A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
O: 1: Scott Catalog Number prefix for Official. 2: postal administration mark for invalid stamps used on mail at country of origin. 3: Ohio, pre-adhesive postmark 4: abbreviation for ordinary paper as opposed to other unusual paper or finish of a printed stamp.Oakway, S.C. 5: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals
Ø: (Dan.) island
O. A.: Official Assignee, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74
O.A.S.: On Active Service, military personnel on active duty get free ranking privilege
Oahamapka: Finland
Oakland Parcel Delivery: parcel delivery firm serviced Oakland, Calif. area; used labels; year unknown
Öarna: (Swed.) islands
O.A.T: Onward Air Transport, continuance of conveyance by air.Obali: currency in Ionian islands during British administration
Oaxaca: 1: overprint on stamps of Mexico for this district, 1856-1883. 2: inscription on stamps of Mexico for State of Oaxaca revenue issue during civil war, 1913-16, printed on back of post office receipt forms
OB: Orville J. Butler, BEP employees initials, 1906-1928; Plate Finisher, Siderographer
O.B.: Official Business overprint on stamps of the Philippines. _#9: occupation overprint on stamps of Russia for Batum. _#9!E: occupation overprint on stamps of Russia for Batum
Obalky: (Czech.) envelopes
O.B.C.: (Ger.) Österreichisch-Bayerische Correspondenz (Austrian-Bavarian Mail) pre-adhesive postmark, 1840, entitled to reduced postage rate
Obchodní tiskopisy: (Czech.) printed matter
Obetydlig: (Swed.) insignificant
Ober: (Ger.) high, above
Oberbogen: (Ger.) the two upper panes in a sheet of four panes
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht: (Ger.) German High Command, censored mail
Oberfläche: (Ger.) surface, the face of a stamp
OberPostAmt: (Ger.) main post office
Oberpostdirektion: (Ger.)(OPD) Regional Directorate of Posts
Oberschlesien: (Ger.) Upper Silesia
Obetydlig: (Swed.) insignificant
Obervolta: (Ger.) Upper Volta
OBHV: Osterreichischer Briefmarken-Händler-Verband, Austrian Stamp Dealers Association
Objetos envasados: (Sp.) wrapped and bottled article; found on local fiscals of Cadiz which were used as postal tax stamps during the Civil War
Obligations: bonds, debentures; revenue inscription on stamps of French Colonies
Oblique roulette: perforation cuts are set with a slant, parallel to one another
Oblit.: auction abbreviation term for obliterator cancel (grid cancel)
Obliteracion: (Sp.) cancellation
Obliterare speciala: (Rom.) special cancellation
Obliterat: (Rom.) used
Obliterating bar: a mark used to make illegible an unwanted portion of a stamp design
Obliterating stamp: a mark, with date or time indication, used to deface stamps on mail
Obliteration: 1: term used to denote a cancellation marking to deface a stamp. 2: abstempelung (Ger.); Oblitération (Fr.); Annullamento (It.); Matasellado (Sp.)
Oblitérationde complaisance: (Fr.) canceled to order, stamps canceled by postal authorities without having been used for postage.
Oblitération de faveur: (Fr.) favor cancellation
Oblitération de premier jour: (Fr.) first day cancel
Oblitération en barres: (Fr.) barred cancel; with stripes
Oblitération forgé: (Fr.) forged cancel
Oblitération lourdé: (Fr.) heavy cancellation
Oblitération rond avec date: (Fr.) circular date stamp
Obliterator: hand or machine stamp used to cancel an adhesive
Obliterazione: (It.) obliteration
Oblitéré: (Fr.) canceled, used, a stamp that has been employed for the postal or revenue service for it was issued
Oblitéré a plume: (Fr.) pen cancellation
Oblitéré de complaisance: (Fr.) canceled to order
Oblitérateur: (Fr.) canceller
Obock: eastern Africa on Gulf of Aden, seaport of French Somaliland; currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1862: acquired by France, 1883: stamps of French Colonial issue, 1888: government moved from Obock to Djibouti, 1892, Feb. 1: No.1, 1 centime lilac-blue, first stamps, Obock overprint on back of French Colonial issue, postage due stamp, 1902: Obock and Somali Coast protectorate combined under name of French Somali Coast; name Somali Coast Protectorate adopted on stamps of Djibouti; Afars and Issas, Benadir, Djibouti, Oltre Giuba, Italian East Africa, Italian Somaliland
Obrestez: (Rus.) : Specimen
Obsolescent stamp: stamp about to go off sale
Obsolete stamp: 1: stamps that are no longer sold by the postal service. 2: stamps no longer valid for postage
Obverse watermark: caused by thick paper instead of the normal thinning of the paper, making the watermark appear opaque instead of semi-transparent
Obvert: a picture or header on the stamp sheet that is on the opposite side than then usual or normal sheet
OC: auction abbreviation for off cover
O/C: off centered design
OCA: (Sp.) Argentine Clearing Organization, labels of a private delivery firm, Buenas Aires, Argentina, started 1997, for delivery in Argentina and worldwide through other firms
OC-CO: letters in the four corners of a San Marino essay, 1864, for M. Riester
Occasion (bonne): (Fr.) bargain (good)
Occident: (Rom.) west
Occupacion: (Sp.) occupation
Occupacion (timbre d’): (Fr.) occupation (stamp)
Occupation Azirbayedjan: overprint on stamps of Persia, 1945-46 during Russian occupation; made by Entente officers, found to be bogus
Occupacion de Pascua: inscription on stamps of Chile for semi-postal for Easter Island
Occupation Française: (Fr.) overprint on stamps of Hungary, French Occupation, 1919, Arad
Occupation Française Cameroun: (Fr.) overprint on stamps of Middle Congo, French occupation of Cameroon
Occupation stamp: 1: stamps issued for use in enemy territories by the conquerors. 2: stamps of the invaded country
Occupazione Italiana: (It.) private overprint on stamps of Egypt for Italian occupation of Oasis of Siwa, 1942,occupation
Occussi-Ambeno, Sultanate of: Timor: bogus labels sold as stamps for nonexistent territory, 1968
Ocean-ångare: (Swed.) ocean-going steamboat, steamer, steamship
Oceanic Settlements: eastern Pacific French islands, including Tahiti, Society Islands, etc.; 1880: French colonial issues, 1882, June: overprint for Tahiti on French Colonial issues, 1892: stamps first issued, 1958: renamed French Polynesia
Oceanie: inscription for French Oceania, 1892-1958
Ocean mail: mail carried on ocean routes
Ocean Letter (OL): letter sent by radio to seafarers by Germany, England and Denmark in the early 1900s
Ocean postage: Great Britain Penny Postage cutouts from envelopes during the 1850’s
Oceania: 1915: first semi-postal stamp, 1926: first postage due stamp, 1934: first air mail stamp
