Cn-Cz

CNC: Chinese National Currency, 1948.
C. N.: Cherokee Nation, when used in a postmark.
CN: auction firm abbreviation for collection. - China (People's Rep.), country code as used by UPU.
CO: 1: airmail official in Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. 2: Commissariat Officer, South Australia official overprint,1868-74. 3: Colombia, country code as used by UPU. 3: USPS abbreviation for Colorado. -- Colombia, country code as used by UPU.
Coach, mail: word taken from Kocs, Hungary, location of first mail coach.
Coarse perforation: large holes and teeth far apart and irregularly spaced.
Coated paper: paper with a slick enameled, or chalk surface.
Coating: a protective surface applied to a printing plate, also known as facing.
Cobalto: (It., Sp.) cobalt (color).
Cobrar: (Sp.) to collect (cash or a fee).
Cocentaina: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Coche Correo: (Sp.) mail coach.
Cochin: India Feudatory State; 1892, Apr. 1: first local stamps with umbrella watermark, 1949, July 1: formed a postal union with Travancore, 1951, Apr. 1: stamps of Republic of India, Note: Anchal means postage.
Cochin China: (Fr.) Cochinchine, part of French Indo-China; 1862, first stamps of France used, 1863-67: occupied by France, 1886-87: surcharge on French Colonies General issues, obliteration, lozenges of dots, 1888: issue prepared but never issued, 1892: stamps of French Indo-China used.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: territory of Australia; 1857: British possession, 1886:transferred to Straits Settlements, 1903: incorporated with Singapore, 1933-37: first stamps of Straits Settlements, 1942, July-Apr. 3, 1946: placed under a military administration of Ceylon, 1952-55: used stamps of Singapore, 1955-63: used stamps of Australia, 1963, June 11: own stamps issued, 1966, Feb. 14-July 8, 1969: used stamps of Australia, 1969, July 9: first separate stamps issued, valid within Australia, 1979, Sep. 3: postal service was independent of Australia.
COD: see: collect on delivery.
Co-Extensive line: British Jubilee line broken into short lengths, see: Jubilee Line.
C of A: Commonwealth of Australia, watermark with crown, 1931.
Cogwheel: see: Cancellation, cogwheel.
Coil leader: long paper tag at the delivery end of a stamp coil, printed with number, denomination and coil price.
Coil line pair: pair of stamps showing a colored line caused by a gap where the curved printing plate is joined; there are flat plate coil line pairs, where the line was meant to be a pane dividing mark when sheet stamps were printed from the plate.
Coils: stamps which are produced in roll form for use in vending, stamp affixing, or dispensing machines; a coil usually contains 100, 500 or more stamps of a single denomination and design.Coil waste: short lengths of paper at end of coil runs; sold from 1919-1924 when the sale was stopped.
Coil waste: short lengths of paper at end of coil runs, perforated in non-standard gauges and sold from 1919-1924 when the sale was stopped.
Coil wrapper: label, seal or wrapper used to package or finish completed rolls of coil stamps.
Coin: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Coin daté: (Fr.) corner block on French stamps, issues of 1924-71.
Col.: (Fr.) abbreviation for colonies, colonel (military).
Colaparchee, Ga Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Colección: (Sp.) collection.
Coleccionista: (Sp.) collector.
Colima: town in Mexico.
Colis: (Fr.) package.
Colis postal: (Fr.) parcel post
Colis postaux: (Fr.) international parcel post.
Collage cachet: design made by gluing various items to form a cohesive cachet.
Collateral material: relevant illustrations exhibited in a stamp display to provide additional background information on the same subject as displayed.
Collect: half of a telegraph stamp that was affixed to the telegram, the other half kept in sending office.
Collection and Distribution Wagon Service: 1896, Oct.1: designed to handle mail started in New York City, 1897: pneumatic service started, they were transferred to Buffalo, N. Y. then to St. Louis, 1900s: service was discontinued, 1899-1905: another wagon service operated in Maryland.
Collection box: blue-painted USPS street box for the public to deposit mail.
Collection lot: term for an auction lot comprising of a mounted or unmounted country, topical, etc. collection, which normally is viewed prior to bidding.
Collectionneur: (Fr.) collector.
Collect on delivery (COD): mail where the cost of postage and the product enclosed will be collected from the recipient and forwarded to the mailer.
College stamps: private stamps issued by some U. S. business colleges for training purposes; classified as labels; used in late 1800s and early 1900s.
College stamps, university: the British universities of Oxford and Cambridge were officially granted the right to issue their own stamps for internal messenger service in the mid- 1600s; several other colleges used their own stamps between 1871 and 1886.
Collezione: (It.) collection.
Colln a.E. Spaar Oberspaar: local Germany, 1888-89.
Collodian stains: stains in stamp paper caused by the chemical substance collodian which is used to rejoin perforations in multiples.
Collotype: uses gelatine images of photographs in the printing process; an example is the Poltava zemstvo issue of 1912 and London International Stamp Exhibition souvenir sheet of 1950.
Colombia: South America; 1700s: established the Viceroyalty of New Granada in early; 1810: Spanish Viceroyalty of New Granada formed the State of Greater Colombia, 1819: Republic of Colombia proclaimed, 1824: Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador made up the State of Greater Colombia, 1830: the three nations separated, 1832-58: Republic of New Granada, 1858-61: Grenadine Confederation, 1859: first stamps as a member of the Granadine Confederation, 1861: United States of New Grenada, 1861-65: United States of Colombia, 1863-1902: Colombian states (departments) that issued their own stamps were Antioquia (1868), Bolivar (1863), Boyaca (1899), Cauca (1902), Cundinamarca (1870), Santander (1884) and Tolima (1870). 1865-81: stamps of Britain used in Cartagena, Santa Martha, 1865-81: stamps of France used in Colon-Aspinwall, 1865-84: stamps of Britain used in Panama, 1870-81: stamps of Britain used in Colon-Aspinwall, 1872-74: stamps of France used in Panama and Santa Martha, 1872-81: stamps of Britain and France used in Savanilla, 1885: Republic of Colombia, 1899-1902: provisional issues during civil war, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cucuta, Medellin and Tumaco, 1903: Panama broke away from Colombia, see: Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyaca, Cundinamarca, Santander, Tolima.
Colombia: on stamp with map of Panama and words "Antilla Pacifico" Panama Colombian Dominion; see: A, A.R. Colon Colombia.
Colombia-Antioquia, forged issue: 1876 1-centavo, Sc. 20.
