Stamp Collecting Encyclopaedia Letter P & Q

Filahome Stamp Collecting Encyclopaedia

A B C D E F G I j K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Packet

A packet is a sorted grouping of different stamps. This term is often found in little adds wherein collectors are looking for other collectors to swap stamps.
In this way, for instance, 100 Dutch stamps are swapped against 100 German stamps.

Pair

The term pair is used to describe two se-tenant postage stamps. Unless described as a 'vertical pair' a pair is to be taken se-tenant horizontally.
The horizontal pair is more highly sought after than the vertical pair.
Older stamps can be worth considerably more when it is a combination of two or more stamps, because only few of such combinations exist.

Paquebot

French term used for mail posted on board of a ship and handed to the postal authorities when the ship arrives in a port. Letters posted aboard are usually stamped with a special "paquebot" postmark.
Stamps and covers bearing markings which include the word "paquebot" are referred to by collectors as "paquebots".

Parachute mail

Parachutes have been used to drop mail from aeroplanes. Once a year the regular Qantas Empire Airways Flying Boat on its way from Sydney, came down low enough over Mornington Island to drop small parachutes. The parachutes dropped Christmas letters and parcels for the Australian mission.

Penny Black

Through the efforts of Rowland Hill in May 1840 the first stamp was issued in Great Britain. In fact, this was the first stamp in the world. This stamp had a black colour and a denomination of one penny, that is why this stamp is generally referred to as the Penny Black. This stamp pictures Queen Victoria and was printed, in sheets of 240 stamps, from engraved steel plates, in the manner known as line-engraving.
A medal struck in the first year of her reign was used to design the stamp. In the next sixty years Queen Victoria never aged on her stamps.
The decision to portrait Victoria established a precedent in Great Britain; since that time all regular stamp issues have portrayed the reigning king or queen.
The Penny Black is not a very rare stamp, because millions were issued, but it was the first stamp ever and therefor highly regarded by philatelists.
Rowland Hill

Perfins

Firms and Governmental Departments sometimes punched holes in their stock of stamps to prevent theft. These holes can form letters or an image.
At first the name of the firm was printed on the stamps. Later, after the invention by the Englishman John Sloper of a machine to punch holes in stamps, mainly punched holes were applied for this purpose.
In most countries firms had to ask for permission by the postal authorities to do so.
Perfins are used to fabricate philatelic souvenirs too (e.g. The Netherlands, Red Cross 1944). In Dutch stamps perfins can be found too.
Till 1950 perfins were regarded as worthless by serious stamp collectors. The opinion was that the holes made by firms damaged the stamps.
Nowadays these stamps are considered to be interesting additions to a stamp collection.

Perforation

Perforations are the rows of punched holes separating stamps from one another in a sheet. The Irishmen Henry Archer is considered to be the inventor of perforation. He sold his patents to the British Ministry of Finance.
There are some reasons why stamps are not perforated:
- Perforation was not invented yet.
- Application of another kind of separation.
- Provisional emission.
- Printer's error.
- Deliberately imperforated issued.
Collectors distinguish different gauges of perforation by reckoning the number of holes in a length of 2 centimetres. A perforation gauge is used to determine the gauge of a perforation.
Sometimes a perforation machine has been used briefly to perforate a stamp while all the others were perforated on another machine. A perforation gauge is therefore a necessity for serious stamp collectors.

Perforation gauge

Collectors distinguish different gauges of perforation by reckoning the number of holes in a length of 2 centimetres. A perforation gauge is a simple and cheap cardboard or plastic ruler to determine the gauge of a stamp.
Sometimes a perforation machine has been used briefly to perforate a stamp while all the others were perforated on another machine. A perforation gauge is therefore a necessity for serious stamp collectors.

