The Philippine Philatelist [3]

by Arturo B. del Ayre

PHILATELIC JARGON Like any other hobby, philately also has a glossary of specific words. Many of which specify what type of stamps are issued, the manner of presentation, the mode of printing, and a lot more.

TYPES . Postage stamps are generally of three types: Commemoratives, Definitives, and Special Issues. A COMMEMORATIVE stamps, Fig. 1, are issued for a limited

Fig. 1: Commemorative

Fig. 2: Definitive

time and quantity to honor a certain person, event, anniversary or group. DEFINITIVES , Fig. 2, on the other hand, are usually small, regular stamp issued in big quantities and sold longer than the commemoratives. Early Republic issues were one-color definitives depicting heroes and heroines, as well as official seals of various cities and localities. SPECIAL ISSUES , on the other hand, promote several causes, the Philippine Heritage, native flora and fauna, myriad of scenic and tourist spots and others that depict national consciousness and awareness.

Other types are almost rare nowadays. AIRMAIL are postage used for letters sent by plane. The last Philippine airmail issue was a sheetlet for ESPAMER '77 Exposicion Filatelica de America y Europa. OFFICIAL USE stamps are adhesive postage prepaid for the franking of correspondence of government departments. The Philippine equivalent is marked with "G.O." until the early 70s or "O.B.", usually hand-written. Anti-TB stamps, a SURTAX were compulsary on all mail matters since 1958 as per Republic Act No. 1635. With its repeal on August 14, 1974, these stamps were voluntary and later used as regular postage. REISSUE is a stamp or series of stamps brought back into use after it had been superseded or out of use. While, a REPRINT is an impression taken from an original plate of stamps, that have gone out of use, or from new plates derived from the original die.

MARKS . Postage marks are vary according to purpose. A

POSTMARK

is any mark tapped on mail by postal officials for any postal purposes. Most mail are now franked by postage meter machines. A

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CANCELLATION , however, is an imprint, e.g., CANCELLED, SPECIMEN, SAMPLE, applied to a stamp to render stamps invalid for postal use. Stamps featuring Philippine Fauna issued in 1978 until 1985 printed by House of Questa, England were cancelled-to-order sold at 10% of face value. Also, an OVERPRINT is any inscription printed on a regular issue stamp in addition to its original vignette or design usually denoting a change of government, in a war, commemorate events, propaganda, etc. Moreover, a SURCHARGE is an overprint altering the stamp's face value.

PRESENTATION . Although majority of stamps

Fig. 3: Pair / Se-Tenant

are issued singularly, a number is also issued in other forms. A PAIR , Fig. 3 is a couple of stamps that have not been separated. Two different or variations of stamps in an unseparated pair, occasionally each with different denomination, however, is collectively known as SE-TENANT .

While a STRIP is three or more stamps unservered in a single row or column; a sheet of stamps containing strips inverted in relation to their neighbors is a TETEBECHE . A group of stamps, usually four or more is called a BLOCK . Blocks can be in three configurations, four in a row, four in a colum, or the more common two rows by two columns. Also, stamps are issued in a portable booklet form. On June 03, 1998 the Philippine Centennial Prestige Booklet was issued. Heroes of the Revolution definitives were also released as booklet panes.

Fig. 4: Block of Four

PRINTING . Most of the Philippines' stamps are now printed either by offset lithography or by phogravure. In OFFSET PROCESS the stamps' designs are produced by a specially prepared lithographic plates printed into a rubber-blanketed cylinder. While LITHOGRAPH stamps are printed from designs drawn or transferred upon a metal surface, thus they are smooth to touch. Local lithographers, such as Government Printing Office / Philippine Bureau of Printing, Asian Productivity Organization Production Unit-National Economic and Development Authority (APO-NEDA), and Amstar Company produced in succession most of Philippine stamps beginning 1969, 1975, and 1989, respectively. PHOTOGRAVURE stamps are printed from plates produced by photography and etching. Foreign printers like Courvoisier, S.A., Switzerland and Harrison & Sons, England produced the 1960s issues. From the onset of the Philippine Republic, most stamps were printed by the American Bank Note Co. These stamps were ENGRAVED or printed from plates engraved in recess.

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PHILATELIC Stamp ITEMS

Fig. 5: First-Day Cover

hobbyists are collecting other philatelic items, now more than ever, in addition to stamps. With increasing awareness for beautifully designed items of recent years, collectors are clamoring for more of the same.

FIRST-DAY COVER , Fig. 5, is the stamp cancelled showing the first-day of issue and retained on its original envelope. SOUVENIR SHEET is a small

sheet of stamps with incriptions commemorating an event. MINIATURE SHEET , Fig. 6, is a limited

number of stamps in a small sheet inscribed with numerical markings and, sometimes, labels. POSTAL CARD is an officially produced post card with a pre-paid imprint of postage. COVER , an envelope or wrapper which is complete and bear proof of having served postally. AEROGRAMME is a pre-formed stationery-cum-envelope with gummed flaps sent via air mail.

Fig. 6: Miniature Sheet

CONTEST , In anticipation of the Tenth World Teachers' Day, this writer is giving away mementos from Education International to promote its aim that an important collection of "stamps of recognition" dedicated to andpublicize the important work of the millions of teachers across the globewill have been issued by all countries of the world by the year 2003. To join, visit http://www.geocities.com/abda/ and click on Contest . Note: A series of articles about Philately and Stamp Collecting will appear in this column regularly. Future topics will discuss the nature of the hobby, to include: personal reflections, narratives, insights; the state of Philippine Philately and stamp collecting to include issues affecting stamp collectors in the Philippines, postal history, breakthroughs, highlights on philatelic clubs and personalities; and a stamp collector's comprehensive guide on the 5W and 1H of stamp collecting. This article, parts or verbatim, also appears on the Net. Visit: ABdA's Philippine Philatelic Web Site at http://www.geocities.com/abda/ and the electronic magazine: at The Philippine Philatelist http://abda.webprovider.com. For comments or suggestions, send e-mail to [email protected]. 12/05/99

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