C-Cm

C: 1: airmail; Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. 2: abbreviation in catalogs for chalky paper, carte (postcard). 3: abbreviation for common in catalogs, in scale of rarity. 4: abbreviation for cover. 5: prefix with a number used as a censor marking from a consulate. 6: abbreviation for currency, Cedi (Ghana). 7: Ryukyu Islands, preceded by numeral of value in Japanese characters. 8: lower case “c” abbreviation for cent, céntimo. 9: abbreviation used for “control” handstamp by postal authorities to indicate that post rate was accurate. 10: “C” Press, a three-color intaglio press used by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for definitive issues; purchased in 1982. 11: “certificado” on Mexican registration labels. 12: Constantinople cancellation (Istanbul) with addition of various figures on British stamps used abroad.
C$: Canadian dollars.
CA: 1: Crown Agents, watermark on stamps of the British Commonwealth.2: watermark: "Crown CA". 3: overprint on stamps of Colombia, sold in Canada for SCADTA airline mail to Cuba.4: overprint and surcharge on one semi-postal stamp of France to reduce national debt. 5: auction firm abbreviation for Commonwealth of Australia. 6: Canada, country code as used by UPU. 7: USPS abbreviation for California. 7. auction abbreviation for catapult.
Cabecera de hoja: (Sp.) heading or top marginal inscription of a stamp sheet.
Cabeza del Buey: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Cabezones: (Sp.) "Big Heads" term for stamps of Spain, the "Franco Head" issues after 1955.
Cabinda: part of the Peoples Republic of Angola; 1894-1920: known as Portuguese Congo when it had its own stamps, 1920: used stamps of Angola.
Cabinet noir: (Fr.) black closet, censorship of mail in 16th century France.
Cabinettstück: (Ger.) very fine copy.
Cabo Blanco: (Sp.) Rio de Oro.
Cabo de Buena Esperanza: (Sp.) Cape of Good Hope.
Cabo Delgado: bogus, Nyassa Company, Portuguese Mozambique province, 1890s?
Cabra: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Cabus Publicus: Roman imperial postal service, app. 250 BC.
Caceres: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Cachet: a rubber stamp or printed impression on an envelope which describes the event for which the envelope was mailed; cachets are used for first days of issue, first flights, naval events, stamp exhibitions, etc. - rubber stamp or seal, not postal. - small marks made by dealers, experts on backs of stamps as marks of authenticity or identification.
Cachet à date: (Fr.) date stamp.
Cachet à date circulaire: (Fr.) circular date stamp.
Cachet à la main: (Fr.) handstamp.
Cachet à l'arrivée: (Fr.) backstamp.
Cachet au dos: (Fr.) backstamp; postmark applied to back of incoming mail to show date and time of receipt at the receiving post office.
Cachet d'arrivée: (Fr.) receiving mark (stamp), receiver.
Cachet de bord: (Fr.) on board cancel (spacecraft).
Cachet de círe: (Fr.) seal (wax).
Cachet de fantaisie: (Fr.) fancy cancellation.
Cachet de fortune: (Fr.) improvised cachet.
Cacheté (e): (Fr.) sealed.
Cacheter: (Fr.) to seal.
Cachet maker: someone who designs and produces cachets, either for sale or for personal use.
Cachet manuel: (Fr.) hand cancel.
Cachet méchanique: (Fr.) machine cancel.
Cachet muet: (Fr.) special cancellation, temporary.
Cachet postale: (Fr.) postmark.
Cachet rond: (Fr.) circular cancellation.
Cachet spécial: (Fr.) special cancellation.
Cactées: (Fr.) cactus, thematic.
Cacto: (It., Sp.) cactus, thematic.
C.a.D.: (Fr.) abbreviation for dated postmark.
Cadaques: Donald Evans bogus issue for Spain, 1960-70.
Cadastre: (Fr.) Registration of Deeds; French Colony revenue inscription.
Caderneta (de selos): (Port.) booklet (of postage stamps).
Cadre: (Fr.) frame, a border.
Cage: a secure, enclosed area in a postal facility, where registered mail and other accountable mail is kept, USPS term.
Caimanes: (Fr.) Cayman Islands.
Cairo: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1864-84.
Caja Postal de Ahorros: (Sp.) Post Office Savings Bank, used as a cancel on letters.
Cala: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1936-37.
Calanas: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1936.
Calasparra: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Calcado: (Sp.) design or drawing reproduced by pressure or tracing.
Calcado en el reverso: (Sp.) offset design on the back of a stamp due to ink on stamp sheet underneath not being dry.
Calchi, Carchi: Dodecanese Island, Aegean Islands; 1912: occupied by Italy, 1912-29: overprint, "Carchi ," "Calchi" and "Karki" on stamps of Italy, 1930, 1932: two sets overprinted with island's name issued, now part of Greece. 1912-40: stamps of Italy overprinted with names of islands: Calchi , Calimno, Caso, Coo, Fero, Fisso, Nisiro, Patmo, Piscopi, Rhodes, Scarpanto, Simi and Stampalia 1943-45: German issues, 1945-47: British Middle East Forces, 1947: stamps of Greece stamps used since.
Calcio: (It.) football, thematic.
Calcograbado: (Sp.) printed by chalcography; a process of engraving on copper or brass, copperplate engraving.
Calcografia: (Sp.) chalcography; a process of engraving on copper or brass. Calderillas de carton, Calderillas de cartulina: (Sp.) low value coin-like cardboard discs with a postage or fiscal stamp stuck on the front, Spanish coat of arms on the back; 1938-end-March 31, 1939: issued in the Civil War Republican Zone until the end of hostilities on to help alleviate the shortage of small change.
Caldes de Malavella: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Caldes de Montbui: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Caldes d'Estrac: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Caldey: local, island off the coast of Wales bearing owner's name, issued labels.
Calender: paper maker term for passing paper through a series of chilled metal rollers when a smooth surface is desired.
Calf of Man: Great Britain local carriage label, 1962: started; 400 different labels were printed to1972, no postal validity.
Calidades diversas: (Sp.) average, sound copy, not good, if used, not too heavily postmarked.
California City Letter Express Co.: U.S. local post, San Francisco, Calif., 1862-66
California Penny Post Co.: U.S. local post, California and Nevada, 1855-59.
California State Telegraph Company: originated booklets of telegraph stamps, 1870.
Calimno, Calino: Dodecanese Island, Aegean Sea; 16th century-post: under Turkish rule, 1912, pre: used stamps of Turkey, 1912-29: overprint "Egeo" on stamps of Italy, followed by "Calimno ," 1916: first stamps without overprints, 1920: Turkey ceded group to Italy, 1929: Aegean islands' general issues, 1930, 1932: sets overprinted with island's name issued, 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; name changed to Kalimnos.
Caliphate of Soma: bogus, Artistamp, private label producer.
Callaway, Kingdom of: bogus, ads overprinted on US stamps for a homecoming celebration.
Callosa de Segura: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Caluda, territoires (Katibo): Donald Evans bogus issue, South America.
Calve Island: small island off the coast of Mull; Scotland bogus label.
C A M: see: Contract Air Mail.
Camaguey: see: Puerto Principe.
Cambaust Aust. Sigillum Nov.: New South Wales, motto of the colony.
Cambiamento: (It.) alteration.
Cambio: (Sp.) alteration, pocket change, exchange rate. - cancels refer to Foreign Section Sorting Offices; see: Estafeta de cambio.
Cambio de color: (Sp.) change of color, variation.
Cambodge: (Fr.) Cambodia.
Cambodia: Cambodian People's Republic, Southeast Asia; 1863, Aug.11: French protectorate, 1887: incorporated into Union of Indo China, used stamps of Indo-China, 1941: constitutional monarchy established, 1944, Mar.: king proclaimed independence, Kingdom of Cambodia, 1945: French rule restored, 1946, Jan.7: became autonomous kingdom within French Union, 1951, Nov.3: first stamps after independence and became a member of the French Union, stamps inscribed Royaume du (de) Cambodge, 1955, Sep. 25: left French Union to become fully independent, 1970, Oct. 9: Khmer Republic proclaimed, 1975, Apr.: Khmer Republic name changed to Democratic Kampuchea, (Cambodia), 1979: name changed to People's Republic of (Democratic) of Kampuchea (Republique Populaire du Kampuchea), 1989: inscription on stamps "Etat du Cambodge" State of Cambodia,
Cambogia: (It.) Cambodia. 1993: Kingdom of Cambodia; see: French Indo-China, Kampuchea.
Cambridge: locals, United Kingdom; 1: Queens' College, 1883; 2: Saint John's College, 1883-85; 3: Selwyn College, 1882.
Camden, S.C. Paid 5, 10: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Camel postman: Sudan stamp design, 1898 and again in 1954.
Camels: used to carry mail throughout North Africa, Middle East and Cnetral Asia.
