| Term |
Meaning |
| Face |
The front of a stamp; the
side bearing the design. |
| Face value |
The value of a stamp as
inscribed on its face. For letter-denominated or
nondenominated stamps, the understood postal value of
the stamp. |
| Facsimile |
A reproduction of a genuine
stamp or cover. Such items are usually made with no
intent to deceive collectors or postal officials.
Catalog illustrations may also be considered
facsimiles. |
| Fake |
A stamp, cover or cancel
that has been altered or concocted to appeal to a
collector. In a broad sense, fakes include repairs,
reperforations and regummed stamps, as well as
painted-in cancels, bogus cancels or counterfeit
markings. Sometimes entire covers are faked. |
| Fancy cancel |
A general term to describe
any pictorial or otherwise unusual obliterating
postmark. More specifically, the term is used to
describe elaborate handmade pictorial cancels of the
19th century, such as the Waterbury "Running
Chicken" of 1869 or the many intricate geometric
shapes used during that period in post offices around
the country. |
| Farley's Follies |
During 1933-34, U.S.
Postmaster General James A. Farley supplied a few
imperforate sheets of current commemorative issues to
Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt and other government
officials. The resulting uproar from U.S. collectors
forced the government to release for public sale 20
issues in generally imperforate and ungummed sheets.
They are United States Scott 752-71. Numbers 752-53
are perforated.
|