Colombia-Bolivar, forged issues: 1879-80 Bolivar, printed by Seebeck, Sc. 15-17, 25-28.
Colombia, forged issues: 1: 1865 1-peso, Sc. 37-42. 2: 1872-73 1 centavo, Sc. 66-67. 3: 1871 2-centavo numeral, Sc. 68. 4: 1881 liberty head, Sc. 109-11. 5: 1902 5-cinco centavos, Sc. 268. 6: 1902 20centavo, Sc. 270.
Colombia-Tolima, forged issues: 1884 50-cent, Sc. 23-24.
Colobiana: Colombia airmail issue for Compania Colombiana de Navegacion Aerea.
Colombie: (Fr.) Colombia.
Colombie Britannique: (Fr.) British Columbia.
Colon, Cristobal: (Sp.) Christopher Columbus.
Colonia: (It.) colony.
Colonial: term used for stamps in the possession of the larger powers, usually with different inscriptions for various locations; the Mauritius "Post Office" of 1847 is the earliest British colonial. Colonial printing: stamps printed in a British colony from impressions made in London from the original plates.
Colonies de l' Empire Francais: French Colonies.
Colonies Study Group: Germany Postal Society specialists in postal history and stamps of the former German Colonies and Post Offices Abroad starting in 1870 to 1917.
Color: may be a variable that may cause one stamp to look different from another stamp with technically the same color; in some cases, different shades may have vastly different catalog values.
Colorant: (Fr.) die.
Color changeling: a change in the original color of a stamp due to either natural causes such as oxidation. - the original color of a stamp purposely changed to defraud the collector by making the stamp more valuable.
Color de Alhucema: (Sp.) lavender.
Coloreado: (Sp.) tinted, colored.
Colored paper: color caused by dye added to the paper pulp; used in several nations for stamps.
Color error: a stamp printed in a color intended for a different stamp.
Color guide: printed set of colors used by collectors to match colors used to print stamps.
Colore: (It.) color.
Colored Cancellation: postmark applied to any stamp in any color but black.
Colored line roulette: perforations indicated by colored dashes printed over the top of the slits, used on stamps of Thurn and Taxis.
Color error: an item printed in the wrong color, or color omitted.
Color fast: stamp production inks that are not affected by contact with water, benzine, etc.
Color, fugitive: stamp production inks that are affected by contact with water, benzine, etc.
Color, process: printed reproduction of the three primary colors plus black.
Color proof: stamp impression in approved color(s) before start of production.
Color range: variation, within limits, in shade or tint of color found on various examples of the same stamp.
Color registration: marks of different sizes and shapes used as an aid in properly registering the colors in the printing process.
Color separation: multi-colors are sorted so that each part of the design printed in a single color appears on only once.
Color shade: commonly used to denote a variation of the same color.
Color shift: variety where one or more colors of a multicolored issue are misaligned.
Color smear: any unintended color that appears on a stamp due to a printing error, known as a freak.
Colors, Universal Postal Union: The Washington, DC, Congress recommended that all member countries standardize colors for the three most-used values in international service; green for single printed matter rate; red for postal card rate, dark blue for single letter rate; there were no requirements regarding domestic postal rate colors.
Color trials: proof impressions in various colors to help in the color selection for the issued stamp.
Colosnah: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-82.
Columbia, S.C. Paid 5, Post Office 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Columbia, Ten. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Columbians: nickname applied to set of 16 stamps issued in 1893 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the New World.
Columbus, Ga. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Column: a single-stamp width multiple of stamps from a sheet, pane or booklet in a vertical format; horizontal strips are called "row."
Columnas: (Sp.) pillar boxes, or mail boxes.
Column total: marginal inscription printed by the post office on stamps of Germany with the face value of the column of stamps.
Comandancia: (Sp.) military or naval command, used in Civil War markings.
Comares: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1938.
Comayagua: Honduras town.
Combatientes: (Sp.) combatants, fighting forces used as "Pro Combatientes."
Combinacion: (Sp.) se-tenant.
Combination cover: an envelope or card with more than one stamp from two or more different countries.
Combination perforations: perforations made by more than one perforating head on the same sheet of stamps.
Combination printing: combination of printing processes such as offset (surface printing) and intaglio (recess printing) to print a stamp; used on the 76¢ 2001 Hattie Caraway issue.
Combination sheet: Michel catalogue considers items with more than ten different stamp as combination sheets, see: Blocks.
Combination sheetlet: Michel catalogue considers items with seven to ten different stamps as a combination sheetlet; see: Blocks.
Combination usage: covers with stamps of more than one postal service.
Combines separation: rouletting and perforation combination applied to the same stamp sheet; for example; South Australia 1868-70 2d stamp.
Comb perforations: perforations made in sheets of stamps in which the holes have been punched on three sides at one time, and then the machine moves up the sheet to perforate the next row.
Comedores Beneficos, Municipales: (Sp.) dining rooms local tax stamps.
COMEX: (Sp.) "Comisión de Expertos Filatélicos" (de Barcelona), stamp expert committee.
Com-Hamadeh: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1880.
Comm: abbreviation for commemorative
Commando brief: Orange Free State military label, Boer issue in the second South African War.
Commatology: study of postmarks.
Commemorative labels: adhesive labels used to commemorate events, etc., some are used as cachets.
Commemorative pane: a pane of stamps where the paper around the stamps (the selvage) has illustrations, text and usually with a header across the top or other information about the stamps.
Commemorative panels: USPS panel with each panel devoted to a single subject, includes example of the stamp(s), reproduction of engravings and background information on the issue; started Sept. 20, 1972.
Commercial cover: a used business envelope, loosely means any cover not of philatelic origin.
Comemorative postmark: postmarks to honor some person, anniversary or historical event, first used by France in 1855.
Commemorative stamp: stamps issued to honor a person, anniversary or historical event, first used by US as a stamped envelope of 1876 to celebrate the Centenary of Independence; first government adhesive issued was Peru, 1871, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the first railway in South America..
Commerce: name given to the French colonial issues of May 1881.
Commercial cover: term used by collectors to indicate a nonphilatelic cover.
Commemoratif: (Fr.) commemorative.
Commemorative: stamp issued to honor a person or a special event.
Commemorativo: (It., Sp.) commemorative.
Commercial Airways: local, Canada,1929-30.
Commisair-priseur: (Fr.) auctioneer.
Commission consultative des timbres: (Fr.) Stamp advisory committee.
Commission de Controie Provisoire Korca: military stamp of Albania used during WW I.
Commissioner Provinciale Censura: (It.) Provisional Censor Commission, censor marking.