Cameo head: round or oval portrait used as part of a stamp's design. - resembles cameo jewelry; reverse of ivory heads, latter are whitish heads on a blued paper background, former shows bluish heads on a more of less whitish paper background; cause of this reverse effect is unknown.- early watermark variety on some Great Britain and Colonies blued-paper issues.
Cameos of The Gambia: June 1880; cameo art at its best; cameos featuring Queen Victoria.
Cameroons: see: Ambulante Laquintinie.
Cameroon, Cameroun: West coast of Africa; 1882: German Protectorate, mailboat service on Kamerun River, 1887, Feb. 1: used stamps of Germany, 1897-pre: stamps of standard German Colonial designs overprinted "Kamerun ," 1897: Kamerun inscription on stamps, 1914-16: captured by Allied forces, 1915, July: Britain surcharge C.E.F. (Cameroons Expeditionary Force) on German stamps, 1915, Nov.10-1925: overprint, "Corps Expéditionnaire Franco-Anglais Cameroun ," on stamps of Gabon whose inscriptions read "Congo Francais" and "Afrique Equatoriale ," 1916: overprint "Occupation Française du Cameroun" on stamps of French and Middle Congo, 1916-17: overprint "Cameroun Occupation Française" on stamps of Middle Congo, 1920-pre: stamps of Nigeria used in British Cameroons, 1921: overprint "Cameroun" on stamps of Middle Congo, 1922: mandated to Britain and France by League of Nations, 1922: stamps of Nigeria used in British section, 1945: British area divided into Northern and Southern Cameroons, 1946: French Cameroons became trust territory, 1960, Jan.1: French area became independent State of Cameroun, stamps inscribed "Republique du Cameroun ," 1960: Northern Cameroons, British area, became part of Nigeria, 1960, Oct. 1: Southern Cameroons overprint on stamps of Nigeria "Cameroons U.K.T.T" (United Kingdom Trust Territory), 1961, Oct. 1: UKTT area named Federal Republic and incorporated into Southern Cameroons, joined the Cameroun Republic by plebiscite, bilingual inscription "Republique Uni du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon ," 1972, June: became United Republic of Cameroon, first stamps July 20, 1972.
Camoscio: (It.) buff (color).
Campaign cover: postal item mailed by military personnel on active service in wartime, bearing a stamp or not, marked with endorsements such as "On Active Service" etc.
Campamento M.U.: (Sp.) Milicias Universitarias, camps for national servicemen from universities.
Campaña: (Sp.) military campaign; see: Estafeta de Campaña.
Campbell, Duncan and John: organized first postal network in America, 1693 for mail to and from Boston to New York.
Campbell Island: New Zealand civil aviation meteorological station, has own post office, 1941.
Campbell Paterson Catalogue: principal New Zealand stamp catalogue.
Campdevanol: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Campeche: area in Mexico, issued stamps during fight to get French out of Mexico, 1870s.
Campillo(s): local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Campionaria di Tripoli: Tripolitania, Libya.
Campione d'Italia: Italian enclave within borders of Switzerland; 1944, May 20: issued its own stamps for local mail and mail to Switzerland, inscribed "R.R. Poste Italiane/Comune de Campione ," 1944, May 31: stamps of Italy used, 1944, Sep. 7: Swiss stamps issued, 1952: Swiss and Italian stamps used depending on what route the mail is to take.
Campo de Concentracion de Prisioneros de Guerra: (Sp.) prisoner of war camp.
Camprodon: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Camvisdar: Indian States term for native revenue officer.
Can(e): (Sp., It.) dog, as a theme or topic.
Canada: part of British Commonwealth; 1763-pre: under French rule, transferred to Britain in 1763, 1763-post: British North American postal services used, 1784: Canada had its own postmaster general, 1851, Apr. 23: first stamps as the Province of Canada, first cancellations were a numeral with four concentric rings 1867: Dominion of Canada formed with provinces of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, 1871: British Columbia and Vancouver Island joined federation, 1873: Prince Edward Island became province, 1868, Mar.: first stamp valid throughout Canadian Confederation and new provinces, 1949, Apr.1: Newfoundland joined Canada, used Canadian stamps. see: British Columbia, Vancouver Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island.
Canada: Upbeat Goose 7 cents; unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Canada, forged issue: 1992 flag coil, Sc. 1395.
Canada official: first day covers produced by the Canadian postal administration.
Canada Postal Strike Label: local, 1981.
Canadiana: a postal item issued by a postage issuing authority other than Canada Post; Canada named on the stamp of another nation.
Canadian Airways: local, 1932.
Canadian Bank Note Company: formed on Nov. 30, 1922, formerly the American Bank Note Company of Canada, produced most of the Canadian stamps. Canadian map stamp: issued Dec. 7, 1898, used three-color printing and map of the British Empire. Canadian Republic: Louis Riel formed a provisional government in Canada's Red River district in1869, along with a local post issue.
Canal Boat Mail: initiated in 1691 on the Canal du Midi, France.
Canal Maritime de Suez: Suez Canal local post stamps, 1850s.
Canal Zone: Central America, zone extends about five miles on either side of canal; 1904, June 24: Canal Zone overprint on stamps of Panama, 1924: stamps of U.S. overprinted, 1928: Canal Zone stamps issued, 1977: Panamanian stamps issued, 1979, Sep. 30: U.S. Canal Zone Postal Service stopped operation, 1979, Oct. 1: Panamanian Postal Service operated, 2000: Canal transferred to Panama.
Canarias: overprint on stamps of Spain for Canary Islands, 1936-37.
Canaro: overprint for Fiume, Italian occupation of Arbe and Veglia. Canary Islands: 1854: used stamps of Spain, 1936: first stamps issued, 1936-May, 1938, airmail stamps overprinted for Lufthansa service to Brazil, see: Spain; Jamaica.
Canc: abbreviation for cancelled.
Canc?: auction term for suspicious cancel.
Cancel:- defacement of a stamp to prevent its reuse.- marks indicating date, rate, route, or place of mailing.
Cancelación: (Sp.) Cancellation ; mark placed on a stamp by a postal authority to deface the stamp and prevent its reuse; usually indicates location and date.
Cancelado: (Port., Sp.) canceled.
Cancelado a la orden: (Sp.) see: Canceled to order.
Cancelado a pluma: (Sp.) pen-canceled.
Cancelamento: (Port.) cancellation; mark placed on a stamp by a postal authority to deface the stamp and prevent its reuse; usually indicates location and date.
Canceled: see: Cancellation. - British Colonial overprint for Specimen purposes.
Canceled flight: marking on covers for planned flight which was not made due to weather, aircraft problem or other reason.
Canceled to order (CTO): stamps cancelled by postal authorities without having been used for postage; they are less desirable than stamps which have seen postal duty.
Canceling machine: a mail processing machine that cancels a postage stamp and places a postmark on a piece of mail; first successful high-speed device made by Albert Hoster, Germany, 1882-83.
Cancel(l)ation: mark placed on a stamp by a postal authority to deface the stamp and prevent its reuse; usually indicates location and date; can be a pen mark, perforations or manuscript, bars, or holes punched in stamps, and pieces torn out of Afghanistan stamps.
Cancellation, advertisement: obliterations which incorporate an advertisement of some place or product.
Cancellation, bar: cancels that consist of a series of bars, or straight lines. - a precancel device in Canada and the U.S. remainders in Spain. - telegraph fee paid, Belgium.
Cancellation, cartwheel: number in center, circular format, used in several nations.
Cancellation, cut: device that makes a cut through revenue stamps to prevent reuse.
Cancellation, cogwheel: resembles a gear or cogwheel; early issues of Bavaria, 1850-69.
Cancellation, duplex: combination of a circular date stamp with killer bars on the side.
Cancellation, fancy: decorative and slogan commemorative cancels, usually refers to 19th century homemade US and Canadian obliterating devices.
Cancellation, favor: occurs when a stamp is canceled in a specific manner as requested by the mailer, that may or not be in keeping with postal regulations.
Cancellation, flag: a postal marking with a circular date stamp and the killer portion in a stylized flag.
Cancellation, hand: postal marking placed upon a stamp, envelop or post card by hand and by a postal authority, indicates date and location, and prevents the stamp from being reused.
Cancellation, hole: cancel of a stamp by use of a hole punch, usually indicates revenue usage.
Cancellation, killer: a cancel that shows no place, date or time of mailing, but canceled to prevent its reuse.
Cancellation, machine: cancel applied on a stamp, envelope or post card by mechanical means by a postal authority indicating date and location of the Cancellation and prevents the stamp from being reused.
Cancellation, Maltese Cross: first adhesive postage stamp cancel was a British device; 1840-1844: 30 different examples are recorded during period of use.
Cancellation, manuscript: a hand written, or pen Cancellation .
Cancellation, mechanized, earliest: Pearson Hill, son of Rowland Hill, devised a machine in 1857 operated by steam or foot treadle with a double impression and date inside sets of vertical lines.
Cancellation, mute (dumb): obliteration device with series of dots, bars that contains no information.
Cancellation, naval: cancels from US Navy ships.
