
Sekajoe: local overprint; Japanese occupation Palembang district, Sumatra; 1942-45.
Seks: (Dan., Nor.) six (number).
Seksstripe: (Nor.) strip-of-6.
Seksten: (Dan.) sixteen (number).
Seksti: (Nor.) sixty (number).
Selangor: Malaya; on west coast of the Malay Peninsula; 1878: No.1, 2¢ brown, an overprint on stamps of Straits Settlements,”S” in a circle, stamps were for local postage only; used in combination with stamps of Straits Settlements for overseas mail until 1891, 1881: Selangor inscribed in stamps, 1895: joined the Federated Malay States, 1900: used Federated Malay States issues, 1935, Dec. 2: name Malaya used on stamps, 1942, May-1945: Japanese characters and “Dai Nippon 2062 Malaya” and “Dai Nippon Yubin” (Japanese Postal Service 1942) overprint, 1942-48: stamp shortage caused stamps of Selanger to be used in other states, 1948, Dec. 1: first stamp, 1949, Sept. 12: first definitive, 1957: stamps of the Malayan Federation used along with those of Selanger, 1963, Sept.: became part of the new Federation of Malaysia, 1965, Nov. 15: used designs of Johore, inscribed Selangor, on stamps of Malaysia.
Selantan: South Moluccas (unrecognized issue).
Selbstklebende marken: (Ger.) self-adhesive stamps.
Selbstklebepostkarte: (Ger.) self-adhesive postcard; see Folded Business Card.
Selective block tagging: untagged area on printed stamps permits the cancellation ink to permeate the stamp paper to help prevent illegal use.
Self-adhesive stamp (S/A): adhesive on stamp back that does not have to be moistened to adhere to paper, also known as pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA); stay tacky at room temperature and require a silicone coated paper to facilitate their use, do not require licking to activate, first used by Sierra Leone on Feb. 10, 1964, US in 1974.
Self Government 1947: overprint on stamps of Malta to commemorate the granting of the constitution in 1947.
Self-service: term applied to covers that have been serviced, such as getting own cancels, applying stamps, etc., by collectors themselves.
Self-service registration stamps: German Democratic Republic issued registration labels with a fee for special handling, 1967-68.
Seller's commission: pre-determined commission or fee deducted from the final price of the lot and kept by the auctioneer as part of the commission for selling the lot.
Selling Price: the price a seller can realize from the sale of a philatelic item.
Sello: (Sp.) 1: postage stamp. 2: seal (philatelic).
Sello 10 A 1896Y97: overprint or alone on stamps of Fernando Po for revenue use.
Sello aéreo: (Sp.) airmail stamp.
Sello ano 100: (Sp.) jubilee (century).
Sello commemorativo: (Sp.) commemorative stamp.
Sello da Tasa: (Sp.) postage due.
Sello de Admisión: (Sp.) admission stamp.
Sello de Aviso de Recibo: (Sp.) stamp issued as a prepayment fee as an acknowledgment of receipt of a registered package.
Sello de beneficencia: (Sp.) charity, or semi-postal stamp.
Sello de certificado: (Sp.) registration stamp.
Sello de Ciudad Postal: (Sp.) city post stamp.
Sello de Correo Aéreo Semioficial: (Sp.) issued privately, but accepted by the postal agency. "Buffalo Balloon" stamp is an example.
Sello de Correo Carlista: (Sp.) Carlist stamp of Spain.
Sello de correos de campaña: (Sp.) field post stamp.
Sello de corro maritimo: (Sp.) ships post.
Sello de Cuoto tardio: (Sp.) late fee stamp indicating payment of a special fee for forwarding a mail piece after the regular mail has been closed; also known as supplementary mail.
Sello de derechos consulares: (Sp.) consular fee stamp; Tangiers, 1939 with overprint.
Sello de devolucion: (Sp.) stamp used in fee payment for the return of an undelivered letter.
Sello de entraga autorizaro por paquetes postales: (Sp.) authorized deliverystamp, parcel post
Sello de entrage autorizaro por carta: (Sp.) authorized delivery stamp, correspondence.
Sello de franqueo insuficiente: (Sp.) postage due stamp.
Sello de giro (postal): (Sp.) money order stamp.
Sello de guerra: (Sp.) war stamp, stamp issued during war conditions.
Sello de impuesto: (Sp.) tax stamp.
Sello de Navidad: (Sp.) Christmas seal.
Sello de Recargo: (Sp.) stamp used in payment of postal tax in addition to normal postage.
Sello de Urgencia: (Sp.) special delivery stamp.
Sello encapsulado: (Sp.) encased postage stamp.
Sello falso: (Sp.) forgery.
Sello fiscal: (Sp.) revenue stamp.
Sello negro: (Sp.) handstamp with arms of Castille & Leon on official letters in earl 18th century.
Sello para cartas retardadas: (Sp.) too late stamp.
Sello para Periódicos: (Sp.) newspaper stamp.
Sello pegado al sobre: (Sp.) stamp on cover.
Sello Postal: overprint on demonitzed issues of Nicaragua to validate issue for use.
Sello tipo: (Sp.) definitive stamp.
Sellos de Correos-Resena Historica: (Sp.) private issue, Spain, by A. Duro, 1881.
Sellos sobre fragmento: (Sp.) stamps on piece.
Selma, Ala.: see Confederate States of America, 3¢ 1861 Postmasters' Provisionals.
Selma, Ala. Paid 5: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
S.E. Local Post: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Selten: (Ger.) rare, scarce.
Selvage (Selvedge): the unprinted paper on the edge or margin of a sheet of stamps.
Selwyn College: local, United Kingdom, Cambridge, 1882.
Sembellawin: city in Egypt; 1879-84, see Interpostal seals.
Semblable: (Fr.) similar.
Sem denteaçâo: (Port.) imperforate.
Semenov, Gen.: stamps of Russia surcharged under general's occupation.
Semeuse camée: (Fr.) sower on solid background.
Semeuse lignée: (Fr.) sower on lined background.
Semi-gloss gum: moisture activated stamp adhesive; displays a moderate degree of light reflection, aka Low Gloss or Satin Gum.
Semi-imperforate: a stamp that has at least one imperforate side and one side with perforations. See Imperforate and Fully imperforate.
Semi-official: stamps used in connection with private postal use, but having official sanction such as the railway letter fee stamps of England, or the U.S. Buffalo Balloon covers where their delivery started in a private balloon and taken to the nearest post office where it continued on to its destination courtesy of the U.S. Mails.
Semi-official air mail stamp: private firms operating air services carried mail and some issued their own private labels to indicate payment of the air mail fee; in addition to the normal postage as indicated on government postage stamp.
Semipostal: an additional monetary value, called a surcharge, devoted to a specific non-postal purpose such as the Red Cross; the surcharge has no postal validity and is usually separated from the official postal value with a "+" sign, aka Charity Stamps.
Semlin, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1840s, for middle Danube lines.
Sen: currency unit in Indonesia, Japan, Malaya, Malaysia, Ryukyu Islands and West Irian.
Señal de charnela: (Sp.) hinge mark.
Senalguacil: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces, 1937
Senant: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937.
Sendung: (Ger.) sending, consignment.
Sene: unit of currency in Western Samoa.
Senegal: west coast of Africa, bordering on the Atlantic Ocean; official name of postal administration: La Poste currency: 100 centimes = 1 CFA franc 1859: used French Colonies General Issues with lozenge of dots reading “GOR” or “SEN,” 1887: No.1, 5 centimes on 20¢ red, French rule, stamps for the French colonial general issue surcharged, 1892: Commerce and Navigation stamps inscribed “Senegal & Dependances,” 1903: first postage due stamp, 1906 Upper Senegal and Niger, 1915: first semipostal stamp, 1924: Dakar made a special territory, 1935: stamps just used name “Senegal;” first air mail stamp, 1939: first air mail semipostal stamps, 1943: former French colony of Senegal became part of French West Africa, stamps of Senegal surcharged for use there, 1944-1959: used the stamps of French West Africa, 1946: Dakar reunited with Senegal, 1958, Nov. 25: Republic of Senegal established, 1959, April 4-June 20, 1960: united with the Sudanese Republic to form Mali Federation, 1960, Aug. 20: became Republic of Senegal, Sudanese Republic stayed as the Mali Federation, Senegal resumed issuing its own stamps, 1961, Sept. 18: first official stamp, 1961, June 14: joined the U.P.U.; 1981, Dec.: Senegal agreed to merge with the Gambia to form Senegambia; see French Sudan, Senegambia and Niger.
Senegal Gum: gum from the acacia plant, shrub or tree collected in the Senegal district.
Senegal, Upper and Niger: 1903-pre: stamps of French Sudan, 1904: French West Africa colony established to replace Senegambia and Niger, 1906-14: first stamps inscribed "Haut Senegal et Niger," postmarks read "Ht Senegal et Niger," and in Niger "Territoire Militaire du Niger," 1920: stamps overprinted for French Sudan when name changed.
Senegal, Upper and Niger: Northwest Africa; 1903-pre: stamps of French Sudan, 1904: French West Africa colony established to replace Senegambia and Niger, 1906: No.1, 1 centimes slate, first stamps inscribed “Haut Senegal et Niger,” postmarks read “Ht Senegal et Niger,” and in Niger “Territoire Militaire du Niger,” 1906: postage due stamp issued, 1915: semipostal stamp issued, 1921:issues for French Sudan resumed, stamps overprinted, 1933: part of Upper Volta added; see French Sudan, Mali, Federation of.
Senegambia: 1982, Feb.1.: Republic of Senegal and The Gambia merged.
Senegambia and Niger: French administrative unit for the Senegal and Niger possessions in Africa; now Republic of Mali, currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1903-pre: used stamps of French Sudan, 1903, July: No.1, 1 centime black, Commerce and Navigation key type inscribed “Senegambie et Niger,” 1904: became part of the French Sudan; name changed to Upper Senegal and Niger; stamps inscribed “Haut-Sénégal-Niger,” 1920: colony became French Sudan, later the Republic of Mali,1930-36: used French keytypes; see Niger.
Senegambie et Niger: (Fr.) Senegambia and Niger, 1903.
Sengi: currency unit in Zaire.
Senit: currency unit in Tonga.
Sennar: city in Egypt; 1879-80, see Interpostal seals.
Sennett Security Products: printer of U.S. postage stamps.
Sensitized paper: stamp paper covered with a light-sensitive mixture, used for the siege of Mafeking, 1900.
Sent: currency unit in Estonia.
Sentimo: currency unit it the Philippines.
Sentrering: (Nor.) centering.
Senza gomma: (It.) ungummed.
Senza linguella: (It.) hingeless.
S.E.O.F.: (It.) Servizio Estero Oltre Frontiera (Foreign Service Beyond Border) pre-adhesive postmark.
Seoul: also known as Soul, South Korea.
Sep(s): separation(s)
Separated: torn apart by separating the perforations; Abgetrennt (Ger.)
Separations: the method employed in which stamps are separated from one another; perforations are a form of separations.
Séparé: (Fr.) severed. (Independence)
Sepia: (Eng., Ger., Fr., Sp.) dark reddish-brown color.
Sepia die (inspection) proof: French-area countries proof printed in sepia color only; made on thinner paper than artist die proofs and contain only a single stamp impression, with three hole punches (diamond, crescent, diamond).
Seppia: (It.) dark reddish-brown color.
Septembrie: (Rom.) September.
Serapoum: city in Egypt; 1868-71, see Interpostal seals.
Serbes: overprint on France for Serbia, 1916-18.
Serbia and Montenegro: southeast Europe, between Albania, Bosnia and Herzegoovina; Currency: 100 heller = 1 krone, 1 dinar = 100 paras (Serbia), Euro (Montenegro) 1866: No.1, 1 para dark green, depicting coat of arms, stamps issued as Principality of Serbia, 1874: Serbia was an original member of the General Postal Union, 1875, July 1: joined the UPU, 1878: Became independent of Turkey, 1882: Kingdom declared, 1895: First postage due stamp, 1911: First newspaper stamp, 1912-1913: Balkan War: Annexed territories used regular Serbian stamps, 1914: Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, start of WWI, 1915-1918: First World War - occupied by Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria, Austria used stamps of Bosnia overprinted “Serbien,” 1916-1918: Serbian Government in Exile on Corfu, used French stamps overprinted “Postes Serbes,” applied after stamps were on a cover, 1918: Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes formed, 1919, May 5: overprinted stamps used in occupied Baranya, Hungary, 1919, May 10: overprinted stamps used in occupied Temesvar, Hungary, 1919: Serbia combined with Montenegro, Bosnia - Herzegovina, Croatia, Dalmatia and Slovenia to form the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1920: Stamps of Yugoslavia used, 1921, Dec. 24: rejoined the UPU as Kingdom of Serbs, Croates and Slovenes, 1929, Oct. 3: name officially changed to Yugoslavia, rejoined the UPU; 1941: Yugoslavia invaded by the Axis powers, Serbia occupied by Germany, stamps of Yugoslavia overprinted “Serbien,” 1941, Sept. 22: first occupation semipostal stamp, 1941: first occupation air mail, postage due stamps, 1943: first occupation official stamp, 1945: Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia proclaimed; consists of Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia, 1991: disintegration of Yugoslavia; remaining area known as Federal Republic of Yugoslavia consisting of Serbia & Montenegro, Macedonia, 1992: Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence, Serbia and Montenegro declared itself as Federal Republic of Yugslavia, 1998: province of Kosovo in Serbia revolted, 2001, June 18: rejoined the UPU as Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo governed by U.N. Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UMIK)., 2003, Feb. 4: rejoined the UPU as Federation of Serbia & Montenegro, 2003, Apr. 3: first stamps from new republic, 2003, Aug. 27: first stamps with two currencies, dinar and euro; see Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbian Occupation of Hungary: 1919: stamps of Hungary overprinted for use in Baranya, stamps of Hungary surcharged for use in Temesvar.
Serbie: (Fr.) Serbia.
Serbien: 1. (Dan., Ger., Swed.) Serbia.
2. overprint on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Austrian Occupation, World War 1. 3. overprint on stamps of Yugoslavia, German Occupation of Serbia, 1941.
Serbienisk: (Dan.) Serbian.
Serbisk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Serbian.
Serbmit Sirap a Yruam: Timbres Maury a Paris, backwards, inscription on labels of a stamp dealer.
Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Kingdom of the: Yugoslavia 1-62 1921-28
Serbska: Serbian held Bosnia; 1992.
Serge Beaune: multi color printing principle of Giori and similar presses.
Serie: (Czech., Fr., It., Sp., Swed.) set, series.
Serienstempel: (Ger.) machine cancel.
Serial number: postal administration method of control and checking stamp issue; usually applied in margins or on labels; also used on registration labels or other methods for recorded delivery.
Series: a set of stamps with various denominations such as the National Parks issue, may be released to or added to over a period of years.
Series of 1894: nickname; see First Bureau Issue.
Series of 1902: nickname; see Second Bureau Issue.
Series of 1908: nickname; see Washington-Franklins.
Series of 1922: nickname; see Fourth Bureau Issue.
Series of 1938: nickname; see Presidential Series (Prexies).
Serif type: type with an ornamental projection to one side of a letter, at top or bottom.
Seri Pervas, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built 1839, for Levant lines; re-named Baron Stuermer, then Persia, built 1839.
Serpentine roulette: perforation as deep continuous S-shaped, looks like waves, cuts.
Serrated roulette: perforation as triangular cuts.
Severn & Wye & Severn Bridge Railway: British railway local post.
Severn & Wye Joint Railway: British railway local post.
Sever, Severni: (Czech.) North.
Severni Amerika: (Czech.) North America.
Severni Irsko: (Czech.) Northern Ireland.
Severni Korea: (Czech.) North Korea (People's Democratic Republic of Korea).
Severni Mariánské Ostrovy: (Czech.) Northern Mariana Islands.
Severni Rhodésie: (Czech.) Northern Rhodesia.
Severni Vietnam: (Czech.) North Vietnam.
Severovychod: (Czech.) Northeast.
Severozápad: (Czech.) Northwest.
Service: 1: used as an abbreviation for "On Government Service" to indicate official mail use only. 2: the act of affixing a stamp to a cover and having it cancelled.
Service: 1: overprint on Bangladesh official stamps, 1973-94; See Bangladesh. 2: no country name; overprint on revenue stamps of British India and Pakistan for official use, 1866. 3. used as an abbreviation for "On Government Service" to indicate official mail use only. 4. the act of affixing a stamp to a cover and having it canceled. 5. overprint on stamps of India for official use of International Commission Vietnam, August 1, 1966.
Service cover: postal item sent on active service, with relevant postmarks.
Service de la Societe des Nations: (Fr.) "League of Nations" overprint on stamps of Switzerland, 1923-44.
Service de l'Etat: "State Service" inscription on stamps of Egypt, 1893 for official use.
Service des Postes Persanes: (Fr.) official stamps of Iran.
Service des Postes sur le Chemin de Fer: (Fr.) railway mail service, Belgium, initiated 1841.
Service Franco: official stamps of Iran
Service indicator: inscription included in the design of a stamp to indicate category of postal service to be rendered such as "Bulk Mail Rate."
Service inscribed: term used for wording on a stamp to identify the service for which the stamp was designed; such as "Bulk Rate," etc.
Service overprint: postage stamp overprinted, with the word "service" or the initials of a military force, for exclusive use by military personnel, often outside country of issue.
Service Postal Aerienne: (Fr.) French Morocco, airmails
Servicer: person who performs the act of servicing; usually done on a commercial basis; see Service.
Services Consulaires: (Fr.) consular service for revenue issues.
Service stamps: name used for Official Mail handstamp of a government agency, or their agents; first issued by Switzerland for the Universal Postal Union in 1957.
Service Two Annas: surcharge on official stamps of India.
Service watermark: originally intended for the exclusive use of the USPS, but also used for regular envelopes issued to the public.
Service with a smile: slogan of the Rural Free Delivery carrier
Servicio Aereo: (Sp.) "Air Service" Spanish language countries
Servicio Aereo Exterior: (Sp.) "Foreign Air Service" Spanish language countries.
Servicio Aereo Habilitado: (Sp.) overprint on stamps of Honduras, officials made valid for air mail use.
Servicio Aereo Interior: (Sp.) "Domestic Air Service" Spanish language countries
Servicio Aereo Internacional: (Sp.) "International Air Service" Honduras airmails
Servicio Aereo Sobretase: (Sp.) "Air Service" Argentina
Servicio Bolivariano de Transportes Aeros: (Sp.) Colombia airmail.
Servicio Centro Americano: (Sp.) "Central American Service" Nicaragua airmails
Servicio de Alcance: (Sp.) inscription meaning "late fee" but used for the "Too late" fee.
Servicio del Estado: (Sp.) "State Service"overprint on stamps of Chile, official use.
Servicio de Transportes Aeros en Colombia: (Sp.) Colombia airmail.
Servicio Ecuador de Transportes Aeros: (Sp.) Ecuador airmail.
Servicio Interno: (Sp.) "Internal Service" overprint on stamps of Guatemala.
Servicio oficial: (Sp.) "Official Service" inscription/overprint on stamps of Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador.
Servicio Ordinario: (Sp.) "Ordinary Service"overprint on stamps of air mail stamps of Nicaragua, validating airmails for regular use.
Servicio Postal Aéreo: (Sp.) "Air Mail Service" Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay airmails
Servicio Postal del Salvador: (Sp.) "El Salvador Postal Service"
Servico Postal India Port: inscription on stamps of Portuguese India, 1871.
Servicio Postal Mexicana: (Sp.) "Mexico Postal Service"
Serviço Aereo: (Port.) air mail surcharge on stamps of Brazil, 1927.
Servizio di Stato: (It.) "State Service" Italian language countries, airmail officials
Servizio pacchi postali: (It.) parcel post.
Servizio Sospeso: (It.) service suspended, applied on mail sent from Italy to a foreign nation, after its surrender to occupation forces, WW II.
SES: Special Event Souvenir Sheet; introduced by Australia as a personalized sheet of stamps with 10 or 20 stamps with tabs and a decorative border
Sesquicentennial: stamps marking the 150th anniversary of an event or date.
Set: 1: a series of stamps with similarity in design or purpose. 2: stamp production term of composing type or the arrangement of cliches so that sheet of stamps can be printed in that arrangement. 3: serie (Fr., It., Sp.); satz (Ger.).
Seta, hongo: (Sp.) mushrooms (thematic).
Seten: (Fr.) se-tenant.
Se-tenant (Seten,): (Fr.) (joined together), two or more unseparated stamps having different colors, denominations, or designs.
Set-off: when freshly printed sheets are stacked before the ink is completely dry and transfers to the gummed side of the sheet directly above it.
Set solid: printing term for sheets of stamps printed in a format so that they are not separated into panes by gutters.
Setting: the exact geometrical arrangement of the type used for an overprint.
Setting error: occurs when a cliche is inserted sideways or upside down in relation to the rest of the plate.
Seu d'Urgell: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937.
S.E.U.F.: Stati esteri ultre frontiera (It.) foreign states beyond the frontier.
Seul (timbre): (Fr.) single (stamp).
Sev.: (Sp.) Seville, city in Spain; pre-adhesive postmark.
7R1E: "seven right one early," seventh position in the right pane of the first plate in the early state; the imperforate Benjamin Franklin issue of 1851, Scott # 5.
Sevastopol: surcharge on stamps of Russia during the occupation of Gen. Wrangel's army, 1920.
Seven stars: Cook Islands Federation 1892 issue with seven star design in center.
Sever: (Czech.) North.
Severni: (Czech.) North.
Severni Amerika: (Czech.) North America.
Severni Irsko: (Czech.) Northern Ireland.
Severni Korea: (Czech.) North Korea (People’s Democratic Republic of Korea).
Severni Mariánské Ostrovy: (Czech.) Northern Mariana Islands.
Severni Rhodésie: (Czech.) Northern Rhodesia.
Severni Vietnam: (Czech.) North Vietnam.
Severovychod : ( Czech.) Northeast.
Severozápad : ( Czech.) Northwest.
Seville: 1: city in Spain, local post, Civil War, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1936. 2: overprint Viva España Julio-1936 on stamps of Spain for city of Seville, 1936.
Sevilla-Barcelona: (Sp.) Spain, 1929
Sev. Zap. Armia: (Cyrillic) Severo-Zapadnaya Armia; Northwest Army.
Sewing machine perforation: rows of holes used for the separation of stamps actually done by an actual sewing machine; result is a pin roulette.
Sexagenary 1897: overprint on stamps of Leeward islands for 60th year of Queen Victoria's reign.
Sexfärgstryck: (Swed.) see Tryck - Sexfärgs.
Seychellerna: (Swed.) the Seychelles Islands.
Seychelles: British group of about 100 islands off the east coast of Africa; currency: 100 cents = 1 rupee 1811: administered by Britain as a dependency of Mauritius, 1861-90: used stamps of Mauritius, 1890, April 5: No.1, 2¢ green and rose, British colonial key type design, 1903, Aug. 31: became a British Crown Colony, 1951, March 1: first postage due stamp, 1975, Oct.: internal self-government, 1976, June 29: became independent, 1977, Oct. 7: joined the U.P.U.; see Zil Elwannyen Sesel.
Seychelley: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book, Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Seyham, Turkey: now Adana;
SF: 1: (It.) strada ferrate (Railroad) pre-adhesive postmark. 2: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Finland, such as SF-00101 Helsinki. 3: (Swed. or Finland) Soldater Frimärke (Soldiers' Stamp) overprint on stamps of Sweden for reduced mail rates for their armed forces. 4: Sanitary Fair. 5: Space Filler. 6: Franc, currency unit in Liechtenstein, Switzerland.
