R

R: U.S. Revenue. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R: Reprint
R&S;: Reiche and Sendbuehler Nos. (Canadian small Queen issue re-entries)
RA: Postal Tax. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RAB: Postal tax Semipostal. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RAC: Air Post Postal Tax. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RAILROAD CANCEL: Postmark applied to mail in a railway mail car.
RAJ: Postal Tax Due. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R A P T: Rhodesia Association for thge Prevemion of Tuberculosis.
RB: U.S. Revenue Proprietary. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RC: U.S. Revenue Future Delivery. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RD: U.S. Revenue Stock Transfer. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RE: U.S. Revenue Cordials, Wines, etc. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RE: Reinforced
RE-CUT: An unhardened printing plate that has been retouched.
REA: U.S. Revenue Beer. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
REBUTS: Postal marking instruction to return the piece of mail.
RECAPITO AUTORIZZATO: (It.) Denotes the tax on mail permitted to be delivered by private services. AUTHORISED DELIVERY STAMPS (Eng.)
RECEIVING MARK: A postal marking applied by the receiving post office.
RECESS PRINTED: A graphic arts process where the inked image is below the surface of the printing plate. Recess printed stamps have a raised image.
REC'G CDS: Receiving Circular Date Stamp
RECON: Reconstructed
RED CROSS STAMPS: Semi-postal stamps issued to benefit the Red Cross organization of a nation.
RED ERROR: The 5c red error in the 1917 plate of the 2c carmine value.
RED MERCURY: Austria newspaper stamp issued in 1856.
REDISTRIBUTED ORIGINAL GUM: Gum which has been moistened and respread to present the appearance of a non-hinged surface.
REDRAWN: A change in detail in an issued stamp.
REDUCED: A postal piece that has been cut to eliminate uneven edges.
RE-ENTRY: A repair or resharpening of an engraved stamp plate.
REG: Registered
REGIONAL COMMEMORATIVES: When the USPS only offers certain new stamp issues in certain areas where they are expected to be popular.
REGIONALS: Definitive stamps issued by Great Britain since 1958 for the regions of Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The regionals are usually sold only in the assigned region, but are valid for postage throughout the country.
REGISTERED MAIL: Mail with a numbered receipt that is signed by each postal employee as it is handled during processing.
REGISTRATION LABELS: A gummed label that indicates the registration number and the city of origin for registered articles.
REGISTRATION STAMPS: Stamps issued for the payment of registration fees exclusively.
REGUMMED: Stamp with artificial gum applied.
REISSUE: An official reprinting of a stamp that was discontinued.
REJOINED PERFORATIONS: Separated perforations that have been reattached by means of a hinge, gum or other chemical means.
RELEASE DATE: Formal date that the issueing postal administration puts an item on public sale.
RELIEF: Normal reproduction of the design on a die, in reverse.
REMAINDERS: Stamps remaining on hand after the issue has been discontinued.
REP: Repair
REPAIRED: Stamps or covers that have been altered or repaired to reinforce or to resemble an undamaged item. This can be the repair of a tear, changing of perforations, etc.
REPERFORATED: Stamp that has been perforated anew to defraud the collector.
REPLY POSTCARDS: Two postcards joined together, one for original message and other for reply.
REPRINT: Stamps printed from the original plates after the issue has become demonetized or obsolete.
REPRODUCTIONS: Stamps made from a new plate to imitate the original issue as the U.S. Special Printing issue of 1875.
RESERVE: Auction term meaning that the seller has the right to withhold the article from sale if the highest bid does not meet his estimate of what it should bring.
RETOUR: Postal marking instruction to return the piece of mail.
REVENUE PROOF: Originally made from proof reading sheets by Butler, Carpenter Company.
REVENUE STAMP: Stamps issued to pay various types of internal revenue taxes as documentary, proprietary, etc. Revenue stamps are also called "Fiscals."
RF: U.S. Revenue Playing Cards. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R F D: Rural Free Delivery.
R G: Regummed
RG: U.S. Revenue Silver Tax. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RH: U.S. Revenue Cigarette Tubes. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RI: U.S. Revenue Potato Tax. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RIBBED: Paper which shows fine parallel ridges on one or both sides of a stamp.
RIBBED FRAME: Varieties of encased postage with fine parallel lines on the silver side of the metal case.
RIVADAVIAS: Argentina stamps with design of Bernardino Rivadavia, issued in 1864.
RJ: U.S. Revenue Tobacco Sale. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RJA: U.S. Revenue Narcotic Tax. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RK: U.S. Revenue Consular Service Fee. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RL: U.S. Revenue Customs Fee. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RM: U.S. Embossed Revenue Stamped Paper. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R.M.S. TITANIC: Royal Mail Ship Titanic.
RMNT: Remnant
RN: U.S. Revenue Stamped paper. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RO: U.S. Revenue Private Die Proprietary. Scott catalog usage to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R O C: Republic of China (Taiwan).
ROCKET MAIL: Experimental rockets with mail enclosed as a method of transport. Many of these covers also have special labels affixed for the occasion.
ROO'S: Australian stamps featuring the kangaroo.
ROOSEVELT PROOFS: During the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, the Post Office made 85 albums of sets of die proofs of all U. S. postage stamps designs as gifts to various political figures.
Rotary perforator: Has wheels of perforating pins that rotate on a central axle or shaft.
ROTARY PRESS STAMPS: Stamps printed from curved plates as compared to stamps printed from flat plates on a flat bed press. They will be slightly longer or wider than flat press stamps.
ROUGH PERFORATION: Jagged holes, not clean cut.
ROULETTING: The cutting of paper between stamps in order to make the separation of the stamps easier. In perforations, paper is actually removed from the sheet in the punched holes, but rouletting creates the appearance of a series of dashes.
ROW: A horizontal or vertical strip of stamps
R P O: Railway Post Office.
RP: U.S. Revenue Private Die Canned Fruit. Scott catalog usage to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R P S: Royal Philatelic Society.
R P S C: Royal Philatelic Society of Canada
RRT: Right (side)
RS: U.S. Revenue Private Die Medicine. Scott catalog number prefix identify stamps other than standard postage.
RT: U.S. Revenue Private Die Perfumery. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
R.T.S.: Return to sender
RTV: U.S. Revenue Trailer Permit. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RU: U.S. Revenue Private Die Playing Card. Scott catalog usage to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RUBBER STAMP ADDRESS: Address applied to a cover using a rubber stamp.
RUBY: (British) Type size in printing. AGATE (Eng.)
RUCH: Ruch (specialized Poland catalog)
RÜCKSCHEINMARKE: (Ger.) Stamp issued as a prepayment fee as an acknowledgment of receipt of a registered package. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT STAMP (A.R.) (Eng.)
RUNNING CHICKEN: Waterbury, MA, Cancel depicting three running chickens.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY (RFD): Begun in 1896, brought daily mail delivery to residents living outside urban areas.
RV: U.S. Revenue Motor Vehicle Use. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RVB: U.S. Revenue Boating. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RW: U.S. Revenue Hunting Permit. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RX: U.S. Revenue Distilled Spirits. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
RY: U.S. Revenue Firearms Transfer. Scott catalog number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.