Cancellation, numeral: a number, signifying specific post office, is part of the design
Cancellation, pen: postally used stamp canceled by pen marks.
Cancellation, precancelled: stamps issued by the post office already obliterated, as a convenience to customers, called pre-canceled.
Cancellation, roller: cancel is applied by rolling a device across the stamp, usually used on large pieces of mail.
Cancellation, slogan: a circular date stamp cancel combines with a brief message.
Cancellation, socked-on-the-nose (SON, SOTN): a good impression of a circular cancel that is on dead center on the stamp.
Cancellation, spoon: duplex cancel used in England and Wales; named from the oval shapes of the duplex portions.
Cancellation, squared circle: circular date stamp with a squared arrangement of lines or bars.
Cancellation, target: series of rings as present in a target.
Cancellation, telegraph: obliteration or holes denoting use on a telegraph form.
Cancellation, typographic: 1869, Jan.-May 31, 1908: French newspapers had to have stamps affixed in top right-hand corner, cancelled by being overprinted by at least four lines of type.
"Cancelled": 1: hand-stamp in a barred oval on misc. stamps, cut from printers waste and supplied to members of Rowland Hill’s family in 1861 without authority of postal officials by Perkins Bacon & Co. 2: legitimate cancels supplied by Perkins Bacon to Chile, late 1850s.
Cancel, official: official USPS postmark at First Day of Issue site.
Candia: now part of Greece, see: Crete, Austrian Post Offices.
Cane: (It.) dog, thematic.
Canea: also known as La Canea.
Canej: Committee on the Accreditation on National Exhibitions and Judges, APS.
Canela: (Sp.) cinnamon (color).
Canet de Mar: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Canet la Real: local, Spanish civil war Nationalist, 1937.
Cangas de Onis: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Canillas: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Canillas de Aceituno: local, Spanish civil war Nationalist, 1937.
Canillas de Albauda: local, Spanish civil war Nationalist, 1937.
Canjayar: local, Spanish civil war Republican, 1937.
Canna: labels for an island off the west coast of Scotland; issued by island owner John Lorn Campbell in 1958.
Cannele: (Fr.) ribbed.
Cannella: (It.) cinnamon (color).
Cannelle: (Fr.) cinnamon (color).
Cannelles, Regie des: (Fr.) cinnamon monopoly; French Colony revenue inscription.
Cannon Match Co.: U.S. private die match proprietary stamps.
Canouan Island: St. Vincent Grenadines Island, first stamps issued 1976.
Cañonero: (Sp.) gunboat, found on Civil War naval marks.
Cantidades emitidas: (Sp.) number (of stamps) issued.
Cantinas: (Sp.) canteens, buffets, used on Civil War local tax stamps.
Canton: Chinese treaty port; 1844-1922: British Post Office used stamps of Hong Kong, 1856: occupied by French and British forces, 1886-98: use stamps of Germany, 1900, Jan. 1-1917, Mar.17: German Post offices in China, 1901, June 15,-1922, Dec. 31: overprint on stamps of Indo-China, French Offices in China, 1949, Oct.: occupied by Communist armies.
Canton, Miss. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Cantonal stamps: Switzerland Canton issues of Zurich (1843), Geneva (1843), and Basel (1845), before the release of Swiss Confederation issues in 1845.
Cantonal taxe: with numeral 6, inscription on Zurich cantonal issue, denoting rate within entire canton.
Cantonment: India States term for military station.
Cap: slang for maximum commission an auction agent invoices a client for representation at a public auction.
Capacua: Bolivia, bogus issued in 1883 by Moens of Belgium, for a mythical state with the capital of Santa Teresa as an April's Fool prank.
Cap de Bonne Espérance: (Fr.) Cape of Good Hope.
Cape Breton island: post office opened, 1801, port of Sydney, Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
Cape Juby: North West Africa; 1916: stamps of Rio de Oro overprinted and surcharged for Spanish troops, 1916-19: stamps of Rio de Oro and Spanish Morocco used, 1919, Jan.-48: overprints on stamps of Spanish Morocco, 1948: replaced by stamps of Spanish Sahara; see: Spanish Sahara, Spanish Morocco, 1976: divided between Morocco and Mauritania, Mauritania turned its portion to Morocco, referred to as Western Sahara.
Cape Kennedy: local, private, 1960s.
Cape of Good Hope: part of South Africa; 1791, Sep. 28: Dutch postal system established in Cape Town, 1817: "Paid" handstamps introduced, 1853, Sep. 1: first stamps issued in triangular shape, 1883: Traveling Post Offices introduced, 1889-1902: provisionals issued during Boer War, 1900: stamps of Bechuanaland Protectorate surcharged "Mafeking Beseiged ," 1900: stamps of Transvaal handstamped "V.R. Special Post" under British occupation, 1910: Union of South Africa formed with Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange River Colony and Transvaal.
Cape Province: formerly Cape of Good Hope Colony.
Cape Triangles: first triangular shaped stamps of Cape of Good Hope, issued 1853, so that postal clerks, many of whom were illiterate, could tell the colony's outgoing mail from incoming mail.
Cape Verde Islands: Portuguese Islands in the Atlantic; 1877, Jan. 1: first stamps of Portuguese colonial type, 1975, June 11: named a Portuguese overseas province, 1975, July 5: became independent, with ties to Guinea-Bissau, 1975, Dec. 19: issued own stamps as independent.
Capicua: (Sp.) tête-bêche; pair of stamp where one is upside down compared to the other.
Capital: (Sp.) the capital city or town of the province or region in which it is used, not to the capital of the nation.
Cap Juby: (Fr.) Cape Juby.
Capo Juby: (Sp.) Cape Juby.
Capo Verde: Cape Verde.
Capovolto: (It.) inverted.
Cappadocia: ancient region of Asia Minor, now part of Turkey; cuneiform tablets found dating to 3000 BC, see: Cuneiform.
Capped numerals: flaws looking like caps on top of the figure "2" on the U.S. 2c Washington issue of 1890-3.
Captain's Cover: cachet created by the Commanding Officer of a spaceflight recovery ship.
Captions: all inscriptions featured on a stamp.
Cap variety: US 2¢ carmine stamp issued in 1890 with malformed "2."
Cap Vert: (Fr.) Cape Verde Islands.
CAR: Central African Republic.
Caracas and Petare: local, Venezuela, 1870s.
Caractères (d'imprimerie): (Fr., Port.) types.
Caractchaevo: bogus Russian issue.
Carattert: (It.) types.
Caravaca: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Carawak: bogus British Colonial royal wedding frames from book, Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Carbon tetrachloride: fluid marketed to stamp collectors as a watermark fluid; stopped in late 1960s after its use was connected to cancer.
Carbon tissue: material used to transfer the design of a stamp to a printing cylinder.
Carchi: see: Calchi.
Cardboard proof: printed from plates in regular colors and distributed in sets to officials in late 1800s.
Card catalog: research with detailed description of material owned by APRL; see: American Philatelic Research Library.
Cardedeau: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cardes maxi: (Fr.) maxim cards, as a theme or topic.
Cardiff Penny: imperforate sheet of British penny red, Plate no.116, mistakenly issued to Cardiff Post Office, Jan. 1870.
Caribbean: West Indies islands; 1702-11: monthly private packet service under government contract, 1755: British government packet service started, 1820: postage must be prepaid and "Crowned circle" cancels used 1840: Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. handled all mail, 1858: prepayment to British destinations from England made compulsory, 1860, May 1: colonial stamps adopted in each colony, 1865: French firm, "Compagnie Général Transatlantique" established postal packets.
Cardinal Match Co.: private die match proprietary stamps.
Carecer (de): (Sp.) to be without, to lack.
Caribisches Meer: (Ger.)  Caribbean Sea.
Caridad: (Sp.) charity.
Carimbar: (Port.) to cancel.
Carimbar de favor: (Port.) cancelled to order.
Carimbo especial: (Port.) special cancellation.
Carimbo manual: (Port.) handstamp.
Carinthia: Austria; 1920: stamps of Austria overprinted and surcharged "Karnten Ubstimmung" for a plebiscite to determine whether people wanted to remain with Austria or become part of Yugoslavia; vote was in favor of Austria. 1920: stamps of Yugoslavia overprinted and surcharged "KGCA" for same plebiscite.
Carinthie: (Fr.) Carinthia.
Caritas: overprint/surcharge for charity stamps in Belgium, Denmark and Luxembourg (1914).
Carka and Caictu Islands: bogus British Colonial royal wedding frames from book, Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Carlist, Carlistas: (Sp.) nickname for stamps authorized by Don Carlos of Spain in 1873-74.
Carmesi: (Sp.) crimson (color).
Carmin: (Fr., Sp.) carmine (color).
Carmino: (It.) carmine (color).
Carmin vinoso: (Sp.) wine-red.
Carmona: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1936-38.
Carne: (Sp.) flesh (color).
Carnes' City Letter Express: U.S. local post, San Francisco, Ca.,1864.
Carnet: (Fr.) booklet (of stamps).
Carnet à choix: (Fr.) approvals, approval book.