SFB: (Swed.) (Svenska Frivillig Bataljonen) Swedish Volunteer Battalion.
S.F.K.: "Svenska Frivillig Karen" (Swedish Volunteer Unit) used in postmarks for Swedish volunteers attached to Finnish armed forces fighting Russia in 1939.
SFL: single folded letters with writing on inside and address on outside.
SFRY: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
SFS: see Stamp Fulfillment Services.
Sfor-Bosnia: bogus Russian issue.
SG: 1: Stanley Gibbons catalogue. 2: (Sudan Government), perforated on stamps of Sudan officials, 1913.
SG: 1: Surveyor General, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74. 2: (Sudan Government), overprinted on stamps of Sudan officials, 1936. Shakespeare stamp: inscription on label issued by stamp dealers, 1964.
SGAG: Stanley Gibbons Auctions Galleries, Inc. (USA).
SGL: single stamp.
SGMJ: Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal.
SGP: international postal code for Singapore.
S.GR: (Silbergroschen) currency unit in the German States.
s'Gravenhage: aka the Hague, The Netherlands.
SH: 1: auction abbreviation for topical ships. 2: (in upper corners) Schleswig-Holstein, German States, 1850. 3: sheet.
Shackleton-Rowatt Expedition: stamps printed by Great Britain in 1922 but canceled due to death of Shackleton.
Shade: gradation in depth of tone causing differences in the color of a stamp.
Shaded letter type: usually a letter with a white outline and a black shadow.
Shadrinsk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1869-1917.
Shagiv: currency unit in the Ukraine and Western Ukraine.
Shahi: currency unit in Afghanistan and Iran.
Shahpura: State in India, 1914-28
Shakers: Shaker town postmarks, can be found spelled as "3 mo. 16, '56"
Shakespeare: common design on stamps of the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1964.
Shakspeare Penny Memorial: 1864-65, inscription on label to arise funds for a memorial, name misspelled.
Shako: British letter carrier cap with a cloth covered peak at the back and a drop front peak of glazed leather; replaced with a normal peaked cap in 1932
Shanghai: city in Kiangsu Province, China; currency: 16 cash = 1 candareen, 100 candareens = 1 tael, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1890) 1843: British settlement founded, followed by France, United States, and other foreign settlements, 1864, postal service organized with agencies in 16 cities, 1865: No.1, 2 candareen black, first municipal or local stamps, 1866-69, 1873: stamps printed in Britain, 1892: first postage due stamp, 1898: postal system merged into the Imperial Service,1919-22: U.S.A. overprinted and surcharged its stamps for use in Shanghai, 1922-pre: stamps of Hong Kong overprinted “China” in use until 1922, 1922: currently uses general issues of China. 1940: regional surcharge on stamps of China.
Shanghai: Mail Bus, Jin Ang Railway Station, Talking Shop inscriptions, unissued Great Britain cinderellas by David Horry, 2001.
Shanghai/China: overprint on stamps of the United States, Offices in China.
Shanghai Local Post: Treaty Port, Shanghai, 1890-98.
Shanghai L.P.O.: "Local Post Office" inscription on stamps of Shanghai.
Shipwreck Mail: By Bottle inscription, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Shanghai Municipality: Shanghai international Municipal Council.
Shanghai surcharges: overprints on the U.S. Washington-Franklin series, authorized in1919 for use in the American postal agency in Shanghai when the Chinese rate became erratic.
Shanghai, U.S. Postal Agency: 1868, July 27: authorized by Act of Congress, used U.S. stamps overprinted "Shanghai China," 1907, Sept. 25: postal agent appointed replacing U.S. Consul at Shanghai, 1919: U.S. Post Office established, 1922, Dec. 31: U.S. discontinued operation.
Shan States: eastern states of Burma, 1942, Aug.: Japanese Military Government used own stamps, 1943, Dec. 24: stamps overprinted for use throughout country, Sc Burma 2N51-57
Shansi: province in northeast China; part of the Northwest China Liberation area,
used rebel stamps prior to the formation of the People's republic of China; Japanese occupation; China 5N
Shantung: province of the People's Republic of China; 1: Japanese occupation, 1941-45 China 6N. 2: Shantung Pohoi Post; local post, 1946-49. 3: Shantung Post; local post 1945-49 SC China 5L1-5L9. 4: Shantung Wartime Post; local post, 1942-49
Sharjah and Dependencies: Oman Peninsula, Persian Gulf Sheikdom; one of the United Arab Emirates; currency: 100 naya paise = 1 rupee 1963, July 10: No.1, 1 naye paise light blue-green and pink, first stamp, first air mail stamp, 1963--72: issued 1,200 different stamps, not including imperforate and souvenir sheets, 1964: stamped printed in Egypt inscribed “Government of Sharjah and Dependencies,” 1965-69: Khor Fakkan enclave had own stamps, supposedly valid throughout Sharjah 1965, Jan. 13: first official stamp, 1966, Nov. 22.: some previous issues reissued with new riyal currency 1971, Dec. 2: one of six Persian Gulf Sheikdoms to join United Arab Emirates, which proclaimed independence, 1972: used stamps of the United Arab Emirates, see Trucial States, United Arab Emirates.
Sha-Si: local post; Central China; 1949
Shatsk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1871-1916.
Shaw's Express: parcel delivery firm serviced Boston and Newburyport, Mass., used labels, 1869.
Shchigry: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1882-86
SHCO: on shield with Geneva cross, inscription on postal tax stamps of Mozambique.
Shedd's Express: local parcel delivery firm serviced Boston and Bridgewater, Mass; used labels, year unknown.
Sheet: 1: one full impression of stamps taken from a printing plate; a typical sheet of U.S. commemorative stamps is four panes each of 50 stamps, the sheet is then cut into four panes of stamps for eventual sale. the typical post office pane now appars to be 20 stamps. 2: bogen (Ger.); feuille (Fr.); foglio (It.); hoja (Sp.).
Sheetfed: a flat-plate press that prints postage stamps in individual sheets; see web presses.
Sheet files: an oversized glassine envelope that can hold an entire mint pane of stamps.
Sheetlet: 1: a small pane of stamps; less than what is normally considered by normal standards as a usual pane; in the U.S., a normal pane consists of 20 or 50 stamps, while a sheetlet would be sheets of less than that quantity. 2: Michel 2001 Catalogue considers items with the same four stamps as a sheetlet provided it does not also appear at the same time as a block; items with five to ten of the same stamp are sheetlets; see Blocks, Combination sheetlets, Combination sheets.
Sheet margin: the portion of unprinted paper that surrounds a stamp or a pane of stamps.
Sheet numbers: consecutive numbers placed on sheets by an automatic numbering machine to keep an accurate count of the number printed.
Sheet Stamp: stamp produced in sheet format, vs a stamp made in a coil or booklet pane format.
Sheet Waste: stamps with incorrect perforations or misaligned colors, etc., remnants of some rotary press sheet stamps that were perforated gauge 11, creating rare stamps.
Sheet watermark: a large watermark covering the entire sheet with only aportion showing on a stamp.
Sheffield & Midland Railway Committee: British railway local post.
Sheffield and North: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Sheffield Service: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Shekel: currency unit in Israel.
Shek-Hung: local post; southwest China, 1950
Shensi: People's Post; northwest China; 1949
Shensi-Kansu-Ningsia: region of Northwest China, issued stamps 1946-49, prior to the formation of the People's Republic of China.
Shensi province: China, 1949
Sherifan Post: 1892: post used octagonal cachets, valid throughout Morocco to 1915, in Tangier to 1919, 1912: first stamps; three zones established; Tangier with European posts, the North had a Spanish protectorate, and a French protectorate was in the rest of the country, 1915: Sherifan Post ended in Morocco, 1919: Sherifan Post ended in Tangier.
Shetland Islands: Scotland issued labels, 1993-94, purporting to be official; see South Shetlands.
Shiffsbrief: (Ger.) ship letter marking.
Shift: a postage stamp printed in more than one color in which one color is off center.
Shift, coil: coil stamps, due to having two round plates curved and fitted around the cylinder, may have a slight misalignment of the plates in relationship to each other; the shift usually shows up between the last stamp on one plate and the first stamp on the next; a line (known as line pair) may be printed between two stamps showing the shift; known as a "jump" on coil stamps of Canada.
Shifted Transfer: occurs as the design in being rocked in, or transferred, to the plate; see reentry.
Shih-kia-chwang: local post; north China, 1949
Shihr and Mukalla: Aden Dependency; 1942: first stamp valid for use throughout Aden, see Qu'aiti State of Shihr and Mukalla.
Shill bidding: increased bids placed by same bidder against himself or a friend, sometimes using an alias, to increase the value of an item; once the bidder reaches the level being sought by the seller, the shill bidder drops out and the winning bid gets the lot at an inflated price.
Shilling: 1: currency unit in many British countries. 2: putting an item up for sale at auction and then assuming a different identity to bid up the price.
Shiny gum: water activated stamp adhesive having a high light reflective appearance; incorrectly referred to as wet gum.
Ship: world's first stamp to picture a steam and sailing ship was New Brunswick's 12 1/2¢ (Sc.10).
Ship cancellation: a postmark applied to mail on board a ship, steamer .
Ship letter: letter carried by a private ship and bearing a rubber stamp or manuscript marking such as "Ship Letter," Loose Ship Letter," or "Posted at Sea" with name of port of entry.
Ship mail: 1: first mail sorted aboard ship was on the Holyhead and Kingstown (H&K) packet on Oct. 1, 1860. 2: West Indies mark.
Ship Mail Room: indication that a letter has passed through the foreign section of the post office on its outward trip.
Shipping company stamps: stamps issued by shipping firms to prepay the postage for mail carried by their vessels.
Shipping Postmaster: marking applied on mail using South African stamps cancelled on board ship in the harbors of Cape Town(1906-72) or Durban (1906-48).
Ship Post Offices: first post offices aboard a ship were on the Columba and Iona, July 1879, on the Greenock-Ardrishaig route.
Ship Postmark: letter carried on a private ship, usually delivered to a post office at the ship's port of entry.
Shirt Pocket Mail: mail delivered by people traveling from one place to another.
Shiu-Hon Chan: Color Illustrated Stamp catalogue of China.
Shizen: term for "health" on Japanese Christmas seals.
Shkrodra, Shkodre, Shkoder: Albania overprint.
Shlisselburg: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1865-66
SHM: auction term for staple holes in margin
Shoe Fly: Toledo, Ohio, cancel illustrated a shoe over a fly. Short paid: postage due to be collected, for various reasons, including one for "too many words;" in 1933, the British rate was five words for 1d on a postcard, more than five required the letter rate of 1 ½ d per ounce.
Short perforation: paper has been removed down to the base line of the perforation holes.
Short set: an incomplete set of stamps usually with the expensive or important value missing.
Short stamp: postage stamp in which the top and bottom edges are closer together than usual, as a result of the perforating machine; in nearly all early British perforated stamps, the top row is one shorter than the remainder.
Short transfer: a variety that occurs when a stamp design is not fully transferred to the plate.
Show cancel: postmark applied to covers at philatelic events; the name of the event is indicated in the cancel.
Show-hsien: local post, east China, 1949
Show stopper: nickname for a rare and unusual exhibition item.
Shpitsbergen Island: bogus Russian Federation Republic; local overprint and stamps.
Shqipenia: overprint on stamps of Turkey for Albania, 1913.
Shqipenie, Shqiperia, Shqiperija, Shqiperise, Shqipni, Shqipnija, Shqiponies, Shqiprari, Shqyptare: (Alb.) Albania.
Shqiperie Korce Vetqeveritale: (Alb.) "Albanian Kortza Independent" French Forces, occupation of Albania.
Shqipnija: (Alb.) fund on bogus stamps issued under German administration or government in exile.
Shránky: see Postovní schránka (shránky).
Shri Lanka: Sri Lanka, 1972
Shrinkage: expansion of wet paper when drying occurs in the circumference of the paper, not the length; that direction is called the grain.
Shrub Oak: local post established by philatelic write Herman Herst Jr., in Shrub Oak, N.Y., a village with no delivery service; his children, later his dog Alfie, carried mail to the post office for the 2-cents fee, 1953-73.
Shrunken stamps: stamps that have been chemically altered so that the fibers shrink.
S.H.S.: 1918, Oct.: State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (Drzava Slovenaca Hrvta i Srba), 1918 - 20: Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevstvo Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca) 1919 - 20: Drzava S.H.S., overprint on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1919 - 20: Hrvatska S.H.S., overprint on stamps of Hungary.
Sht: auction term for sheet.
Shtator 14 1943: Italian occupation stamps overprinted in 1943-44 for Albania; See Albania.
Shtlt: abbreviation for sheetlet
Shu-cheng: local post, east China; 1949
Shuna: Scottish carriage label, Oct. 1949.
Siam: see Thailand; Bangkok.
Sibbo: (Fin.) steamship, carrying mail, serving Finland cities, local, 1892-99.
Siberia: huge Russian northern territory; currency: 100 kopecks = 1 ruble 1918 Nov.: Admiral Aleksandr V. Kolchak became ruler of area, issued surcharges on stamps of Russia issued 1919, resigned on Jan. 4, 1920; 1919: No.1, 35 kopecks on 2 kopeck dull green, Kolchak stamps issued in Omsk; later used along the line of the Trans-Siberian railway to Vladivostok, 1921: Priamur Government / Nikolaevsk issues handstamped / overprinted / surcharged “H A II B II” (Nikolaevsk on Amur Priamur Provisional Government), 1922: stamps of Far Eastern Republic overprinted “B II 28/V II 1921-1922" the initials of the “Vremeno Priamursk i Pravitel’stvo” Provisional Priamur Government, 26th May, other overprints exist; see Ataman Semyonov, Amur, Far Eastern Republic, Priamur and Maritime Provinces; Trans-Baikal Province and Russia.
Siberia, Eastern: 1923, Jan.: first stamps issued; due to currency differences, special surcharged stamps issued; see Russia.
Siberian Silhouettes: name given to stamps with a silhouette of a soldier and a cathedral used by Czech troops in Siberia, Dec. 1919.
Siberske: Siberia.
Sibir: (Dan. Nor.) Siberia.
Sibirien: (Ger.) Siberia.
Sibersk: (Dan. Nor.) Siberian.
Si-Chong: People's Post; southwest China; 1950
Sicilia: (It., Sp.) see Kingdom of Two Sicilies.
Sicilia Calabria: 1908 triangular label to raise funds for earthquake charity.
Sicile: (Fr.) inscription on stamps of Sicily for Two Sicilies.
Sicilien: (Dan.) Sicily.
Sicily: Mediterranean island off southern Italy; 1859, Jan.1: issued a set of stamps, cancel was a frame so that the head of the king would not be defaced, 1861, Feb. 15: superseded by Sardinia, new stamps for the Neopolitan provinces, 1862: stamps of Italy issued; see Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Sicmon Islands: group of six islands in the South Pacific created by Nick Bantock for his book, Griffin & Sabine.
Sidcup Etc.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Side: abbreviation for sideways watermark
Side-delivery: coil machine dispensing a roll of side-by-side postage stamps.
Siderographer: the technician who produces printing plates by coordinating the spacing of individual subjects and transferring many copies of the design onto the plate.
Siderographer Initials: initials of the BEP employee who created the plate in the lower left corner of the plate, in effect from 1906 - 1928.
Siderography: process of creating an engraved plate from a transfer roll.
Sidi-Gaber: city in Egypt;1879-82, see Interpostal seals.
Sidney short route: Sidney, Nebraska forwarder, H. T. Clarke, issued imprinted envelope to forward mail
SIEG: Sieger.Zeppelinpost Spezial-Katalog (specialized Zeppelin Mail Catalog)
Siege de la Ligue Arabe: "Meeting of the Arab League" Morocco
Siegel: (Ger.) cancel.
Siegelmarke: (Ger.) stamp seal.
Siege (of) Mafeking: see Mafeking.
Siege of Paris: When Bismarck's army surrounded Paris, the residents used balloons to carry official dispatches and private letters; September 23, 1870. Sieg oder Tod in Alpenrot: (Ger.) victory or death in the Alps; label made in Vienna.
Sielaff: stamp vending machine, introduced in Germany.
Sieradz: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20.
Sierra de Yeguas: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist forces,1937
Sierra Leone: west coast of Africa; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 leone (1964) 1859, Sept. 21: No.1, 6 pence bright violet, depicting Queen Victoria, 1896: British colonial key type used, 1961: granted independence, but remained in the British Commonwealth, 1962, Jan. 29: joined the U.P.U., 1963, April 27: first air mail stamp, 1964: issued first self-adhesive, free-form stamps, 1971, April 19: became a republic.
Sievier's Essays: R.W. Sievier submitted engraved and embossed designs in British treasury competition, 1840.
Sigesmond, Dr. S. Brown: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Sigillo di Natale: (It.) Christmas seal.
Sigillum Nov. Camb. Aust.: Sigillum Novae Cambriae Australis (Latin) New South Wales inscription, The Seal of New South Wales; first stamp of Australia colony, Jan. 1,1850.
Sigillum Sanitatis: (Latin) Seal of the Health (Authority) indicating letter has been disinfected against disease.
Siglo: (Sp.) century.
Signalrød: (Nor.) deep bright red, traffic-sign red (color).
Signature: indication of the name of the designer or engraver; when on the back of a stamp provides the security of an expert certifying the authenticity of the stamp.
Signature capture: conversion of delivery storage information from paper to electronic.
Signature confirmation: USPS service for mail that is supposed to require a recipient's signature upon delivery; can be tracked via USPS tracking page.
Signé: (Fr.) signed.
Signed: indication of being expertised, by signature usually, on reverse of cover.
Signe d'guarantie: (Fr.) marking applied to stamps by the issuing agency indicting that the stamp is genuine and valid for postal use; also "expert 's mark."
Signed stamp: a signature on a stamp, blocks or pane, usually in the margin.
Signette: (Ger.) revenue stamped paper.
Signiert: (Ger.) signed; see Expertize.
Signoscope: commercial name of an electronic watermark detector.
Signum: see Cachet.
Sikajy: Madagascar local issue.
Sikang: province of China; 1949: Communist rebels issued stamps for use in the province, 1955: divided between Tibet and Szechwan.
Sikkim: overprints on stamps of India, 'Sikkim State'; may be bogus, 1920s.
SILA: "Svensk Interkontinental Lufttrafik AB," Swedish air firm organized for transatlantic service, started 1945.
Silber: (Ger.) silver
Silb.Gr.; Silbergroschen: (Ger.) currency unit in Bremen, Brunswick, Hanover, Oldenburg, Prussia, Thurn and Taxis.
Silentium Victoriam Accelerat: (Latin) Silence Speeds Victory; motto used by the U.S. Office of Censorship during WW III and used as the basis for censorship of mail.
Silesia, Eastern: after World War 1, located on border of Czechoslovakia and Poland, 1920: plebiscite planned; stamps of Czechoslovakia (Feb. 13, 1920), Poland (April 15, 1920) overprinted "SO / 1920" "Silesie Orientale" (Eastern Silesia), plebiscite never held and area divided between two countries.
Silesia, Upper: territory between Germany and Poland; currency: 100 pfenning = 1 mark, 100 fennigi = 1 marka 1906: No.1, 1 centimes slate, 1920, Feb. 20: plebiscite planned as to whether area should go to Germany or Poland, but vote was not conclusive, Polish Plebiscite Commissioner Wojciech Korfanty rebelled, issued official stamps, 1920, Mar.: stamps issued for official use with overprint “C1.H.S.” in circle and “C.G.H.S.” Commission de Gouvernment Haute Silesie, Commission of Government of Upper Silesia, on stamps of Germany; 1921, March 20: League of Nations awarded most of disputed area to Poland with balance going to Germany, see C.G.H.S.
Silesie: (Fr.) Eastern Silesia.
Silistria, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1840s, for lower Danube lines.
Siljans Mail: (Swed.) Swedish town local post.
Silk: postcard with some or all of the design on silk fabric.
Silk cachet: cachet with pictorial design printed on fabric with a silk-like finish.
Silkote: paper that is whiter than usual stamp paper with a surface texture that is extraordinarily smooth; used for the U.S. 2-cent Liberty experimental printing of 1954.
Silk paper: stamp paper containing small pieces of colored silk in the paper mixture.
Silk thread: 1: paper used for stamps containing a silk thread as a means of preventing forgery. It is most easily seen on the back of the stamp. 2: filamento de seda (Sp.); fil de soie (Fr.); filo di seta (It.); seidenfaden (Ger.)
Silla: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Sils: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Silurian paper: granite paper containing blue threads.
Silvering: some encased postage stamps had a thin silver coating to look like the silver coinage of the period.
Silver Jubilee: common design on stamps of the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1935.
Silvers: see Silver Yuan.
Silverstreak Radio Tax: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Silver tax stamps: used to pay tax on the net profit on the sale of silver bullion; conventional revenue stamps denominated in currency, 1934-63.
Silverton Tramways: local, Australia, about 1887-1966.
Silver Wedding: common design on stamps of the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1948-49, 1972.
Silver Yuan: the mid-1949 Nationalist issues of stamps of China with denominations expressed in silver-backed currency.
Sily: currency unit in Republic of Guinea.
Simbabwe: (Ger.) Zimbabwe.
Simboluri: (Rom.) symbols.
Simi: (Symi) overprint on stamps of Italy for offices in Simi, Dodecanese Island, Aegean Islands; 1912, pre: used stamps of Turkey, 1912: No.1, 2 centesimi orange brown, overprint “Simi” on stamps of Italy, 1916: first stamps without overprints, 1920: Turkey ceded group to Italy, 1943, Sept.: became part of Greece, 1943: reoccupied by German forces, 1945: liberated by allied forces, 1945, May 21: British post offices opened, stamps of Britain overprinted “M.E.F.” (Middle East Forces), when islands transferred to Greece, 1947, March 31: British post offices closed, stamps of Greece overprinted “S.D.D.” (Dodecanese Military Occupation), 1947, summer: stamps of Greece used.
Similigravure: (Fr.) half-tine (engraving).
Simili-timbre: (Fr.) bogus.
Simmons, Dr. M. A.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Simoor: Indian States; 1879-1902
Simple watermark: when the watermark is designed to appear on each stamp.
Simulated perforation: a perforation printed on the stamp to separate the stamp image from the tab.
Sinai, Peninsula of: area between Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba; 1916: Turkey issued a set of stamps with overprints to mark its occupation.
Sinaloa: state in Mexico, revolution issue, 1929; federal forces stopped revolution before stamps could be used.
Sin charnela: (Sp.) never hinged.
Sind: province in India, issued "Scinde Dawk" issue, July 1, 1852, first adhesive stamps in Asia.
Sin dentar: (Sp.) imperforate
Sin-Feng: local post, central China, 1949
Singapore: island off southern tip of the Malay Peninsula; official name of postal administration: Singapore Post Pte Ltd currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar 1867, April 1: British colony and part of the Straits Settlements with Malacca and Penang, 1942: Japan invaded island, 1945-48: Malaya B.M.A. stamps used, 1946, April 1: Straits Settlements dissolved, had its own stamps inscribed “Singapore” as a Crown Colony, Malacca and Penang joined the Malayan Union, 1948: No.1, 1¢ black, stamps inscribed “Malaya / Singapore” 1948: Malayan Union renamed Federation of Malaya, 1955: first air mail stamp, 1958, Aug.1: became self-governing as the State of Singapore, used stamps of the Federation of Malaysia, along with those of Singapore, 1963, Sept. 16: joined the Federation of Malaysia, withdrew in 1965, 1965: became independent member of the British Commonwealth, 1966, Jan. 8: joined the U.P.U., 1968, Feb.1: first postage due stamp.