Oceletisk z plochych desek kombinovany s knihtiskem: (Czech.) line engraving – flat plates in combination with typography
Ocelotisk z plochy desk: (Czech.) line engraving, steel engraving, recess printing, intaglio, taile douce – flat plates
Ockra: (Swed.) ochre (color)
Ockrafârgad: (Swed.) ochre-colored
Ockragul: (Swed.) ochre-yellow (color)
Ockupationsstyrkor: (Swed.) occupation forces
O C / P letter bomb inspected: Office of Communications, State Department, Washington, DC marking issued during 2002 letter bomb inspection
OCR: optical character reader
Ocru: (Rom.) ochre (color)
Octombrie: (Rom.) October
Octubre 12, 1942: on stamps of Cuba, Ecuador and Paraguay; labels printed in 1935-36 to commemorate Columbus’ first voyage
Ocupatia Bulgara: (Rom.) Bulgarian occupation
Ocupatia Franceza: (Rom.) French occupation
Ocupatia Franceza în Arad: (Rom.) French occupation of Arad, Arad
Ocupatia Germana: (Rom.) German occupation
Ocupatia Greaca: (Rom.) Greek occupation
Ocupatia Româna: (Rom.) Romanian Occupation
Ocupatia Turcesc: (Rom.) Turkish Occupation
OD: 1: Scott Catalog number prefix for Official Department (Argentina). 2: auction abbreviation for oddity
Odborník: (Czech.) expert, specialist
Odchylka: (Czech.) difference
Odder: Denmark inscription for local seal
Oddity: a collectible philatelic item that has unusual variations such as a different design, gum type, different color, odd or unusual cancels, etc. and is not a freak or variety
O.D.E.C.A.: (Sp.) Organiscion de Testados Centro Americanos; Central American States Organization
Odense Bypost: city of Odense, Denmark, local post
Odense – Odense Local Post : Odense is a city and the capital of Fyn county in N central Fyn Island ca. 83 miles SW of Copenhagen, Denmark. Local post opened 1 February 1884, with ” Odense / Bypost” local stamps being issued on the same day, and with several others being issued through 1887. The local post ceased operations on 2 June 1891
Odense – Odense A. A. Local Post: Local post with first (and only) 5 and 10 øre lithographed perf 11-1/2 “Dampbaadene Paa Odense AA” local stamps issued during July 1882 The stamps were used on mails carried by boats on the Odense and Great Belt Rivers
Odessa: city in the USSR, on Black Sea; 1878-1881, city in Russia, local post, Zemstvo, 1919-Jan. 30, 1920: overprint for Polish consular post in Odessa, Russia 1941: Romanian occupation, local post
Odontomètre: (Fr.) 1866 name for perforation gauge
OE: auction abbreviation which indicates that a cover has been opened at the end or side
Oelsnitz/Vogtl.: city in Germany, Express-Packet-beförderung, local post
Oeneo Island, Dependency of: bogus overprint of Pitcairn island
Øer(ne): (Dan.) island(s)
Oesterr: Austria, 1883-1907
Oesterreich: alone or as an overprint on stamps of Germany for Austria
Oesterreich, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1910.Oesterr Post Liechtenstein: Liechtenstein, Austrian Postal Administration, 1912-20
OETA: Occupied Enemy Territory Administration; World War II organization to administer occupied territories, used stamps of Great Britain overprinted M.E.F. for British Occupation of Italian Somaliland
Oeuvres de Guerre: with cross and surtax, overprint on stamps of Cameroon for semi-postal
Oeuvres de Solidarite Française: French Colonies general issue
Oeuvres Sociales: with cross and surtax, overprint on St. Pierre and Miquelon semi-postal
OF Castellorisco: Occupation Française, overprint on stamps of France for occupation of Castellorizo, 1915
Offentlig Sak: (O.S.) (Nor.) inscription on stamps of Norway, official use
OFC: USPS abbreviation used in address for office
Oferta: (Inicial) (Sp.): first, or opening bid at an auction
Oferta: (Iniziale) (It.): first, or opening bid at an auction
Off center: a stamp design that is not printed in the exact center of the paper, resulting in unequal margins around a stamp
Offenbach: city in Germany, local post 1: Offenbach-Frankfurter Packet-u. Stückgut-Bef. Ges., 1890. 2: Private-Brief-verkehr, 1893-1900
Offences Island: cinderella label, not valid for postage
Offences of Humanity: cinderella label featuring offences of the human body
Offene Klasse: (Ger.) open class for exhibitors
Offices abroad: postal agency of one country in another, usually because of the poor local postal network; special stamps were usually overprinted for these offices, mainly from the country maintaining the office
Offices Abroad, China: The German offices were shut in March 1917 after China entered WW I on the Allied side. The Russian offices ceased operation in Dec.1920. Most of the others, including the American office, were closed at the end of 1922. One exception was a British office in Weihaiwei, which remained open until 1930
Offices Abroad, Morocco: The British were operating offices there well after the end of WW II. Open Mail: mail sent from one country’s exchange office to another country’s exchange office, sorted and marked at each office; rate differences ceased when prepaid international rate went into effect July 1, 1875
Offices Abroad, Turkey: First closure was at the end of Sept. 1914, when the Ottomans entered the First World War. The Allied powers reopened their offices in1919 once they won the war. These were closed in 1923 when the nationalists assumed control of Turkey
Official: 1: of or related to the government. 2: stamps or stationery issued for use by government departments in the course of official business
Official: 1: Tanganyika overprint on stamps of Kenya and Uganda; Basutoland overprint, official use, 1959-60. 2: overprint on stamps of British Guiana, 1875-77. 5: bogus overprint on Great Britain 1d red of 1864 Official Service: overprint on stamps of Liberia for official use
Official cachet: 1: cachet produced by a postal administration. 2: loose term used by organizations closely associate with the issuance of a stamp
Official cancel: a government sponsored cancel
Official First Day Cover: usually indicates that it was produced by the nation’s postal agency, but can be any FDC with an official government postmark
Official imitation: stamps printed by authority to provide specimens for an exhibition or for sale after the original dies, proofs, etc. were no longer available
Official label: printed labels provided and possibly affixed by the postal authorities for services rendered or to be rendered beside those prepaid by use of postage stamps
Officially flown: covers flown with postal authorization
Official mail: government business mail, to be sent by government officials without postage prepayment; sometimes called Penalty Mail because the special envelopes had the slogan “Penalty For Private Use $300.”