Carnet de timbres: (Fr.) stamp booklet that contains one or more panes of stamps.
Carn Iar: bogus, uninhabited summer island with British local carriage labels, prior to1962.
Carnicino: (It.) flesh (color).
Carolina City, N.C. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Caroline Islands: a U.S. Trust territory; 1899: Germany bought islands from Spain, 1899, Oct. 12: German colonial stamps overprinted "Karolinen ," 1901, Jan-1919.: Korolinen inscription, 1905, 1910: stamps bisected due to stamp shortage, 1914-1945: Japanese stamps used, 1944-84: U.S. stamps used, 1947: administered by the U.S. as part of the Pacific Islands Trusteeship, 1951: US post offices established, 1981: western portion became republic of Palau, 1983: Palau issued its own stamps, 1984: Micronesia issued its own stamps. 1986: balance of nation became the Federated States of Micronesia.
Carolines: (Fr.) Caroline Islands.
Carpatho-Ukraine: became part of Russia; 1939: annexed by Hungary, 1939, Mar.15: one stamp issued for the Carpatho-Ukrainian Diet (governing body), 1945: reverted back to Hungary, 1949: annexed by the Soviet Union.
Carpeta: (Sp.) folder, portfolio, special albums for covers.
Carratraca: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Carrier route: addresses served by a postal employee to deliver mail to customers, USPS term.
Carrier-route presort: bulk mail presorted and bundled by carrier delivery route for discount postage rates, USPS term.
Carrier: an individual firm or private company that transports mail from one postal facility to another, USPS term.
Carriers: individuals or firms, hired by the post office, who charged a fee to take mail to the nearest post office, or to collect it from one and deliver it to the addressee.
Carriers One Cent Dispatch: Baltimore, Md., see: Carriers’ Stamps.
Carrier sequence barcode sorter: an automated machine that sorts mail for an individual carrier route, USPS term.
Carriers' stamps: 1842-60: stamps used for delivery of mail by private carrier from a post office to the addressee; or to a post office or to another address in the same city; when the postal service was first organized, letters were carried from post office to post office since there was no delivery to addressee, 1850-55: semi-official issues, 1851, Sept.: official issues.
Carrier's stamp: United States inscription, 1851; see: Carriers' stamps.
Carrion de los Cespedes: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Carroll postal card: United States non-denominated postal card, value 14¢, 1985.
Carta: - (Sp.) letter. - (It.) paper. - (It.) map, thematic.
Carta aérea: (Sp.) cover carried by air and postmarked at point of origin, departure or intermediate points on the route.
Carta a foto: (Sp.) special letter form, airgraph, used by British forces during WWII which were then microfilmed.
Carta cecografica: (Sp.) letter for blind written in braille, can be sent post-free if an open envelope is used.
Carta con fili di seta: (It.) granite paper.
Carta costolata: (It.) ribbed paper.
Carta del Primer Dia: (It.) first day cover.
Carta desinfectada: (Sp.) disinfected letter.
Cartagena: 1: provisional, Colombia, 1899-1900. 2: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Carta gessata: (It.) chalky paper; stamp paper which has a coating of chalk or clay on the surface.
Cartajima: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Carta liscia: (It.) wove paper.
Cartama: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Carta maxi: (It.) maxim cards, as a theme or topic.
Carta patinata: (It.) glossy paper.
Carta sobreavion: (Sp.) air letter form.
Cartas postales recortadas: (Sp.) cut-outs from printed stationery, cut squares.
Cartas prefilatelicas: (Sp.) pre-stamp letters.
Carta tinto: (It.) tinted paper.
Carta unita: (It.) wove paper.
Carta vergata: (It.) laid paper.
Carte: (Fr.) map, thematic.
Carte maximum: (Fr.) maximum card.
Carte postale: (Fr.) postcard.
Carte postale illustrée: (Fr.) picture postcard.
Cartera: (Sp.) postman's bag.
Cartero: (Sp.) postman.
Carte-réponse: (Fr.) postcard reply portion.
Carteria: (Sp.) main post office letter sorting area. - postal agency in small village which takes and receives letters from nearest post office or railway station.
Carterias: (Sp.) postmark applied to mail at carteria; see: Carteria.
Cartero: (Sp.) postman.
Carter's, G. Despatch: U.S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 1849-51.
Cartersville, Ga. Paid: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Cartilla postal de Espana: inscription on the first Spanish Franchise stamp.
Cartolina: (It.) postcard. Carton: thick, often soft type of paper; used in some copies of Chile 1878-99 issue, Denmark, 1884 issue.
Carton: thick, often soft type of paper; used in some copies of Chile 1878-99 issue, Denmark, 1884 issue, and some early Swiss issues.
Carto-philately: study and collection of stamps depicting maps in their designs.
Cartor: security printer of stamps for many countries, name can be found imprinted on gutter labels.
Cartouche: an oval or rectangular figure containing the name of the country or ruler.
Cartridge paper: name for paper used for making ammunition, rough surfaced, thick paper; Trinidad 1853, on bluish tint cartridge paper.
Cartwheel cancels: circular numeral types used by Spain 1858-64. Carúpano, Port of: Venezuela; 1902, Nov.-1903: local stamps printed when a blockade depleted the supply of stamps.
Cary, John: made a survey in 1798, "Distance of English and Welsh Towns" from London, along all the principal roads in the country resulting in mileage stamps in 1801.
Casabermeja: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Casa de correos: (Sp.) house of posts, post office.
Casa de la Moneda: (Sp.) Spanish Mint, printer of all Spanish stamps.
Casarabonela: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Casares: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cascata: (It.) waterfall, thematic.
Case: (Fr.) position in plate, sheet or setting. - equipment with separations into which clerks sort letters, parcels, USPS term.
Casket: in Victorian times, refers to a small box intended to hold things of value, such as postage stamps.
Caso: Dodecanese Island, Aegean Sea 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 issue, 1930, 1932: two sets overprinted for island issued, 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;
Caspe: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cassa de la Delva: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Casilla: (Sp.) post office box.
Castagna: (It.) rust (color).
Castalla: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Castano oxidado: (Sp.) rust (color).
Castaño: (Sp.) chestnut (color).
Castellar: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Castellcir: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Castellet de Lobreget: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Castellorizo, Castelrosso: island in the Mediterranean, Greece; 1915, Dec. 15: occupied by France, 1920, Aug. 10: ceded to Italy, 1945: ceded to Greece.
Castelltersol: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Castelon de la Plana: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Castillo: (Sp.) castle, thematic.
Castlemore: bogus, Ireland fantasy.
Castuera: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cat: auction firm abbreviation for catalog value, publisher's name should follow.
Catalanistas: (Sp.) propaganda labels issued by Catalan separatists promoting campaign for autonomy, 1899.
Catalog (ue): priced listing of philatelic material, usually in alphabetical order, world's first stamp catalog created 1861; see: Potiquet, Alfred.
Catalog(ue) number: number assigned by a catalog publisher to each individual stamp.
Catalog(ue) value: the price established by recognized postage stamp catalogs for a stamp is known as the catalog value of the stamp; used as a guide for retail or wholesale prices.
Catálogo: (It., Port.) catalog.
Catalogo d'asta: (It.) auction catalog.
Catálogo de subasta: (Sp.) auction catalog.
Catalogo Unificado: (Sp.) unified stamp catalog produced by a consortium of Spanish stamp dealers.
Catalogue d'encan: (Fr.) auction catalog.
Catapult mail: "Ship to Shore" mail carried by light aircraft catapulted from the deck of ships about 600 miles from land to save hours of docking time, 1920-30s, introduced by French postal authorities in 1928.
Cat Island: fantasy stamp from American Journal of Philately, 1890s.
Cats: used for a mail service in Liege, Belgium in 1879, discontinued when cats refused to cooperate.
Cat's Eye: Brazilian stamps issued from 1854-61, with bright colors.
Cat Island: fantasy stamp from American Journal of Philately.
Cattaro: Croatian province on the Adriatic; 1941-43: occupied by Italy, 1943-45: occupied by Germany, 1944: stamps of Italy and Yugoslavia overprinted by German occupation forces.
Cauca: Department of Cauca, Colombia; 1902: issued first stamp, 1903: issued last stamp.
Caudete: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Caury: currency unit of republic of Guinea.
Cavalla: Ottoman Empire, Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1868.
Cavalla: now port in Greece, known as Kavalla; 1874-post: French stamps used with "5156" cancel, 1893-1914: overprint and inscription "Cavalle"on stamps of France, Offices in Turkish Empire, 1912: occupied by Bulgaria, seized from Turkey, 1913: occupied by Greece, overprinted stamps of Bulgaria, prior to stamps of Greece.
Cavallini: (It.) "Little Horsemen" 1818, Nov. 17-1820: tax stamps impressed on letter sheets used in the Kingdom of Sardinia; sum paid did not cover postage for delivery, but delivered without additional postage.
Cave: USPS postage stamp mail order center in Kansas City, MO. located in former salt mines.