Commodore Shipping: issued in 1961 by Commodore Shipping Co Ltd. to prepay parcel and passenger carried on firm's ships between Guernsey, Sark and Alderney in the Channel Islands. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): a loose federation of independent countries from the former Soviet Union, formed Dec. 8, 1991: includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgzstan, Moldova, Russia. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan,
Commonwealths: Dominions of Great Britain renamed Commonwealths of the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1947.
Commonwealth Stamp catalogues: British semi-specialized catalogues featuring King George VI and Queen Elizabeth issues.
Commun: (Fr.) common.
Communicaciones: (Sp.) communications, 1874-1909.
Comoro Islands: off coast of Africa; 1864: first stamps were French Colonies General issues, 1887-1914: stamps of French Colonies issued for islands of Anjouan, Grand Comoro, Mayotte and Moheli, as part of Madagascar; 1892, Nov.: first stamps issued, 1892, Nov.-1914: stamps for Anjouan issued, then stamps of Madagascar in 1914, 1896-1914: stamps for Mohéli issued, then stamps of Madagascar in 1914, 1897, Nov.-1914: stamps for Great Comoro (Grande Comore) issued, then stamps of Madagascar in 1914, 1914-46: attached to Madagascar, then became a separate French Overseas Territory, 1914-50: stamps of Madagascar, 1950: issued their own stamps, 1960: inscription "Archipel des Comores" used, 1975: inscription "Etat Comorien" State of Comoro, used, except for Mayotte, which chose to remain French, 1977, Nov. 21: inscribed "Republique des Comores."
Companhia de Nyassa: Nyassa Company, a territory in Portuguese East Africa.
Compania de Transportes Terrestres Soc. Anon: local, Colombia, 1923-32.
Compania Urbana de Transportes: local, Colombia
Compartment lines: printing variety caused when presses picks up ink during the printing process.
Competa: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Complaisance (courrier de): (Fr.) favor mail.
Complete set (CPL): group of stamps that includes all the values from a series, or all the stamps from a issue.
Composite proof: a single printer's working proof showing two or more different designs.
Composite sheet: sheet of stamps made up of different values, types or designs.
Composite stamps: stamps made up of different values, types or designs on two or more stamps. Compound card, envelope: postal stationery that has been impressed with more than one indicium, such as the second Nesbit envelope series.
Compound card, envelope: postal stationery that has been impressed with more than one indicium, such as the second U.S. Nesbit envelope “star die” series.
Compound perforations: when there are two different perforation measurements on different sides; for example, a stamp of the U.S. 1938 Presidential Series is perforated 101/2 on top and bottom and 11 on both sides. Such stamps are said to be perf. 101/2 x 11.
Compound plates: a set of two plates each of which contain a part of the entire design.
Compound stamp: decorative self-adhesive labels attached by the user to a postally valid postage stamp.
Comptant: (Fr.) in cash.
Compulsory postage due labels: labels affixed to mail where charity stamps were not used; Portugal, Romania and Yugoslavia.
Computer stamps: term used as synonym for automatic stamps, or Frama labels.
Computer-generated postage: the use of Internet connections and laser printers to print postage on envelopes.
Computer vended: value of the stamp printed by a computer as the stamp is issued.
Comté: (Fr.) country.
Comun: (Sp.) common.
Comune: (It.) common.
Comune di Campione: (It.) local issue of Italy.
Concentration camp mail: mail from the concentration camps established by the Nazi regime in Germany during World War II.
Con charnela: (Sp.) hinged.
Conch Republic: propaganda secession of the Florida Keys in1982 to protest roadblocks by the US Border patrol to catch illegal immigrants.
Con-Con: CONcentration and CONvoy of registered mail under controlled conditions, USPS term.
Concordance: term used by maximum card collectors to indicate the three elements, view card, stamp and cancel, necessary to qualify as a maximum card.
Concours: (Fr.) competition, stamp show.
Condicion: (Sp.) condition.
Condition: the quality of a stamp regarding color, centering, Cancellation, and gum if mint all go into making up the term "condition." Typical condition descriptions are Superb, Very Fine, Fine, Good, Average, or Poor. "Superb" means that everything about the stamp is perfect.
Condition of sale: printed in an auction catalog, (or as “Terms of Sale”) with the legal terms of contract binding the buyer purchasing at the auction; terms normally are subject to verbal amendment(s) at the time of the auction.
Condominium: territory ruled by more than one power and stamps may be bilingual.
Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals: stamps and envelopes issued by individual postmasters between June 1, 1861 and Oct. 16, 1861 when Confederate Government stamps became available.
Confederate States of America: U.S. Confederate States, 3¢ Postmaster’s Provisionals; issued stamps used by the seceding states prior to the control of the postal service by the Confederate States of America; see: Hillsboro, N.C., Jackson, Miss., Madison Court House, Fl. Nashville, Tenn., Selma, Ala. and Tuscumbia, Ala.
Confederate States of America: United States Confederate States, 1861, June 1: use of U. S. stamps stopped for the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, 1861, June 1-Oct. 16: confederate provisional stamps and postmarks used, 1861, Oct. 16: first Confederate government stamps appeared.
Confederate States of America, forged issues: 1: 1862 Davis, Sc. 6-7. 2: 1863 Jefferson Davis, Sc. 11.
Confederation Helvetica: Switzerland.
Confédérés (Etats): (Fr.) Confederate States (USA).
Cong Hua Mien Nam: Viet Nam.
Congo Belge: Belgian Congo, 1908-10, see: Zaire. Congo Democratic Republic: Central Africa; 1908-pre: independent state, 1908: annexed to Belgium as a colony, 1960, June: became independent republic, 1963: Katanga reunited with the Congo, 1964: some stamps used Congo Democratic Republic, 1971, Oct. 28: name changed to Republic of Zaire, 1997: name changed to Democratic Republic of the Congo, see: Belgian Congo, Zaire.
Congo Francais Gabon: Gabon.
Congo, People's Republic: Central Africa; Middle Congo; former territory 1910-pre: part of French Congo, 1910: declared a separate colony, joined with Gabon, Ubangi-Shari and Chad Territories, 1934: incorporated as French Equatorial Africa, 1958-pre: joined with other colonies to form French Equatorial Africa; see: Congo, Republique du and Middle Congo. 1958, Nov. 28: became member state of the French Community, 1959: first stamps issued, see: Congo, People's Republic, 1960, Aug. 15: independence within French Community as the Congo Republic, 1970, Jan. 3: became the People's Republic of the Congo, 1970, Nov. 28: stamps issued as People's Republic of the Congo, 1990: name changed back to Republic of the Congo.