Singapore: Raffle Ticket inscription, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Singapour: (Fr.) Singapore.
Single: individual postage stamp
Single letter: prior to 1845, letters were charged by piece and per zone; a single letter was a single piece of paper weighing less than one ounce; letters before 1845 were folded pieces of paper, with no envelope, and sealed with wax.
Single line: characters, figures, frames, circles, made up of one stroke or line.
Single line perforation: separation with a single row of holes or cuts in made in one operation.
Single Line Watermark: the USPS initials are in one single line.
Single-ring c.d.s.: a circular date handstamp contained within a single circle.
Single watermark: each stamp bears the complete watermark impression.
Singolo: (It.) single.
Sin goma: (Sp.) ungummed.
Sinkage: depression in the card backing of a die proof by the die block.
Sinkiang: Province of China between Mongolia and Tibet; 1882-1920: used stamps of Russia in Russian post offices c1900: Chinese post office opened, used stamps of China, 1915: No.1, ½ cent black brown, overprint on stamps of China with surcharge due to currency differences for Chinese Turkestan, 1920: Russian post offices closed, 1945, Mar. Northwest China Liberation Area issued stamps, 1945, Aug.: Uighur Republic declared independence, rejoined China in 1949.
Sinking fund: annual public debt-reducing stamps of France, 1927-31.
Sinn Fein: labels issued by Irish rebels, 1907; possibly used during 1916 "Easter" rebellion.
Sinober: (Nor.) cinnabar, reddish-blue (color).
Sinonim: (Rom.) synonymous.
Sinope: current name is Sinop, port on a peninsula leading to the Black Sea, French post office opened Nov. 1857, closed May 1869.
Sin-siang: local post, north China, 1949.
Sin-Tu: local post; southwest China; 1950.
Sin Valor Postal: (Sp.) "No postal value," Spain charity seals, 1953.
Sion: local airmail; Switzerland, 1913.
SIPEX: Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition held in Washington, D.C. in 1966.
SIPS: Staten Island Philatelic Society, four initials frame the corners of the Ulysses portrait on the U.S. 1¢ postcard.
Sibir: (Dan. Nor.) Siberia.
Sibersk: (Dan. Nor.) Siberian.
Sir Codrington error: Greece, 1927 issues had Sir Edward Codrington's Christian name omitted, against British custom; corrected in third and final printing.
Siria: (Sp.) Syria.
Sirmoor: India Feudatory State, aka Sirmur; 1874: first local stamps, 1879: No.1, 1 pie green, first stamps, 1890: first official stamps, overprint “On / S.S.S.” On Sirmoor State Service, 1890s: stamp reprinted for collector demand, 1902, April 1: stamps discontinued for stamps of British India.
Siroky Dolní Okraj: (Czech.) wide lower margin.
Siroky Úzky Okraj: (Czech.) narrow lower margin.
Sirotam: surcharge on stamps of Italy for Yugoslavia, German occupation of Ljubljana.
Site: (Eng.) location.
Sitges: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937.
Sitron: (Nor.) lemon (color).
Sitrongul: (Nor.) lemon-yellow (color).
Sivas: overprint on stamps of Turkey, 1930.
Si Vende Cosi Com'è: (It.) sold as is. Siwai: Indian states term for any tax collection besides land revenue.
Sixth International Philatelic Exhibition (SIPEX): international stamp show held in Washington, DC in 1966.
Sizilien: (Ger.) Sicily.
Sizing: chemicals added to paper in the manufacturing process to keep the ink from bleeding through the paper fibers and to add stiffness; improving the printing characteristics.
SJ: (Swed.) see Statens Järnvägar.
Sjælden: (Dan.) rare.
Sjelden: (Nor.) rare.
Sjokoladebrun: (Nor.) chocolate-brown (color).
Sju: (Nor.) seven (number), introduced in the spelling reform of 1938, see Syv.
Sk, Skr: Krona, currency unit in Sweden.
Skadet: (Nor.) damaged.
Skagway Reindeer Express Syndicate: phantom express firm supposedly in Skagway, Alaska Territory; used a range of colored labels.
Skalat: city in former Austrian-occupied Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20.
Skandisnavia: (Nor.) Scandinavia.
Skandinavien: (Dan., Swed.) Scandinavia.
Skandinavisk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Scandinavian.
Skargards Trafik Aktiebolaget: Finland local, 1874-87.
Skatik(u)as: currency unit in Lithuania.
Skattemærke: (Dan.) revenue stamp, fiscal stamp.
Skeleton handstamp: a date handstamp made so that loose type could be inserted.
Skepp: (Swed.) ship.
Skeppsbrottetpost: (Swed.) ship wreck mail.
Skeppspost: (Swed.) ship mail.
Skeppspostkontor: (Swed.) ship post office.
Skibbruddpost: (Nor.) ship wreck mail.
Skibsbrev: (Ice.) ship letter marking, Scandinavian origin.
Skibspostkasse: (Dan.) mail boat mail box, paquebot mail box.
Skierniewice: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20.
Skifferblå: (Swed.) slate-blue (color).
Skiffergrå: (Swed.) slate-grey (color).
Skilling: currency unit in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Skilling Banco: currency unit in Sweden
Skilling Oscar-Serien 1856: (Nor.) refers to the 1856-1857 King Oscar I definitve issues.
Skilling Oscar-Serien 1878: (Nor.) refers to the 1878 King Oscar I definitve issues.
Skilling Posthorn-Serien 1872: (Nor.) refers to the 1872-1875 "Posthorn and Crown" definitve issues.
Skilling Posthorn-Serien 1877: (Nor.) refers to the 1877-1878 "Posthorn and Crown" definitve issues.
Skilling Posthorn-Serien 1882: (Nor.) refers to the 1882-1893 "Posthorn and Crown" definitve issues.
Skilling Posthorn-Serien 1893: (Nor.) refers to the 1893-1908 "Posthorn and Crown" definitve issues.
Skilling Posthorn-Serien 1910: (Nor.) refers to the 1910-1929 redrawn "Posthorn and Crown" definitve issues.
Skin: natural oil from skin may damage stamp paper.
Skinned: stamp that has part of the paper stripped away, leaving a thin copy.
Skip: 1. a mailpiece that has passed through a canceling machine without a cancellation being applied to the postage stamp. 2. (Nor.) ship, boat.
Skipper's post: handstamp indicating amount of postage used by skippers of sailing ships and barge masters on inland waterways to indicate fee collected for transport of the mailing piece, 1667.
Skipsbrief: (Ice.) ship letter marking, Scandinavian origin, started Jan. 9, 1914.
Skipspost: (Nor.) ship mail.
Skipspostkasse: (Nor.) mail boat mail box, paquebot mail box.
Skipspostkontorer: (Nor.) ship post office.
Skopin: city in Russia; local post, Zemstvo, 1871-1916.
Skotland: (Dan.) Scotland.
Skotlsk: (Dan.) Scottish.
Skottland: (Nor., Swed.) Scotland.
Skotsk: (Nor., Swed.) Scotch.
Skravert: (Nor.) shaded.
Skull Island, Kingdom of: advertising fantasy created for the movie, King Kong.
Skye: bogus, label, year and source unknown
Sky train mail: gliders towed by airplanes flown from New York to Washington with stops at Philadelphia and Baltimore, Aug. 2, 1934, backstamped Aug. 3.
SL: 1: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Slovenia, such as SL-1001, Ljubljana. 2: Straight Line (cancellation).
Slabbing: encasing collectibles in a container after authentication and grading that will show evidence of any tampering.
Slania, Czeslaw: (1921- ) world's most famous stamp engraver, engraved stamps for more than 35 nations, his 1,000th stamp was issued in Sweden March 17, 2000.
Slant Marking: found on sheet margins of Swedish stamps to position the stamps for perforating and assembling into booklets.
Slätt tryck: (Swed.) smooth print.
SLB: (Sp.) San Lucas de Barromeda (Spain) pre-adhesdive postmark.
SLD: (soldi) currency unit in Austria, Offices in Turkey.
Sleeper: a stamp in a dealer's inventory that may be underpriced.
Sleeve: 1: plastic protector on a cover. 2: seamless steel cylinder used in line engraved intaglio printing; images to be printed are entered directly on the curved surface.
S Lepem: (Czech.) with gum.
Slesien: (Dan.) Silesia.
Slesvig: 1. (Dan.) inscription on the plebiscite issues, Schleswig, 1920. 2. (Swed.) Schleswig.
Slg., Sammlung: (Ger.) collection, an assembly of philatelic material.
Sligo, Letrim & Northern Counties Railway: Ireland railway local post.
Slime holes: mixture of water, chemicals, etc. used to form paper can develop clumps of bacteria that turn into slime; will become an irregular hole in the finished stamp paper.
Slitting: separating the individual rows of stamps in a printed web to from continuous bands that are cut to length and rolled into coils.
SLM: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Malta, such as SLM-11.
SLO: international postal code for Slovenia.
Slobovia: Donald Evans issue, see Evans, Donald.
Slogan cancel: : metal die hub cancel that contains some form of information, advertising or propaganda message.
Slogan postmark: postmark with an announcement or message.
Slogan postmark, first hand: used in London, 1661 for addresses along Kent Road; "For all Kent goes every night from the Round House in Love Lane & Comes Every Mor(ning)."
Slott: (Nor.) castle.
Slovacchia: (It.) Slovakia.
Slovakia: central province of Czechoslovakia; official name of postal administration: Slovenská Posta currency: 100 haleru = 1 koruna 1918: became part of Czechoslovakia, 1920, May 18: joined the U.P.U. 1939, Jan. 18-45: German protectorate, No.1, 5 haleru ultra, overprint “Slovenský stát 1939" on stamps of Czechoslovakia; 1939, March 14: declared independence, 1939, April: first newspaper stamp, 1939: first postage due stamp, 1939, Nov.6: first semipostal stamp, 1939, Nov. 20: first air mail stamp, 1940: first personal delivery stamp, 1942, May: had its own stamp exhibition, issued four stamps, 1945, April 4: Russia liberated country, became a constituent republic of Czechoslovakia, 1993, Jan. 1: became a republic, split into Czech Republic and Slovakia, 1993, March 18: rejoined the U.P.U.
Slovakien: (Dan., Swed.) Slovakia.
Sloveniensk: (Dan., Swed) Slovenian).
Slovakiet: (Dan.) Slovakian.
Slovakotour: inscription on tiny stamps for German citizens to use on postcards while on prepaid vacations in Slovakia.
Slovaquie: (Fr.) Slovakia.
Slovene Coast: post WW II issues for Istria and the Slovene Coast, Istra, Slovensko Primorje (Slov.), Zone B, see Istria.
Sloveni: overprint on stamps of Yugoslavia, Italian Occupation, 1941.
Slovenia: Southeastern Europe, between Austria and Croatia; Official name of postal administration: Posta Slovenije d.o.o. Currency: 100 paras = 1 dinar, 100 stotins = 1 tolar pre-1918: part of Holy Roman Empire, 1918, Oct. 29: part of State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (Drzava Slovencev, Hrvatov in Srbov, Drzava S.H.S. (Crot.), 1918, Dec. 1: part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later named Kingdom of Yugoslavia; Istra, Slovensko Primorje and Venezia Giulia were given to Italy after WW 1, 1919: No.1, 3 filler violet, first stamp, postage due and newspaper stamps, 1920: a plebiscite in Carinthia (Koroska -Slov. / Kärnten - Ger.) between Slovenes and Austrians, 1921, Dec. 24: joined the UPU, 1941, April: occupied by Italy, named Provincia di Lubiana Province of Ljubljana, overprints of stamps of Yugoslavia, first semipostal, air mail stamps, 1942: annexed to Italy, used stamps of Italy, 1944: German occupation known as the Province of Ljunljana (Provinz Laibach / Ljubljanska Pokrajina) 1944: stamps of Italy overprinted by Germany, first German occupation air mail, air mail special delivery, postage due; Italian occupation first postage due, 1945: became part of Yugoslavia, 1991, June 25: declared independence, 1991: No.1, 5 dinars, had its own stamps, 1992, May 8: first postal tax stamp, 1992, Aug. 27: rejoined the UPU.
Slovenien: (Dan.) Slovenia.
Sloveniensk: (Dan.) Slovenian.
Slovenija: Slovenia, formerly northern part of Yugoslavia; independence in 1991; see Ljubljana.
Slovenská, Posta: Slovakia bogus issue, year and source unknown.
Slovenskeno: overprint on stamps of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, 1939-44.
Slovensko: see Slovakia; triangular stamps with V or D in corners are personal delivery stamps of Slovakia.
Slovensko: See Slovakia; overprint on stamps of Hungary, unofficial issue.
Slovensko-Primorje: overprint of stamps of Yugoslavia; Istria and the Slovene Coast, 1945-46.
Slovensky: (Czech.) Slovakian.
Slovensky Stát: overprint on stamps of Czechoslovakia for Slovakia, 1939-44.
Slov.Liga.Slovensky Brat.Objimso mat: Slovakian label printed in the U.S.
Slowakei: (Ger.) Slovakia.
Slowenien: (Ger.) Slovenia.
S.L.Potosi: overprint on stamps of Mexico for this district, 1856-1883.
Slug: contains changeable information such as date or time and cane be placed in a postmark or cancel die.
Slurred print: ink smudging caused by moving during the actual printing process.
S.M.: 1. Stipendary Magistrate, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74. 2. Soldat Militen (Drafted Soldier) Belgium, for free franking while in service.
Smal: (Nor.) narrow.
Small Banknotes: nickname for stamps issued in 1890-93 by the American Bank Note Co.
Small Cut: postcard collectors term for only saving the round portion of the postmark.
Small die proof: production proofs and small-size reproduction proofs made before 1903 for a series of 83 albums from dies, prior to final approval of design and color; large die proofs trimmed down are not considered small die proofs.
Small packets: class of mail created by the UPU in 1929 for small parcels, weighing up to 1 kilogram (2 pounds 3 ounces) to be sent unsealed
Small Queens: nickname for the stamps of Canada Queen Victoria stamps of 1870, on sale for 27 years.
Smaragdgrön: (Swed.) emerald-green (color); see Blågrön.
Smarald: (Rom.) emerald (color).
Smaragdgrønn: (Nor.) emerald-green (color).
S. Maria: series of colored labels featuring Santa Maria, 1911
S. Marino: San Marino.
Smear: an over- or under-inked image variety.
S.M.D.P. Alejandro Selkirk: handstamp for ship that delivered supplies to island off coast of Chile; see Isla de Mas Apuera.
SMH: 1: Great Britain Scotland Machin. 2: Scott Catalog number prefix for Machins (G.B., Scotland).
Smiling Boy stamps: nickname for 1931 design for New Zealand Health stamps.
Smirne: Ottoman Empire; city in Egypt;1867-74, see Interpostal seals.
Smirne: overprint on stamps of Italy for use in Turkish city of Smyrna; See Italian Offices in Turkish Empire, 1909-22.
Smísená Frankatura: (Czech.) mixed franking.
Smith & Stephens' City Delivery: U. S. local post, St. Louis, Mo.
Smith, E. K.: see Private die match proprietary stamps.
Smith's Mountain Express: S. Allan Taylor label in four colors.
Smith, S. N. & Co.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
SMJ: Scott's Monthly Journal (USA).
Smjeinogorsk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1917-20
Smolensk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1894
SMOM: see Sovereign Order of Malta.
SMS: (Ger.) Seiner Majestät Schiff (His Majesty's Ship).
Smuk: (Dan.) beautiful example.
Smyrn: variety; Russian Offices In the Turkish Empire, overprint on stamps of Russia, Smyrna
Smyrna: (myrne, Smirne), Turkish city; 1: French post office opened May 1, 1837, closed Aug. 1914. 2: British stamps used at British post office from 1872; then stamps of the British Levant. 3: now known as Izmir, Turkey.
Smyrna: (Amyrne, Smirne), Turkish city; 1: stamps of Italy overprinted "Smyrne" 1909-10. 2: overprint on stamps of Russia, See Russian Offices in Turkish Empire, issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Russian post offices in the Turkish Empire, 1909-10.
SN: currency unit in Japan and Ryukyu Islands.
Snail mail: disparaging term started being used in the early 1990s referring to mail sent via government post offices.
Snake Island: bogus British local post.
Snark Island: fantasy label for island near Borneo.
SNCF: (Fr.) see Societé Nationale des Chemins de Fer, issued parcel stamps in Belgium staring May 1, 1879.
Snedcentrerat: (Swed.) off-centered.
Sniper: a dealer who attends stamp shows has no booth, but attempts to sell his material at stamp shows to collectors, often setting up a table at the show cafeteria
Sniping: the practice of placing a bid at the last possible moment in an auction.
Snowbird Express: local, Toronto, Hamilton and London, Canada, 1970s.
Snowdon Mountain railway: British railway that printed stamps for mail carried on their trains to post offices.
Snowflakes: typographed stamps that have shed flakes or ink with the passage of time.
Snowflakia: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Snowginia: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Snowklahoma: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Snowland: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Snowman perforation: an overlapping perforation variety that looks like a sideways snowman.
Snow's Express: private mail delivery firm serviced points along the Hudson River, N.J., used labels, many forgeries exist, 1856.
Snowshoe Thompson: John A. Thompson, contracted with T.J. Matheson, Murphy's Camp, California, to maintain postal service in the winter between mining towns of Placerville, Ca. and Carson Valley, Ne., for $200 per month, regardless of the depth of the snow.
Snowtrack: USPS unofficial term for cancel on flat, or large envelopes that are repeated over the full length of the envelope.
Snow York: Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
SO: international postal code for Slovakia.
S.O.: 1: Sorting Office. 2: Stationery Office; punch-perforated, with crown, on stamps of Great Britain. 3. "Stamp Office" fiscal overprint on stamps of Hong Kong, used during stamp shortage,1882.
S.O. 1920: (Fr.) Silésie Orientale 1920 (Eastern Silesia), overprint on stamps of Czechoslovakia and Poland for 1920 plebiscite, which was never held.
SOA: see semiofficial air mail.
Soaking: the process where stamps are removed from the paper on which they were affixed; place stamps with envelope paper attached, face down in pan of lukewarm water, when soaked, they should be placed face down on any absorbent paper.
Soay: bogus, island off the island of Skye, Scottish "isle of sheep," 1965
Soberbia: (Sp.) suberb.
Sobota: (Czech.) Saturday.
Sobre: (Sp.) see Cover.
Sobrecarga: (Sp.) surcharge.
Sobre Clota Para Multos Postales: (Sp.) inscription on stamps of Mexico for parcel post.
Sobre de primer dia: (Sp.) first day cover.
Sobre de primer vuelo: (Sp.) first flight cover.
Sobre fragmento: (Sp.) on piece (of cover).
Sobreimpresión: (Sp.) overprint.
Sobre Porte: (Sp.) inscription on stamps of Colombia for additional postage or tax; used for mail to countries with which Colombia had no postal agreement.
Sobre prefilatélico: (Sp.) stampless cover.
Sobretasa Aerea: (Sp.) postal tax or charge added for Colombia air transit, 1929.
Sobretasa: (Sp.) inscription on stamps of Colombia for postal tax.
Soccer, World Cup: common design of the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1966.
Soccorso a Garibaldi: (It.) inscription to raise money for Garibaldi's fight against Sicily.
Social contract: UPU members rights and obligations that affect the exchange of mail and collection of postage due.
Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya: Libya.
Socialist Republic of Vietnam: see Vietnam, South.
Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transportes Aereos: (Sp.) Colombia air mail, 1929.
Sociedad Ecuatoriano de Transportes Aeros: (Sp.) overprint on stamps of Ecuador, 1938-40.
Sociedade de Geographia de Lisboa: (Port.) "Geographic Society of Lisbon" inscription on stamps of Portugal franchise issue, 1903-38.
Sociedade de Portugueza da Cruz Vermelha: (Port.) "Red Cross," inscription on stamps of Portugal private franchise stamps.
Sociedade Humanitaria Cruz da Oriente: (Sp.) "East Cross Humanitarian Society" Mozambique postal tax inscription.
Societa Corrieri Alta Italia: (It.) (Northern Italian Courier Co.) CORALIT, private bicyclist local post, Italy, Feb.1945-April 28,1945, May 24, 1945-June 30, 1945.
Société des Nations: (Fr.) overprint on stamps of Switzerland for League of Nations, 1922-23.
Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais (SNCF): (Fr.) France, railway parcel post, local.
Society for Suppression of Speculative Stamps (SSSS): group of collectors and dealers founded in 1895 in London, England, to provide an organized voice against too many stamp issues; disbanded due to inability to define a common ground and no means of enforcement.
Society of Philatelic Americans: founded Feb. 1894 as the Southern Philatelic Association; became the Society of Philatelic Americans in 1918; last issue of journal was Dec. 1983
Socked-on-the-nose (SOTN): 1: stamp with the postmark in the center of the stamp, see Bull's eye cancellation. 2: perfekt zentralstempel (Ger.); oblitération Parfaitement (Fr.); matasello perfectamente centrado (Sp.)
Soc(k)otra: Mahra Sultanate, Eastern Aden protectorate, became part of the People's Republic of Yemen.
Soc(k)otra: Cyprus stamps overprinted for Indian Ocean island in 1892.
Socovos: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Söder: (Swed.) South.
Soft Paper: paper with a special surface, with the feel of flocked cloth, first used to print stamps of Finland, August 9, 2004. Sohag: city in Egypt;1872-84, see Interpostal seals.
Soho Local Post: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Soigné: (Fr.) exact or correct.
Soiling: any substance which dulls or darkens the appearance of a stamp.
Sol: currency unit in Peru.
Sol 33 Istiqial: Afghanistan overprint "33rd Year of Independence," Aug. 25, 1951; erroneous inscription on Aug. 25, 1951 issue, voided with a gold bar overprint.
Solar System Rocket Service: four labels for Moon Mail, Planet Post, Star Service and Sun Service made by Broadway Approvals, Ltd., London, 1961.
Soldatenbriefmarken: (Ger.) postage free stamps for military servicemen.
Soldater Frimaerke: (Dan.) inscription/overprint for military mail, Denmark. 1917.
Soldi: currency unit in Austrian Office in Lombardy Venetia, Tuscany, Montenegro, 1858.
Soldiers' and Sailors' mail: Postmaster General Burleson ordered mail sent be servicemen, signed by a field officer, could be sent to a U.S. address without prepayment of postage, only the single rate of postage was to be collected upon delivery, 1914.
Soldier's Letter: 1: inscription on letters used by members of the American Expeditionary Forces who were overseas during World War I. 2: general term for mail posted by a active duty soldier.
Soldiers' Letter Stamps: several countries issued special stamps for their armed forces; franking their mail free of charge.
Soldiers mail: armed forces inscription for no postage necessary; also known as free frank
Soldier's Rate cover: Canadian ruling (c1868) permitting soldiers to send or receive prepaid personal letters, not exceeding ½ ounce in weight at the postal rate of 2¢.
Soldier's stamps: used for the soldiers in the Swiss army who received free stamps; each battalion had its own stamp design, usually with insignias. Other "stamps" for this use were also issued by France, Germany, Italy and New Caledonia.