Caxas: (Sp.) regional postal administrations established by Spain in Havana, Mexico City, Guatemala City, Buenos Aires and Lima in 1764 for its colonies.
Cayes of Belize: Belize offshore islands; 1984-85: issued stamps, very little postal usage, since Belize stamps used.
Cayman Islands: British dependency in the Caribbean Sea; 18th century: British colony, 1889, Apr.: used stamps of Jamaica, 1900, Nov.: first stamps issued, 1962, Nov. 28: became a crown colony.
Cazoria: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1936-37.
CB: air post semi-postal as Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. - Cape Breton, when used in a postmark. - (Fr.) Correspondence Baloise; pre-adhesive postmark for mail from Basel, Switzerland.
CBO: air post semi-postal official as Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
CBRS: Charles Brooke Raja Sarawak, letters in four corners on first stamps of Sarawak.
CC: cut cancel. - corner card. - crown colonies watermark.
CCC: Collectors Club of Chicago.
CCCP: Cyrillic inscription on stamps of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).
C. Ch.: overprint on stamps of French Colonies for Cochin China.
CCN: overprint on stamps of French Colonies for Cochin China.
CCNY: Collectors Club of New York.
CCP: (Fr.) abbreviation for chèque-postal, payment through postal checking account.
CCV: (It.) "Compagnia Corrieri Veneti" Venetian Couriers Company, pre-adhesive postmark.
CD: Dem. Rep. of the Congo, country code as used by UPU.
C. DE PESOS: Philippines money unit.
CDS: see: Circular Date Stamp.
CE: airmail special delivery as Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. - Canada East, when used in a postmark.
CEA: European Confederation of Agriculture.
CECA: European Coal and Steel Community.
Cechy a Morava: Czechoslovakia, Bohemia and Moravia.
Cecograma: (Sp.) letter for the blind written in braille.
Cecoslovacchia: (It.) Czechoslovakia.
CEEA: European Community for Atomic Energy.
C.E.F. Siberia: Canadian Expeditionary Forces, Siberia, 1918.
Cefalonia: see: Cephalonia.
CEH: European Time Table Conference.
Celanova: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Celebes: see: Netherlands Indies.
Celecie: see: Cilicia.
Celebrate the Century: series of US sheet of 15 stamps issued between 1998 and 2000 each for a different decade of American events.
Celestia: bogus issue for United Nations of Outer Space.
Cement: early stamps of Great Britain advised, "In wetting the back be careful not to remove the cement" known today as the gum.
CEN: i Comite Europeen de Normalisation; European Standards Organization; have a committee on establishing postal standards for all European nations.
Censored mail (mark): a cover with a hand-stamp or label indicating that the contents have been opened, read and censored, handstamped markings were used during the Boer War, 1899-1902; special censored labels date from World War 1.
Censura: (Sp.) censorship.
Censuré: (Fr.) censored, censorship, censor (mark).
Censurada: (Sp.) censored.
Censura gubernativa: (Sp.) government censor.
Censura militar: (Sp.) military censor.
Censurar (en) destino: (Sp.) to be censored at destination.
Census Marks: see: Dumb cancellations.
Centenaire Algerie: (Fr.) centenary of Algeria.
Centenaire du Gabon: (Fr.) centenary of Gabon.
Center: the stamp's most prominent feature, whether a portrait, bust, or a numeral.
Center frame: the framework surrounding the center, usually forming a feature of the design.
Centering: location of the stamp design on the piece of paper it is printed on; if the margins outside the design are exactly equal (less circular), it is called a "perfectly centered stamp."
Center inverted: an error in which the center seems to be inverted in relation to the outside frame.
Center lines: a line designated to divide the printed sheet of U.S. stamps, either vertically or horizontally.
Center line block: a block of stamp from the intersection where the vertical and horizontal guide lines cross of the sheet of stamps; on early U.S. issues, the center line block is considered the most valuable block on a sheet of stamps, excepting the plate number blocks.
Center misplaced: usually the result of faulty registration during multi-color printing.
Center omitted: the error is so obvious that examples are considered as printer’s waste, however, some non-U.S. stamps were actually issued.
Centerport: local, U. S., New York.
Centesimi: Italy overprint on stamps of Austria.
Centesimi di Corona: overprint on stamps of Italy, Italian Occupation of Austria, Dalmatia.
Centimes a percevoir: France. - (plus numeral, no country name); Guadeloupe, France postage due.
Centrado: (Sp.) centered.
Centrafrique: (Fr.) Central African Republic.
Centrafricaine Republique: Central African Republic.
Centrage: (Fr.) centering.
Centraje: (Sp.) centered.
Central African Federation: Northern and Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland federation, 1953-63.
Central African Republic: (Republique Centrafricaine), Central Africa; 1891: stamps of French Congo, 1910: stamps of Middle Congo overprinted "Oubangui-Chari-Tchad" for Ubangi-Shari, 1922: changed to "Oubangi-Chari ," 1924: changed to "Oubangi-Chari/Afrique Equatorial Francaise ," 1937: stamps of French Equatorial Africa used, 1976: name changed to Central African Empire, 1958, Dec. 1: with independence, changed to Central African Republic, 1959, Dec. 1: first stamps issued, 1960, Aug. 13: fully independent, 1976, Dec.4: became the Central African Empire, 1979, Sept. 20: became the Central African Republic again. Central Albania: 1914, Jan.-Feb. 1916: provisional regime, 1916: Austria took over; see: Epirus. Central China: 1949-50: central Chinese Liberation Area included the provinces of Honan, Hupeh, Hunan, and Kiangsi; separate issues for the region were issued.
Central American Steamship Co.: local, West Indies, 1886.
Central Annam: Viet Minh government, North Viet Nam, 1950-52.
Central Lithuania: Poland, now part of Russia; 1915-pre: under Russian rule, 1915: stamps of Germany overprinted for Lithuania, 1918, Dec.: regular Lithuanian stamps used, 1919, Jan. 5: overprinted stamps of Russia, 1920, Oct. 9-1922: occupied by Polish occupation forces, issued own stamps, 1922: annexed to Poland, 1939, Oct.: occupied by Soviet forces and returned to Lithuania, 1940, Aug.: incorporated into the Soviet Union, used stamps of Russia.
Central Lithuania, forged issue: 1920-21 postage due, Sc. J1.
Central tranvias: (Sp.) postmark for mail received from trams at Madrid central post office.
Centrato: (It.) centered.
Centratura: (It.) centering.
Centre(é): (British, Fr.) center.
Centro: (Sp., It.) center.
Cephalonia and Ithaca: Kephallenia, Ionian Islands; 1941: stamps of Greece were overprinted by Italy with "Italia/Occupazione Militare/Italiana isole/Celalonia e Itaca" (Italian Military occupation of the Islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca), then general occupation issues, 1943: German occupation overprint used for eight days, 1943: stamps of Greece used; see: Italy.
CEPT: Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations.
Cerdanyola: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Cerdena: (Sp.) Sardinia.
Ceremony program: card or folder detailing program at first day or stamp unveiling ceremony.
Ceres: goddess of the harvest; 1849: illustrated on first stamps of France, 1856-78: depicted on the Argentine province of Corrientes, 1912: used by Portugal.
Cereza: (Sp.) cerise (color).
Ceres, S.S.: steamship of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built about 1850's for the upper Danube lines.
CERN: European Center for Nuclear Research.
Cerrado y Selado: (Sp.) closed and sealed, Mexican registration label.
Certificado: (Sp.) registered.
Certificado de autenticidad: (Sp.) stamp certificate of authenticity.
Certificate: when issued by an acknowledged group of experts, it gives credence to the authenticity and condition of a stamp.
Certificate of mailing: a receipt prepared by the mailer as proof of mailing, USPS term.
Certified Mail: U.S. 15¢ stamp, June 6, 1955, first use of Certified Mail in world. - called Recorded Delivery in Great Britain. mail for which a receipt is given to the sender at time of mailing.
Certifying Stamp: hand or rubber stamp applied to official mail to certify that it is on official business; used in Great Britain and some Commonwealth countries from the start of Penny Postage until 1983.
Cervera: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Ceskoslovenska: Czechoslovakia.
Ceskoslovenske Armady Sibirske: Czech army post in Siberia.
Cestoda: British fantasy label.
Ceuta: see: Spain.
Ceylan: (Fr., Sp.) Ceylon.
Ceylon: island off southern tip of India; 1795-post: ruled by Great Britain, 1813: first handstamps, 1845: mail routed through India, 1857, Apr. 1: first stamps issued, 1948, Feb. 4: independent within British Commonwealth, 1972, May 22: independent, named Republic of Sri Lanka; see: Sri Lanka.
CF: airmail registration as Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. - Central African Rep., country code as used by UPU.
CFPO: Canadian Forces Post Office.
CG: Congo (Rep.), country code as used by UPU.
CGH: Cape of Good Hope cancel with bar triangle.