Congo, Republique du: see: Congo, People's Republic.
Congreso de la Union Postal Panamericana: (Sp.) Pan-American Postal Union Congress, 1931.
Congreso de los Diputados: (Sp.) Spain's official free frank stamps for its parliament, 1895-98.
Congreso Internacional de Ferrocarriles: (Sp.) International Congress of Railways.
Congress book: annual publication of the American Philatelic Congress, articles dealing with original research.
Conio: (It.) die.
Conjoined: stamp design depicting two or more busts or heads facing in the same direction.
Conjunto: (Sp.) selection, or lot (of stamps).
Connu: (Fr.) known (quantity).
Conseil de l'Europe: (Fr.) France official issue inscription for mail from Council of Europe headquarters, Strasbourg.
Consignia: name of British Post office effective March 26, 2001 when the postal service became a government-owned public company.
Consigner's contract: the legal and binding signed document of agreement between the auctioneer and the owner of the philatelic properties being consigned to the auctioneer.
Consignment: material given to a stamp dealer by a collector (consignor), who also states price required; the dealer then proceeds to sell it for the collector, or consignor, pays the consignor, less a commission to the dealer for handling the material.
Consommation: a grey, granite paper used for French war-time stamps, 1917-20.
Constant: term used to describe a variety that appears in the same position on every sheet.
Constanti: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Constantina: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Constantinople (Stamboul): now known as Istanbul; 1748: Austria and Russia established a post office, 1812-July 1923: French post office opened, used stamps of France, 1830-Sep. 30, 1914: Russian post office opened, 1857-85: British post offices used British stamps with "C" and "S ," 1863-67: used stamps of Lombardy-Venetia (Austrian Italy), 1870, Mar.: Germany opened a post office, 1873: Italian post office established, 1873-81: stamps of Turkey overprinted for local use within city, 1885-1914: British post offices used stamps of British Levant, 1896-1919: stamps of Romania overprinted "Constantinopol," 1909-14: stamps of Italy overprinted "Costantinopoli ," 1909: first separately overprinted stamps issued, 1909-14: stamps of the Russian Levant overprinted "Constantinople," 1919, May-1923: Poland issued stamps for their consulate, 1919: stamps of Romania overprinted with "Posta Romana Constantinopl," 1919-23: stamps of Italy overprinted "Costantinopoli" used again.
Constant plate variety (CPV): any printed variation of the intended design caused by an irregular feature in the printing base; occurs at fixed intervals on coils.
Constant variety: a variety on each stamp printed from a certain position on the plate.
Contratacion de Moneda: (Sp.) marking on covers of Banco de España, foreign currency.
Consulaire: (Fr.) consular. Consular post office: post offices in the Turkish Empire and China for which specially overprinted stamps were issued.
Consular overprints: semi-official stamps issued by SCADTA, Colombian airline, 1921-23, sold at Colombian consulates to prepay postage within Colombia on mail sent from abroad; overprints on the stamps applied to indicate the originating country. A is Germany, A-U is Argentina or Uruguay, B is Belgium, Bo is Bolivia, Br. Is Brazil, C is Cuba, CR is Costa Rica, Ca is Canada, Ch is Chile, D is Denmark, E is Spain, EU is United States, F is France, GB is Great Britain, I is Italy, H is Netherlands, P is Panama, PE is Peru, SU is Sweden, S is Switzerland and V is Venezuela.
Consular service fee stamps: stamps affixed to documents showing payment of specific fees for various duties of consular officers.
Consumer advocate: USPS officer who represents the interests of the individual mail user.
Contaminated ink: foreign matter appearing on a printed stamp.
Continental Bank Note Company: security printer; 1873, May 1: successor to US stamp printing contract from the National Bank Note Co., 1879, Feb. 4: merged into the American Bank Note Company.
Continental Congress: resolved that post riders be stationed at 25 or 30 mile intervals along post roads, stages traveling three times a week,1776.
Continente: (Port.) inscription of postage due, Portugal.
Contingency stamp: stamp printed at time of a rate change when current issues may not meet postal needs.
Continuous overprint: an overall design without regard for placement on any particular stamp.
Continuous watermark: an overall design without regard for placement on any certain stamp
Contract Air Mail (CAM): carriage of mail within the US by a commercial airline on routes authorized by postal and federal authorities.
Contraffazione: (It.) counterfeit, fake, forgery.
Contrassegno: (It.) cash on delivery, C.O.D.
Contrefaçon: (Fr.) counterfeit, fake, forgery.
Contre remboursement: (Fr.) cash on delivery, COD.
Control: figures and/or letters printed in a stamp sheet margin to indicate accounting time, distribution and any other manufacturing data, may appear on backs of stamps. - overprints, perfins and underprints to prevent use of stolen stamps.
Controlled mail: mail from one source to another where the sender gets the stamps returned that are used on the mail.
Control letters or numbers: inscription on margin of stamp sheet to denote the printing plate or cylinder on which the sheet was printed.
Control marks: marks placed on the stamp or in the sheet margin by postal authorities for accounting purposes.
Control number: numbers printed on backs of stamp (Spain), or tabs (Tonga) for internal control.
Control overprint: when a large theft of stamps occurs, postal authorities overprinted remaining stamps and the use of any stamps which have not been overprinted is forbidden.
Convenience overpayment: affixing overfranking as postage when exact amount is unavailable.
Convention, Postal: Universal Postal Union agreement, signed by a postal official and ratified by the head of government.
Convertible booklet: USPS technical specification for a pane of stamps that may be folded into a booklet after removal of the two narrow selvage strips.
Convoyeur(s): (Fr.) carrier (of mail on railroad), postmark of postal agent on train.
Coo, Cos, Kos: see: Cos.
Cook-Inseln: (Ger.) Cook Islands.
Cook Islands: Pacific Islands; 1892, May 7: first stamps, 1901: became a dependency of New Zealand, 1919-32: stamps inscribed "Rarotonga" name of main island, see: Aitutaki, Niue and Penrhyn.
Cook Land: bogus North Pole issue in early 1900s.
Cook's Dispatch: U.S. local post, Baltimore, Md, 1853.
Cooland: bogus, related to West Refaim.
Coolgardie Cycl Express: bicycle service operated in Western Australia in the 1890s, issued local stamps.
Copa Mundial de Fútbol: (Sp.) World Cup of Football, topic.