Official notice: post office handstamp warning recipient that envelope may contain “Counterfeit Money” and letter with contents should be returned to the local post office; contents known as “green goods” to postal officials; prevalent in late 1800s
Official paid stationery: postal stationery used by government departments, or provided for the public to reply to government offices
Official reprint: stamps reprinted at a later date by the original issuing entity from the original plates
Official seal: a label, in stamp form, issued by the Post Office to seal mail and parcel post that has opened in transit or that may have been opened for postal inspection of contents
Official stamp: valid only on official mail of a government agency, or their agents; may be called “service stamps;” when inscribed or overprinted for specific departments, they are known as department stamps
Officiel: 1: overprint on stamps of Luxembourg, Switzerland officials. 2: on stamps of Iran, officials denotes genuiness (1885-87). 3. specialized catalogue of Belgium and former colonies
Officiella årsböcker: (Swed.) official yearbooks
Officiella maximikort: (Swed.) official maximum cards
Officiella minneshäften: (Swed.) official souvenir booklets
Officiella minneskort: (Swed.) official souvenir cards
Officiella utställningskort: (Swed.) official exhibition cards
Officiel nytryk: (Dan.) official reprint
Officina de Tanger: Tangiers local post
Offisieel: (Without Official) (Afrikaaans) overprint South West Africa for official use
Offisieel-Official: (Afrikaaans) official; South West Africa
Öffnungszeiten: (Ger.) times of being open (post office).Off paper: stamps that have been soaked off the paper
Offrant (au plus): (Fr.) to the highest bidder
Offre: (Fr.) an (auction) bid
Off. Sak: (Nor.) inscription for official stamp of Norway
Off sale: stamps still valid for postal use, but no longer on sale by the post office
Offset: 1: reverse impression from the face of a sheet of stamps onto the back of another sheet. 2: Abklatsch (Ger.)
Offsetdruck: (Ger.) offset printing
Offset lithography: printing process consists of transferring an image from an aluminum or zinc plate to a rubber blanket; the image is then transferred from the rubber blanket to the paper running through the machine
Offset printing: the use of an aluminum plate that is photographically treated to retain the positive stamp image, while attracting ink, while the non-design areas repel the ink; the offset plate transfers the image to a rubber blanket roll (a negative image) that transfers the design to paper for the finished product
Offsettryk: (Dan.) see Tryk – Offset
Oficial: (Sp.) overprint on stamps of Portugal and Spain for official use
Oficina correos: (Sp.) post office
Oficina de cambio: (Sp.) postal exchange office, used at Cuba’s military headquarters in Angola, 1985
Oficina de correos: (Sp.) post office
Oficina filatelica del estado: (Sp.) State Philatelic Bureau, opened by the Nationalists at Salamanca in 1937.O.G.: auction abbreviation term; Original gum
Ofrankerad: (Swed.) unstamped, not stamped
Ofset: (Czech.) offset printing
Ofsettpressen: (Swed.) offset press
Ofszetnyomat: (Hung.) offset printing
OG: original gum
Ogden’s Express Co.: private baggage delivery firm serviced northern New Jersey cities and New York City; used labels; year unknown
Ogn: Oregon, pre-adhesive postmark
OH: USPS abbreviation for Ohio
O.H.B.M.S.: On His Brittanic Majesty’s Service, Great Britain official overprint on German East Africa revenue stamps, 1915
O.H.E.M.S.: On His Exalted Majesty’s Service, overprint on stamps of Egypt for official use, 1922-23. O.H.H.S.: On His Highness’s Service, overprint on stamps of Egypt, official use, 1907-22
Ohio: U.S. state March 1, 1803; taken from part of Northwest Territory; “Enabling Act” passed Nov. 29, 1802; Congress admitted as state in 1953
O.H.M.S.: 1: On His/Her Majesty’s Service
Oh-My-Hair: fantasy by the American Journal of Philately
Ohne falz: (Ger.) never hinged
Ohne gummi: (Ger.) without gum
Ohne wasserseichen, o.Wz: (Ger.) without watermark
Ohu Post: inscription on stamps of Estonia for air mail
Oilette: name given to a postcard that was made to resemble an oil painting
Oil Rivers Protectorate: former British protectorate in West Africa; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling 1852, Jan. 29: British Steam Africa Navigation Company granted contract to carry mails to West Africa, used British stamps, 1879, Jan. 1: British West Africa colonies joined the UPU, 1884, July: British protectorate started, British Royal Niger Company, 1886: charter granted to The Royal Niger Company to administer territory, 1887, Oct. 18: Niger Districts Protectorate established, 1891, Nov.-July 1892: used stamps of Britain, 1892, July 20: “British Protectorate / Oil Rivers,”overprint on British stamps, stationery, 1893, May 12: became “Niger Coast Protectorate,” overprint on British postal stationary, 1894, Jan. 1: distinctive stamps and overprinted postal stationery issued for Niger Coast Protectorate, 1895, April: overprinted post cards issued for Niger Coast Protectorate, 1899: company gave charter to the Crown, 1900, Jan. 1: superseded by the two new colonies, Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria, 1914: amalgamated as Crown Colony of Nigeria; Nigeria
Oiseaux: (Fr.) birds (thematic)
Ojen: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War Nationalist,1937