CH: (followed by Oriental characters) Korea. - Colombla-SCADTA consular overprint for Chile. - (Fr.) abbreviation for "charnière(s)" hinge(s), hinged. - court house, found in early US postmarks. - Switzerland, country code as used by UPU.
Chabacano, Repoblik de: bogus labels for fictional republic in the Philippines, 1966.
Chabas: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1880-82.
Chachapoyas: overprint on stamps of Peru during war with Chile,1879-84.
Chad: République du Tchad, French Equatorial Africa; 1897-1914: occupied by France, 1910: territories of Ubangi-Shari, Chad, French Congo and Gabon federated, but postal services remained separate, 1920, Mar.17: became separate French colony, 1922, Nov: "Tchad" overprint on stamps of Middle Congo, 1922: "Afrique Equatoriale Francaise" overprint added to Tchad, 1934: colonies of Chad, Gabon, Middle Congo and Ubangi-Shari grouped as French Equatorial Africa, 1936-59: used stamps of French Equatorial Africa, 1958-pre: French Equatorial African stamps used, 1958: inscription "Republique du Tchad" as independent state in the French Union, 1959, Nov. 28: first stamps issued as Republic of Chad.
Chad: little bits of paper punched out during perforating process.
Chaferinas Islands: see: Spain.
Chahar: province in northern China.
Chain-breakers: 1919 issues of Yugoslavia, man breaking chains in newfound freedom.
Chair: (Fr.) flesh (color).
Chalcography: act of engraving a design on copper or brass for use as an intaglio printing plate.
Chalka: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-80.
Chalki: see: Greece.
Chalk paper: stamp paper which has a coating of chalk or clay on the surface, introduced by De La Rue in 1902 to prevent reuse of stamps after washing off cancel.
Chalky paper: whiter paper used on British stamps in April 1962 to improve their appearance
Chalmers, James: unsuccessful British claimant as inventor of the postage stamp.
Chalo Delhi: Japanese occupation stamps of India.
Chalon Heads: Alfred Chalon's coronation portrait of Queen Victoria appears on many British Dominions and Colonies issues.
Chalons-sur-Marne: local provisional, France, 1944.
Chaluf-el-Taraba: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1868.
Chalons-sur-Marne: local provisional, France, 1944.
Chaluf-el-Taraba: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1868.
Chamba: India Convention State; 1846: became independent of Kashmir, 1886: first stamps with Chamba overprint valid throughout the Indian Empire, 1950, Apr.1: Republic of India convention states stamps used, 1950, Dec. 31: convention states stamps no longer valid, 1951, Jan. 1: overprint on stamps of British India for use to any point in British India.
Chambery: local provisional, France, 1944.
Chambon press: web-fed press that uses continuous paper, with built-in perforating capability; used in Australia.
Chameleon paper: security paper with a pigmentation that changes with attempts to remove the cancellation.
Chamois: (Fr.) buff (color).
Chamousset, Claude-Humbert Piarron de: established "la petite poste" (small post) in Paris in 1758 with 117 carriers and made deliveries three times a day.
Champignons: (Fr.) mushrooms thematic.
Champion of Champions (CofC): Grand Award winners from APS national stamp shows are eligible to compete in the annual C of C competition.
Chandawil: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1884.
Chandernagore: see: India.
Changeling: an ink color change due to exposure to bright light, chemical fumes, heat or other causes; greens, reds, violets and yellows are especially prone to change.
Chankianshih (Kwangchowwan): see: China.
Channel Islands: British crown dependency comprised of Alderney, Brechou, Guernsey, Herm, Jersey, Jethou and Sark; 1840, May 8: first stamps, those of Great Britain, Maltese Cross cancellations used, 1840s: handstamps in France also used during this period, 1850: captains of private ships would be paid to carry mail between France and islands, mail to be deposited in movable boxes, 1940, June 30: occupied by Germany, 1940, Dec. 27-Feb. 22, 1941: Guernsey stamps bisected due to stamp shortage, 1941, Apr. 1: Jersey local issue, 1941, Apr. 7: Guernsey local issue, 1945, May 10: islands back to Britain, local stamps valid for one year, 1945-1969: Herm island owner issued local stamps, 1947: fiscal stamps issued, 1948, Aug. 18: Channel Islands two stamp issue, with no inscription except denomination, marking third anniversary of liberation from German occupation, 1969, Oct. 1: Jersey and Guernsey issued their own stamps, 1983, June 14: Alderney issued own stamps.
Chantada: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Chapel Hill, N. C. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Chargé (e) (lettre, colis): (Fr.) registered (letter, package). Charge marks/labels: before 1840, manuscript, stamped black figures, or labels were used for unpaid letters to be paid by the recipient, red figures used for paid letters.
Chargements: (Fr.) registration, insurance.
Charity labels: non-postal validity labels resembling stamps sold by charity groups to raise funds, first used in 1860 for Garibaldi's Sicilian campaign.
Charity stamp: a semi-postal stamp with an added value to raise money for charities.
Charity stamps/stationery: sold at more than the inscribed face value, with the difference between the face value and the selling price used for charity work; called semi-postal stamps; Great Britain sold postal stationery in1890 for a shilling with only 1d postage, balance going to a charity for postal widows and orphans.
Charity surcharge: overprint denoting an addition to the postage fee as a contribution to a charitable purpose.
Charkhari: India Feudatory State; 1894: first local stamps, 1950, Apr.30: separate stamps discontinued, 1950, May 1: replaced by stamps of the Republic of India.
Charleroi-1911: overprint on stamps of Belgium for national anti-tuberculosis group.
Charleston, S.C. 5 cts, 10 cents: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals. .
Charlestown: South Carolina, issued its own "Postmasters'" issues during Civil War.
Charleston: West Virginia, home of Carriers' Stamp "Honour's, Martin's, Steinmeyer's and Beckman Posts."
Charlottesville, Va. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Charnela: (Sp.) hinge.
Charnière: (Fr.) hinge.
Chat: (Fr.) cat, thematic.
Châtain: (Fr.) chestnut (color).
Chateau-Renault: local provisional, France, 1944.
Chatellerault: local provisional, France, 1944.
Chatham Islands: off coast of New Zealand; 1970: Chatham islands inscription valid throughout New Zealand.
Chattanooga, Ten. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Chaudhri: Indian States term for a revenue official.
Chausey: British Channel Island, has cachet, no postmark, no postal validity. Check letters: letters found in the corners of the early British stamps, 1840-1902, as a precaution against forgery and re-use.
Checklist: list of stamps, usually compiled by a collector, of philatelic items that are needed.
Check stamp: a revenue stamp usually applied to checks, was used as postage in British Central Africa in 1898.
Chechen Republic: autonomous territory within Russia; 1992: some stamps may have been used with area, 1996-post: Chechnyan, Chechenia, local stamps are bogus.
Checiny: city in Poland issued local stamps in 1919 authorized by municipal authorities.
Checoslovaquia: (Sp.) Czechoslovakia.
Cheever & Towle: U.S. local post, Boston, Mass., 1849(?).
Chefoo: China treaty port local post.
Chekiang: province in the People's Republic of China.
Chelva: local, Spanish civil war, 1937.
Chelyabinsk: city in Siberia, Russia; 1920-22: stamps of Russian overprinted for local use by municipal authorities.
Chembary: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1874-88.
Chemens de fer Spoorwegen: (Flem.) inscription Belgium railway parcel post stamps.
Chemins de fer: (Fr.) inscription and handstamp, Belgiumrailway stamp for parcel post.
Chemins de fer de l'etat Belge: Belgium state railway stamp.
Chemnitz: local, Germany, 1945-48.
Cheng-chow: local, Central China, 1948-49.
Cheng-yang-kwan: local, East China, 1949.
Chen-Ning: local, Southwest China, 1949.
Chen-Yuan: local, Southwest China, 1949.
Cheque stamps: (Sp.) fiscal stamp inscription to confirm payable Stamp Duty; 1855-1971: used on checks, 1898: used as postage in Nyasaland.
Cherbine: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1872-84.
Cherbourg: local provisional, France, 1944.
Cherdyn: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1889-1918.
Cherepovetbr: Cherkesia: bogus Russian issue.
Chern: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1871-1875.
Cherokee Nation: bogus, island in the Rio Grande that was going to declare independence.
Cherry Red Airline: local, Canada,1929.
Cherubin: Italian airmail catalogue.
Chesuncook Lake Tourists Dispatch: United States local post.
Chewing gum booklet: nickname for small stamp booklets produced by Canada, 1943-53.
Chiapas: state in Mexico issued stamps during revolution in 1867-68; 1995: issued another set of two local stamps.
Chiaro: (It.) light (color).
Chibin-el-Anater: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84.
Chibin-el-Com: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1868-84.
Chibriket: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1880-82.
Chicago Penny Post: U.S. local post, Chicago, IL., 1862.
Chien: (Fr.) dog, thematic.
Chierre Oficial (Postal): (Sp.) sealed by official (postal) authorities as damaged or censored.
Chiesa: (It.) church, thematic.