COPO: Council of Philatelic Organizations, USA.
Copper plate engraving: recessed design engraved upon or transferred to a copper plate, printed impressions show raised lines, now almost entirely superceded by engraving on steel plates; copper plate engraving persisted until recently in France.
Coppia: (It.) pair.
Coppia invertita: (It.) tete-beche pair.
Coppia orizzontale: (It.) horizontal pair.
Coppia verticale: (It.) vertical pair.
Copyright: standard inscription placed in the sheet margin legally protecting design from duplication by unauthorized persons or firms.
Coquille: (Fr.) misprint. - printing cylinder part.
Coralit: (It.) Corrièri Alta Italia, North Italian Courier Company bicycle routes in Italy, 1944- 45, in Feb.1945, used mail franked with local stamps and Italian postage stamps.
Coral Sea Islands Territory: bogus, islands off the coast of Queensland.
Corbeil's Private Post: bogus, Canada, sometime in the 1800s.
Corbera: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cordial stamps: stamps used on bottles or cases of cordials to pay the US Internal Revenue Tax.
Cordillera: (Sp.) Spanish system in late 1700s where each government unit was responsible for forwarding or circulating official mail to the next unit.
Cordoba: 1): Argentine province; 1858, Oct. 28: first stamps issued, 1865: replaced by stamps of the central government; 2): local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist and Republican, 1936-37.
Corea, (Sp.) Corean: Korea, variations on name.
Coree du Nord: (Fr.) North Korea.
Coree du Sud: (Fr.) South Korea.
Corfou: (Fr.) Corfu.
Copyright: standard inscription placed in the sheet margin protecting design.
Corfu: Ionian Island; 1864: under control of Greece, 1922: Italy occupied Corfu (Kerkyra), 1923: stamps of Italy overprint for use on island, 1941: stamps of Greece overprinted, 1941: Italian occupation issue for all Ionian Islands, 1943: stamps of Greece re-introduced; see: Ionian Islands.
Corisco: Spanish island colony off coast of Africa; 1868: used stamps of Fernando Poo, 1903 to 1909: issued their own stamps, 1909: Spanish Guinea, then stamps of Rio Muni; see: Eloby, Annobon and Corisco.
Cork cancels: obliterators made from corks in fancy or plain designs.
Cornella de llobregat: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Corner blocks: a block of stamps taken out of the corner of a sheet or pane and identified by the paper margin on two adjacent sides of the block.
Corner card: name and address of the envelope user, usually placed in the upper left hand corner; an illustration may accompany the printed address.
Corner fold: a corner of a sheet of stamps becomes folded during printing process on a sheet- fed press.
Corner letters: letters in the bottom two corners on early stamps of Great Britain; intended as a security measure against forgery; also known as check letters.
Cornice: (It.) frame.
Cornwell's Madison Square Post office: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1856.
Coro and la Vela: local, Venezuela, 1867-89.
Corocco: state near Chile used in book Clue of the Postage Stamp by Arthur Bray in 1913, bogus stamp affixed to book cover.
Corona: (It., Sp.) crown.
Coronation issue: series of stamps issued to commemorate the coronation of a king or queen.
Coroncine: (It.) nickname of Italian stamps with a small crown overprint, 1934.
COROS: Collectors of Religion on Stamps, USA.
Cor postal: (Fr.) post-horn.
Correio: Brazil and Portugual word for posts. - (With no country name and denominations in "Reis") Portugal.
Correio Aereo: Portuguese for air mail posts.
Correios e Telegraphos: (Port.) Post and Telegraph.
Correo(s): (Sp.) mail, post, postage.
Correo(s) Aereo, Aéreo: (Sp.) airmail.
Correo Aereo Interior: Dominican Republic domestic airmail.
Correo Ambulante: (Sp.) traveling post office (T.P.O.).
Correo Certificado: (Sp.) registered mail.
Correo Chanadina: Colombia.
Correo de campaña: (Sp.) field post, field post office. - also stamps prepared in1939 but never issued.
Correo de la Corona: (Sp.) Spanish Royal Mail Service, 15th century.
Correo Espanol Marruecos: Spain, Offices in Morocco.
Correo Espanol Tanger: Spanish Morocco for International City of Tangiers.
Correo Interior: (Sp.) local mail, posted and delivered in same city or town, Spain 1853 issue.
Correo Mayores: (Sp.) privately run colonial postal system established in the New World in 1767.
Correos de cohete: (Sp.) rocket mail.
Correos des Infectado: (Sp.) disinfected mail.
Correos franco: (Sp.) post paid.
Correos 1854 Y 55: Philippines, Spanish Dominion.
Correos Maritimos de la Estado: (Sp.) maritime delivery established in1764 in Spain to provide mail delivery to the various Spanish colonies.
Correos Nacionales: (Sp.) Colombia.
Correos Oaxaca: Mexican State of Oaxaca.
Correo Submarino: (Sp.) submarine mail; 1938, one voyage took place; Barcelona to Mahón and back via Marseilles.
Correspondencia Falta de Franqueo: (Sp.) unstamped letter.
Correspondencia Sibrante: (Sp.) undelivered mail, return to sender.
Correos Urbanos Medellin: Colombia local issue for state of Medellin.
Correo Urgente: (Sp.) express delivery.
Correspondence art: labels designed to simulate stamps.
Correspondencias registradas: (Sp.) appears on seals to indicate registration.
Corriente: (Sp.) normal, or average, common as opposed to rare.
Cortado por mitad: (Sp.) bisect.
Corrientes: province in Argentina; 1856, Aug. 21-Sep. 11: first stamps issued. 1880, Aug. 21: replaced by stamps of Argentina.
Corse: (Fr.) Corsica.
Cortado: (Sp.) cut close.
Cortado a serpentina: (Sp.) serpentine roulette.
Cortegana: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1936-37.
Cortes de la Frontera: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1936-37.
Corumbela: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1936-37.
Coruna: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist and Republican, 1936-37.
Cos: Dodecanese Island, Aegean Sea; 16th century-post: Turkish rulers, 1912-pre: used stamps of Turkey, 1912: overprint "Egeo" on stamps of Italy, followed by name of island, 1916: first stamps without overprints, 1920: Turkey ceded group to Italy, 1929: general Aegean Islands issues, 1930, 1932: overprint "Coo" used on two sets, 1943, Sept.: became part of Greece, 1943: reoccupied by German forces, 1945: liberated by allied forces, 1945-47: stamps of Britain overprinted MEF (Middle East Forces), when islands transferred to Greece, 1947: stamps of Greece overprinted SDD (Dodecanese Military Occupation), 1947-summer: stamps of Greece used.