OK: USPS abbreviation for Oklahoma
O.K.C.A.: .: Russia Army of the North Issue, 1919; initials of Russian words meaning “Special Corps, Army of the North;” Russia
Okergul: (Nor.) ochre-yellow (color)
Okeridge Motor Service: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971
Okhansk: city in Russia, local post, 1871-1913, Zemstvo
Okker: (Dan.) ochre (color)
Okkergul: (Dan.) ochre-yellow (color)
Okla.: abbreviation for Oklahoma prior to Zip Code usage
Oklahoma: U.S. territory May 2, 1890, state Nov.16, 1907; taken from Oklahoma and Indian Territories
Okraj: (Czech.) margin (of stamp[s])
Oktober: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) October
Október: (Hung.) October
Okupace albánsky: (Czech.) Albanian occupation
Okupace americky: (Czech.) American occupation
Okupace australsky: (Czech.) Australian occupation
Okupace belgicky: (Czech.) Belgian occupation
Okupace britsky: (Czech.) British occupation
Okupace brazilsky: (Czech.) Brazilian occupation
Okupace bulharsky: (Czech.) Bulgarian occupation
Okupace ceskoslovensky: (Czech.) Czechoslovakian occupation
Okupace cesky: (Czech.) Czech occupation
Okupace chílsky: (Czech.) Chilean occupation
Okupace chorvatsky: (Czech.) Croatian occupation
Okupace cínsky: (Czech.) Chinese occupation
Okupace dánsky: (Czech.) Danish occupation
Okupace estonsky: (Czech.) Estonian occupation
Okupace finsky: (Czech.) Finnish occupation
Okupace francouzsky: (Czech.) French occupation
Okupace holandsky: (Czech.) Dutch occupation
Okupace indicky: (Czech.) Indian occupation
Okupace italskie: (Czech.) Italian occupation
Okupace japonsky: (Czech.) Japanese occupation
Okupace jihoafricky: (Czech.) South African occupation
Okupace litevsky: (Czech.) Lithuanian occupation
Okupace lotyssky: (Czech.) Latvian occupation
Okupace nemecky: (Czech.) German occupation
Okupace pákistánsky: (Czech.) Pakistani occupation
Okupace peruánsky: (Czech.) Peruvian occupation
Okupace polsky: (Czech.) Polish occupation
Okupace portugalsky: (Czech.) Portuguese occupation
Okupace rakousky: (Czech.) Austrian occupation
Okupace rumumsky: (Czech.) Romanian occupation
Okupace rusky: (Czech.) Russian occupation
Okupace slovensky: (Czech.) Slovakian occupation
Okupace sovetsky: (Czech.) Soviet (USSR) occupation
Okupace spanelsky: (Czech.) Spanish occupation
Okupace srbsky: (Czech.) Serbian occupation
Okupace svedsky: (Czech.) Swedish occupation
Okupace thajsky: (Czech.) Thai occupation
Okupace turecky: (Czech.) Turkish occupation
Okupace uhersky: (Czech.) Hungarian occupation
Okupace ukrajinsky: (Czech. Ukrainian occupation
OL: 1: Scott Catalog number prefix for Local Official (Germany). 2: origine locale: local postmark
OL: (Fr.) origine locale (local origin), overprint on stamps of Monaco as a control mark when French carriers received them when placed in French mail boxes, up to 1904
Olajbarna: (Hung.) olive-drab, olive-brown (color)
Olanda, olandez: (Rom) Netherlands (Holland), Dutch (adj.)
Olajzöld: (Hung.) olive-green (color)
Olanda: (It.) Netherlands
Olasz: (Hung.) Italian
Olaszország, olasz: (Hung.) Italy
Olasz Cyrenaica: (Hung.) Italian Cyrenaica
Olasz Szomália: (Hung.) Italian Somaliland
Olautoland: British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
Oldenburg: German State, located on North Sea in northwestern Germany; currency: 30 silbergroschen = 1 thaler, 30 groschen = 1 thaler 1852, Jan. 1: joined the Austria-Prussian Postal Union, 1852, Jan 5: No.1, 1/30 thaler black, issued its first stamps with fractional denominations and multiple currency values, 1868, Jan.1: stamps of the North German Confederation, 1870: became part of the German Empire
Oldest postal services: China about 4000 B.C., Egypt and Assyria about 3000 B.C
Oldest known illustration of a postal vehicle: bas-relief dated about 250 B.C. shows a two-wheeled chariot of the Roman postal service
Oldham, Ashton & Guide Bridge Railway: British railway local post
Old paper: a tough, semi-transparent paper used during the 1860s
Old stamps not recognized: handstamp used for issues declared invalid for postage; used during the U.S. Civil War when the U.S. government devalued all postage stamps issued prior to 1861; which left huge stocks of unusable postage stamps in the southern states
Olefactory: stamp issues that when rubbed emit an odor, used for chocolate stamps of Switzerland, perfume issue of Norfolk Island
Oleomargarine: U.S. Internal Revenue stamp for oleo manufacturers, 1886-1935
Olias: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist, 1937-38
Olika: (Swed.) different
Oliv: (Rom.) olive (color)
Oliva: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Olivakt brungul: (Swed.) olivish brown-yellow (color)
Olivakt gulbrun: (Swed.) olivish yellow-brown (color)
Olivakt orangebrun: (Swed.) olivish orange-brown (color)
Olivegrönt påtryck: (Swed.) olive-green surcharge
Oliven: (Dan., Nor.) olive (color)
Olivenbrun: (Dan., Nor.) olive-brown (color)
Olivengrå: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) olive-grey (color)
Olivengrøn: (Dan.) olive-green (color)
Olivengrön: (Swed.) olive-green (color)
Olivengrønn: (Nor.) olive-green (color)
Olivengul: (Dan., Nor.) olive-yellow (color)
Olivensort: (Dan.) olive-black (color)
Olivensvart: (Swed.) olive-black (color)
Oliv-galben: (Rom.) yellow-olive (color)
Olivová: (Czech.) olive (color) (adj.)
Olivovohnedá: (Czech.) olive-brown (color)
Olivovy: (Czech.) olive (color) (adj.)