Sold to the Book: auctioneer's term meaning that the lot has been sold to an absentee bidder represented by the auction firm.
Solferino: a 1871 stamp from Greece with an error of color (Solferino means dark red in Italian).
Solidarität in der Nothilfe für Hochwasseropfer 2002: (Ger.) (Solidarity in Aid for the 2002 Flood Victims) special slogan cancel, Germany.
Solidarité Francaise: (Fr.) French Colonies semipostal, 1943-44.
Solidarité 1947: (Fr.) semipostal of Tunisia.
Solidarté: (Fr.) special tax for drought victims; French Colonies revenue inscription.
Solikamsk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1887-1915.
Sollum/ 14 IX 40: overprint on stamps of Libya privately applied.
Solomon Islands: West Pacific island group, aka British Solomon Islands; currency: 12 pence = 12 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1966) 1893: became British protectorate, 1896: used New South Wales stamps, 1907, Feb. 14: No.1, ½ penny ultramarine, first stamps “British Solomon Islands Protectorate,” 1907: February 14: first stamps of "British Solomon Islands protectorate," 1913: changed to “British Solomon Islands,” 1939: invaded by Japan, stamps taken to Fiji, 1940, Sept.1: first postage due stamps, 1975, Aug.4: became Solomon Islands, 1976, Jan. 2: became a self-government as Solomon Islands, 1978, July 7: became independent, 1982, May 3: first semipostal stamps, 1984, May 4: rejoined the U.P.U.
Solot: currency unit in Siam (Thailand).
Solothurn: local airmail; Switzerland, 1913.
Solo Use Cover: all the postage and fees are paid by a single stamp.
Solyom, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1880s, for middle Danube lines.
Som: currency unit in Kyrgyzstan.
Solvent smear: remainder of solvent used to clean the printing presses creating a smear.
Sølv: (Nor.) silver (metallic color).
Sølvgrå: (Nor.) silver-grey (metallic color).
Somalia: overprint/inscription on stamps of Italy; 1922-23.
Somalia Italiana Meridionale: overprint on stamps of Italy, Somalia postage dues, 1906-08.
Somalia: eastern Africa on Indian Ocean, aka Somali Democratic Republic, Italian Somaliland, Benadir; currency: 4 besas = 1 anna, 16 annas = 1 rupee, 100 centesimi = 1 lira (1905), 100 besas = 1 rupee (1922),100 centesimi = 1 lira (1925),100 centesimi = 1 somalo (1950) shilling = 100 centesimos (1961) 1903, Oct. 12: No.1, 1 besas brown, first stamp, stamps overprinted / inscribed “Poste Italiane” and “Benadir,” 1906: first postage due stamp, 1916: first semipostal stamp, 1917: first parcel post stamp, 1922: stamps of Italy surcharged/overprinted “Somalia Italiana,” 1923, July 16: first special delivery stamp, 1934, Oct.: first air mail stamp, 1934, Nov. 5: first air mail semipostal and air mail semipostal official stamp, 1934, Nov. 11: first air mail official stamp, 1936, June 1-1941: stamps valid in Italian East Africa, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Oltre Giuba absorbed into Italian East Africa, stamps of Somalia still used, 1938-41: used stamps of Italian East Africa, 1939: first authorized delivery stamp, 1941-49: under British military administration, 1943, Jan 15: No. 1, 1 penny vermillion; British stamps overprinted “E.A.F.” (East Africa Forces), 1948, May 27: British stamps overprinted “B.M.A.Somalia” (British Military Administration Somalia), 1950, Jan. 2: British stamps overprinted “B.A. Somalia” (British Administration Somalia) when British troops withdrew, 1950, March 24: Italian Trusteeship took over, stamps inscribed “Somalia,” 1958, Oct. 4: first air mail special delivery stamp, 1960, April 1: first stamps replaced those under Italian and British administrations, 1960, July 1: former Italian colony merged with British Somaliland Protectorate to form independent Republic of Somalia, 1973: stamps inscribed “Jum. Dim.(J.D.) Somaliya” (Far Somali), see Djibouti, Obock, Italian East Africa, Italian Somaliland and Somaliland Protectorate.
Somalia: overprint / inscription on stamps of Italy; 1922-23.
Somalia, Central States of: cinderella, part of Somalia.
Somalia Italiana: see Italian Somaliland.
Somalia Italiana Meridionale: overprint on stamps of Italy, Somalia postage dues, 1906-08.
Somali Coast: northeast Africa, Côte Français des Somalis (Fr.), aka Djibouti; currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1862: port of Obock, on Gulf of Aden, acquired by French, 1888: port of Djibouti constructed by French, 1891: named area Somali Coast Protectorate, 1892-94: port of Obock issued stamps, 1894: No.1, 5 centimes green and red, first stamps as Obock and Djibouti, 1902: used stamps of Somali Coast, 1915: first semi-postal, postage due stamp issued, 1931: first stamps issued, 1940-42: controlled by the Vichy regime of France, 1943: inscription “Cote Français des Somalis,” 1944: first air mail stamp issued, 1964, Aug. 28: first air mail semi-postal stamp, 1959, April 1: joined the U.P.U., 1967, March 19: stamps discontinued, became the French Territory of Afars and Issas, 1977, June 27: territory became Republic of Djibouti, see Djibouti, Obock, Somaliland Protectorate.
Somali Democratic Republic: formed from Italian Somaliland and the Somaliland Protectorate; 1839-post: colonial powers created French Somaliland, Italian Somaliland and the British Somaliland Protectorate; 1940, Aug. 6: Italian forces occupied the British Protectorate, 1941: British drove Italians out, took over Italian Somaliland, 1943: stamps of Great Britain overprinted “E.A.F.” (East Africa Forces), 1948: stamps of Great Britain overprinted “B.M.A. Somalia.” (British Military Administration), 1948, Oct. 1: stamps of Great Britain overprinted “B.A. Somalia” (British Administration) when troops withdrew, 1950, April 1: Italians, with ten year United Nations mandate, ran Italian Somaliland, 1960, July 1: became independent as the Republic of Somalia, 1969: revolutionary group took over, changed name to Somali Democratic Republic.
Somalikusten: (Swed.) Somali Coast.
Somalikyst: (Dan., Nor.) Somali Coast.
Somaliland Britannique: (Fr.) British Somaliland.
Somaliland, British: south of Obock; 1884: created by Great Britain, 1903: first stamps, 1960: stamps of Somalia.
Somaliland, French: now Afars and Issas. 1957: first commemorative stamp issued 1962: first airmail stamp issued; see Obock.
Somaliland, Italian: originally called Benadir, 1889: created by Italy, 1924: Oltre Giuba, south of Italian Somaliland, conceded to Italy by Britain, 1926: Italy combined Oltre Giuba into Italian Somaliland, 1936: Italy combined Italian Somaliland and Eritrea with Ethiopia to form Italian East Africa, 1945: Italian Somaliland became the United Nations Trust Territory of Somalia, 1960, July 1: Somaliland Protectorate and U.N. Trust Territory of Somalia merged to become Somali Republic, 1970: name changed to Democratic Republic of Somalia, 1991, May 17: rebels in northern part of country founded the Somaliland Republic, issued stamps inscribed “Somaliland Republic” and the “Republic of Somaliland.” see Oltre Giuba, Italian East Africa.
Somaliland Protectorate: eastern Africa, on the Gulf of Aden; currency: 16 annas = 1 rupee, 100 cents = 1 shilling (1951) 1885: became British Protectorate, administered by Indian government as a dependency of Aden, 1898: territory run by British Foreign Office, 1903: No.1, ½ anna light green, stamps of India overprinted “British Somaliland,” 1903, June: 1: first official stamp issued, 1904: inscription “Somaliland Protectorate” issued on British definitive stamps, 1905: British Colonial Office took over, 1940: occupied by Italy, recaptured by British forces in 1941 1960, July 1: became part of Somalia, now the Somali Democratic Republic, 1991, May 18: Somaliland declared its independence from Republic of Somalia.
Somaliland Protectorate: 1: Not Looted overprint, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001. 2: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Somalis: Somali Coast, 1902-67.
Somaliya: Somalia, 1973.
Sommaroanna S.S. Co.: Finland local 1895.
Sommerset & Dorset Joint Line: British railway local post.
Somola(o): currency unit in Somalia.
Somon: (Rom.) salmon (color), see Roz-somon.
Somoni: currency unit in Tajikistan.
Som Ubesorget Aabnet af Post Departmentet: (Nor.) "Return to Sender" inscription on stamps of Norway.
Som Uindlost Aabnet af Post Departmentet: "Return to Sender-Not Called For" inscription on stamps of Norway.
SON: see Socked on the nose.
Søndag: (Dan., Nor.) Sunday.
Söndag: (Swed.) Sunday.
Søndagsbrev: (Dan.) Danish postal marking on letters mailed with an extra fee paid for Sunday delivery.
Sonderausgabe: (Ger.) commemorative or special issue
Sonderdruck: (Ger.) special printing such as black prints used for stamp exhibitions.
Sondermarkenblock: (Ger.) souvenir sheet.
Sonderpostamt: (Ger.) special post office.
Sonderpostschalter: (Ger.) special post office counter.
Sonderpoststempel: (Ger.) special post office cancellation.
Sonderstempel: (Ger.) special cancellation
Soneja: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, forces, 1937.
Sonne: bogus, no information available.
Sonntagsmarke: (Ger.) Sunday stamp with tablet regarding Sunday delivery.
Sonora: state of Mexico; 1: "Constitutionalist" inscription on revenue issues of Sonora, Mexico, Civil War issue, 1914-16. 2: fantasy label for Mexican state.
Sons of Philatelia: created in the U.S. in Oct. 1890 by Robert M. Miller who felt that the American Philatelic Association (now APS) dues were too high, dissolved Sept. 1903.
Soomaaliya: (Afrikaans) Somalia Democratic Republic.
Soomaaliyeed: (Afrikaans) Somalia.
Sophie C: mailboat delivers mail to islands in Lake Winnesaukee, N. H.
Sophie, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1850s, for lower Danube lines.
Sopraprezzo: (It.) surcharge.
Soprestampa: (It.) see Surcharge.
Sopron: city in Hungary, local post, overprint on stamps of Hungary, civil uprising, 1956-57.
Sor: (Hung.) set (of stamps).
Sør: (Nor.) south.
Sorbas: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Sorfogazat: (Hung.) line perforation.
Sorgfaltig: (Ger.) exact or correct
Soroki: city in Russia; local post, Zemstvo, 1878-98.
Sorozat: (Hung.) set (of stamps).
Sort: 1: (Dan.) black (color). 2: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Sortieranlage: (Ger.) automated sorting machine.
Soruth: India Feudatory State, aka Junagarh, Saurashtra, Sorath; 1864, Nov.: No.1, 1 anna black bluish, first local stamps were hand-stamped as Junagarh, 1923: name changed to Sourashtra, 1929: name changed to Saurashtra, issued first official stamps with overprint “Sarkari,” 1947, Nov. 9: became part of the Indian Union, 1948, Feb. 15: United States of Saurashtra formed from 217 states, including stamps issuing entities of Soruth, Jasden, Morvi, Nowanugger, and Wadhwan, 1949: issued overprint stamp for “U.S.S. Revenue & Postage Saurashtra” (United States of Saurashtra), 1950, Apr. 30: stamps discontinued, uses stamps of Republic of India; see Jasdan, Morvi, Nawanagar and Wadhwan.
SOS: Stamps on Stamps Collectors Club
SOS Delivery Service: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Sosnowice: (Pol.) local post; Poland, 1916.
SOS To Canada: marking "Shipped Off Service" indicating that the recipient was no longer needed and had been sent home.
Sötet: (Hung.) dark (as referencing the color of a postage stamp).
Sötétbarna: (Hung.) dark brown (color).
Sötétibolya: (Hung.) dark lilac, dark violet (color).
Sötétkék: (Hung.) dark blue (color).
Sötétkvörös: (Hung.) dark red (color).
Sötétnarancs: (Hung.) dark orange, deep orange (color).
Sötétsárga: (Hung.) dark yellow, golden-yellow (color).
Sötétzöld: (Hung.) dark green (color).
SOTN: see Socked on the nose.
Sottile: (It.) thin.
Soudan: 1: overprint on stamps of Egypt; Sudan, 1897. 2: overprint on stamps of French Colonies; Sudan 1894. 3: overprint on stamps of Upper Senegal and Niger; Sudan, 1921-30
Soudan Fais: (Fr.) overprint on stamps of French colonies for use in French Sudan, 1894
Soudan Francais: (Fr.) inscription on stamps of French Sudan.
Soudan, French: (Fr.) Sudan overprint on stamps of Egypt, French Colonies, Niger, Upper South Celebes: local overprint; Japanese occupation, Naval Control Area; 1942-45.
Souillure: (Fr.) smear.
Soukromy Upomínkovy Arsík: (Czech.) private souvenir sheet.
Soule, Dr. E.L. & Co.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Soumi: (Fin.) Finland.
Sourashtra: see Soruth.
Sous condition: (Fr.) on approval.
South Africa: Southern Africa, Republic of South Africa; official name of postal administration: South African Post Office currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 rand (1961) 1794: British control, 1800s: controlled by the Batavian Republic, 1869: stamps of Transvaal, South African Republic, 1877, April: annexed by British, 1880, Dec. 16: South African Republic proclaimed again, 1884: annexed by British, 1893, Jan. 1: joined the U.P.U., 1902: incorporated into Cape of Good Hope colony, 1909: Union of South Africa created; combined the four former colonies of the Cape of Good Hope; Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State, which became provinces, 1910, Aug.18: government authorized use of valid postage and revenue stamps of each province throughout the Union, 1910, Nov. 4: No.1, 2½ deep blue, 1914: first postage due stamp, 1925, Feb. 26: first air mail stamp, 1926: stamps issued in both English and Afrikaans versions; first official stamp, 1933: first semipostal stamp, 1938, Jan. 1: pre-Union of South Africa stamps demonetized, 1952: stamps inscribed in both languages, 1961, May 31: withdrew from British Commonwealth, became Republic of South Africa, 1967: stamps are inscribed “RSA,” 1994, Aug. 22: rejoined the U.P.U.
South Africa: many labels exist for various Red Cross, Comforts Fund, Medical Aid for Russia, patriotic, including a stamp auction by Ashbey's Galleries.
South Africa, Homelands of: 1959: South African government established “Bantustans” or homelands, 1977: Transkei and Bophuthatswana issued own stamps, 1979: Venda issued its own stamps, 1981: Ciskei issued its own stamps; see Basutoland, Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transvaal, Venda.
South African Republic: see South Africa.
South America: consists of Argentina, Bolovia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the Guianas, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Southampton 1971 Strike: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Southampton Priv.P.S.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
South Arabia, Federation of: Southern Arabia; currency: 100 cents = 1 shilling, 1,000 fils = 1 dinar (1965) 1959, Feb. 11: sheikdoms formed Federation of Arab Emirates of the South, used stamps of Aden, 1960: four more sheikdoms joined federation, 1963, Jan. 18: Aden Colony joined for a total of 14 states, 1963, Nov. 25: No.1, 15¢ black and red, first stamp as South Arabian Federation, 1963-67: issued stamps to fill any void in area’s postal administrations, 1965, April: first definitives replaced the stamps of Aden, 1967, Nov. 30: federation became independent, became People’s Republic of Southern Yemen.
South Australia: central portion of southern Australia; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound 1836: formed as a British settlement, 1852-55, 1859: served by P & O steamers to Britain and Europe, 1855, Jan.1: No.1, 1 penny dark green, 1855-60: used oval with bars as postmark, 1868: first official stamp with overprints for individual departments, 1891: joined the U.P.U., 1901: joined with five other colonies to form Commonwealth of Australia; the stamps of the various colonies continued being used, 1913: first all-Australian definitives, see Australia.
South Australia Railway: Australia railway that printed stamps for mail carried on their trains to post offices.
South Borneo: Japanese occupation issue, 1943.
South Bulgaria: originally Eastern Rumelia; currency: 40 paras = 1 piaster 1885: Eastern Rumelia united with Bulgaria to form South Bulgaria, 1885, Sept. 22: used stamps of Eastern Rumelia, 1886: stamps of Bulgaria used; see Eastern Rumelia.
South Carolina: first federal issue revenue of U.S., July 1, 1798-Feb. 28, 1801
South China: see China, regional issues.
South China Sea Islands Federation: islands in South China Sea that claimed independence.
South Dakota: U.S. state Nov. 2,1889; part of Dakota Territory, see Dakota.
Southeast Asia: consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Southern Cameroons: 1960, Oct. 1: first stamps issued, inscription U.K.T.T. (United Kingdom Trust Territory), 1961, Sept. Southern Cameroons joined Cameroun via a plebiscite, see Cameroons.
Southern Rhodesia: Southern Rhodesia postage due overprint on stamps of Great Britain, 1951.
Southern Yemen: check Yemen People's Democratic Republic 1-64 overprint on stamps of South Arabia for Yemen, People's Democratic Republic. 1968, April 1: first stamp.
South Devon Emerg. Post: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Southern District: Germany, 1852-66: issued own stamps, replacing those of Thurn & Taxis.
South Eastern & Chatham Railway: British railway local post.
South Eastern Post Sv.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Southern Express Co., Montgomery, Ala.: operated in the Southern states during the American Civil War, used corner cards, stamps and labels, 1861-1918.
Southern Express Mail: operated during the Civil War exchanging shipments carried by Adams Express Co.; regular Confederate postage was required.
Southern letter unpaid: 1861 civil war marking on unfranked letters and letters franked with invalid U.S. stamps to addresses in the U.S.; see Abutshi.
Southern Marketing: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Southern Nigeria: see Nigeria, Southern.
Southern Rhodesia: southeastern Africa; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound 1923-pre: administered by the British South Africa Company 1913-April 30, 1924: used stamps of Rhodesia, 1923, Oct. 1: made a self-governing colony by the British government, 1924, April 1: No.1, ½ penny dark green, stamps inscribed Southern Rhodesia issued, 1951, Oct. 1: first postage due stamps, overprinted “Southern Rhodesia,” 1953: joined with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, 1954: stamps inscribed “Rhodesia and Nyasaland,” 1963: federation dissolved, 1964, May: own stamps “Rhodesia,” 1965, Nov. 11: Rhodesia declared itself independent, 1980, April18: became independent within the Commonwealth, 1980: first pictorial stamp as Zimbabwe; see Rhodesia; Rhodesia, Northern; Zimbabwe.
Southern Route: first successful transcontinental mail from San Antonio to San Diego, also known as the Texas Route; ran for three years, starting July 1857.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich (Islands): Falkland Islands Dependencies. 1986, Apr. 21: No.1, 10 pence multi, 1992, June 20: first semipostal stamp.
South Georgia, Dependency of: island in the South Atlantic; part of the Falkland Island Dependencies; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 pence = 1 pound (1971) 1944-pre: stamps of the Falkland Islands used, 1944, April 3: No.1, ½ pence green and black, first Dependencies issue, overprint on stamps of Falkland Islands, 1963, July: No.1, ½ penny dull red, first stamp, 1982: seized by Argentines in occupation of the Falkland Islands, 1985: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands became a separate colony, 1986, April 21: first stamps, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, 1992, June 20: first semipostal stamps; see Falkland Island Dependencies.
Southill and Norwood: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
South Kasai: portion of the Republic of Zaire; 1960, Aug. 8-Oct. 2, 1962: maintained autonomy, 1961, June 20: declared its independence, issued two stamp issues, 1961, Oct. : stamps withdrawn, stamps of Congo overprinted "Sud Kasai" sold in Brussels, never issued in Africa, 1962, Oct.: rejoined the Congo Democratic Republic, later the Republic of Zaire.
South Letter unpaid: marking applied on mail addressed to the North from the South with postage due during the American Civil War, used June 27-July 11, 1861.
South Liao-ning: "South Liao-ning Post" local post, northeast China; 1948.
South Lithuania: see Lithuania, South.
South Lithuania: 1919: stamps of Russia overprinted and surcharged during Russian occupation of Grodno.
South Moluccas: entity in the Moluccas or Spice Islands; 1945: controlled by Indonesia from what was the Dutch East Indies, 1950: declared independence, 1951-74: bogus issues, see Republik Maluku Selatan
South Orkneys Dependency of: 1944, Feb. 21: overprint on stamps of Falkland Islands, 1963: part of the British Antarctic Territory; see Falkland Island Dependencies.
South Osetia: bogus Georgia, Russia label, not valid for postage.
Southport: (Star Taxis Southport) local strike post, Great Britain, 1971
South Russia: southern Russia bordering on the Caspian and Black Seas; currency: 100 kopecks = 1 ruble provisional government established by Gen. Denikin, 1918: stamps of Russian surcharged by Kuban government, known as the Ekaterinodar Issues, 1918: No.1, 25 kopecks on 1 kopeck dull orange-yellow, Don Government, Rostov Issue, 1919: stamps used for both postage and currency.
South Sandwich, Dependency of: 1985: became a separate colony; see Falkland Island Dependencies, South Georgia, Dependency of.
South Shetlands Dependency of: 1944, Feb. 21: overprint on stamps of Falkland Islands Dependencies; 1963: part of the British Antarctic Territory; see Falkland Island Dependencies.
South Viet Nam: see Vietnam, South.
South West Africa: southwestern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean, aka Namibia; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 rand (1961) 1884: German protectorate, 1897: stamps of Germany overprinted “Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika,” German South West Africa, 1900: German colonial designs used, 1914, Sept.: used stamps of South Africa to Dec. 31,1922, with overprints “S.W.A., SWA, South West Africa, Suidwes-Afrika, Zuidwest Afrika,” 1915: German colony surrendered to the Union of South Africa forces, 1923, Jan. 2: No.1, ½ penny green, first pair of stamps under South African occupation were South African stamps overprinted “South West / Africa” on every other stamps and “Zuid-West Afrika” on the rest, or initials “S.W.A.,” 1923: first postage due stamps, 1927: first official stamps, overprinted “Official, Offisieel,” 1930: first air mail stamps, 1931: own stamps, inscribed “Sudwest Afrika,” 1935: first semipostal stamps, 1953: all stamps bilingually described, 1968: stamps inscribed “SWA,” 1970: United Nations made area’s official name Namibia, 1990, Mar. 20: became Namibia; see Namibia.
South West Africa: overprint on stamps of South Africa, for South West Africa, 1923-26.
South West & Midland Railway Company: British railway local post.
Southwest China: Southwest China Liberation Area included the provinces of Kwechow, Sinkang, Szechwan, Tibet and Yunikan; issued stamps Dec. 1949.
South West Essex P.S.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
South-west Kiangsi: (Chinese Red Post) 1930-31.
Southwest Road Show & School: poster stamp promoting school in Kansas.
Southwest Territory: U.S. territory May 26, 1790, became Tennessee.
Southwold Railway: British railway local post.
Southwoods Exeter P.S.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Soutisk: (Czech.) se-tenant.
Souv.: abbreviation for souvenir.
Souvenir card: card, not valid for postage, issued by the U.S. Post Office or the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, in conjunction with a stamp exhibition or some other special occasion, started in 1954.
Souvenir cover: 1: unofficially flown cover, usually carried by pilot or crew member, or for commercial or promotional purpose. 2: term for a philatelic or non-commercial cover. 3: cover created for special occasions such a a stamp show, post office anniversary, community events, etc.