Cosmos: (Fr.) space.
Costa de Marfil: (Sp.) Ivory Coast.
Costa de Oro: (Sp.) Gold Coast.
Costa Rica: Central America; 1821-pre: under Spanish rule, 1821: part of the United Provinces of Central America, 1838: became independent republic, 1863, Mar.: first stamps issued, 1885-89: stamps of Costa Rice overprinted with "Guanacaste" to celebrate sovereignty.
Costumes folcloriques: (Fr.) costumes, thematic.
Cote: (Fr.) price, valuation, quotation.
Côte de Somalis: (Fr.) Somali Coast.
Côte d'Ivoire: (Fr.) Ivory Coast.
Côte d'Or.: (Fr.) Gold Coast.
Côte Francais des Somalis: (Fr.) French Somali Coast.
Côtele: (Fr.) ribbed.
Côte vue (carte postale): (Fr.) picture side of post card.
Cottbus: local, German Democratic Republic, 1945-46.
Cotton fiber: a strong and stable fiber that provides archival qualities to paper.
Cotton reels: first circular issues of British Guiana named due their similarity to the labels on reels of sewing cotton, 1850-51.
Cottrell Press: single-color intaglio press used by US Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Couché (papier): (Fr.) chalky (paper), coated.
Coudekerque: city in northern France; 1940: German overprint on French stamps used.
Couleur: (Fr.) color.
Counani, Free State of: bogus labels in 1886, 1893 and 1904 for all the land north of the Amazon River.
Counterfeit: an imitation or forgery of a genuine postage stamp or postal marking that has been created to defraud the collector or government.
Counterfoil: receipt half of a two-part stamp, usually parcel post issues, one half affixed to the mail pieces, other half kept by sender as receipt.
Counting numbers: Cottrell Press used them when printing coil stamps. - numbers jet-sprayed on backs of coil stamps at regular intervals.
Country: collections specializing in the postal issues of one nation.
Coupé (en deux): (Fr.) cut (bisected).
Coupon: term for a non-postal label attached to a postage stamp, first used in Czechoslovakia in 1930.
Coupon Réponse International (CRI): (Fr.) international reply coupon.
Courant: (Fr.) common.
Courant (timbre d'usage): (Fr.) current, regular use, definitive.
Courcelles de Tour: local provisional, France, 1944.
Courier: local, Chemnitz, Germany 1907.
Courier services: delivery services operated by governments for official mail; labels, cachets and stationery have been utilized for this purpose.
Couronne: (Fr.) crown.
Courrier: (Fr.) the mail, post, mail boat, mail system.
Courrier-convoyeur(s): (Fr.) postal agent(s) on a train.
Court Bureau: local printed in London, 1890, to prepay services for collection of mail on Sundays and delivered to railroad stations for delivery on Mondays, 1890-91.
Court de marge: (Fr.) cut close.
Courte (series): (Fr.) incomplete set with high values missing.
Courtesy reply mail (CRM): preaddressed return envelope or postcard that mailers supply to a customer for reply; the customer pays the postage, USPS term.
Courtland, Al. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Courvoisier, Helio SA: printing firm in Switzerland, formed in 1880, that has printed stamps for more than 70 postal administrations, closed April 30, 2001.
Couvert: (Ger.) envelope, cover.
Couverture(s): (Fr.) cover(s) (of booklets).
Cov.: abbreviation for cover.
Cover: a postally used envelope or one that has been cancelled as a souvenir; note that prior to the use of envelopes in the mid-19th century, letter sheets were folded to size, ends to be tucked in and sealed with wax; these are not usually called "covers."
Cover face: an envelope's front portion that has been cut away from rest of envelope.
Cow Post: Kuhpost, mail service operated between Rothenuffeln and Hille in Germany in 1878.
Cox: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Coyanza: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
C. P.: Campbell Paterson Catalog of New Zealand - commemorative panel; Scott Catalogue number suffix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
Cpl: see: Complete set.
CPV: see: Constant plate variety.
CQ: airmail parcel post; Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
C Press: three-color Goebel intaglio press used by the BEP.
CR: Crampon: Pacific Flight Covers handbook - Caledonian Railway. - Cacabau Rex, native king of Fiji, 1871-74 issues. - Costa Rica, country code as used by UPU.
Cracked gum: small particles in the gum caused by hand-rolling the sheets, or age and atmosphere conditions.
Cracked plate: stamps that show evidence that the plate from which they were printed was cracked.
Crack out: opening of the plastic case containing an encapsulated stamp.
Cramoisi: (Fr.) crimson (color).
Crash cover: a cover saved from the wreck of a plane, train or other vehicle with a postal marking explaining the damaged condition, first recorded example was rescued from the crash of the Grand Trunk railway in Canada in 1873.
Crazy perfs: irregular perforations caused by operator error or a malfunction of the feeding mechanism, drastic ones are known as foldovers.
Crease: a fold mark remaining on a postal piece.
Creased paper: caused by a crease in the paper before or during the printing process.
Creased stamp: crease happened after the printing.
Crema: (It., Sp.) cream (color).
Creme: (Fr.) cream (color).
Cremisi: (It.) crimson (color).
Crescent, S.S.: steamship of the Danube Steam Navigation Company; 1834: built for the Levant, then to the Austrian Lloyd.
Cressman & Co.'s Penny Post: U.S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 1856.
Creta: (It., Sp.) Crete.
Crete: Mediterranean island; 15th century-post: province of Turkey, 1898-1900: British and Russian occupation forces issued stamps inscribed in Greek, 1898-1900: Stamps of France and Italy overprinted with name of the island, 1898-Dec. 15, 1914: stamps of Austria overprinted, 1899-pre: stamps of Turkey used, then stamps of joint occupying powers; Britain (1898-99), Russia (1899), Austria (1903-14), France (1903-13) and Italy (1900-12). 1899: declared autonomous republic, 1900, Mar.: first stamps of Crete, 1908, Oct.: union with Greece declared, Cretan stamps overprinted "Hellas" (Crete) 1913, May 13: island became part of Greece, Greek stamps used, WW II: German military stamps overprinted "Inselpost" for German troops, see: British Offices in Crete.
Crete, Austrian post offices: 1900s: operated in Canea, Candia and Rethymnon, 1903: stamps of Austria surcharged in francs and centimes, 1914, Dec.: offices closed.
Crete-British Administration, forged issues: 1898-99 20 papa, Sc. 3, 5.
