| Term |
Meaning |
| Ghost tagging |
The appearance of a faint
image impression in addition to the normal inked
impression. This is caused by misregistration of the
phosphor tagging in relation to the ink. Sometimes, a
plate number impression will have an entirely
different number from the ink plate, giving the
impression of an error: one dark (normal) number and
one light (ghost) number. |
| Glassine |
A thin, semitransparent
paper that is moderately resistant to the passage of
air and moisture. Envelopes made of glassine are
commonly used for temporary stamp storage. Glassine is
also used in the manufacture of stamp hinges. |
| Goldbeater's skin |
A thin, tough, translucent
paper. The 1886 issue of Prussia was printed in
reverse on goldbeater's skin, with the gum applied
over the printing. These stamps are brittle and
virtually impossible to remove from the paper to which
they are affixed. |
| Granite paper |
A paper with small colored
fibers added when the paper is made. This paper is
used as a deterrent against forgery. |
| Graphite lines |
Vertical black lines printed
on the back of certain British stamps in 1957. The
substance used was called Naphthadag (Deflocculated
Acheson's Graphite) and was employed in connection
with early experiments at Southampton with the
automatic sorting of mail. Stamps intended for use on
fully paid mail, such as sealed letters (and later the
second class rate), had only one line. This permitted
the segregation of mail into the basic categories for
sorting and stamping. These lines were superseded by
phosphor bands. |
| Gravure |
A printing process utilizing
an intaglio printing plate created by photographic and
chemical means, rather than by hand engraving. See
also Intaglio.
|