Souvenir historical: flown souvenirs from important events which contributed to the development fo aviation.
Souvenir page: an 8½ x 11 sheet bearing one or more of the stamps described and cancelled with the first day of issue postmark, issued by the USPS; see new issue poster.
Souvenir panel: USPS product, engraved card with text relating to a stamp issue; usually with a mint block of four; sold to collectors.
Souvenir program: ceremony program.
Souvenir sheet (SS): 1: sheet of a stamp or stamps, surrounded with a paper margin issued for a specific event or purpose. 2: first U.S. SS is the White Plains pane of 25 stamps for an international stamp exhibition, held Oct. 16-23, 1926. 3: gedenkblock (Ger.); bloc feuillet (Fr.); foglietto (It.); hoja blocque (Sp.).
Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM): the smallest "stamp" issuing authority in the world. The SMOM was founded in1048 as the Knights Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem with the goal of building a hospital to serve pilgrims from the Holy Land. By the late 1980s the organization had 3,000 Italian members and 2,000 Americans. It has issued more than 300 "stamps" that chronicle the order's history of military and charitable works.
Sovetsky Svaz: (Czech.) Soviet Union (USSR).
Soviet Union: see Russia.
Sovjetunionen: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Soviet Union.
Sovrano Militare Ordine di Malta: see Sovereign Military Order of Malta, unrecognized local issue.
Sovrapprezzo: (It.) surcharge.
Sower: French stamp design first issued in 1903 illustrating a woman in flowing gown spreading seeds.
Sowjetische Besatzungs Zone: overprint on stamps of Germany for Soviet Zone of Occupation, East Germany, July 3, 1948, See Berlin, Germany.
Sowjetunion: (Ger.) Soviet Union.
Soyaniquilpam: overprint on stamps of Mexico for this district, 1856-1883.
SP: 1: Short Perf. 2: Surface Printed. 3: auction abbreviation for topical sports and olympics. 4: see Surface phosphor paper. 5: Service Publique (official usage) overprint on stamps of Luxembourg, 1881-99. 6: secteur postal (Fr.) field post number. 8: intertwined as a monogram, Colombia, Cauca Department.
SPA: Samuel P. Abbott, BEP employee's initials, 1906-1928; see Plate Finisher, Siderographer.
S.P.A.: Society of Philatelic Americans, organized 1894.
Space cover: a cover commemorating an event that is related to a space or astro event.
Space filler: 1: a poor copy of a stamp used to fill the space in an album until a betterexample is found. 2: a common stamp of little value. 3: a facsimile of a stamp used to fill a blank space in an album.
Spagna: (It.) Spain.
Späher: (Ger.) scout.
Spain: southwestern European country; official name of postal administration: Correos y Telégrafos currency: 32 maravedis = 8 cuartos = 1 real, 1000 milesimas = 1- centimos = 1 escudo (1866), 100 milesimas = 1 real, 4 reales = 1 peseta, 100 centimos = peseta (ptas) (1872), 100 cents = 1 euro (2002) 1850, Jan. 1: No.1, 6 cuartos black, first stamps lithographed, some had inscription “Certificado” for registered mail, 1854, July 1: first official stamps, 1868-70: provisional government, issued stamps for various provinces, 1869: first franchise stamps to Diego Castell to distribute his publications on Spanish postal history, 1872, April 21 - July 1, 1873: stamps of France used on mail from provinces under Carlist rule, 1873-76: King Carlos VII issued own stamps in the provinces of Alava, Biscay, Guipuzcoa, Navarre, Catalonia and Valencia, banned in1876; 1874, Jan. 1: first war tax stamps, 1875, July 1: joined the U.P.U., 1905: first special delivery stamps, 1920, April 4: first air mail stamps, 1926, Sept. 15: first semipostal, air mail semipostal and semipostal special delivery stamps, 1930: first air mail special delivery stamp, 1931: named a republic, first air mail official and delivery tax stamps, 1936: stamps issued by Gen. Franco Nationalist Revolutionary Government, provisional stamps in Burgeos, Cadiz, Canary Islands, Orense, San Sebastian, Seville, issued by Nationalist and Republican forces, 1931-39: first Republic stamps, 1936-75: named a state, 1937, Dec. 23: first postal tax stamps, 1940, Dec. 23: first postal tax air mail stamps, 1948: first postal tax semipostal stamps.
Spandau: city in Germany, local post, (Stadtbrief-Beförderung Courier), 1897-1900
Spandrel: the triangular space between the border and circle or oval center of a stamp.
Spanelsko: (Czech.) Spain,
Spanelsky: (Czech.) Spanish.
Spania: (Nor.) Spain.
Spanien: (Dan., Ger., Swed.) Spain.
Spaniol: (Rom) Spanish (adj.).
Spanish Administration of Andorra: see Andorra.
Spanish Dominion of Cuba: first stamps in1855, some also used in the Philippines and Puerto Rico; see Cuba.
Spanish Dominion of the Mariana Islands: Sept. 1899: stamps of the Philippines handstamped "Marianas Españas.".
Spanish frank stamps: two Spanish authors, Diego Castell Fernandes (1869) and A.F. Duro (1881), wrote historical philatelic books and received a free frank stamp to mail these works.
Spanish Guinea: western Africa, bordering on the Gulf of Guinea; currency: 100 centimos = 1 pesata 1885, Jan. 9: made a Spanish protectorate, 1902: No.1, 5 centimos dark green, first stamp issued, used only in Rio Muni, 1909: stamps inscribed “Territorios Españoles del Golfo de Guinea,” used in Spanish Guinea, and islands of Fernando Poo and Elobey, Annobon and Corisco (which had previously had their own stamps), 1926: first semipostal stamp, 1941: first air mail stamp, 1951: first special delivery stamp, 1959, July 30: Annobon and Fernando Po detached, 1959, Nov. 23: last issue inscribed “Guinea Española,” 1960: stamps inscribed Rio Muni; Fernando Po has its own stamps, 1968: Fernando Po and Rio Muni united to form the Republic of Equatorial Guinea; see Fernando Po, Rio Muni.
Spanish Morocco: northwest coast of Africa, former Spanish protectorate; currency: 100 centimos - 1 peseta 1860: used stamps of Spain as a Spanish province, 1874-1903: stamps of Spain used, without overprint, 1903: No.1, 1/4 centimo blue-green, 1908: stamps of Spanish Offices in Morocco handstamped “Tetuan,” 1909: stamps overprinted “Correo Español Marruecos” used in Morocco until 1914, 1912: Spanish Morocco formed with French permission and British approval, 1914: Spanish stamps overprinted “Correo Español Marreucos,” used only in Tangier post office, 1914: first special delivery stamps, 1914, July 22: first stamps issued, withdrawn April 7, 1956. 1915: Spanish stamps overprinted “Protectorado Español en Maruecos” for use in the Spanish zone, all Spanish post offices closed except in Tangier, 1924: first stamps, 1926: first semipostal and semipostal special delivery stamps, 1929: stamps of Spain overprinted “Tanger,” “Correo Espanol Tanger,” and “Correo Tanger” for use in Tanger, also issued semipostals, air mail, special delivery stamps, 1936: first air mail semipostal stamp, 1937: first postal tax stamp, 1938: first air mail stamp, 1956: became independent with French and Tangier zones of Morocco; as Morocco, 1958: values in Spanish currency discontinued; see Morocco.
Spanish Philippines: stamps issued as Spanish Dominion of the Philippines.
Spanish Sahara: northwest AThursday, 2/17/2005frica on the Atlantic Ocean, aka Spanish Western Sahara;currency: 100 centimos = 1 peseta 1924-pre: known as Rio de Oro, subdivision of Spanish West Africa and Spanish Western Sahara, province of Spain, 1924: No.1, 5 centimos blue green, first stamps for use in La Guera and Rio de Oro, inscribed “Posesiones Españolas del Sahara Occidental,” 1926: inscription “Sahara Español”, first semipostal stamp, 1942: “Sahara Español” overprint on air mail stamps of Spain, 1943: first air mail and special delivery stamps, 1958: became on overseas territory of Spain, 1960-75: inscription “España Sahara,” 1976, April 14: Morocco annexed two-thirds of Spanish Sahara, Mauritania took rest, turned over to Morocco, United Nations refers to area as Western Sahara; see Rio de Oro, Spanish West Africa.
Spanish Tangier: see Tangier, Spanish.
Spanish War Provisional Revenues: July 1, 1898 U.S. revenue law authorized provisional stamps overprinted "I.R." at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Spanish West Africa: northwest Africa on the Atlantic Ocean; 1949, Oct. 9: Spain combined Spanish Sahara, Ifni and Southern Morocco, 1949: No.1, 4 pesetas dark gray green, first stamp inscribed “Africa Occidental Española,” for use in Rio de Oro, Ifni, Saguiet el Hamra, and Spanish Sahara, 1949, Nov. 23: first air mail stamp, 1951, Mar. 1: first special delivery stamp, 1951:, Spanish West Africa dissolved; Ifni and Spanish Sahara issued their own stamps; see Spanish Sahara.
Spanish Western Sahara: includes Cabe Juby, La Aguera and Rio de Oro; see Spanish Sahara.
Spanien: (Dan.) Spain.
Spansk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Spanish.
Spanska Guinea: (Swed.) Spanish Guinea.
Spanska Marocko: (Swed.) Spanish Morocco.
Spanska Västafrika: (Swed.) Spanish West Africa.
Spanska Vastindien: (Swed.) Spanish West Indies.
Spanska Västligsahara: (Swed.) Spanish Western Sahara.
Spanska Vestafrika: (Dan., Nor.) Spanish West Africa.
Spanska Vestindien: (Dan., Nor.) Spanish West Indies.
Spanske skeppspost: (Swed.) Spanish ship mail (ship post).
Spanske skibspost: (Dan.) Spanish ship mail (ship post).
Spanske skipspost: (Nor.) Spanish ship mail (ship post).
Spansk Vestafrika: (Dan.) Spanish West Africa.
Spansk Vestindien: (Dan.) Spanish West Indies.
Spanyol: (Hung.) Spanish.
Spanyol Guinea: (Hung.) Spanish Guinea.
Spanyol Marokko: (Hung.) Spanish Morocco.
Spanyolország: (Hung.) Spain.
Spanyol Szahara: (Hung.) Spanish Sahara.
Spargummi: (Ger.) see Economy gum.
Spark's Post Office: U.S. local post handstamp, New York, N.Y., 1848.
Sparta, Ga. Paid 5: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Spartanburg, S. C. 5: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Spassk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1883-1913
Spatial: (Fr.) space.
Spaulding's Penny Post: U.S. local post handstamp, Buffalo, N.Y., 1848-49.
SPB: Saint Petersburg, city in Russia, local overprint on stamps of Russia, 1992
SPBS: small parcel and bundle sorter, a private mark applied to mail being routed internally for various in-house office departments.
Spec: specimen.
Special Courier Mail: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Special Delivery: 1: established Oct. 1, 1885 with first stamp issued Oct. 1, 1885. 2: Eilzustellung (Ger.); Par Exprés (Fr.); Per Espresso (It.); Urgente (Sp.) 3: preferential handling of mail in dispatch, transportation, and expedited delivery at destination; which may include Sunday and holiday delivery.
Special Delivery: overprint, 1901; see Bahamas.
Special Delivery stamps: stamps issued for the immediate delivery of mail at the receiving post office, not valid for payment of regular postage.
Special event cancel: a postmark used in connection with a special event of a temporary nature.
Special Event Souvenir Sheet: see SES
Special Expres: "Special Delivery" Canada.
Special Fee stamp: payment of a fee in addition to the postage for a special purpose; such as late fee, special delivery, etc.
Special Handling stamps: a special fee stamp used in addition to parcel postage so that package would be handled as first class mail; U. S. issued April 1, 1925.
Special issue stamp: stamp printed for a particular mailing requirement as Christmas or the Love stamp.
Specialist: a stamp collector who has made a study of a limited field of collecting such as a topic or a country.
Spécialiste: (Fr.) a stamp collector who has made a study of a limited field of collecting such as a topic or a country.
Spécialités Pharmaceutiques: (Fr.) pharmaceuticals; French Colonies revenue inscription.
Specialized U. S. catalogue: the Scott Catalogue devoted solely to U. S. stamps
Special mail agents: accompanied mail on board steamers and in railroad cars.
Special Mess. (Lacey's): United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Special Mission Courier: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Special printing: current design stamps printed on a better grade of paper and in brilliant colors; used during the Centennial in Philadelphia in1876 and in 1935; see Farley's Follies.
Special Reply Service: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Special request envelope: term used for envelopes with imprint of sender in upper left-hand corner, requesting return if undeliverable.
Specialstämpel: (Swed.) special cancel.
Specialstämpelsamlinjgar: (Swed.) special collections.
Special Stamp in Memory of First day of Invasion: ungummed printed by Germany WW II.
Special stamps: regular stamps that are not within the traditional commemorative or definitive issues; consist of holiday and love stamps.
Specialty cover: cover that is more creative than the mass produced covers; may be multi autographed or canceled.
Specie Daler: currency unit in Norway.
Specimen: 1: an individual collectable stamp. 2: muster (Ger.); spécimen (Fr.); saggio (It.); muestra (Sp.).
Specimen: 1: overprint on stamps that are distributed to members of the Universal Postal Union for identification purposes; started in 1879; the USA discontinued this practice in 1904. 3: an overprint used on special prints of the U. S. department stamps sold to the public at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
Specimen envelopes: sample envelopes provided by the Post Office to prospective manufacturers as samples.
Specimen stamps: collectors consider these as the overprinted stamps of 1851-95.
Speculation: buying philatelic material in the hope that demand will make it more valuable and provide a profit when sold.
Speculative: stamps that are issued for sale to collectors, not for a legitimate postal use.
Speculisland: Swiss origin fantasy.
Spedire: (It.) forward.
Speed Mail: a USPOD “fax” service for inter-agency mail that lasted for six weeks in 1960.
Speedy: nickname for US special delivery service.
Speedy Letter Service: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Speiderguttpost: (Nor.) boy scout mail.
Spellatura: (It.) thin spot.
Spellman Museum of Stamps: Regis College, 235 Wellesley St., Weston, Mass.
Spence & Brown Express Post: U. S. local post and handstamp, Philadelphia, Pa., 1847-48.
Spendenmarke: (Ger.) charity stamp.
Sperati reproduction: Jean de Sperati, well-known forger, who was so proud of his work that he stamped the back of some stamps, along with a manuscript number.
Spesné známky: (Czech.) special delivery stamps.
Spezialalbum: (Ger.) specialized album.
Spezialsammler: (Ger.) specialist collector.
SPIDAM FRAMCAOS: French Sudan.
Spidsbergen: see Spitzbergen.
Spifs: 1: Stamps perforated (with the) Initials (of) Firms, Societies, etc. 2: British term for perfins, perforated initials; private or official perforated initials or designs punched into stamps to prevent misuse of stamps.
Spinning Top Post Sv.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Spit line: too much saliva applied to a mount when affixing it to the album page, residue adheres to the gum of the stamp, creating a "mild gum disturbance."
Spitsbergen: (also Spitzbergen, Spidsbergen) archipeligo in the Arctic Ocean ca. 360 miles N of Norway coast; part of the Svalbard Island group. Granted by a 1920 treaty to Norway, and officially taken as a possession in 1925 (Spitzbergen is the Dutch name for the territory, and to Norwegians, the territory is known as Svalbard). Local post established by a shipping company-owned hotel in the mining settlement at Advent Bay to prepay postage on mails carried by company boats to Hammerfest, on Norway's mainland; set-of-2 "Spidsbergen" surface printed on white wove paper local stamps depicting a polar bear attacking a hunter issued in May 1896. Additional polar-theme pictorials issued through 1911.
Spitzertype: relief printing process invented by Edmund Spitzer in 1901; whereby a copper plate, coated with glue, is exposed to light and then etched with iron perchloride to control the degree of etching; after cleaning, this becomes the printing base.
Splice: a taped joint connecting two pieces of a roll of printed stamp paper; used to repair broken webs or extend the length of a roll.
Split: old term for a stamp divided into two or more sections and postally used at a fraction of its face value.
Split-Backs: postcard where card is halved; one side for messages, other side for the address.
Split grill: a stamp showing parts of two or more grills caused by a sheet being misfed while in the process of the grill being applied.
Split stamp: fragments of stamps used to prepay postage in relation to the fragment; if split in two, called a bisect stamp.
S.P.M.: St. Pierre & Miquelon; overprint on stamps of French Colonies, 1885-91.
Spojené Státy: (Czech.) United States.
Spojené Státy Americké: (Czech.) the United States of America.
Spojené Státy Brazílie: (Czech.) the United States of Brazil.
Spojené Státy Kolombie: (Czech.) the United States of Colombia.
Spojené Typy: (Czech.) different stamp types joined as pairs or other multiples.
Spojka Svislá: (Czech.) vertical se-tenant gutter.
Spojka Vodorovná: (Czech.) horizontal se-tenant gutter.
Sponsor: individual or organization that commissioned a cachetmaker to prepare a special design for a particular issue.
Spoon: British duplex cancellation, in which the date portion is oval, Dec. 1843.
Spoorwegen Chemins de Fer: (Flemish / Fr.) "trackway or "railroad;" overprint/inscription on stamps of Belgium, parcel post.
Sports: common design on stamps of Portugal and Colonies, 1962.
Sporvei: (Nor.) street car route, tram route.
Sporvognpost: (Nor.) street car mail, tram post.
Spot: toning or rust spot.
Spotter: personnel employed by the auction firm to point out any active bidder who may have been overlooked by the auctioneer.
Spray-on postmark: ink-jet line cancel applied by USPS.
Spremberg: city in Germany, local post, "Express-Packet" 1897-1905.
Spratly Islands: South China Sea, between Viet Nam and the Philippines; various islands occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Spray watermark: nickname for a British watermark depicts a rose bloom the "Spray or Rose" on a two-leaved stem; 1867-73.
Springfalz: (Ger.) peelable hinge.
Springer Handbooks: U.S. based catalogs of non-Scott listed U.S. revenue issues.
Springside Post Office: S. Allan Taylor label, 1865.
Sprukket plate: (Nor.) cracked plate.
Spud Papers: series of articles on forgeries that appeared in the periodical The Philatelist, starting in 1871.
Spur die: variety of the 1-cent 1887 series of stamped envelopes with a spur projecting downward from the bottom of the bust.
Spurious stamps: stamps that have been produced or altered to cheat collectors or postal administrations.
Sprung: (Ger.) primary crack or flaw in the German Rosette design stamp.
Sputnik: (Rus.) satellite.
S Q: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Slovakia, such as SQ-812 11, Bratislava.
SQAY: Great Britain local carriage label.
S.Q. Trsta Vuja: Yugoslavia Zone B, Trieste.
S.Q. Trsta Zracna P: Yugoslavia, Trieste Zone B, air mail issue.
Squared circle: cancellation that is circle, containing city and date, within a square; used mainly in Canada, Great Britain and Italy; acted as a duplex canceler.
Square pair: refers to two triangular stamps that are joined on the long side of the triangle to form a square.
Squire & Co. City Letter Dispatch: U. S. local post, St. Louis, Mo., 1859-60.
Squire's City Express Post: S. Allan Taylor label.
Srbsko: (Czech.) Serbia,
Srbsky: (Czech.) Serbian.
Srbsko a Cerna Hora: (Czech.) Serbia and Montenegro.
SR CDS: Single-Ring Circular Date Stamp
Sremsko Barbanjska District: Serbian district, Croatia local post, 1995.
Sri Lanka: Indian Ocean off the southern tip of India, formerly Ceylon; currency: 100 cents = 1 rupee 1857: first stamp, the Pence issue, 1872: decimal currency, based on the rupee started, 1948: as Ceylon became a member of the British Commonwealth, 1972, May 22: No.1, 15 cents blue and multi, first stamp as Sri Lanka, 1949, July 13: joined the U.P.U., 1998: first postal-fiscal stamps; see Ceylon.
Sri Lanka: Kandy, Madirigiriya, Sigirya, inscriptions, unissued Great Britain cinderellas by David Horry, 2001.
S.R.M.: "Skilling Reichs Munze" currency unit in the German States
Srpen: (Czech.) August (month).
Srodkwa Lit(v)wa Poczta: (Pol.) overprint / inscription on stamps for Central Lithuania Mail, 1920; see Central Lithuania.
Srpska: Bosnian Serb Administration issue
SS: 1: Steam Ship (carried mail) 2: auction abbreviation for topical stamps on stamps. 3: (Sp.) San Sebastian (Spain) pre-adhesive postmark. 4: abbreviation for Souvenir sheet.
SSM: Scott Stamp Monthly (USA).
S.S.P.: Suisse Service Postal (Fr., Swiss.) Switzerland postal service.
SSR: Soviet Socialist Republic.
SSS: overprint for "on Sirmoor State Service."
SSS Emergency Mail Serv.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
SSSR: forgery by Germany on British stamp of the 1 ½ d 1937 Coronation issue.
SSSS: see Society for Suppression of Speculative Stamps.
Sst., Sonderstempel: (Ger.) special cancel.
SSVTA: Sel-Service Value Ticket Automans; vending machines, Switzerland.
SSW: overprint on U.S. revenue stamps for Samuel S. White.
ST: 1: ST, (without country name) currency unit in Thailand (Siam). 2: Superintendent of Telegraph, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74. 3: abbreviation for street, Saint. 4: Sorting Tender, on railway postmarks
Staats Marke: (Ger.) German States-Wurttemberg; official use.
Staatsvertrag 1955: overprint on stamp of Austria commemorating the signing of the 1955 State treaty ending the Allied military occupation.
S.T.A.B.: in oval frame, cancel for mail on Finnish steamships, 1880s.
Stabbing: the process where a lithographer affixes transfers in position by pushing a needle point through the superimposed transfer and base sheet.
Stabler's Local Post: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Stade-Brief-Beforderung: (Ger.) city of Colmar, local post, Germany, 1896-98.
Stadt Berlin: (Ger.) city of Berlin; Soviet occupation, 1948-49
Stadtbriefbeforderung Courier: (Ger.) city of Dusseldorf, local post, Germany, 1894-96.
Städteausgabe: (Ger.) local issue.
Stående: (Nor.) upright (position).
Stadt-Güter-Verkehr Berlin: (Ger.) city of Berlin, local post, Germany 1944-45.
Stadt Pest, S.S.: steamship marking the Danube Steam Navigation Company for Middle Danube Lines, build around 1860s. Stadtpost: (Ger.) local post stamps.
Stadt Post Amt: (Ger.) "City Post Bremen" German States.
Stadt Post Basle: (Ger.) "City Post Basel" Canton of Basel, Switzerland, 1845.
Stadt Post Berlin: (Ger.) "City Post Berlin," issued after Allied occupation, 1945
Stadtpost Study Group: Germany Philatelic Society focuses on private mail systems in late 1800s.
Stadt Pest, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1860s, for middle Danube lines.
Stadt Storkow: (Ger.) city in Germany; WWII local issue.
Stadt Strausberg: (Ger.) city in Germany, WWII local issue.
Staemple: newspaper stamps, Austria.
Staffa: Great Britain local carriage label, 1969.
Staftpostmarke: (Ger.) city post stamp.
Staggered perforation: our of alignment comb perforation due to movement of the paper between descents of the pins.
Staging cachet: handstamp cachet applied to all mail on certain flights; such as "Deutsche Luftpost Europa-Sudamerika" cachet on on all Zeppelin flights from Europe to South America.
