Looking for Errors in Practice
Printing of stamps has been automated and in any automated process, errors seldom occur; and in the event of any such occurrence of error, then such stamps carry more weightage and fetch more value. For instance, in US, a stamp with a printing upside down has brought a fortune to the person who identified and collected the stamp first. It may not also be necessary that all stamps with errors in printing or in any other aspects can fetch a huge amount in any auctions. However, any such errors or mistakes provide an interesting part to your stamp collection adventure. A good source of collecting entertainment would be the Canadian ?Admirals? issues of 1911-1925. Other than the errors, you can also look for any minute differences that may arise out of fine printing. You can also look for any error in colour as errors in colour occur very often. Even absence of colour is also considered as an error and hence you can learn to observe the stamps very closely and identify the freak one from the ordinary rest. Further, error can also occur in perforations and if you are fortunate, you can have access to stamps that have perforations right through the middle of the stamps. Your endeavour of stamp collecting does not stop with reading this and knowing few terminologies in stamp collecting. As you get involved more and more in the activity, you may even get encouraged to visit stamp dealers and stamp shows. In the process, you will also come across certain symbols and acronyms used in the stamp collecting hobby. The symbols may be in the form of ?asterisks? and the acronyms may be a two or three lettered one used by stamp vendors. Unused
and used stamps have symbols such as ?0? or ?*? or ?**?. ?0? represents
that the stamp is used one, ?*? represents for unused and ?**? represents
for unused and unhinged. These symbols or acronyms do not have any hidden
meanings but are given to dispel a correct and straight meaning. When
you see a stamp with a ?cancelled? mark, then it denotes that the particular
stamp has been put to use already and any stamp devoid of any such ?cancelled?
markings denotes that the same is yet to be used.
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