Olivovzelená: (Czech.) olive-green (color)
Olivoyla: bogus Island Queendom of Popeye’s girlfriend Olive Oyl
Olkusz: city in former Austrian-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Olleria: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Ólomkék: (Hung.) livid blue (color)
Olomouc: city in Czechoslovakia, local post, c1945
Olonetz: Aunus
Ölpapier: (Ger.) gold beater’s paper
OLS: auction abbreviation term for Outer Letter Sheet
Olsztyn: (Pol.) Allenstein
Olsztyn-Allenstein: overprint on stamps of Germany; Allenstein, Poland
Olten: city in Switzerland, local airmail, 1913
Oltre Giuba: strip if land, parallel to the Juba River, aka Italian Jubaland; currency:100 centesimi = 1 lira 1924: ceded to Italy by Great Britain, 1925, July 29: No.1, 1 centesimo brown, Oltre Guiba overprint on stamps of Italy, regular issue and postage due, 1926, June 1: semipostal for Italian Colonial Institute, 1926: incorporated into Italian Somalia, 1936: became part of Italian East Africa, Jubaland
Oluja: Croatia overprint, bogus
Olympiade gioce: (It.) Olympic games (thematic)
Olympic Couriers: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971
Olympic Games: common design on stamps of Portugal and Colonies, 1972
Olympische spiele: (Ger.) olympic games (thematic)
Oman: (Muscat and Oman) Sultanate on Arabian Peninsula; official name of postal administration: Ministry Of PT & T currency: 12 pies = 1 anna, 16 annas = 1 rupee, 100 naye paise = 1 rupee (1957), 64 baizas – 1 rupee (1966), 100 baizas = 1 rial saidi (1970) 1864-1947: British post office opened under Indian administration, stamps of India used, 1875, Aug. 17: joined the UPU, 1944, Nov. 20: No.1, 3 pence slate, first stamps and officials issued, stamps of India with Arabic overprint for use in Muscat only, 1947, Dec. 20: stamps of India overprinted “Pakistan” used, 1947, Dec. 20-Dec. 29: stamps of India handstamped “Pakistan” for local use, 1948, April 1: surcharge on British stamps for British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia, used in Abu Dhubi, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat, and, Qatar, 1966, Apr. 30: Oman Sultanate took over postal administration of Muscat and Oman, issued first stamps under its own postal authority, 1970-pre: officially known as Muscat and Oman, 1970: name changed to Oman, 1971, Jan. 16: first stamps inscribed Sultanate of Oman, 1971, Dec. 25: first semipostal issued for UNICEF
Oman Imamate State: bogus stamps for Arabian sultanate
Oman, State of: bogus stamps for Arabian sultanate; not to be confused with genuine sultanate
Omfattande: (Swed.) comprehensive
Omfattende: (Dan., Nor.) comprehensive
O.M.F. Cilicie: (Fr.) Occupation Militaire Française overprint on stamps of France, occupation of Cilicia, Syria, Offices in Turkey, 1920-22
O.M.F. Syrie: (Fr.) Occupation Militaire Française; overprint on stamps of France, for Syria and Cilicia; 1920-22: French military occupation, Turkey/Ottoman revenue stamps; Cilicia
Omgravert: (Nor.) re-engraved
Omis: (Fr.) omitted, missing
Omnia juncta in uno: (Latin) “All joined in one” inscription referring to the international character of the Shanghai Municipal Council
Omnibus issue: a common theme simultaneously used on the stamps of several different countries
Område: (Dan., Nor.) territory, see Gebet
OMS: (Fr.) Organisation Mondiale de la Sante; World Health Organization (W.H.O.)
Omslag till småpaket: (Swed.) wrappers for small parcels
O Murcia: (Sp.) Orihuela Murcia, Spain, pre-adhesive postmark
Omvänt: (Swed.) inverted
Omvänt vattenmärke: (Swed.) inverted watermark
Omvendt: 1. (Dan., Nor.) inverted, 2. (Nor.) reversed
Omvendt Vandmærke: (Dan.) inverted watermark
O.M.Y.: in cancel; Odessa Local Administration
OnB: auction abbreviation term for On Board (Zeppelin Mail cachet)
On C.G.S.: On Cochin Government Service; overprint on official stamps of India for Feudatory State of Cochin
On cover: stamps that are on the original envelope and may also be “tied” (postmark on stamp and cover tying the two together) to cover
Onda: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Ondara: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Onderkant: (Dut.) bottom.Onderbroken: (Dut.) broken
Ondulé: (Fr.) wavy
One Cent Despatch: U. S. local post, Baltimore, Md, Washington, D.C., 1856
One Cover Collection: consists of a cover from every country in the world
One Directional Imperforate: term given to pairs or more found without either horizontal or vertical separations
One Farthing: surcharge on stamps of Bermuda for temporary use to mail newspapers; 1901
One Frame Exhibits: material is confined to one frame only, may include all classes and themes
One Hundred Years: inscription on centenary issue, New South Wales 1888
One Pnny: error surcharge on 1885 Malta issue; found once on each pane
One way perforator: a perforating machine that applies perforations to the sheet in one dimension at one operation
O.N.F. Castellorizo: Occupation Navale Française, French Naval Occupation, overprint on stamps of French Office in Levant for Castellorizo
Onfiro: (Ice.) Onfiroinga or Onundarfirsi, local post
On Foreign Service: found in 1918 postmark and censor handstamp permitting the cover to pass through the U.S. mail system without charge
On H.M.S.: On Her/His Majesty’s Service, overprint on stamps of Somaliland Protectorate, Chamba State, India officials
Onil: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
On K.D.S.: On Kishengarh Durbar Service, overprint on Feudatory State of Kishengarh, India official, 1918
On L.F.S.: On Local Funds Service, private overprint on stamps of India to prevent theft
O.N.M.I.: Opera Nazionale Maternità Infanzia, (National Organization for Maternity and Child Welfare), overprint on stamps of Fiume.Onoranze/Al Duca Degli/Abruzzi: honor Duke Luigi Amedeo of Savoy, overprint on stamps of Somali, 1932
On paper: stamps that still have paper portions of the original envelope or wrapper stuck to them
On piece: a stamp attached to the original portion of the envelope or wrapper with enough of the cancel showing to ensure authenticity
Onsdag: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Wednesday