Crete, British post offices: 1898: special stamps issued for use from British post offices, 1899: post offices closed.
Crete, forged issue: 1905 Therison revolution, unissued.
Crete, French post offices: 1902: "Crete" inscription in Blanc, Mouchon and Merson keytypes, 1903: surcharged with new denominations, 1914: post offices closed.
Crete, Italian Offices: 1900: stamps of Italy overprinted "La Canea" surcharged in Turkish currency, 1907: last issue appeared.
Crete, Revolutionary Assembly of: 1905: stamps issued by rebels who tried to obtain unification of Crete with Greece.
Crete, Russian post offices: 1899, May 13,-July 29: handstamped
Crevichon: Great Britain local carriage label, Jethou.
Crevillente: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937
Crimea: South Russia; 1854-57: stamps of Britain used during Crimean campaign, 1918, Nov.-20: overprint on stamps of Russia by revolutionary Kuban (Tatar) government, 1918-post: occupied by French, Bolsheviks, Gen. Denikin, WW II: occupied by Germans and made part of the Ukraine district, 1992-post: many bogus local issues exist.
Crimée: (Fr.) Crimea.
Cristal (papier): (Fr.) glassine.
Croacia: (Sp.) Croatia.
Croatia: Yugoslavia; 1918-pre: province of Hungary, 1918: overprint on stamps of Hungary, listed under Yugoslavia, 1941, Apr.-45: German occupation used stamps of Croatia, 1945: became part of the Yugoslav Federation, 1943: stamp show held at Zagreb while occupied, 1951: bogus stamps by Croatia Government in Exile, 1991: declared independence, civil war between Croats and Serbs, 1995: Croatian government regained control.
Croatie: (Fr.) Croatia.
Croazia: (It.) Croatia.
Croce Rossa: (It.) Red Cross.
Croix de Lorraine: (Fr.) Cross of Lorraine, Gaullist cross.
Cromalin: photographer's proof that prints exactly what is seen on the transparency, ®DuPont.
Crosby's City Post: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1870.
Crosshatching: a combination of various lines used to provide a background for a design.
Crossing off: see: Bidding circle.
Cross of Lorraine: (Fr.) double-barred cross symbol used as an anti-tuberculosis emblem on stamps and Christmas seals.
Cross Post: British term for "cross road letters" that could go from one part of the country to another without having to go to London for rerouting; established in 1720.
Crown Agents: originally a British official government body to act as "agents for the colonies" on Jan. 1, 1980, changed to providing arrange of philatelic services to various postal administrations throughout the world.
Crown and Posthorn: newspaper stamps of Hungary.
Crowned circle: circle with crown on top with word "Free" or "Paid" along with city, indicates that the postage has been prepaid or is not payable; used in British areas prior to introduction of adhesive stamps.
Crown colony: a British colony directly under the control of the home government.
Cruz Roja: (Sp.) Red Cross.
Cruz Vermelha: (Port.) Red Cross Portugal semi-postal.
CS: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Czechoslovakia, such as CS-15000, Prague. - (It.) Corrispondenza Sarda, pre-adhesive postmark on mail from Kingdom of Sardia.
CSA: Confederate States of America. CSA issues refer to the general and provisional stamp issues produced by the Confederacy.
CSAC: Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee.
C. S. A. R.: Central South African Railways, Transvaal Railway stamps.
CSDA: Canadian Stamp Dealers Association
C.S.F.P.: (Fr.) "Chambre Syndicale Francaise de la Philatelie" French Philatelic Traders Society.
C.S.1. (2-7) R.: (Fr.) Correspondance Sarde 1 Rayon, Kingdom of Sardinia Mail, First Radius; mail to nearby nations.
C.S.I.R/VINCEREMO: (It.) bogus, Italian Expeditionary Force in Russia/We Will Win, overprint on stamps of Italy.
C.S.N.E.T.P: (Fr.) "Chambre Syndicale des Negociants et Experts en Timbres-Poste" Philatelic Traders and Experts Society.
CT: (It.) "Corrispondenza Ticinese" prepayment hand stamp from Ticino Canton of Switzerland. 2: USPS abbreviation for Connecticut.
Ct: (Fr.) abbreviation for carnet, booklet.
CTA: (Sp.) abbreviation of "completa" used in auction catalogs, a complete set or series.
C-T-C: Celebrate the Century, a term used by the USPS for the various sheets of postage stamps issued for the 1900s.
CTO: see: Canceled-to-Order.
CU: Cuba, country code as used by UPU.
Cuadernillo: (Sp.) (stamp) booklet.
Cuautla: stamp issued in 1867 in Mexican town during fighting to oust French from Mexico.
Cuba:. island in West Indies; 1511-1898: under Spanish rule, 1855, Apr.: Spanish administration issued first stamps jointly valid with Puerto Rico, 1873: Cuba had own stamps, inscribed “Ultramar” (overseas), 1877: first stamps inscribed “Cuba”, 1898, Dec. 19-1899: surcharge on stamps of Puerto Principe, Cuba with “habilitado” and new value; issued under administration of the U.S., 1899: five general use stamps issued under U.S. military rule, plus special use postal items; printed by the U.S. Bureau of Printing and Engraving, 1902: Cuban republic established, 1905: stamps of new republic issued, 1909: became an independent republic, with a U.S. military base at Guantanamo.
Cuba, forged issues: 1: 1878 King Alfonso X11, Sc. 81. 2: 1898 King Alfonso XIII, Sc. 172.
Cubierta: (Sp.) labels attached to insured mail in Colombia, 1865 to 1909.
Cúcuta: city in Colombia, issued its own provisional stamps, 1900-06
Cuenca: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cuernavaca: stamp issued for Mexican city during fighting to oust French from Mexico, 1867.
Cuervo Gold, Republic of: liquor firm fantasy for Caribbean island.
Cuevas Bajas: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cuevas de Almanzora: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cuevas de San Marcos: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cuevas de Vinroma: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cuevas del Becerro: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cullar-Baza: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cullera: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cumbres Mayores: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cumming's City Post: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1844.
Cundinamarca: department in Colombia; 1870-1904: retained right to operate their own postal service and issue stamps, 1904: stamps of Colombia used.
Cuneiform: ancient script on clay tablets, then baked and hardened, transmitted usually by the royal court.
Cuño: (Sp.) die.
C.U.P.A.E.: (Sp.) Congreso de la Unión Postal de las Américas y España, 1946.