Staining: a discoloration in the paper of a stamp.
Stait's Despatch Post: U.S. local post handstamp, Philadelphia, Pa., 1850-55.
Stalag: (Ger.) camp.
Stålblå: (Nor.) steel-blue (metallic color).
Stålgrå: (Nor.) steel-grey (metallic color).
Stålgravyrtryck: (Swed.) steel-engraving recess printing.
Stalingrad: now known as Volgograd, Russia.
Stålstempel: (Nor.) steel die (cancellation).
Ståltrykk: (Nor.) see Trykk - Stål.
Stambul, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built in 1839 for Levant lines.
Stamford Mercury: British postmark with a curved name panel instead of the circular date
Stammbaum: (Ger.) provenance, ancestry.
Stamp: 1: in stamp collecting, a term for an adhesive label for postal purposes. 2: a hard substance mounted on a handle for making an impression on postal stamps. 3: an impression made by the hard substance on postal stamps. 4: Tibet official
Stampa: (It.) printing.
Stamp Act: 1: refers to English Stamp Act of 1765-66 to be applied to newspapers, almanacs, advertisements, playing cards, etc.; embossed stamps were die sunk with a heraldic design. 2: British Parliament Act of 1765, repealed in 1766, imposing a duty on various types of paper used in the American colonies; have word "America" in the design; also known as "Tea Tax"
Stamp agency package stamp: seals issued in 1875 to place on packages opened on handling during postal handling.
Stamp album: book designed to hold stamps.
Stampalia: Dodecanese Island of Atypalia, Aegean Sea 1912, pre: used stamps of Turkey, 1912: No.1, 2 centesimi orange brown, 1916: first stamps without overprints, 1920: Turkey ceded group to Italy, 1943, Sept.: became part of Greece, 1943: reoccupied by German forces, 1945: liberated by Allied forces, 1945, June 18: British post offices opened, stamps of Britain overprinted “M.E.F.” (Middle East Forces), when islands transferred to Greece, 1947, Mar. 30: British post offices closed; stamps of Greece overprinted ‘S.D.D.” (Dodecanese Military Occupation), 1947, summer: stamps of Greece used; see Astipalaia.
Stamp, American Foreign Service: U.S. consular fee stamps as payment of fee for services, attached to documents or receipts.
Stampa Rotativa: (Sp.) rotary printing.
Stamp Art: term used by USPS to denote stamp designs being offered as works of art.
Stamp Automat: device for vending U. S. postage stamps, first used Sept. 2, 1938, accepted coins only.
Stamp, baseball card: first issued by St. Vincent in the size of a baseball trading card and printed on cardboard.
Stamp, boating: see Boating stamp.
Stamp, Bypost: see By Post stamp.
Stamp canceling machine: earliest known date in the U.S. was at the Boston, Mass. post office, 1876.
Stampcard: 1: produced by Ottmar Zieher of Munich, Germany in late 1890s, for various countries, with "Made in Germany" on the reverse, copies exist that were made in the USA. 2: North Korea issued Stampcards in 1993, in the size of credit cards.
Stamp, carrier: see Carrier stamp.
Stamp, Cigarette Tube: see Cigarette Tube Stamp.
Stamp, cinderella: see Cinderella stamp.
Stamp, circular: first issued by the Indian district of Scinde in 1852.
Stamp club: a group formed by stamp collectors tfor the mutual enjoyment of the hobby.
Stamp, coil: see Coil stamp.
Stamp collecting: hobby devoted to the collecting and study of philatelic material.
Stamp Collecting Month: sponsored by the UPU and postal administrations throughout the world, celebrated every October since 1981.
Stamp collector: briefmarkensammler (Ger.); collectionneur de timbre-poste (Fr.); filatelico (It.); filatelista (Sp.).
Stamp.com: first firm approved by the USPS to sell postage online.
Stamp, commemorative: see Commemorative stamp.
Stamp, Consular Service Fee: see Consular Service Fee Stamp.
Stamp, cordials: see Cordial stamps.
Stamp currency: during period of shortage of coins, unused postage stampshave bene authorized to be used as coins; usually covered with casing of celluloid or metal; used during American Civil War, British South Africa Co., 1900; Russia, etc.
Stamp dealer: one who buys and sells philatelic material as a business to earn a profit.
Stamp decoder: clear acrylic lens formerly sold by the USPS to encoded imagery on some stamps; such as letters "USAF" on the 1997 Department of the Air Force commemorative.
Stamp, definitive: see Definitive.
Stamp, department: see Departmentals.
Stamp design error: examples are a canoe moving in the water without a sailor, a ship's flag waving in one direction while the ship is moving in another direction, a man with six fingers or the incorrect picture of a celebrity.
Stamp, diamond: first issued by Nova Scotia in 1851, first U.S. in 1978.
Stamp Distribution Office: a regional USPS site that distributes postal items to various postal facilities.
Stamp, documentary: see Documentary stamps.
Stamp, Duck: see Duck stamps.
Stamp duty: 1: inscription on stamps of the British Empire when used for revenue purposes only, many used as postage stamps when required due to a shortage of stamps. 2: stempelsteur (Ger.); droit d'timbre (Fr.); tassa di bollo (It.); impuesto del timbre (Sp.)
Stamped envelope: an envelope with a preprinted and/or embossed postage imprint, aka postal stationery.
Stamp edging: paper surrounding a sheet of stamps; known as te sheet margin.
Stamped paper: general term for envelopes, cards which are impressed by a postal design for revenue purposes.
Stamped Stationery: see Letter Sheets.
Stämpel: (Swed.) cancellation, postmark.
Stämpelmärken samlingar: (Swed.) revenues collections.
Stämpelsamlingar: (Swed.) cancellation collections.
Stamp, embroidered: Switzerland issued an embroidered stamp in 2001.
Stampex '86: 1986 Aitutaki overprint for stamp exhibition.
Stamp folio: USPS product issued in early 1990s with block of four 29¢ stamps.
Stamp for Specialty, United States Internal Revenue: taxpaid revenue stamp taxed on an activity rather than a product being sold.
Stamp, free-form: first issued by Sierra Leone in 1964 in shape of map of Sierra Leone.
Stamp Fulfillment Center: mail order center of USPS, located in Kansas City, MO.
Stamp, hologram: Austria issued the world's first hologram stamp in 1988.
Stamp identification: knowing the name of the country and other information regarding the stamp.
Stampigliare: (It.) overprint.
Stampila prima zi: (Rom.) first day cancellation.
Stampit: software system used in Germany in 2001 to produce postage stamps printed by computer and sold online.
Stamp, largest: the honor goes to China for its 1913-14 issue measuring 248mm by 77mm.
Stample: (Ger.) "Stamp" newspaper stamps, Austria.
Stampless cover: 1: mail sent by post prior to the start of the prepaid postage stamp. 2: Altbrief (Ger.); Lettre Prephilatélique (Fr.); Busta Prefilatelica (It.); Sobre Prefilatélico (Sp.)
Stamp Lift: device used to remove stamps from paper without soaking. Stamps are placed on a shelf above the water, then covered with humidity slowly loosening the paper.
Stamp Lover: British philatelic journal.
Stamp money: unused postage stamps used as currency during shortages.
Stamp News: inscription on stamp labels produced by A.C. Roessler as a copy of the 1929 2¢ Sullivan Expedition stamp.
Stamp, octagon: first issued by Great Britain in 1847.
Stamp on aluminum foil: Hungary printed aluminum foil stamps in 1955.
Stamp on cloth: Hungary printed stamps on a linen-finish paper in 1958.
Stamp on gold foil: Tonga started this craze when its issued a circular gold foil stamp in1963.
Stamp on plastic: Bhutan put a three-dimensional image with a plastic overlay in 1967.
Stamp-on-stamp: stamp designs that feature other stamp(s).
Stamp on steel: Bhutan issued a stamp, honoring steel production on steel in 1969.
Stamp on tin: U.S. issued tobacco revenue stamps printed on tin foil in the 1860s.
Stamp on wood: Djibouti printed two souvenir sheets on wood in1985 in honor of John Audubon.
Stamp position: system whereby every stamp on a sheet has a number; the numbering starts with the upper left stamp is #1, continuing the count along the top row, and if the sheet has ten stamps per row, then the last stamp in the top row is #10, and the second row would begin with stamp # 11.
Stamp out Naked Mail: rubber stamp, privately applied, to promote the use of stamps on mail.
Stamp Out Want: seal used as scrip among the unemployed during the U.S. depression.
Stamp position code: European term for angle of stamp placement on mail as a message.
Stamp press: device for drying a wet stamp quickly.
Stamp printed on both sides: a positive impression printed on the back in addition to the front of the stamp paper.
Stamp, recording: Bhutan issued a stamp shaped like a phonograph record in 1973 that actually played the nation's national anthem.
Stamp Reproduction: uncanceled U.S. stamps reproduced in authentic colors must be shown either at less than 75% or more than 150% of actual size.
Stamps by Mail: a service in which the customer uses a self-mailer order form or by telephone and pays by check or credit card for postage stamps that are delivered with the customer's regular mail.
Stamps, Customs Fee: see Customs Fee stamps.
Stamp show: a show sponsored by a stamp club to exhibit stamp collections.
Stamp size: the size of the stamp design, measured in mm.
Stamp, smallest: the 13¢ Indian Head penny definitive of 1978 measures 17mm by 20 mm, larger than the Bolivar, Colombia which issued a stamp in 1863-66 measuring 8mm by 9.55mm.
Stamp, smell: Bhutan issue of 1973 smell like roses.
Stamps-on-Stamps: a topical collecting specialty that includes stamps, letters, postal markings on stamps.
Stamp, stereo: Finland issued a pair of stamps, both of which show a flask and the molecular structure of camphor, and produce a 3-dimensional effect when viewed together, also Italy's 3-D stamp of December 1956.
Stamps to go: customer purchases of postage stamps at consignment outlets such as grocery stores, or via ATM machines that dispense stamps.
Stamp stores: a Postal Retail Outlet located as part of a postal facility.
Stamp, trapezoid: first issued by Malaysia in 1967.
Stamp, triangle: first issued in 1853 by the Cape of good Hope; first U.S. was issued in 1997 for the Pacific 97 exhibition.
Stamp Twins: Two stamps with similar designs that were issued due to a coincidence and not an agreement between postal authorities to honor the same subject.
Stamp vending machine: a vending machine that has several modules that dispense varying quantities of stamps from a coil in each module.
Stamp Venturers: private contractor for printing postage stamps in combination with other firms.
St. Albans Postal Serv.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
St. Andrew's Cross Labels: blank spaces on sheets of stamps to bring the sheet values to even amounts; in Austria these spaces were filled with diagonal lines known as St. Andrew's crosses; in stamp booklets, these blank spaces are used for advertising.
St. Andrew's Cross postmark: British penny black cancel, Edinburgh, with two lines or rows of crosses with the office number (131) in between.
Standardganzsachen: (Ger.) commonly used postal stationery. Standard Mail: USPS term for merger of third-class and fourth-class mail as one term under Classification Reform act of July 1, 1996; formerly advertising mail.
Standard Mail A: USPS term for advertising mail.
Standard Mail B: USPS term for parcel post.
Standard Match Company: see Private die match proprietary stamps.
Standing Helvetia: refers to the 1882-1907 Switzerland issue, which depicts the standing figure of Helvetia, instead of the seated figure used on previous issues.
Standort: (Ger.) location at a stamp show.
St. Andrew's Cross: crosses printed on the four blank spaces left in the panes of the early stamps of Austria and British stamp booklets to prevent forgeries from using gummed stamp paper.
Stanislav Issue: the 1919 Austrian stamps, overprinted and surcharged, of the Western Ukraine.
Stanley Gibbons: British based stamp catalogs of the world, and also the name of a prominent dealer and auction house.
Stanleyville: now known as Kisangani, Zaire.
Staplehurst Deliv. Sv.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Star: 1: badge of Islam, on many stamps of Moslem countries. 2: star, numeral, overprint on stamps of Ethiopia for semi-postal. 3: British 1854-57 perforated, line-engraved issues with check letters in bottom corners and stars in upper corners.
Star and Crescent: 1: with colorless crescent on stamps of Turkey semi-postal. 2: Star and Crescent: overprint on stamps of Algeria semi-postal. 3: six-pointed Hebrew star was mistakenly used in an overprint by Turkey and rapidly corrected. 4: stamps of India 1937-43 were overprinted for use in Bahawalpur. 5: issue of Pakistan 1948, showing moon facing right (known as a decrescent) instead of left; corrected in 1949 issues.
Staraya Russa: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1881
Star cancel: incorporates a star or other similar geometric feature.
Star Die: U.S. postal stationery series of 1860 where stars appear on each side of the oval design.
Star Flag cancels: produced by the American Hand Power Cancelling Machine, early 1890s.
Stark schwankende farbtonungen auf glatten oder rauhem papier: (Ger.) smooth or rough paper with heavy fluctuation in shading.
Star Match: see Private die match proprietary stamps.
Starobyelsk: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1876-95
Star, open: some of the Washington-Franklin plate blocks has an open star after the imprint and before the plate number in the margin. The star means that stamps printed from plates with 3 mm of spacing, instead of 2 mm, between the six outer vertical rows on each side of the plate.
Star plates: U.S. plates with a star in the imprint or near the plate number to indicate an experimental spacing of the subjects, tested in 1908 and 1925.
Star Route: (obsolete) routes carrying mail between post offices while Rural Free Delivery was being established, designated with three stars on routes, other than railroad or steamboat; the stars officially represent "celerity, certainty, security."
Starr's Emergency P.S.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Star solid: plate 4980 and 4988 of the Washington-Franklin series have a solid star to indicate the 3 mm wider spacing. The 2¢ Lincoln issue of 1909 also has a solid star.
Starting bid: minimum bid.
Star watermark: paper used in 1879 with a five pointed star added to thewatermark to distinguish it from pervious watermark.
State Bedding Stamps: labels with name of state and department with the state government that is involved in the regulation of bedding products.
State, Dept. of: U. S.: officials, high values were used for foreign usage.
Stated-to-catalog: a large lot of stamps, put up for auction, where the auctioneer accepts the vendor's estimate of the catalog value, without checking it.
State Envelopes: inscription of front of envelopes, 1863, with name of state and its counties of front, Post Office chart and location map on back.
State Hunting Permit Stamps: issued by individual U.S. states, usually sold for less than face value after period of validity.
Staten Island: island off the coast of Tierra del Fuego, had a post office 1890 - 1902.
Staten Island Express Post: U. S. local post, Staten Island, N.Y., 1849.
State of North Borneo: North Borneo, British rule.
State of Oman: unauthorized labels; see Sultanate of Oman.
State of Rainbow Creek: label for Australian successionist state.
State of Singapore: Singapore.
Stamp Planet: publication that existed from May 1923 to Dec. 1924; merged with Stamp Topics.
Statens Järnvägar: (abbr. SJ) (Swed.) Swedish National Railways
State Post: Vermont created a post office for the State in Feb.1784 and established five post offices.
State revenue stamps: issued by the states rather than federal authority; most common are mattress stamps.
States of Jersey: inscription for a revenue issue from the Channel island of Jersey; overprinted "Specimen" to preclude their use.
States of the Church: see Roman States.
Statesville, N. C. Paid 5: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Stationarius: postmaster, Roman imperial postal system, about 250 BC.
Station cancel: cancellation applied at a temporary postal station established for a convention, exhibition or other special event.
Stati Parm(ensi): (It.) "States of Parma" first issue of the Italian state of Parma, see Parma.
Stati Uniti: (It.) United States.
Stato di conservazione: (It.) see Condition.
Stato di Conservazione Vario: (It.) a sound copy, not good, if used, not too heavily postmarked.
Stato Pontificao: (It.) Papal States.
Stats ministeriet: (Dan.) "State Minitsry," identifies government mail.
Statue of Liberty: whereby the floor bidder participant never lowers the bidding paddle during the entire calling of the bidding increments.
Stavropol: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1894-1912.
St. Bilena: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
S.T.C.: Stated-to-catalog, total or other, based on catalog prices.
St. Christopher: island in the West Indies; currency:12 pence = 1 shilling 1789: first postmark introduced, 1858-60: used British stamps, 1870, April 1: No.1, 1 penny dull rose, first stamp issued, 1890, Oct. 31: St. Christopher stamps superseded by those of the Leeward Islands, 1903: used the stamps of St. Kitts-Nevis.
St. Christopher-Nevis, Anguilla: islands of the British West Indies; 1952, June14: first stamp, 1956-pre: used stamps of Leeward Island concurrently with own, 1967, Feb.: Anguilla declared independence, but name appeared on stamps until 1980, however not accepted as valid in Anguilla after 1969, 1980, June: stamps issued for St. Kitts and Nevis separately; first official stamp, 1988, Jan. 11: joined the U.P.U.; see St. Christopher, St. Kitts-Nevis.
St. Ciaia: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Ste: USPS abbreviation in address for street.
Steam: marking on mail carried by a steam boat applied at the receiving post office, when the cover entered the U.S. Post Office Department mail system.
Steamboat: 1: handstamp used on letters entering New York and Providence in 1823, Philadelphia in1824. 2: applied at post offices to letters turned in at ports of call of boast that had no mail carrying contract.
Steamboat mail: first steamboat to carry mail across the Atlantic Ocean was the SS Royal William in 1833; authorized by an Act of Congress, Feb. 27, 1813, for contracts for carrying mail on steamboats.
Steamboat marking: used on inland or coastal steamship that had no contract to carry U.S. mails.
Steamer rate: indicates a fee for the carriage of mails by sea.
Steamers Letter Box: used in port of Shanghai for paquebot.
Steam-Ship: marking on blockade run letters from Europe to the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
Steamway: marking applied at post offices ro letters handed to contract carriers along the way on a route, whether by land or water; 19th and early 20th-century.
Stecher: (Ger.) engraver.
Stedsstempel: (Nor.) circular datestamp (cds) cancellation.
St. Edward's Crown: 1955: watermark design used on British stamps, replaced the Tudor Crown, 1956: same watermark with initials "CA," Crown Agents.
Steel blue: color changeling on the 24¢ stamp in the 1861 series.
Steel engraving: engraving stamp designs on steel dies that are then hardened to produce printing plates.
Steep Holm: island off Somerset; Great Britain local carriage label.
Stein: Donald Evans issue; Holland; see Evans, Donald.
Steindruck: (Ger.) printed on face of paper, lithography.
Steinmeyer's City Post: 1859, Charleston, S.C.; see Carriers" Stamps.
Steintrykk: (Nor.) see Trykk - Stein.
Stella clavisque maris indici: "The star and key of the Indian Ocean"; on stamps of Mauritius.
Stellaland: protectorate in the Transvaal, South Africa currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling 1883: formed by land grants to volunteers during war in 1879-79 1884, Feb.1: No.1, 1 penny red, first stamps issued as local post, inscribed “Republiek Stellaland,” 1885, Sept. 30: annexed by British and became part of British Bechuanaland, 1885, Dec. 2: stamps of Cape of Good Hope overprinted “British Bechuanaland” used.
Ste. Marie de Madagascar: island off east coast of Madagascar; currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1894: No.1, 1 centime black on lilac blue, French Colonial Navigation and Commerce key type stamps issued, 1896: became part of Madagascar.
Stemma: (It.) coat of arms.
Stempel: 1: (Ger.) stamp. 2: (Dan., Ger.) cancel, postmark. 3: (with "cents"); Austria, Lombardy-Venetia, 1850. 4: (with "kreuzers"); Austria, 1850. 5: "Stamp" newspaper stamp; Austria, 1851-63.
Stempelmarke: (Ger.) fiscal stamp.
Stempelsteuer: (Ger.) stamp duty.
Stempel (Zeitungs): (Ger.) newspaper stamps, Austria.
Stemplet: (Dan.) used, cancelled.
Stenkjaer: > (also Steinkjer, Stenkjer) town and seat of Nord-Trøndelag county, N Central Norway, N of Levanger and at the head of the Trondheim Fjord ca. 275 mile N of Oslo. Local post established by W. B. Bough (see Hammerfest), with set-of-4 "Stenkjær / By Post" lithographed local stamps depicting a bear in the wild issued 20 July 1888. The local post ceased operations at the end of 1888.
Stentryck: (Swed.) lithography.
Stereogram: first used by Canada Post for a hologram containing a 60-frame "moving" image.
Stereoscopic stamps: design of Italian stamps consisted of globes in red and green, that when seen through special glasses, have a three-dimensional effect; Dec. 29, 1956.
Stereotype: design copying using metal cast in a mold or plaster of paris to produce printing bases for relief printing.
Sterk Fiolett: (Nor.) stong violet, deep violet (color).
Sterk Uktramarin: (Nor.) stong ultramarine, deep ultramarine (color).
Sterling Sommer: subcontractor to Ashton-Potter for printing U.S. stamps.
Stern Parcel Service: local, Canada postal strike, 1968.
Stettin: city in Germany, local post, 1: Privatstadbrief-Beförderung, 1887-88 2: Stadtbrief-Beförderung, 1887-88. 3: now known as Szczecin, Poland.
Steuer Kasse Erste: (Ger.) cancel for tax cash (office) first.
Steuermarke: (Ger.) tax or fiscal stamp.
Steven’s: catalog of Mexican revenues.
Stevens, H. R.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Stevens Security Press: subcontractor to Ashton-Potter for printing U.S. stamps.
St. Evis-Nevik: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Stewart's: see Mrs. Stewart's.
STG: Thailand 1932-43
St.G.: St. Georges, Bermuda.
St. Gothard: Switzerland hotel post, 1882-87.
St. Helena: island in the South Atlantic Ocean; home of Napoleon’s exile; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 pence = 1 pound sterling (1971) 1815-post: mail connections were via Cape Town, 1856, Jan.: No.1, 6 pence blue, British colony issued first stamp, 1912-pre: stamps used are usually found with fancy cork cancellations, 1916: first war tax stamp, 1961, Oct. 12: first semipostal, withdrawn from sale Oct. 19, 1961 1986, June 9: first postage due stamp; see Ascension.
St. Helena: sinking ship design, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
S. Thome e Principe: inscription for St. Thomas and Price Islands to 1914; S. Tome after 1914.
S. Tiago: (Sp.) Santiago (Chile) pre-adhesive postamark.
Stich: (Ger.) engraving.
Stichtiefdruk: (Ger.) recess printed pates have raised image; see Recess printed.
Stichzähnung: (Ger.) pin perforation.
Sticker: usually die-cut adhesives, decorative in nature; may be considered a cinderella.
Stickney Press: BEP intaglio, webfed, rotary press developed by Benjamin Stickney, 1914.
Stick 'N Tic: experimental Canadian label to speed up automatic sorting during the 1983 Christmas season.
Stiffener: piece of card placed inside an envelope to prevent it from being creased or damaged by mail handling equipment.
Stiftung Deutsche Jugendmarke: (Ger.) "German Youth Foundation," semi-postal.
Stiftung zur Forderung der Philatelie und Postgeschcichte: (Ger.) Foundation for the Promotion of Philately and Postal History, recipient of semi-postal sales funds in Germany.
Still, John H.: carrier in San Francisco, about 1851, had circle handstamp "Mailed at Still's N. Y. Bookstore, San Francisco.
Stillehavet: (Dan.) Pacific Ocean.
Stimpilmerki: (Ice.) documentary revenue stamps
Stitch watermark: straight or zig-zag lines watermark caused by the stitching together of the ends of cloth aprons on which the pulp is assembled in the paper making process, appears as a row of short parallel lines.