On Service: 1) signifying for government use, i.e., an official stamp; 2) overprint on stamps of Ceylon officials
On S.S.: On State Service overprint on Feudatory State of Travancore, India officials
On S.S.S.: On Sirmoor State Service, overprint for Feudatory State of Sirmoor, India official, 1885.On State Service: overprint on official stamps of Iraq, British Mandate
Onteniente: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Ontur: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937.Onza: currency unit in Spain
OP2: General Tagging – Canada (stable)
OP4: General Tagging – Canada (migratory) used only by BABN prior to October 1972
O.P.: (Ger.) Orts Post; overprint for local post
O/P: overprint or overprinted
O.P.A.: Osterreichische Post Amt (Aust.) Austrian Post Office, 1820
OPAT: Organiacion Panamenta Antituberculosa, the Panama Tuberculosis Organization
O.P.Continental: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971
O.P.D.: (Ger.) oberpostdirektion, overprint, Upper Postal Directorate, Russian Zone of Germany, Post WW II., Berlin, Germany
O.P.D.A.: Ottoman Public Debts Administration, A.D.P.O
Open Class exhibits: may include all material centering on a subject, judging for rarity is omitted
Open’d by Rebells: earliest known example of censor mark, applied to letters detained by the Jacobites Rebellion, Scotland and England, 1745-46
Opened up: refers to a die that is worn and redone by an engraver to improve the quality of the die
Open End Auction: Internet auction that keeps going until there are no bids within a 5-minute time span
Opening price: beginning selling price of the lot; can represent one bid over the second highest book bid, the highest book bid or the reserve price for the lot
Open transit: mail from one country to another, usually in small quantities, sent to the U.S. for processing and dispatching
Operation Deepfreeze: cachet applied to covers on board ships to the Antarctic during the 1997-98 season
Operation Gum Gum: British police operation to eliminate wholesale processing (eliminating the cancel) of used British stamps, 1989
Operation Highjump: cachet applied to covers on board ships to the Antarctic during the 1996-97 season
Operation Papua Merdeka: Papua Freedom Movement labels
Operazione Alba: military postmark used by Italian forces in Albania, 1997
Opinions: series of books published by the Philatelic Foundation on expertizing
Opium ship letters: 1820-47; mail carried on ships with an opium cargo sailing to China from various nations throughout the world
Opium War: mail from British military ships engaged in the China conflict of 1840-42, when Chinese high commissioner Lin Tse-hsu confiscated and destroyed 20,000 chests of opium
Oplata Skarbowa: revenue stamp of Poland
O.P.M.: overprint on stamps of the Southern Moluccas by rebels in Western Papua, 1976-79
Opochka: city in Russia, local Zemstvo issue, 1876-94
Øpost: (Dan.) island post
OPP: auction abbreviation term for Opposite
Oppgravere: (Nor.) (printing plate) retouch
Opposite the Post Office: term used in advertising in cities to emphasize location
O.P.S.O.: On Public Service Only overprint of New Zealand officials,1892-1901
Opt.: 1, Overprint. 2. (Rom.) eight (number)
Optesprezece: (Rom) eighteen (number)
Optical Character Reader (OCR): mail-processing machine that “reads” an address and translates it into a sprayed on bar code
Optiforma Press: six-color webfed Goebel offset press put in service for coils about 1985; officially known as presses 42 and 43
OR: 1: USPS abbreviation for Oregon. 2: origine rurale (Fr.) postmark applied by a rural carrier on stamps of France
Oradea: (Nagyvárad) Eastern Hungary, located in Romania; WW 1-pre: Hungarian, 1919: stamps of Hungary overprinted by Romania as second Transylvania issue.1945: surcharged stamps of Hungary, issued by Russia to commemorate its being handed back to Romania
Orangeakt: (Swed.) orangish (color)
Orangeakt brun: (Swed.) orangish-brown (color)
Orangeakt gul: (Swed.) orangish-yellow (color)
Orangeakt röd: (Swed.) orangish-red [brick-red] (color); see Tegelröd
Orangebrun: (Dan., Swed.) orange-brown (color)
Orangebrun-gulakt orangebrun: (Swed.) orange-brown – yellowish orange brown (color)
Orangeburg coil: issued January 24, 1911, in Orangeburg, NY, for the Bell Pharmaceutical Co
Orangefarvet: (Dan.) orange (color)
Orange Free State: former Boer Republic in South Africa; 1854: established as a Boer republic, 1866: De La Rue, U.K., printer; first Postmaster General appointed, 1868, Jan.-74: first stamps issued, but outgoing mail required stamps of Orange Free State and Cape Colony, 1898, Jan.: became member of UPU, 1900, Mar.19: British Amy took over the Posts and Telegraphs Office; produced overprinted provisional, Victoria Regina Imperatrix, VRI, 1900, May 28: became Orange River Colony attached to the British Crown, Orange River Colony
Orange Free State: Dullsville, Nightsky Bethlehem and orangeless tree; inscriptions, unissued Great Britain cinderellas by David Horry, 2001
Orangefristaten: (Dan.) Orange Free State
Orangegul: (Dan., Swed.) orange-yellow (color)
Orangegul-orange: (Swed.) orange-yellow – orange (color)
Orange-orangegul: (Swed.) orange – orange-yellow (color)
Orange River Colony: former British colony in South Africa; previously known as Orange Free State; 1900, May 28: formerly Orange Free State, 1900, Aug.-1902: overprint on stamps of Cape of Good Hope, 1903, Feb.: definitives issued, 1910, June: combined with other territories to form the Union of South Africa, 1913: only stamps of South Africa used.Orang(j)e Vrij Staat: (Afrikaan) Orange Free State
Orangerød: (Dan.) orange-red (color)
Orangeröd: (Swed.) orange-red (color)
Orangeröd – tegelröd: (Swed.) orange-red – brick-red (color)
Oransje: (Nor.) orange (color)
Oranjefristaten: (Swed.) Orange Free State
Oransjegul: (Nor.) orange-yellow (color)
Oransjebrun: (Nor.) orange-brown (color)
Oransjerød: (Nor.) orange-red (color)
Orcades (les): (Fr.) Orkneys (the)
Oranzová: (Czech.) orange (color) (adj.)
Oranzovocervená: (Czech.) orange-red (color)
Oranzovohnedá: (Czech.) orange-brown (color)
Oranzovozlutá: (Czech.) orange-yellow (color)
Oranzovy: (Czech.) orange (color) (adj.)
