Philatelic Glossary

This glossary has been compiled from various different sources. Some of the terms have been reproduced with kind permission from the Stanley Gibbons Philatelic Terms Illustrated by James Mackay. If you think a term is missing please e-mail us.

Centred

Term applied to stamps to show the position of the perforations in relation to the printed design.

Certificate of Expertisation

A written opinion from an Expert Committee.

Certificate of Posting

Form supplied with the date of posting and retained by the sender as proof that an item has been posted.

Certified Mail

Mail for which a receipt has been given to the sender and a signature required from the addressee on delivery.

CFA

(French) French African Community Franc. Unit of currency in French West Africa and Reunion.

Chad

Round pieces of paper left after perforation of stamps.

Chain Breakers

Popular name for the 1919 issues of Yugoslavia.

Chain Lines

Prominent vertical lines in the watermark found on laid paper at right angles to the fine lines.

Chalk Surface

Coating applied to stamp paper either to improve the print's appearance or for security reasons.

Chalky Paper

The whiter paper introduced to British stamps e.g. Edward VII 1½d in August 1905 to improve their appearance.

Chalon Heads

Nickname for early British Colonial stamps showing a full face portrait of Queen Victoria taken from A.E Chalon's painting of her in coronation robes.

Change of Address Stamp

The Netherlands issued a 70c stamp intended to be used by people who were moving house.

Changeling

Term referring to a change of colour after printing.

Charge Marks & Label

Handstruck marks and adhesive labels applied to unpaid or underpaid mail to explain the reason for the deficiency and the amount to be paid.

Charity Labels

Labels of a non-postal nature sold by various bodies to raise funds and affixed by their purchasers to letters or cards.

Charity Stamp

Labels which combine indication of postal payment with a premium in aid of some charity.

Charity Surcharge

Addition to the postage value of a stamp for a charity donation.

Check Letters

Letters in the lower corners of British Stamps (1840) and on later issues repeated but in reverse order in the upper corners (q.v. Alphabet).

Cheque Stamps

Embossed fiscal stamps applied to cheques from 1855 to 1971 to denote stamp duty payable on them. Also the nickname for postage stamps of Nyasaland issued in 1898.

Cherifien Posts

Local service of Morocco organised by the Cherifien Administration in 1911 linking most of the main towns.

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