Stkbk: abbreviation for stockbook.
St. Kilda: 1: Great Britain local carriage label, Outer Herbrides, 1968. 2: island, 100 miles off the coast of Scotland, with labels bearing its name.
St. Kilda "toy mail boat": mail was sealed in a tin can that was placed in a hollow block of wood carved as a toy boat; then covered by a block of wood inscribed "St. Kilda-Please open." The boat would float out with the tide. Hopefully, they were picked up by passing vessels. Island evacuated in 1930. In 1957, the British Army established a base on the island, and mail is taken by Army helicopter.
St. Kitts: oldest British colony in West Indies, currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar 1858-60: used stamps of Great Britain, 1870, April 1: issued its first stamp as St. Christopher, 1890, Oct.: used stamps of the Leeward Islands, 1903: No.1, ½ penny green and violet, stamps for the combined colony of St. Kitts and Nevis were used, along with general issues of Leeward Islands, 1916: first war tax stamp issued, 1952: stamps with names of the St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla used, 1956: St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla became separate colony, 1967, Feb. became an Associated State of the British Commonwealth, Anguilla went on its own, 1980, June 23: No.1, 5 cents multi, St. Kitts and Nevis had separate stamps, first official stamps; see St. Christopher, St. Kitts-Nevis.
St. Kitts-Nevis: aka St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, British West Indies; currency:12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1951) 1858-60: first stamps were British, 1861-90: Nevis first stamp, 1870-90: St. Christopher first stamp, 1882: St. Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla became a presidency of Leeward islands, 1890: Leeward Islands stamps replaced those of St Kitts and Nevis, 1903: No.1, ½ pence green & violet, first combined issue for St. Kitts-Nevis appeared, Leeward Islands issues also valid until 1956, 1916: first war tax stamp, 1938: Anguilla overprint on a map stamp of St. Kitts-Nevis, 1952, June 14: St. Kitts-Nevis stamps replaced by St. Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla, 1956: Leeward Islands stamps no longer used, St. Kitts-Nevis became its own colony, 1967: Britain granted internal self-government, 1980: first official stamp; see Anguilla, St. Christopher, St. Kitts-Nevis.
St. Leelena: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
St. Louis Bears: nickname for the postmaster provisional stamps issued in Nov.1846 by the postmaster of St. Louis, Mo. The design features the Missouri coat of arms which includes two bears.
St. Louis City Delivery Company: U. S. local post, St. Louis, Mo., 1883.
St. Lucia: British West Indies island, one of the Windward Group; official name of postal administration: Saint Lucia Postal Services currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1949) 1803: occupied by Great Britain, 1844-60: British stamps used at Castries with “A 11" cancel for overseas mail, 1860, Dec. 18: No.1, 1 penny rose red, first issue, 1880s: individual villages used internal post with index letters in the postmarks, 1881: joined the U.P.U., 1916: first war tax stamp, 1931: first postage due stamp, 1956-62: became member of the British Caribbean Federation, 1967, Mar.1: achieved Associated Statehood, first air mail stamp, 1979, Feb. 22: became independent within the Commonwealth, 1980, July 10: rejoined the U.P.U., 1983: Oct. 13: first official stamp.
St. Lucia: Horrabin, Pip Squeak & Wilford, Pop; inscriptions, unissued Great Britain cinderellas by David Horry, 2001.
St. Lucia Steam Conveyance Cy. Limited: used within the island,1882; in 1869 used for the prepayment of letters between Castries and towns along the coast of St. Lucia.
St. Luclu: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
St. Marron: Swiss origin label.
St. Moritz: 1: Switzerland hotel post, 1892, Hotel Neues Stahlbad. 2: Switzerland hotel post, 1892-1904, Engadinerhof Hotel. 3: Switzerland hotel post, 1897, Privat Hotel Tognoni.
STMP: auction abbreviation for stamp.
St. Nalena: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
Stochastic screening printing method: printing based on dots in an apparently random position
Stock book: a book with pockets designed to hold stamps; also available in card size and individual sheets.
Stock Exchange Forgery: The British 1/- 1867 stamp were sold at the London Stock Exchange to pay the postage on telegraph forms. In 1898, an alert dealer saw that they were blurry in appearance and some of the corner letters were in combinations that should not have existed. An investigation found that were forgeries and the culprits were never found
Stockholm: Seaport city, capital of Sweden, and seat of Stockholm province; largest city in Sweden; the largest city in Sweden, and its cultural, commercial, and financial center. Two local posts operated through the 1920s, to include Aktiebolager Stadsposten and Stockholms Privata Lokalpost (q.v. individual Stockholm Local Post entries).
Stockholm - Aktiebolaget Stadsposten: Local post established under the direction of Anders Jeurling, beginning operations on 5 December 1887. The local post was purchased by the Swedish Post Office Dept. effective 10 September 1889, and ceased operations on 1 October 1889. First set-of-6 "Stockholms Statdspost" lithographed local stamps depicting a king caricature and values as "öre" issued 5 December 1887, with similar set with values as "øre" issued later, also in 1887, and a final similar-design set-of-2 issued 7 August 1888 (3 öre rose-colored) and 1 January 1889 (4 öre gold & blue).
Stockholm - Stockholms Privata Lokalpost: Local post registered by R. W. Lindhe on 21 November 1925, and beginning operations on 14 December of the same year. The company was reorganized in 1926, but entered liquidation on 4 June 1927. Lindhe organized the Göteborg Privata Local Post (q.v.), having remaining stocks of their triangular stamps, which were overprinted for the new enterprise, and which were issued 14 December 1925. Other different-design stamps were issued through the end of 1926.
Stockport & Manchester: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Stock transfer stamps: tax of stock transfers and certificates; used by federal and state authorities; 1918-52.
Stoke-On-Trent Private: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
S. Tome e Principe: (Port.) St. Thomas & Prince Islands
Stone's City Post: U.S. local post handstamp, New York, N.Y., 1858-59.
Stoos: Switzerland hotel post, 1871-95, Hotel Pension Stoos.
Stop: known to printers as a period; British term for a period.
Stora Comoro: (Swed.) the Comoro Islands.
Storbritannien: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Great Britain, see Britisk (Dan., Nor.), Britiskk (Swed.).
Storfurstendömet: (Swed.) Grand Duchy.
Storia Postale: (It.) postal history
Storkow: city in Germany, local post, 1946.
Storlek: (Swed.) size.
Stormramp Nederland: (Dut.) "Flood Relief in Netherlands," overprint on stamps of Surinam.
Størrelse: (Dan.) size.
Största: (Swed.) largest.
Största enhet: (Swed.) largest unit.
Stothhkh, Stotinki: currency unit in Bulgaria
Stotinki: currency unit in Bulgaria.
ST.P.A.: Stadt Post Amt (Ger.) town post office.
St. Petersburg: known as Leningrad, USSR.
St. Pierre and Miquelon: two group of islands south of Newfoundland; currency:100 centimes = 1 French franc, 100 cents = 1 euro (2002) 1859: first stamps were French colonial handstamped with a surcharge “25/SPM” and overprint, 1885, Jan. 5: No.1, 5 centimes on 40¢ vermilion, first stamp; overprint “St. Pierre M-on” on French Colonies postage due issues, 1892: first postage due stamp,1901: first parcel post stamp, 1915: first semipostal stamp, 1942, Aug.17: first air mail stamp, 1942: stamps overprinted “France Libre / F.N.F.L,” Forces Navales Francaises Libres Free French Naval Forces, 1949: became French Overseas Territory, 1976, July: made a Department of France.
St. Pierre et Miquelon: overprint on stamps of the French Colonies for St. Pierre & Miquelon.
St. Pierre M-ON: overprint on stamps of French Colonies; St. Pierre & Miquelon; 1891-92.
Stpl., Stempel: (Ger.) cancellation.
Str: abbreviation for strip
Strå: (Nor.) straw (color).
Strada: (Czech.) Wednesday.
Strafporto: (Den.) "Penalty postage" Denmark postage due.
Strågul: (Nor.) straw-yellow (color).
Straight edge (SE): a stamp which naturally lacks perforations.
Straight line cancel: refers to a marking in which the basic postmark information, such as city and state, appear in a straight line, with no deviations.
Straight Line Perforator: BEP machine that utilized a set of perforating pins and a center cutting wheel, created perforations and cut the sheet in half.
Strain: (Rom.) foreign.
Strainatate: (Rom.) foreign countries.
Straits Settlements: Malay Peninsula, consisted of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore; currency 100 cents = 1 dollar 1826: Malacca, Singapore and Penang incorporated into one government, 1854, Oct. 22-March 31, 1867: stamps of India used, 1867-pre: stamps of British India in use without overprint 1867, Sept.1: No.1, 1 ½¢ on ½ anna blue, overprinted stamps of India with a crown and surcharge, 1876, April 1: stamps of Straights Settlements overprinted for Johore, 1877, April 1: joined the U.P.U., 1906-11: Straits Settlements overprint on stamps of Labuan; 1917: first semipostal stamp, 1924: first postage due stamp, 1936-41: Singapore became separate colony, issues inscribed “Malaya,” 1942, March 16 - 1945: stamps of Straits Settlements overprinted under
Japanese occupation, 1946: colony dissolved, Malacca and Penang became part of the Malayan Union, which then became the Federation of Malaya (1948); Labuan transferred to British North Borneo, Singapore is a self-governing state, Christmas Island administrated by Australia; see Malaya (Federated Malay States).
Straordinario: (It.) Tuscany newspaper tax, full inscription reads "Bollo Straordinario Per Le Poste" and delivered by express messenger, 1854.
Strappato: (It.) torn.
Strappe: (It.) tear.
Strapper: (Brit.) part-time postal employee usually hired during holiday season.
Strausberg: city in Germany, local post; 1: Private-Brief-Verkehr/Privatpost; 1886-1900 2: Privat-Post Hansa; 1892-98 3: Stadt Strausberg; 1945-46
Straw: U.S. Navy mail code name during WW II for Samoa.
Strawberry variety: flaw in U.S. Lake Placid stamp indicates spot of red near skier.
Strawboard: U.S. Navy mail code name during WW II for Wallis Island.
Strawhat: U.S. Navy mail code name during WW II for Upolu, Samoa.
Street car letter boxes: U.S. ordinary letter boxes attached to front or rear of street cars running on regular schedules.
Street car mail service: systems were operating in 13 major U.S. cities between 1893 and the 1920s; Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York, Pittsburgh, Rochester, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington. In 1899, the mail services were transferred from the Railway Mail Service to the postmasters of the concerned cities.
Streif-(franko)band: (Ger.) wrapper.
Streife: (Ger.) strip (of stamps).
Streik: (Ger.) strike.
Stretta: (It.) cut close.
Stribe: (Dan.) strip (of stamps).
Stríbrná: (Czech.) silver (metallic color).
Stríbrnosedá: (Czech.) silver-grey (color).
Strike: a machine or handstamp cancel on a stamp or cover.
Strike Back E.L.S.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Strike post: stamps and handstamps used by private carriers when the official post office is on strike.
Strike Post '71: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Strike Post (Atsral): United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Strike Post (Inge): United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Stringer & Morton's City Despatch: 1: U.S. local post, Baltimore, Md., 1850. 2: S. Allan Taylor labels.
Strip: 1: three or more stamps that have not been separated. 2: bande (Fr.); streifen (Ger.); striscia (It.); tira (Sp.).
Strippers: equipment used to free the perforated sheets from the perforating pins.
Striscia: (It.) strip (of stamps).
Stroke perforator: a perforation device that perforates stamps by an up-and-down stroke motion.
Stroma: Great Britain local carriage label, Orkney islands, 1962.
Stroma to Huna: bogus Great Britain local post, 1960s
Strubel: Various types of handmade paper used in early Swiss stamps, not limited to the silk thread type.
Stryj: city in Poland, local provisional overprint, 1919
St. Thomas and Prince Island: two islands in the Gulf of Guinea; aka Sao Tome and Principe; currency: 1,000 reis = 1 milreis, 100 centavos = 1 escudo (1913), 100 centimos = 1 dobra (1977) 1869: No.1, 5 reis black, first issue, Portuguese colonial key types, 1892: first newspaper stamp, 1904: first postage due stamp, 1925: first postal tax due stamp, 1938 : first air mail stamp, 1951, June 11: islands became an overseas province of Portugal, 1975, July 12: became independent as the republic, 1977, Aug. 22; joined the U.P.U.
St. Thomas Foreign Letter Office: private post, 1851-Oct. 1860.
St. Thomas-Porto Rico: bogus set of nine values, issued after mail service ceased in 1869 between the two ports; or, prepared for use but not issued.
S.T. Trstavuja: Slobodni Teritorija Trsta - Vojna Uprava Jugoslavenske Armije (Serbian) Free Territory of Trieste, Military Administration of Yugoslav Army, Zone B.
S.T.T. -V.U.J.A.: Slobodni Teritorija Trsta - Vojna Uprava Jugoslavenske Armije (Serbian) Free Territory of Trieste, Military Administration of Yugoslav National Army, Zone B, 1948-54.
S.T.T. VUJ(N)A: overprint on stamps of Yugoslavia for Trieste military government, Zone B, 1948-54.
S.T.T. -V.U.J.(N.)A.: Slobodni Terorij Trsta - Vojna Uprava Jugoslavenske Armije (Serbian) Free Territory of Trieste, Military Administration of Yugoslav National Army, Zone B, 1948 - 54.
Stuart Vernon Org. Ltd.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Stubbekobing-Nykobing-Nysted Banen: local, Denmark railway parcel post.
Stuck: postal employee with more mail than can be completely distributed prior to scheduled dispatch or letter carrier leaving time, as in "go stuck."
Stück: (Ger.) copy, example, on piece.
Study circle: a group of collectors who meet or correspond regarding their mutual interest in a certain area of philately.
Stuffer: stiff piece of paper or cardboard used inside a cover to provided stiffness for a clear cancellation and provide protection against bending of the cover while in the mail stream; also called filler.
Stummer stempel: (Ger.) cancel without inscription.
Stussbrev: (Nor.) Norwegian term for a letter sent from one country to another, which then received additional stamps from the recipient nation.
Stuttgart: city in Germany, local post, Privat-Stadtpost, 1886-1900
St. Vincent: island in the West Indies; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 EC dollar (1949) 1858-60: British stamps used with “A 10" cancel for overseas mail, 1861, May 8: No.1,1 penny rose, first stamp, 1880s: village postmarks issued,1881: joined the U.P.U., 1898: first stamps in British Commonwealth key type, 1916: first War Tax stamp, 1969: associated statehood, 1979: independence; first semipostal stamp, 1982, Nov.: first official stamp,1992, Oct. 28: stamps inscribed St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
St. Vincent Grenadines: group of islands south of St. Vincent; includes Bequia, Canouan, Mustique and Union; 1973-pre: used stamps of St. Vincent, 1973, Nov. 14: No.1, 25¢ green and multicolored; first stamp inscribed Grenadines of St.Vincent, 1974: stamps of St. Vincent overprinted “Grenadines of” 1980, Aug. 7: first semipostal stamp, 1982, Oct.11: first official stamp, 1981, Feb. 3: joined the U.P.U., 1984: No.1,1 cent multicolor; first stamp of Bequia (1984) and Union Island (Mar. 29, 1984).
Styria: province of Austria; 1945: stamps of Germany overprinted "Österreich.".
S.U.: 1: Sungei Ujong, Malayan state, overprint on stamps of Straits Settlements; 1878-91. 2: Colombia-Scadta consular overprint sold in Sweden.
Suaheliland Protectorate: speculative stamps manufactured by Denhardt Bros. in 1889, listed in Michel catalogue; see Wituland, German East Africa.
Suakin: city in Egypt;1872-79, see Interpostal seals.
Subasta: (Sp.) auction.
Subject: unit of the design or entire design of a stamp.
Submarine mail: 1: postal services operated by submarine in time of war as used in 1916-17 by German Aegean islands subs to and from the U.S. 2: Spanish submarine used to carry mail, with fund raising stamps on the mail, from Barcelona to the island of Menorca, Aug. 12, 1938.
Submarino-Correo: (Sp.) submarine mail.
Subsidio pro Combatientes: (Sp.) Aid for War Veterans; Spanish Morocco revenue inscription.
Substation: terms "substation, station and branch post office" were considered synonymous according to a glossary in the 1879 edition of U. S. Postal Laws and Regulations; they are supplementary post offices established in large cities in area remote from a main post office.
Substitute cliché: a single cliché inserted into a printing plate in place of a damaged one; can be identified if it fails to line up exactly with those around it.
Substrate: material upon which a stamp is printed; most common is paper, but wood, plastic and other materials have been used.
Su busta: (It.) on cover.
Succa: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican forces, 1937
Su-Chung Area: local post, East China, Central Kiangsu, 1942-46
Su-Chung Fifty sub-District: local post, East China, Central Kiangsu, 1942-46
Sucre: currency unit in Ecuador.
Sud: (Fr., Rom.) South
Sudáfrica: (Sp.) South Africa.
Südafrika: (Ger.) South Africa.
Südafrikanischer Bund: (Ger.) Union of South Africa.
Südamerika: (Ger.) South America.
Sudan: Northeastern Africa, south of Egypt; currency: 10 milliemes = 1 piaster, 100 piasters = 1 Egyptian pound (1992), 10 pounds = 1 dinar 1867: used stamps of Egypt, 1897, March 1: No.1, 1 millieme brown, first stamps, overprints “Soudan” on stamps of Egypt; first postage due stamp, 1898, March 1: Sudan inscription, famous “Camel Post” series started, lasted 50 years, 1901: postage due label, 1902: first official stamp, 1905: first Army official, 1931: first air mail stamp, 1954, Jan. 9: stamps inscribed “Sudan / Self Government 1954,” 1956, Jan.1: became independent republic of Sudan, 1956, July 27: joined the U.P.U., 1956, Sept. 15: first stamps as independent republic; see Army Service.
Sudan, French: Soudan Français (Fr.); northwest Africa; Currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc, 1890: French Colonies general issues, 1894, April 12: first stamp, 1899: French Sudan divided among Dahomey, French Guinea, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Senegambia and Niger, 1902: non-military zone became Senegambia and Niger, 1903: French stamps replaced by stamps of Senegambia and Niger, 1904: this then became Upper Senegal and Middle Niger, who did not issue stamps, 1919: colony of Upper Volta created from six of the provinces of Upper Senegal and Niger, and rest returned to the original name of French Sudan, 1921: stamps of Upper Senegal and Niger overprinted for use in French Sudan, 1921, Dec.: first postage due stamp, 1922: Niger became an independent colony, 1933: Upper Volta abolished, some provinces reverted to French Sudan, 1938, Oct. 24: semipostal issue, 1940, Feb. 8: first air mail stamp, 1942, June 22: first air mail semipostal stamp, 1944: used stamps of French West Africa, 1954, April 4: French Sudan joined Senegal to form the Mali Federation; see Mali, Federation of.
Sudan, 1922: Niger became an independent colony, 1933: Upper Volta abolished, some provinces reverted to French Sudan, 1944: used stamps of French West Africa, 1954, April 4: French Sudan joined Senegal to form the Mali Federation.
Suden: illegal labels, purporting to be stamps, as per March 15, 2004, Republic of Sudan report to the UPU; depicting Pope John Paul II, not valid for postage.
Sudetenland: (Czech., Pol., Sudety) originally the pre-WWII mountainous region comprising the Sudety Mountains on the N borders of Bohemia and Silesia; after the 1938 Czech:German crisis, including all Bohemia and Moravia borderlands inhabited by German-speaking people. Ceded by Czechoslovakia to Germany by 1938 Munich Agreement, and restored to Czechoslovakia in 1945; see Celistvosti - Sudety.
Sudeten Territory: of Czechoslovakia; 1938, Dec. 2: semi-postal issued for annexation into Germany. 1939: Czech stamps overprinted for use in some Sudetenland cities prior to German takeover. 1945: area restored to Czechoslovakia.
Sudety: (Czech., Pol.) see Sudetenland.
Sud Kasai: overprint on stamps of Congo for South Kasai, sold in Brussels, never issued in Africa.
Suedez: (Rom) Swedish (adj.).
Suidwes Afrika: (Afrikaans) overprint of stamps of South Africa for South West Africa, 1926.
Sudzha: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1882-90
Suecia: (Sp.) Sweden.
Suède: (Fr.) Sweden.
Suez: 1: city in Egypt;1864-84, see Interpostal seals. 2: French post office opened Nov. 1862, closed Dec. 1888.
Suez Canal Company: 1854: concession granted, work started in 1859, 1859-67, mail transported free between Port Said and Suez during construction, 1860-1879: British stamps canceled with canceler "BO2" at Suez, 1868, July 18-Aug. 16, 1868: special charge for the special stamps being used, 1868, Oct.: special stamps stopped: Egyptian government took over the service, used regular postage, 1869, Nov. 17: official opening of the canal for navigation.
Su frammento: (It.) on piece (of cover).
Suid Afrika: (Afrikaan) South Africa.
Sui-Ning: local post, southwest China, 1950
Suisse: (Fr.) Switzerland.
Suiyuan: former province of China; 1946: Communist North China Liberation Area issued stamps for area.
Suiza: (Sp.) Switzerland.
S. Ujong: overprint on stamps of Straits Settlements; Malaya-Sungei Ujong, 1891-94.
Su-kia-fow: local post, east China, 1949
Sul Bollettino: (It.) left half of a two part parcel post stamp of Italy, which was affixed to the waybill that accompanied the parcel, post 1914; see Sulla recevuta.
Sul Bollettino: (It.) on stamps with star and crescent; Somalia parcel post.
Sulina: city on the Danube delta, Romania; French post office opened Nov. 1857, closed Aug. 1879.
Sulina, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1860s, for lower Danube lines.
Sulla Ricevuta: 1: right half of a two part parcel post stamp of Italy, which was affixed to the receipt given to the sender; see Sul Bollettino. 2: (It.) on stamps with star and crescent; Somalia parcel post
Sullivan's Dispatch Post: U.S. local post, Cincinnati, Ohio 1853.
Sullivan's J. W., Newspaper Office: U.S. local post handstamp, San Francisco, Calif.,1854-55.
Sulphuretted: applies to stamps which have become discolored due to gases in the air; also known as oxidized.
Sultanat d'Anjouan: overprint on French colonial stamps from 1892 to 1914 for Anjouan.
Sultanate of Khayam: Omar Khayam, the tentmaker, George Fabian, Illinois, fantasy.
Sultanate of Oman: inscribed State of Oman are labels.
Sultepec: overprint on stamps of Mexico for this district, 1856-1883.
Sum: currency unit in Uzbekistan.
Sumatra: island forms part of the Republic of Indonesia; 1943-44: stamps of Japan issued for Netherland Indies occupation, 1945: first stamps; anti-Dutch nationalists issued own stamps, not recognized.
Summer gum: U.S. stamps prepared with "hard" gum intended for use when weather is warm to and not prone to curling as heat and humidity increase; 1904-06.
Summer Isles: (Tanera More) island off the coast of Scotland; local carriage label, 1970.
Summer Olympics 1984: Aitutaki overprint with winners' names and events.
Summer Olympics 1988: Aitutaki overprint with winners' names and events.
Sumter, S. C. paid 10: see Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals.
Sumy: 1: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1868-98 2: local post, Ukrainian; 1993.
Sunburst postmark: Hong Kong type, circle and short radials.