Orch(h)a: India Feudatory State; 1897: stamps prepared but never issued, 1913: first local stamps, 1950, Apr. 30: stamps discontinued, now uses stamps of Republic of India
Orchid Issue: nickname for the U.S. 80¢ Hawaii airmail stamp depicting Diamond Head Mt. farmed by palm trees
Ord: auction abbreviation term for Ordinary (paper)
Order of the Tie: formed in Windsor, Canada to honor good collectors and good sports
Ordinaries: former U.S. term for definitives or regular issues
Ordinary: overprint on official stamps of Liberia to make stamps valid for ordinary postage
Ordinary usage: the correct rate of postage applied for the correct usage
Ordinateurs: (Fr.) computer (topic)
Ordlista: (Swed.) symbols
Ordnung: (Ger.) decree.Öre: currency unit in Denmark, Greenland, Norway, Sweden money unit
Ore.: abbreviation for Oregon prior to Zip Code usage
Oregon: U.S. territory Aug. 14, 1848, state Feb. 14, 1859; taken from Oregon area
Orel: (Czech.) eagle
Orense: province in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War Nationalist and Republican, 1936-38
Organisation Internacionale pour les Refugies: (Fr.) International Organization of Refugees overprint on Switzerland officials,1948-50
Organisation Meteorologique Mondiale: (Fr.) World Meteorological Organization overprint on Switzerland officials
Organisation Mondiale de la Sante: (Fr.) World Health Organization overprint on Switzerland officials
Organizaciones colectivizadas: (Sp.) government organizations which were “socialized” by the Republican government during the Civil War
Organizatia Natiunilor Unite: (Rom.) United Nations
Orgheef: city in Russia, local post, 1871-1893, Zemstvo
Orgiva: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist, 1937
Oriental: (Fr.) East, Eastern
Orientale: (Fr.) generally means “East” when used with a country name
Orient, S.S.: steamship marking of the Danube Steam Navigation Company built around 1860s, for lower Danube lines
Original: a stamp from the first issue and not a reprint or later issue
Original gum: (OG) gum which is in the original state as applied by the printer and appears untouched by a hinge, another auction definition states: unused with original gum disturbed by previous hinging, which may still be attached
Originalgummi: (Dan.,Nor.) original gum
Originel: (Fr.) pristine (condition)
Orihuela: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Orizava: overprint on stamps of Mexico for this district, 1856-1883
Orizontal, orizontala: (Rom.) horizontal
Or K.C. Novita: Serbia
Orkneys, South: Falkland Island Dependencies, Antarctica; 1944, Feb.21, first stamps issued
Orleans Territory: U.S. territory Oct. 1, 1804; became State of Louisiana, May 1, 1812
Orlof: overprint on stamps of Iceland for holiday or vacation savings, considered fiscal stamps
Ørn: (Dan., Nor.) eagle
Orono Match Co.: Private die match proprietary stamps
Oro Pastas: inscription on air mail stamps of Lithuania
Oropesa: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Republican, 1937
Oroszország: (Hung.) Russia
Orosz: (Hung.) Russian
Orphelins de la Guerre: War Orphans inscription on stamps of French semi-postal
Orts Post: inscription on Zurich cantonal stamps of 1850, stamps of Switzerland, local post
Ortspostmarke: (Ger.) local stamp created by Austrians to provide service when Austria recaptured territory occupied by Italy, June 15, 1918..Osa: city in Russia, local post, 1889-1911, Zemstvo
O.S.: 1: On service, overprint on Australian States. 2: offentlig sak, Norway official stamps. 3: overprint on various British states. 4: overprint on Liberia officials
Osakeantiaktieemissin: (Finn.) Stock Share Issuance; Finnish documentary stamps, 1922
Osch: Schilling; currency used in Austria
Oschatz: city in Germany, Courier local post, 1893
O.S.G.R.I. New Britain: overprint on stamps of German New Guinea
O.S.G.S.: On Sudan Government Service, overprint on Sudan officials, 1902-36
Oslo: City and capital of Norway, and also seat of Akershus county, in SE Norway at N end of Oslo Fjord (an inlet of the Skagerrak [also Skagerak] arm of the of the E central North Sea), extending inland ca. 80 miles, Christiania
Osmanli Postalari 1337: overprint on Turkish revenue stamps; Turkey in Asia
Osnabruck: city in Germany, local post, Boten-Comtoir H. Witte, c1860-78
Ossetia: bogus Russian local overprint
Ossola: city in Italy, local post, C. Nazionaldi Liberazione, c1944
OSS Forgeries: Office of Strategic Services postal forgeries for use in Japanese-occupied China during World War II
Øst: (Dan., Nor.) east
Ostafrikanische Gemeinschaft: (Ger.) Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika
Östafrica: (Swed.) East Africa
Østafrika: (Dan., Nor.) East Africa
Ostämplat utan gummering: (Swed.) unused, no gum
Ostashkof: city in Russia, local post, 1878-1897, Zemstvo
Østasia: (Nor.) East Asia
Ostasiatische Expeditionskorps: (Ger.) East Asiatic Expeditionary Corps, July 1900
Østasien: (Dan., Swed.) East Asia
Østberlin: (Dan., Nor.) East Berlin
Östberlin: (Swed.) East Berlin
Osten: city in Poland, overprint on stamps of German for Poland, German occupation, 1939
Oster: city in Russia, local post, 1885, Zemstvo
Öster: (Swed.) East
Österreich: (Ger.) Austria
Österreich: (Ger.) diagonal overprint on German stamps for use in Burgenland, Vienna and Lower Austria, 1945
Osterreichische Post: (Ger.) Austria post
Osterreichische Staatsdruckerei: (Ger.) Austrian State Printing Works
Østerrike: (Nor.) Austria
Österrike: (Swed.) Austria
Österrike-Ungern: (Swed.) Austria-Hungarian
Østerrikisk: (Nor.) Austrian
Österrikisk: (Swed.) Austrian
Österriske skeppspost: (Swed.) Austrian ship mail (ship post)
Østerriske skipspost: (Nor.) Austrian ship mail (ship post)
Østersjøen: (Nor.) Baltic Sea
Östersjön: (Swed.) Baltic Sea
Østeuropa: (Dan., Nor.) Eastern Europe
Østland: (Dan., Nor.) WWII German occupied territories in northern Russia
Ostmark: currency in East Germany
Ostraca: ancient pieces of clay with writing on them, singular form is ostracon
Östra Skärgården: (Fin.) steamship, carrying mail, serving Finland cities, late 1800s
Østrig: (Dan.) Austria (adj.)
Østrigsk: (Dan.) Austrian (adj.)