Philately

The collecting and the study of postage stamps and related items is called philately. Many stamp collectors are not interested in stamps only; postal history, first-day covers, postmarked envelopes, booklets etc. are collected and studied too. Someone who collects and studies stamps is therefor called a philatelist.
Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world.
The first stamp was issued in Great Britain in 1840: The Penny Black, portraying Queen Victoria. In 1870 the first exhibition of stamps was held in Frankfurt (Germany).
Most collectors have preferred to collect by country, specialising in one or more countries, but since the mid-1950s many collectors have become interested in topical collecting.
There are many organizations of stamp collectors and stamp dealers.

Photogravure

Héliogravure or photogravure is a special kind of recess-printing. At first chemical means were used to obtain a photogravure plate. In the 1980s the process changed when computers replaced acid, but photography remained and the term "photogravure" is still used.
After a photographic print is made on a special sensitised paper coated with coloured gelatine (carbon tissue) and then pressed on a plate of polished copper.
Before the paper is pressed on the plate, the plate is dusted with powdered resin. Washing in water will dissolve the paper and gelatine except on the spots that are hardened by light. When immersed in acid the copper will only be eaten away in those parts which are unprotected by hard gelatine.
To get a better result a tiny grid of ruled squares is photographed on top of the carbon tissue. In this way the design will be split up in tiny dots. Plates made in this manner last longer and is therefore especially used for the making of large impressions.
Nowadays many printers replaced acid by computers. The dots are literally punched by a computerised hammer.
The first stamps printed in photogravure were issued in 1914 in Bavaria. In The Netherlands this printing process was first used for the exhibition stamps in 1924 and soon became the most used printing method.

Pinhole

Sometimes early collectors used to pin stamps to a wall with a needle as butterflies in an antique insect-cabinet. Those stamps will have a little pinhole and are now worth considerably less, because these stamps are damaged.
In general this term is used for any tiny hole in a stamp other than perforations applied officially.

Plebiscite stamps

Plebiscite stamps are temporary stamps issued in a town or district while their national or political future is being determined by vote of the people.
For this reason stamps were issued in: Allenstein (1920), Marienwerder (1920), Schleswig (1920) and Upper Silesia (1920-'22).

Porous paper

The term porous is used to describe soft and absorbent paper. Usually this kind of paper is fairly thick.

Postcard

A postcard can be produced by postal authorities. In such cases it usually has a design indicating prepayment of postage. Very often this value is included in an image that looks like a stamp.
The word "postcard" is also used for privately produced cards generally bearing an illustration on one side and space for postage, message, and address on the other side.
A postcard issued by the postal authorities belongs to postal stationery, but a picture-postcard mostly does not belong to this group.

Postage due stamps

Postage due stamps are specially issued to be affixed to a letter for which has not or was insufficiently been paid for. These stamps are affixed at the post-office.
Like in other countries in The Netherlands postage due stamps are not used anymore. Instead, the addressee receives a card on which the postage due has to be affixed and he is asked to mail this card to the post office.

Postmark

A postmark is a mark stamped on mail by the official postal authorities (or agents) for postal purposes. These postmarks are made for numerous reasons:
- To cancel a stamp to prevent a second use
- To place a date mark
- To indicate a route
- Other instructions.
If a letter bears interesting postmarks, it is best to keep the letter as it is, and not to cut out the stamps for soaking.

Postal numismatic cover

Some postal authorities issue postal numismatic covers, which are mostly joint-issued with the Mint. A numismatic cover contains a stamp and a coin in commemoration of an event of some sort. They do have a nice design, but are not very interesting for the serious stamp collector.
Please keep in mind, that by issuing such products the postal services are trying to increase their profits. These products are not regarded to be worthy investments for collectors.

Postal stationery

A postal letter or card with an embossed or printed stamp design is called postal stationery. Postal stationery is issued by postal authorities.
Types of postal stationery: Aerogramme, Envelope, Postcard, Etc.

Postage stamp

A postage stamp is a receipt of payment in advance. The service provided for that payment is deliverance of our posted letter or parcel at the given location.
Before stamps existed the postal service was paid for on delivery. After the introduction of stamps many people were offended if they received a letter for which this service had already been paid for, because they were rich enough to receive a letter!