Curacao: Dutch island colony off coast of Venezuela; 1873, May 23: inscription of "Curaçao" on their own stamps, 1948: renamed Netherlands Antilles, 1949: inscription on stamps, "Ned. Antillen" and "Nederlandse Antillen" stamps used in other Netherlands Antilles islands; Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, Eustatius and part of St. Maartin.
Curiosi: postal inspectors, Roman imperial postal system, about 250 BC.
Curly head: nickname for Spanish stamps depicting curly hair of 12-year old King Alfonso XIII, 1898.
Currency: the monetary value expressed on the postage stamps.
Currency stamp: - British and French post office term for handstamps stating a specific amount of currency. - postage or fiscal stamps used as units of currency during coinage shortage.
Current: term used to describe postal items that are presently available at the post office.
Current number: numbers inserted in the margins of the plates of British and British Colonial stamps, indicating order in which printed, irrespective of the face value of the stamps, or the countries.
Curseur (pour pneumatique): (Fr.) bullet (for pneumatic post).
Cusbah: Indian States term for village or township. Customs labels/markings: indicating that packages from another country have been examined for dutiable articles.
Curzay: local provisional, France, 1944.
Customs stamp: fiscal stamp to collect small sums payable as import duty.
Cutar: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cutcherry: Indian States term for court house, office.
Cut close: imperforate stamps, if when separated by cutting, are cut too close to the design.
Cut corner: part of the upper right corner of an envelope or card that has been removed.
Cut-outs: embossed stamps from postal stationery that are cut out and used as postage.
Cut square: imperforate stamps cut from postal stationery with the corners of the original paper left intact.
Cuttings Despatch Post: U.S. local post, Buffalo, N.Y., 1847.
Cut to register: watermarked paper cut so that the watermark design falls into correct position in each sheet of stamps.
Cut to shape: an essay or proof cut close to the edges of the design, following the shape of the frame; creating hybrid proofs.
Cuzco: town in Peru, provisional issues of Arequipa overprinted "Cuzco"; 1881-85: during war with Chile, "Franco/10/Cuzco" overprint on Peru postage due labels.
CV: catalog value. - Cape Verde, country code as used by UPU.
CVP: computer vended postage.
CV da Trieste: (It.) "Col Vapore da Trieste" from Trieste by steamship, pre-adhesive postmark.
CV da Venezia: (It.) "Col Vapore da Venezia" from Venice by steamship, pre-adhesive postmark
C.VL.: (Fr.) "Correspondence Valaisanne"; pre-adhesive postmark used on Wallis region of Switzerland, 1935.
Cvr: abbreviation for cover or postal stationery entire.
C. W.: Canada West, when used in a postmark.
Cwladfa Patagonia: bogus for Colony of Patagonia, Aegentina.
CWO: cash with order.
CY: Cyprus, country code as used by UPU.
Cylinder: used to print photogravure stamps, may be numbered.
Cylinder number: in British and Commonwealth stamp sheets, if the number has a period, it is from the right side of the cylinder, if there is no period, it is from the left side; in more than one color is used, the numbers will be in the color applied by that particular cylinder. - plate number of an Andreotti or "A" Press printing cylinder.
Cylinder paper watermark: By attaching pieces to the wire cloth covering the cylinder, fewer fibers were collected during the settling process, producing a watermark.
Cymru: Welsh propaganda label.
Cypern: (Ger.) Cyprus.
Cypher stamps: printed adhesives showing Great Britain's monarch initials, used to cover the staple with which revenue documents were affixed to the documents, preventing their removal and reuse, 1701.
Cyprus: Mediterranean island; 1517-1878: Turkish posession, 1864-post: stamps of Austrian Levant used at Austrian post office at Larnaca, 1878, July 28: British occupation, stamps of Britain used, 1880, Apr. 1: first stamps issued, British stamps overprinted "Cyprus ," 1881, July 1: Cyprus definitives issued, 1878-81: British stamps used without overprint in some towns, 1881: replaced by British colonial first definitives, 1914: Britain annexed country, 1924: became a crown colony, 1934: pictorial definitives introduced, 1939-45: British troop base, field post offices used, 1960, Aug.: became a republic within the British Commonwealth, 1973, Oct. 29: stamps issued to commemorate 50th Anniversary of Turkish republic, 1974, July 20: Turkey invaded Cyprus dividing the country, 1975, Feb. 13.: Turkish Cypriot federated state declared, Turkish Cyprus stamp not recognized by the UPU, 1983: Turkish area named Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Cyprus stamps show name of country in Greek, Turkish and English.
C. X. C.: Cyrillic overprint on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Jugoslavia.
Cyrenaica: North Africa, part of Libya; 1901: Italian post office opened in Benghazi, 1911-pre: Turkish stamps used, 1912: ceded to Italy, incorporated with Tripolitania to form Libia, 1923, Oct. 24: first stamps were stamps of Italy overprinted "Cirenaica ," 1923-29: own stamps used at same time as stamps of Libya, 1942-48: British stamps overprinted "M.E.F." (Middle East Forces), 1948, July 1-Dec. 1951: stamps of Britain overprinted "B.M.A. Tripolitania ," 1950, Feb. 6-Dec. 1951: stamps of Britain overprinted "B.A. Tripolitania ," 1951, Jan.16: stamps issued during period of autonomy, 1951, Dec. 23: incorporated into Libya.
Cyrénaïque: (Fr.) Cyrenaica.
CZ: precedes the European postal code on addresses in the Czech Republic, such as CZ- 15021, Prague. - Czech (Rep.), country code as used by UPU.
Czechoslovakia (CZ, CZE): formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; 1526-post: under Austrian Hapsburg rule, and Slovakia, part of the Kingdom of Hungary, 1918-pre: stamps of Austria, 1918: local post operated by scouts in Prague, 1918, Oct.: first stamp issued in Hradcany Castle designs, 1919: service began to return to normal, 1919: Austrian stamps overprinted as semi-postals, 1939, Mar. 14-1945: stamps of Germany used in Bohemia and Moravia, 1944-45: territory regained by Russian forces, issued its own stamps again, 1945: Czech stamps reissued, 1948: Peoples Republic established, 1969, Jan. 2: became a federal state, 1989: democratic government established, 1990: renamed the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, 1990. July: Slovakia declared sovereignty and union dissolved, 1993, Jan. 1: separated into Slovakia and the Czech Republic; see: Bohemia and Moravia and Slovakia.
Czechoslovakia, Siberian Legion (Legion Post): 1919-20: military stamps issued for use by Czech troops fighting in Russia.
Czyl's Penny Post: United States local post.