Sunburst seals: labels with a perimeter of outgoing triangles designed to seal registered letters in Mexico.
Sunday Delivery Labels: see Bandelette.
Sunday delivery stamps: stamps with an added fee for mail to be delivered on Sunday and public holidays; used in Bulgaria, 1925-29, 1942.
Sunday labels: attachment of the bottom of Belgian stamps, 1893-1915 with inscription "Do not deliver on Sunday."
Sunday postmarks: applied to mail arriving in London or Dublin on a Sunday and not delivered until the following day.
Sunday stamps: 1: special tax stamps or compulsory use on mail posted on Sundays or public holidays issued by Bulgaria. 2: attachment of the bottom of Belgian stamps, 1893-1915 with inscription "Do not deliver on Sunday." 3: Holland has a special label for Sunday delivery. 4: used in London to inform postmen to deliver letters before 10 am Sunday.
Sunday tax stamp: a post tax stamp was required in Bulgaria on letters to be delivered on Sundays and holidays, with the proceeds going to sanitariums for postal employees.
Sungei Ujong: Malayan State; overprint on stamps of Strait Settlements; Malaya; nonfederated state on the Malay Peninsula; (located in Scott Catalogue after Malaya); 1878: Sungei Ujong, "S U" overprints on stamps of the Straits Settlements, 1891-95: S. Ujong inscribed on stamps, 1895: Sungei Ujong stamps withdrawn, Malayan state incorporated in Negri Sembilan; see Malayan, Federation of.
Sung-Ting: Chinese ceramics label; see Evans, Donald.
Sun Head Stamps: stamps of Uruguay featuring a head within the sun; 1860.
Suomen Taiteilijaseura: (Fin.) Artists Association of Finland, some members make cinderellas.
Suomi: Finlan, means "the land of fens and lakes."
Supeh: Suriname, Japanese occupation, 1941-45
Superb (S, Sup.): perfect, without faults
Superlitho: an exacting printing process that allows for security features to be applied during the printing process.
Supplementary flight: flight intended to advance late mails with another transport service.
Supplementary mail: signifies the payment of double the letter postage rate in 1863 for overseas destinations posted after the regular scheduled mail closing time to get the mail on board before sailing; usually incorrectly described as "overfranking," see Late fee.
Supplements: yearly pre-printed album pages for a country or topic to “supplement” an already existing album page.
Supposed liable to customs duty: marking on incoming foreign mail, applied by foreign exchange postal authorities, where contents of mailing may contain taxable items.
Supratipar: (Rom.) overprint.
Supratipar albastru: (Rom.) blue overprint.
Supratipar argintiu: (Rom.) silver overprint.
Supratipar aurio: (Rom.) gold overprint.
Supratipar dublu: (Rom.) double overprint.
Supratipar negru: (Rom.) black overprint.
Supratipar rasturnat: (Rom.) reversed overprint.
Supratipar rosu: (Rom.) red overprint.
Supratipar verde: (Rom.) green overprint.
Suraffranchi: (Fr.) overfranked.
Surch.: abbreviation for surcharge, overprint.
Surcharge: 1: an overprint which changes the denomination of a stamp either up or down. 2: Universal Postal Union language is additional fee. 3: used on Britain and British Colonies issues may mean postage due. 4: can change a regular definitive stamp into a semi-postal stamp, or regular issue to an air mail issue. 5: zuschlag (Ger.).
Surcharge Postage: Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, postage dues.
Surete Generale: (Fr.) internal security documents; French Colonies revenue inscription.
Surface Air Support System (SASS): USPS term for system to measure performance and verification of payments for all modes of transportation.
Surface colored paper: paper colored on one side after the manufacturing process.
Surface mail: international mail, mail that is distributed by any mode other than air.
Surface phosphor paper (SP): stamp printing paper treated with a taggant that adheres to the surface of the paper.
Surface printed stamp: typographed, a stamp that was printed from the surface of the plate to the paper, applied prior to printing and has a smooth, usually solid appearance when viewed under short-wave ultraviolet light.
Surface Rubs: partial removal of ink by abrasion as the chalk-coated papers of Great Britain.
Surf Island: fantasy, unknown source, perhaps located in or near Indonesia.
Sur fragment: (Fr.) on piece (of cover).
Surgos: Hungary, Fiume, special delivery
Surinam: northeast coast of South America, aka Dutch Guiana; currency: 100 cents = 1 gulden (florin) 1873, Oct. 1: first stamp, William III definitives, 1877, May 1: joined the U.P.U., 1885: No.1, 2½¢ rose, 1886: first postage due stamp, 1922: became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, 1927, Aug. 1: first semipostal stamp, 1930, Sept. 3: first air mail stamp, 1934-pre: majority of inland letters carried by water, 1942, Jan. 2: first air mail semipostal stamps, 1954: became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 1975, Nov. 25: became Republic of Surinam, issued own stamps, 1976, April 20: rejoined the U.P.U.
Surprinting: additional process of printing the denomination on a stamp that has no denomination.
Surrey Priv. Let. Del.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Surtax: the additional denomination on a semipostal stamp over and above the amount that covers postage; if used as an overprint, it is called a surcharge.
Surtaxe: (Fr.) surcharge.
Survey flight: flight made to assess th viability of a proposed or projected commercial flight route; usually made prior to the introduction of regular service or a new route.
Susanville Express: private mail firm serviced Calif., used a label, year unknown.
Susse perforation: perforation gauge 7 unofficially used by Susse Freres, Paris, to French imperforate stamps, 1861.
S.UT: (Sp.) Sevilla Utrera (Spain) pre-adhesive postmark.
Sussex Postal Deliv.: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Suta: (Rom) hundred (number).
Sutcliffe J. and Son: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Sutherland & Co.: Japan local post stamp.
Su-ung: local post, east China, 1949.
Suur-Pakri: bogus, Russia area, not valid for postage.
Suvalki, Province of: part of Russian Empire bordering on German East Prussia; 1920: divided into Lithuania and Poland, 1940: stamps of Lithuania overprinted "LTSR" by Russian occupiers.
Su-Wan Border Area: local post, east China, 1946.
Suwarrow Sanctuary: overprint on stamps of Cook Islands; an isolated island in their group, 2001.
S V:1: (It.) servizio veloce (speed service) Tuscany pre-adhesive postmark. 2: Stamp Venturers, a stamp contractor.
Svært: (Dan.) difficult.
Svag: (Swed.) weak.
Svagt: (Swed.) weakly (as referencing the color intensity of a postage stamp).
Svájc: (Hung.) Switzerland.
Svájci: (Hung.) Swiss.
Svalbard: see Spitsbergen.
Svarkort: (Dan.) reply postal card..
Svarkupon: (Dan.) reply coupon.
Svarslosen: (Swed.) reply paid stamps.
Svart: (Nor., Swed.) black color.
Svartakt brun: (Swed.) blackish-brown (color).
Svarta lokalfrimärket: (Swed.) black local stamp (refers to the 1sk [3 öre] Swedish City Postage stamp issued in 1856).
Svartavdrag: (Swed.) black print.
Svartavdrag på kartongpapper: (Swed.) black print on carton paper.
Svartblå: (Nor.) black-blue (color).
Svartgrå: (Swed.) black-grey (color).
Svart-gråsvart: (Nor., Swed.) black - grey-black (color).
Svartgrønn: (Nor.) black-green (color).
Sváziföld: (Hung.) Swaziland.
Svéd: (Hung.) Swedish.
Svédország: (Hung.) Sweden.
Svedsko: (Czech.) Sweden,
Svedsky: (Czech.) Swedish.
Sveits: (Nor.) Switzerland.
Sveitsisk: (Nor.) Swiss.
Svendborg: Seaport on Fyn Island, Denmark, ca. 95 miles SW of Copenhagen. Local post established, with "Svendborg Bypost og Pakke-Expedition" lithographed local stamps issued 1 December 1887. Svenska Bataljonen-Saar: Swedish military contingent in Saar, 1939.
Svendborg Bypost: Denmark local post, 1887.
Svenska Bataljonen-Egypten: Swedish military contingent in Egypt 1959-67.
Svenske skibspost: (Dan.) Swedish ship mail (ship post).
Sven Hedin: expedition commemorated by stamp issued by China in 1932.
Svensk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Swedish.
Svenskegrensen: (Nor.) Swedish frontier, Swedish border areas.
Svenske skeppspost: (Swed.) Swedish ship mail (ship post).
Svenske skipspost: (Nor.) Swedish ship mail (ship post).
Svenske Statens Järnvägar: (Swed.) see Statens Järnvägar.
Svensk-Finland: (Swed.) cinderella issued for Swedes in Finland.
Sverige: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Sweden.
Svetle: (Czech.) light (as referencing the color of a postage stamp).
Svetle fialová: (Czech.) light violet (color).
Svetle hnedá: (Czech.) light brown (color).
Svetle zelená: (Czech.) light green (color).
Svetlo: (Czech.) light (as referencing the color of a postage stamp).
Svetly: (Czech.) light (as referencing the color of a postage stamp).
Svezi: (Czech.) mint, never hinged; see Nepouzitá svezí bez nálepky.
Svezia: (It.) Sweden.
Svisly: (Czech.) vertical.
Svisle rastrovany lep: (Czech.) vertical gum ripple, see Vodorovne rastrovany lep.
Svizzera: (It.) Switzerland.
Svobodna Crna Gora: (Cyrillic) Free Montenegro, cinderella issue.
Svy Carsko: (Czech.) Switzerland.
Svy Carsky: (Czech.) Swiss (adj.).
S.W.A., SWA: South-West Africa, overprint on stamps of South Africa, 1927; See Bantams.
Swain, Jas.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp
Swain, Wm.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp
Swan: nickname for issues of Western Australia depicting a swan.
Swan Island: many label incarnations usually parodying Western Australia stamps; also for radio station off the coast of Honduras.
Swan River Settlement: former name for the Australian colony of Western Australia, currently a state of the Australian Commonwealth.
Swaps: duplicate stamps used for trading.
Swarts' City Dispatch Post: U. S. local post, New York, N. Y., 1849-53.
Swatow: local post, South China Post, 1949.
Swazieland: overprint on Vurtheim stamps of South Africa; changed to Zwaziland in 1889 when the South African postal administration ran that nation's postal system.
Swaziland: southeast Africa bordered by Mozambique and South Africa; official name of postal administration: Posts & Telecommunications Corporation currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 rand (1961), 100 cents = 1 emalangeni (1975) 1889, Oct.18: No.1, ½ penny gray, stamps of South Africa overprinted “Swazieland,” 1894, Nov.7: overprints withdrawn, 1894-1906: administered by Transvaal, 1895-1910: stamps of the Transvaal used, 1906, Dec. 1: Protectorate separated from Transvaal. put under authority of British High Commissioner, 1910: used stamps of the Union of South Africa, 1933, Jan 2: No.1, ½ penny green, first stamp, first postage due stamp, 1934: Swaziland and Bechuanaland Protectorate under British Commissioner for Basutoland, 1967: internal self-government, 1968, Sept. 6: became independent within the Commonwealth, 1969, Nov. 7: joined the U.P.U.
Swaziwazi: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Sweatbox: a closed box using humidity to soften the gum on stamps that are stuck together making it easier for separation from each other.
Sweated gum: result when stamps are stored under too much heat or pressure, melting the gum into a smooth, shiny condition that may reduce the value.
Sweden: on the Baltic Sea, borders Norway; official name of postal administration: Posten Sweden Post currency: 48 skilling banco =1 riksdaler banco, 100 öre =1 riksdaler (1858), 100 öre =1 krona (1874) 1855, July 1: No.1, 3 skilling banco blue green, first stamps inscribed “Sverige,” 1856-62: stamps for city postage issued, 1874: first postage due and official stamps, 1875, July 1: joined the U.P.U., 1905: union with Norway repealed, became separate nation, 1916, Dec. 21: first semi-postal stamp, 1917: first parcel post stamps, 1920, Sept. 17: first air mail stamp.
Sweden - 1912 Demonstration Flight Between Eslof and Akarp/Marieholm: Danish aviator Peter Nielsen left Eslof on 1 June 1912 at 7:47 AM, landing at Akarp Gaestgivergaard at 7:53 PM, and returning the following day to Eslof. Nielsen carried ca. 100 cards on the first leg, and ca. 50 cards on the return flight. Both flight legs received a postal cancellation dated 3 June 1912 on redispatch at Eslof. The Eslof to Arkap mails include a three-line " Svensk Flygpost No. 2 / Eslof / 1912" cachet, while those on the Arkap to Eslof return flight include a two-line "Svensk Flygpost No. 3 / Marieholm" cachet. Both types of cards also include a "Flygpost No. 3 - Akarp - Estlof 1912 1/2 Juni" circular cachet. The flight to Akarp is credited as being the first postal flight in Sweden.
Sweden - 1912 Stockholm-Uppsala Newspaper Air Mail Delivery: Lt. Olle Dahlbeck piloted a "Sommer Monoplane" on 29 August 1912 for the 45-minute flight from Stockholm to Uppsala via Edsviken and Vassunda carrying ca. 2,000 copies of the Dagens Nyheter newspaper. The newspapers were marked with the pilot's facsimile certification: "This copy was carried by me on the first Swedish newspaper mail by aeroplane, arranged with the Dagens Nyheter August 1912 - O. Dahlbeck". The flown newspapers are considered the second Swedish airpost despatches.
Sweden - 1912 Stockholm-Lidingo Flight: Lt. Olle Dahlbeck flew the Stockholm to Lidingo via Tereberg and Vartan and return route during 22-25 September 1912, this time period also including the "Barnens Day" festivities. He carried ca. 5,000 cards franked with an airmail semi-official stamp valued at 50 øre, and inscribed "BARNENS DAG / 1912 / BARNENS DAG / 1912 // SVERIGES / FORSTA / FLYGPOST", which were cancelled by double-ring, bridge-type, "SVERIGES / (date) / FORSTA FLYGPOST" cds. These souvenir mails are considered the third Swedish airpost despatches.
Sweden - 1914 Kalmar-Oland Island and Return Experimental Flight: Pilot Dr. Enoch Thulin carried ca. 100 special cards cacheted in five lines "Luftpost / ofverfordt pr aeroplan / af dr. Thulin - fran Kalmar till Oland - den 7 eller 8 Febr 1914" from Kalmar to Oland Island on 8 February 1914; the postage was cancelled upon the redispatch. The return flight took place on 12 February, and carried ca. 30 special cards with a similar cachet (except: "- fran Oland till Kalmar -"), also cancelled on redispatch at Kalmar.
Sweden - Wasa Rediviva Stamp: The historic Swedish ship Wasa sank in Stockholm Harbor on 10 August 1628. Funds were sought to raise the ship, and to exhibit her in a specially built museum, these efforts being completed in 1961, The Wasa Welfare Committee joined with the Swedish Stamp Dealers Assc. to purchase from the Swedish P.O. 100,000 sets of the 2, 3, and 4 öre 1911 issue stamps, overprinting them with the "Wasa Rediviva" inscription. The stamps were sold at 1 krone 50 øre, but do not have postal significance.
Swedish 4-skilling of 1854: cinderella used in movie The Truth About Charlie a remake of Charade.
Swett, Dr. G. W.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp.
Swiatniki: city in former Austrian-occupied Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20.
Swift & Courtney: see Private die match proprietary stamps.
Swift & Courtney & Beecher Co.: see Private die match proprietary stamps.
Swindon Stamp Shop Post: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971.
Swiss Pioneer airmails: stamps issued to inaugurate and frank first flight local mails sold to help Swiss National Military Aviation fund, 1913; officially ruled semi-officials.
Swiss Soldier Stamps: issued to the armed forces of Switzerland to be placed on their outgoing mail in lieu of postage; started in 1915, estimated that more than 3,000 different designs exist.
Switzerland: central Europe; official name of postal administration: Die Post currency: 100 rappen or centimes = 1 franc (1850) 1843, March 1: cantonal issues for Zurich, valid for postage only within canton, 1843, Sept. 30: cantonal issues for Geneva, valid for postage only within canton, 1845, July 1: cantonal issues for Basle, valid for postage only within canton, 1849-50: transitional cantonal issues inscribed “Poste Local”, issued, 1850, May: No.1, 2½ rappen black and red, confederation, first Federal Administration issue, 1874: first meeting of the General Postal Union held, 1875, July 1: joined the U.P.U., 1878: first postage due stamp, 1911: franchise stamps for institutions and charitable groups, 1913, Dec. 1: first semi-postal stamp, 1918: stamps overprinted for the War Board of Trade, 1919: Switzerland administration of the Liechtenstein Post Office, 1919: first air mail stamp, 1922: overprint for League of Nations and its organizations, 1923: stamps overprinted for the International Labor Bureau, 1938: first official stamp, 1944: stamps overprinted for the International Bureau of Education, 1948: stamps overprinted for the World Health Organization, 1950: stamps overprinted for the International Organization of Refugees, U.N. European Office, 1956: stamps inscribed for the World Meteorological Organization, 1957: stamps inscribed for the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, 1958: stamps inscribed for the International Telecommunications Union, 1972, Feb. 17: first air mail semipostal stamp, 1982: stamps inscribed for the World Intellectual Property Organization, 2000, Sept. 15: booklet stamps for the International Olympic Committee.
SWL: Sidney W. Lawrence, BEP employees initials, 1906-1928; see Plate Finisher, Siderographer.
Syburi: Thai occupation of Northern States; see Kelantan.
Syd: (Dan.) south.
Sydafrika: (Dan., Nor. Swed.) South Africa.
Sydafrikansk: (Dan., Nor. Swed.) South African.
Sydafrikansk Republik: (Dan., Swed.) Republic of South Africa
Sydafrikansk Republikk: (Nor.) Republic of South Africa
Sydamerika: (Dan., Nor. Swed.) South America.
Sydaustralien: (Dan., Nor. Swed.) South Australia.
Sydligrhodesia: (Swed.) Southern Rhodesia.
Sydney Tramways: local, Australia New South Wales Government Tramways.
Sydnigeria: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Southern Nigeria.
Sydpolen: (Nor.) the South Pole, see Antarktis.
Sydrhodesia: (Dan., Swed.) Southern Rhodesia.
Sydrusland: (Dan.) South Russia.
Sydrussland: (Nor.) South Russia.
Sydryssland: (Swed.) South Russia.
Sydvästafrika: (Swed.) South-West Africa.
Sydvestafrika: (Dan., Nor.) South-West Africa.
Svetle, Svetlo, Svetly: (Czech.) light (stamp color).
Svetle Fialová: (Czech.) light violet (color).
Svetle Hnedá: (Czech.) light brown (color).
Svetle Zelená: (Czech.) light green (color).
Svezi: (Czech.) mint, never hinged.
Svisly: (Czech.) vertical.
Svisle Rastrovany Lep: (Czech.) vertical gum ripple.
Syli: currency unit in the Republic of Guinea.
Syllabic characters: small characters denoting plate numbers on stamps and postal stationery of Japan, 1874-75.
Syncopated perforation: an interrupted perforation.
Syndicato Condor: private issues of the Condor Company of Brazil for government airmail contract; stamps with this inscription paid the authorized airmail surtax.
Synopsis: exhibit page that serves as an introduction of the exhibit to the judges.
Synoptic collection: completeness based on a plan; such as one specimen of each type of precancels.
Syria: Arab state on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean; currency: 10 milliemes = 1 piaster, 40 paras = 1 piaster (Arabian Gov’t.), 100 centimes = 1 piaster (1920), 100 piasters = a Syrian pound 1883: used stamps of Turkey as part of the Province of Sourya, 1900 or so-1914: part of the Ottoman Empire, 1918: conquered by British and Arab forces; British took Palestine, Syria and Transjordan, 1919: French took Lebanon, Alaouites and Alexandretta; remaining area independent Arab kingdom, Syrian stamps issued, 1919, Nov. 21: No.1, 1 millieme on 1 centime gray, first stamps were French Military Occupation with overprint “T.E.O.” Terriroires Ennemis Occupes Enemy Occupied Territory, later changed to “O.M.F.” Occupation Militaire Française, 1919: British “E.E.F.” stamps of Palestine were handstamped “The Arabian Government” in Arabic, 1920, July: French forces deposed King Faisal; “Syrie” overprints, 1920, March-July: first air mail, postage due stamps, stamps in Syrian currency, 1920: first Arab government postage due stamp, 1922; July: Syria mandated to France, 1923, Sept.-Dec.: mandate stamps valid in Syria and Lebanon, 1924, Jan. 1: stamps of Syria, 1926: first semipostal first air mail semipostal, 1931, May 12: joined the U.P.U., 1934: became partially independent as autonomous republic, 1941, Sept. 27: Syria declared independent by Allies, 1942: military stamps issued overprinted “Force Françaises Libres” Free French Forces, 1942: first military air mail, 1943: first military semipostal stamp, 1945: first postal tax revenue stamp, 1946: issued independence stamps as a republic, 1946, May 15: rejoined the U.P.U., 1958, Feb.-61: Syria and Egypt formed United Arab Republic “UAR,” 1958, April 3: first UAR air mail stamps, 1959, Jan. 2: UAR semipostal stamps, 1961, April 29: first UAR air mail semipostal stamp, 1961, Nov.: Syria split off from Egypt to become Syrian Arab Republic; see Lattaquie, Alaouites.
Syrie-Grand Liban: overprint on stamps of France for Syria.
Syriac gum: gum from the acacia plant, shrub or tree collected in the Syriac district.
Syria, Northern: see Northern Syria.
Syrie (nne): (Fr.) Syria.
Sytten: (Dan., Nor.) seventeen (number).
Sytti: (Dan., Nor.) seventy (number).
Syv: (Dan.) seven (number).
Syzran: city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1872.
Szakirodalom: (Hung.) (philatelic) literature.
Szaud Arábia: (Hung.) Saudi Arabia.
Száz: (Hung.) one-hundred (number).
Szechwan: province of China, borders on Tibet; 1933-Oct. 31, 1936: had its own overprinted / surcharged issues of China; withdrawn due to currency devaluation.
Szechenyi, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1840s, for lower Danube lines.
Szeged: town in Hungary near Yugoslavia border; 1919: Hungarian National Government established by Admiral Horthy, while town was occupied by French forces, Hungarian stamps overprinted "Magyar Nemzet Kormany" (Hungarian National Government) and "Szeged 1919"
Szenegál: (Hung.) Senegal.
Szent, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1850s, for middle Danube lines.
Szeptember: (Hung.) September.
Szerb: (Hung.) Serbian.
Szerbia: (Hung.) Serbia.
Szerda: (Hung.) Wednesday.
Szigetek: (Hung.) island.
Szingapúr: (Hung.) Singapore.
Szíria: (Hung.) Syria.
Szkola Podchorazch Artyl: (Pol.) officer's candidate artillery school cachet, Poland
Szlovák: (Hung.) Slovakian.
Szlovákia: (Hung.) Slovakia.
Szomália: (Hung.) Somalia.
Szomálipart: (Hung.) Somali Coast.
Szombat: (Hung.) Saturday.
Szovjet: (Hung.) Soviet.
Szovjetunió: (Hung.) Soviet Union (USSR).
Szudán: (Hung.) Sudan.
Szürke: (Hung.) grey (color).
Szürkésibolya: (Hung.) grey(ish) violet (color).
Szürkéskek: (Hung,) grey(ish) blue (color).
Szürkéslila: (Hung.) grey(ish) lilac, violet, or purple (color).
Szürkéssbarna: (Hung.) drab, grey(ish) brown (color).