Chiffre: 1: (with value in piastre) Turkey postage due. 2: (without country name) France (perforated) postage due. 3: (without country name) French Colonies (imperforate) postage due. 4: (Fr.) numeral.
Chihuahua: district in Mexico issued revolutionary stamps, 1914.
Children's stamps: stamps designed by children and issued by countries since 1958. Chile: South America; 1748: monthly mail service started between Santiago and Buenos Aires, 1817-18: became independent, 1840: regular coastal mail service started, expanded to packet mail, 1853, July 1: first stamps depicted Colombus, "Colon" inscription, 1865-81: stamps of Great Britain used at Valparaiso, 1891, Apr. 21: revenue stamps used for postage, 1891, July 10-Sep. 5, 1891: no charge for internal mail due to stamp shortage, 1900, 1901, 1913: revenue stamps used for mail due to stamp shortage.
Chile, forged issues: 1: 1867 Columbus, Sc. 15-19. 2: 1895-96 postage due, Sc. J19-J42.
Chili: (Fr.) Chile.
Chill rollers: rollers that help cool the web after stamps have been printed, in order to prepare the press for another step.
Chimarra (Himera): provisional Epirus issue, 1914-16 issues during Greek occupation.
Chimeneas: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937-38.
China: People’s Republic of China; 4000 BC): oldest postal system in world originated, used by court officials, 2000 BC: paper first used as writing material, 1122-255 BC: Chou Dynasty had a postal system, 13th Century AD: Marco Polo claims the government, I-Chan, had 10,000 post stages, Min Hsin Chu, made up of letter guilds and carried unofficial mails, 1727: Treaty of Kyakhta permitted mail exchanges between China and Russia, 1858: foreign diplomatic couriers permitted, 1878: China issued its own "large Dragons" stamps, Imperial Maritime Customs Post issue, many local, sectional, inflation and occupation issues, 1878-82: all mail for foreign destinations routed through Shanghai, 1896: Imperial Postal Service put private carriers out of business, 1897: Imperial post started as nationwide postal system, 1914-pre: all mail to foreign destinations had to pass through foreign post offices, Imperial Chinese Post Offices handled foreign stamps which could be used in combination with Chinese stamps, or handstamp, 1922: foreign countries stopped using their own systems for mail sent abroad, 1940-43: stamp stock surcharged by provincial officials, 1940s: inflation issue included a $5 million stamp, 1945-49: Nationalist and Communist areas issued inflation provisional stamps, 1949, Jan.-Oct.: Liberation Area issued its own regional issues, 1949, May 1: nondenominated stamps with face value determined by date of sale at post office, 1949, Oct. 8: People's Republic of China formed and issued its own stamps for entire nation, World War II-post: see: China, Regional issues, 1950, June 30: regional issues ordered not to be sold with one -year cut-off, Northeast and Port Arthur-Darien exempted, 1951, May: separate issues discontinued in North-east China, unified issues only, 1960-pre: all stamps were issued without gum, with few exceptions, 1995, Mar. 1: reprints offered for sale by the Philatelic Agency, 1987: used stamps for philatelic market ceased, 1997, July 1: Hong Kong returned to China as administrative district; Hong Kong stamps continued, China, British Offices: 1862-1917: stamps of Hong Kong used, 1917-22: overprint on stamps of Hong Kong, valid in Hong Kong, and treaty ports, 1922, Nov. 30: offices closed, 1922-30: stamps valid only at colony of Wei-Hei-Wei, see: British Offices in China.
China, forged issues: 1: 1895 1-candarin, Sc. 16. 2: 1913-15 10-candarin, Sc. 211, 230.
China, French Offices: 1862-94: used stamps of France, 1894: "Chine" overprinted on stamps of France, 1904-22: "Chine" overprinted on stamps of Indo-China, 1906, Oct.: stamps used for French naval base at Kwang-Chow.
China, German Offices: 1898, Jan. 26-Dec. 31, 1901: overprint on stamps of Germany, overprint plus surcharge, "5pf" for use in Foochow and Tientsin, 1898, Mar. 6: Kiaochow (Kiautschou) leased to Germany, 1914, Nov. 7: Kiaochow (Kiautschou) surrendered to Japan, 1917, Mar. 17: all post offices closed.
China, Italian Offices: 1917, Sep.-Dec. 31, 1922: used stamps of Italy, Peking: 1917, Sep.; stamps of Italy overprinted Pechino, Tientsin: 1917, Sep.; overprinted Tientsin.
China, Japanese Occupation: overprint stamps of China plus occupation issues, 20th century: Kwangtung Province including Canton; Inner Mongolia, including North Shansi, South Chara and Suiyuna; North China including Honan, Hopei, Meng Chiang, Shansi, Shantung and Supeh; Nanking and Shanghai including Anhwei, Chekiang, Fukien, Hunan, Hupe and Kiangsi.
China, Japanese Post Offices: 1876, Apr. 15-31 Dec.1899: overprint on stamps of Japan with Chinese characters, 1900, Jan.: first stamps issued, 1922, Nov. 30: offices closed.
China paper: now called India paper.
China, Regional Issues: post World War II to 1949; China, Central: provinces of Honan, Hunan, Hupeh and Kiangsi, China, East: provinces of Anhwei, Chekiang, Fukien, Kiangsu and Shantung, China, Liaoning: Port Arthur and Dairen, used overprinted stamps of Japan and Manchukuo; 1946, China, North: provinces of Chahar, Hopeh, Shansi and Suiyuan, China, Northeast: provinces of Heilungkiang, Jehol, Kirin, Liaoning and Manchuria (Manchukuo), China, Northwest: provinces of Ningsia, Sinkiang, Tsinghai, Shensi (west portion), China, South: provinces of Hainan Island, Kwangsi and Kwantung, China, Southwest: provinces of Kweichow, Sikang, Szechwan, Tibet and Yunnan.
China, Republic of: known as Taiwan (Formosa); 1886: first stamps issued, 1895: "Black Flag Republic" stamps, 1895-1945: stamps of Japan used during Japanese occupation, 1945, Oct.: used locally printed separate stamps, 1945, Nov. 4: first stamps as Chinese province, 1945-49: overprints of stamps of China and Japan, 1949, Dec. 1: first stamps as Republic of China.
China, Russian Post Offices: 1870: stamps of Russia used, 1876: post offices established by Chinese National Postal System in five major cities, 1899: stamps of Russia overprinted (KHTAH) in the Cyrillic alphabet, 1917-20: stamps of Russia surcharged, 1920: post offices closed..
China Treaty Ports: established in various Treaty ports: Amoy (1895), Chefoo (1893), Chunkiang (1894), Foochow (1895), Hankow (1893), Ichang (1895), Kewkiang (1894), Nanking (1896), Wuhu (1894) and Shanghai (1865), closed in 1897 with start of Imperial Post.
China, United States Postal Agency: 1867, Aug. 3-Dec. 31, 1922: stamps in Chinese currency, 1919, July 1 overprint "Shanghai/China" on stamps of U.S. for use in Shanghai on mail to the U.S.
Chin-Cha-Ki: local, north Chinese, 1946.
Chinchilla: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Chine: (Fr.) 1904-22:overprint on stamps of France and Indo China, for France, Offices in China, post offices located at Canton, Hoi Hao, Kouang-Tcheou, Mongtseu, Pakhoi, Tchongking and Yunnan Fou. - India (paper).
Chinese Imperial post: inscription on stamps of China, 1898-1912.
Chinese National Postal System: 1876, began with opening to the general public of special courier service between five major Chinese cities.
Chin-Ki-Lu-Yu: local, North China, 1940-46.
Chin-nan: local, North China, 1949.
Chipre: (Sp.) Cyprus.
Chistopol: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1906-12.
Chita issue: Siberia, name for Far Eastern Republic issues of 1921 and 1922.
Chiva: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Chokin Kyoku: Indonesia savings stamp, Japanese occupation.
Cholerabrief: (Ger.) cholera letter (with disinfection markings, or slits).
Cholm: local provisional, German occupation, about 1918.
Chosen: name once used for Korea.
Chouze-sur-Loire: local provisional, France, 1944.
Christiansburg, Va. Paid 5 Cents: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Christianssunds Bypost: Norway local post.
Christkindl, uber: label sold in Austria for mail from the town of Christkindl at Christmas.
Christmas Charity Post stamps: scout and church group stamps permitting charities to carry Christmas and New Year cards between Nov. 26 and Jan. 1 each year, started 1981.
Christmas Day Delivery: special British cancel for mail to be delivered Christmas Day, 1902-09.
Christmas Island: part of the Ellice group of islands in Pacific; 1892: annexed by Great Britain, 1911, Mar.: first stamps, 1915: formed into the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colonu, 1918: Gilbert and Ellice Islands protectorate, 1916-about: leased by Central Pacific Coconut Plantations, Ltd; which issued its own local stamp for mail carried by their ship to nearest port, 1939: Gilbert and Ellice stamps used at Christmas Island post office, WW II: British and America troops used stamps of their respective nations, 1958, Oct. 15: overprint on stamps of Australia for Christmas Island, 1976, Jan. 1: colony divided into the Gilbert Islands and Tuvalu.
Christmas Island: Indian Ocean; 1900-58: under British colony of Singapore, stamps of Straits Settlements and Singapore, 1958: Australia took over Christmas island from Singapore, 1958: provisionals overprinted and surcharged in Malayan currency, 1958, Oct. 15: first stamps.
Christmas Island Australia: bogus booklets that have no official status, not connected with Australia Post.
Christmas Mail: British Post office scheme in1902-09 whereby mail could be deposited in advance for delivery Christmas Day.
Christmas seals: charity labels used to raise funds, first placed on sale in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 1904, US, 1907.
Christmas stamps: special postage stamps issued for use on mail during the holiday season, first stamps for use on greeting cards were issued by Austria in 1937.
Christmas stamps, compulsory: Costa Rica tried this concept for use on Christmas mail in 1959.
Christmas USA: 1981: United States non-denominated postage stamp, value 20¢, 1981.
Christmas US Postage: United States non-denominated postage stamps, value 10¢, 1975.
Christmas 1991 USA: United States non-denominated postage stamp, 29¢, 1991.(6 designs)
Chromed: after the metal is hardened of a printing sleeve, a coating of chrome is applied to help give the sleeve a longer life.
Chromegelb: (Ger.) chrome yellow (color).
Chromolithography: two or more colors printed at the same time; Switzerland Canton issue of 1843 is an example.
Chr. Sunds Bypost: Norway local post.
Chuashia: bogus Russian issue.
Chungking: see: China, Indo-Chinese Post Offices.
Chungking, forged issue: 1893-94 2-candarins, pagoda.
Chute: (Fr.) waterfall thematic.
Chuvashia: bogus Russian issue.
Chypre: (Fr.) Cyprus.
CI: 1: Caroline Islands, when used in a postmark. 2: Channel Islands. 3: Côte d'Ivoire (Rep.), country code as used by UPU.
CIA invert: term applied to U.S. stamp featuring a candlestick holder that was found upside down by CIA employees when buying stamps at their local post office, Sc.1610c.
C.I.C.I.: Congress of the International Colonial Institute, overprint on stamps of Portugal, 1933.
Cieszyn: local provisional, Poland, 1919.
Cieza: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
C.I.F.: (Sp.) Congreso Internacional de Filatelia, 1960
Cifra: (Sp.) numeral.
Cifras de control: (Sp.) control numbers. Children's Charity Stamps: semi-postals for children's charities; most popular are "Pro Juventute" (Switzerland since 1913) and "Kinderzegels" (Holland since 1924); also known as Child Welfare Stamp.
Cigarette card with postage stamp: issued in the U. S. and Great Britain in late 19th and early 20th century.
Cigarette paper: thin paper used for rolling cigarettes, used by Latvia for a stamp issue in 1919.
Cigarette tax: stamps paying a government tax on cigarettes. - used as postage due labels in South Africa, 1922.
Cigarette tube stamps: tax receipt paid on tubes of cigarette paper for those who rolled their own cigarettes.
Cijuela: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Cile: (It.) Chile.
Cilicia: Turkey; 1918-Oct. 20, 1921: occupied by French and British who overprinted stamps of France and Turkey; 1919: control transferred to French, 1919, Mar. 4: first stamps used, 1919-21: French regime overprinted stamps of Turkey and France, 1920: France received territory as mandate from League of Nations, 1923: Turkey expelled the French, Cilicia reverted to Turkey; 1919-23: issued by France for Cilicia, Turkey, Offices in Turkey, see: Syria, T.E.O., O.M.F. Cilicie.
Cilicien: (Ger.) Cilicia.
Ciliegia: (It.) cerise (color).
Cina: (It.) China.
Cinabrio: (Sp.) vermilion (color).
Cincinnati City Delivery: U.S. local post, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1883.
Cinderella: a stamp-like label with no postal validity that may have perforations, gum and designs that imitate real postage stamps.
Cinq-Mars-la-Pile: local provisional, France, 1944.
Cinzento: (Port.) gray (color).
Cioccolato: (It.) chocolate (color).
Circuit book: book with stamps or covers offered for sale, usually by stamp clubs.
Circulacion: (Sp.) put into circulation, issued.
Circulations: (Fr.) circuit books.
Circulado, sobres: (Sp.) postally used covers.
Circular-Beforderung: local, Cologne, Germany, 1888-89.
Circular Date Stamp (CDS): postal marking with date, place and sometimes, time of mailing in a circular marking, may be part of a machine cancel or a separate mark, started in the 1820s, machine usage since the 1880s.
Circular delivery stamps: private firms in Great Britain usage for delivery of circulars, samples, and printed matter, issued 1865-67.
Circulo: (Sp.) circle.
Ciruela: (Sp.) plum (color).
C. I. S.: (Ger.) "Commission Interalliee Slesvig" Interallied Commission for Schleswig. - see: Commonwealth of Independent States.
Ciskei: South Africa homeland state; 1981, Dec. 2: first stamps issued, 1994, Apr. 27: Ciskei dissolved as a separate administrative state.
Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC): a group of citizens, non USPS employees, appointed by the USPS to review the more than 40,000 suggestions for stamp subjects that the USPS receives each year.
Citron: (Dan., Dut., Fr.) lemon (color).
Citta del Vaticano: (It.) see: Vatican City.
City Despatch Post: U.S. local post, New York, 1842-50; see: Carriers' Stamps.
City Dispatch: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1846.
City Dispatch: U.S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 1860.
City Dispatch: U.S. local post, St. Louis, Mo., 1861.
City Dispatch Post office: U.S. local post, New Orleans, La., 1847.
City Express Post: U.S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 184(?).
City Letter Express Mail: U.S. local post, Newark, N.J., 1856.
City Mail Co.: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1845.
City One Cent Dispatch: U.S. local post, Baltimore, Md., 1851.
City Penny Post: Great Britain, Ireland and North America 1765 Act permitted the establishment of "...a Penny Post Office..." in any town as thought convenient.
Ciudadaño: (Sp.) citizen, refers to inscription on mail from the Mexican period of colonial postal history.
Ciudad del Vaticano: (Sp.) Vatican City.
Ciudadela: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Ciudad Juarez: provisional, revolutionary, district of Mexico issued its own overprints, 1914. Ciudad Real: local, Spanish civil war, Republican, 1937.
Ciudad Rodrigo: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist, 1937.
Civil Service stamps: used on civil service mail in some countries.
CK: Cook Island, country code as used by UPU.
CL: airmail semi-official as Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. - Chile, country code as used by UPU.
Clair: (Fr.) light (color).
Clapper Post: postmen sounded a clapper starting in April 1772 in Vienna, Austria to notify the population that he was available to send and receive mail; he then applied a marking, and delivered the mail to a branch post office.
Clark & Co.: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1857.
Clark & Hall: U.S. local post, St. Louis, MO.,1851.
Clarke's Circular Express: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., for printed matter, 1865-68(?).
Claro: (Sp.) light (color).
Classeur: (Fr.) stockbook.
Classic: a stamp or cover, because of its beauty of design, age, or rarity, and is much sought after, generally only refers to stamps issued prior to 1875.
Clausland(ia): Christmas fantasy labels created by Maggie Kate.
Clavologique, Principality of: bogus labels of French origin.
Cleaned plate: when a printing plate has been used for a clogged with ink resulting in a poor impression; after cleaning, the stamps printed from it are described as "from a cleaned plate."
Cleaning: removal of foreign substance from a stamp.
Cliché: end result of the process of applying a design into metal; individual identical units that were used to make up a printing plate, plate, image, block, photo, line cut, position.
Click stamp: a postage imprint produced by Pitney Bowes.
Climatic: stamp paper that is liable to change color due to exposure to light, air or dampness.
Climax dater: rubber date cancel used 1885-1935 in Great Britain at small postal facilities, original usage was in violet ink until 1911 when ink pads were changed to black ink.
Clinton's Penny Post: U.S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., (?).
Clise: (Sp.) see: Cliche.
Closed transit dispatches: sealed bags of international mail that travel through the USPS from one country to another country; bags are not opened for redistribution.
Closed mail: mail sent in a "closed" or sealed postal bag from one exchange office to another.
Closet collector: a stamp collector who is unknown to fellow stamp collectors.
Club covers: covers produced by stamp clubs.
Cluj: city in Transylvania, once part of Hungary, taken by Romania WWII.
Cluster box: a centralized unit of individually locked compartments for the delivery of mail.
CM: (It.) Corrier Maggior; pre-adhesive postmark for Venetian Postmaster General. - (Sp.) Censura Militar, military censor. - (Fr.) abbreviation for carte maximum, maximum card.
CM: military airmail, Scott Catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage.
CM: Commonwealth of the Marianas, when used in a postmark. - Cameroon, country code as used by UPU.
CMC Courier Services: local, Canada, 1987.
CMS: complete matched set.