Østrigsk Post i Levanten: (Dan.) Austrian Offices in the Turkish Empire (Levant)
Østrigske skibspost: (Dan.) Austrian ship mail (ship post)
Østrig-Ungarnsk Feltpost: (Dan.) Austro-Hungarian field post
Ostrof: city in Russia, local post, 1875-1910, Zemstvo
Ostrogozhsk: city in Russia, local post, 1871-1885, Zemstvo
Ostroleka: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Ostropa-Osteuropäische Briefmarkenausstellung: (Ger.) East European Stamp Exhibition, 1935, held in Konigsberg, East Prussia
Ostrov: (Czech.) island
Ostrovy: (Czech.) islands
Ostrów Mazowiecka: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Ostrumelien: (Dan., Ger.) Eastern Roumelia
Østtyskland: (Dan., Nor.) East Germany (DDR)
Osuna: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist, 1937
Osvobozeni: city in Czechoslovakia, liberation local post, c1945
Osztrák: (Hung.) Austrian (adj.), Ausztria
Osztrák-magyar katona posta: (Hung.) Austro-Hungarian military post
Osztrák postaigazgatás magyarországon: (Hung.) the Austrian postal administration of Hungary. Austrian postage stamps were used in Hungary from 1 June 1850 through 1871
Osztrák posta Kréta: (Hung.) the Austrian post office in Crete
Osztrák posta Levanta: (Hung.) the Austrian post office in the Levant
Öt: (Hung.) five (number)
O.T.: Oregon or Orleans Territory, when used in a postmark
O.T.: Obchodni Tiskovina (Czech.) overprint for commercial printed matter Czechoslovakia, 1934
Otandat: (Swed.) imperforated
OTC: Officer Training School
Ötezer: (Hung.) five-thousand (number)
Other articles: a category of international mail that is made up of various classes of printed matter, matter for the blind and small packets
Otivar: city in Spain, local post, Spanish Civil War, Nationalist, 1936-38
Ottawa: formerly Bytown, Canada
Otte: (Dan.) eight (number)
Ottoman Empire: 1: Constantinopoli, Egypt, Interpostal seals,1867-71. 2: Turkish Empire
Otto plates: 1883 reissue of South Africa of Cilliers Printings of PretoriaOu: Ouguiya; currency unit in Mauritania
Ötven: (Hung.) fifty (number)
Otvorenie Slovenskeno: overprint on stamps of Czechoslovakia for Slovakia, 1939
Otwock: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Oubangi-Chari: former French territory in western Africa; currency: 100 centimes= 1 franc 1915: stamps of Middle Congo overprinted ‘Oubangui-Chari-Tchad’, 1916: first semipostal issued, 1922: stamps of Middle Congo overprinted ‘Oubangi-Chari’, 1924: stamps overprinted “Afrique Equatorial Française,” 1931: first stamps issued, 1936-59: used stamps of French Equatorial Africa, 1948: known as the Central African Republic, Ubangi-Shari
Oubangui-Chari A.E.F.: overprint on postage due labels of France, 1931
Oubangui – Chari – Tchad: overprint on stamps of Middle Congo for Ubangi Shari Chad, 1915
Oudeypoor Palumpoor: Indian State produced as a German fantasy issue in 1889
Ouest: (Fr.) West
Ouganda: (Fr.) Uganda
Ouguiya: currency unit in Mauritania
O.U.S.: Oxford Union Society overprint and backprint on the Great Britain 1-penny red picturing Queen Victoria; 1859-1879
Outer Islands Agents: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971
Outline type: name for an open type where the strokes are drawn in outline format
Out of hours: Finnish term for fee paid when mail is posted outside normal post office hours
Outre-Juba: (Fr.) Jubaland
Outre-mer (étranger): (Fr.) overseas
Outside of the mail: addressed envelopes carried on steamship or railroad company business
Outward portion: the part of a reply postal card that carries the card on its outward trip, distinguishing it from the reply half
Ouvert d’ office pour le contrôle des devises: (Fr.) opened by the office for the control of currency, label used to reseal mail after being opened to check enclosure for currency, 1939
Ouvert par l’Autorité Militaire: (Fr.) (opened by military authority), censor marking
Ouzbékistan: (Fr.) Uzbekistan
Oval grill cancel: used in Buenos Aires, 1858-59, complicated design to prevent washing of stamp for reuse
Oval meter: meters introduced in Jan. 1922 capable of printing only one fixed denomination
Oval pattern: 1: used in Ceylon,1855-67, complicated oval design to prevent washing of stamp for reuse. 2: used in New South Wales, 1850, complicated oval pattern to prevent washing of stamp for reuse
Ovanför: (Swed.) above
Ovanlig: (Swed.) scarce
Ovate bar duplex: cancel with eight to ten horizontal bars tapered at ends to form an ellipse
Overall multiple watermark: a network pattern watermark covering all the stamps in a sheet
Overall tagged: stamps with phosphor coating applied to their entire surface after printing; taggant is applied to the entire printed paper web
Over (or Under) inking: stamps that have been received with more or less of one or more of the colors to complete the design
Overcharge: surcharge
Overland Mail: term used for postal services operated over large areas by various means of transportation; such as the trans-continental mail carried by stage coach across the U.S. in the 1860s
Overlay: overall printing, usually applied to light weight papers to make them opaque so that any writing on the inside is not visible outside
Overprint (Opt.,Ovpt.): an additional printing on a stamp that was not part of the original design; for example, the Molly Pitcher U.S. stamp of 1928 has the words “Molly Pitcher” overprinted on top of the design; where the additional inscription changes the face value of the stamps, this is then named a surcharge
Overprint transposed: used on stamps of South West Africa, English inscription of Afrikaans stamps, or vice versa
Overrun countries: commemorative set of U.S. stamps issued in1943-44 illustrating flags of various nations
Oversø: (Dan.) Overseas (areas)
Overseas Courier Service: local post, Victoria, Canada postal strike, 1981.Overton & Co.: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y. Boston, Mass., 1844
Overseas Mail: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971
Oversjøisk: (Nor.) overseas (areas)
Overstemple: (Dan.) overprint, surcharge, Overstryk
Overton & Co.’s City Mail: U.S. local post handstamp, New York, N.Y., 1844-45
Overton & Co.’s Express: S. Allan Taylor label
Övertryck: (Swed..) overprint, surcharge
Overtryk: (Dan.) overprint, surcharge, Overstemple
Overtrykk: (Nor.) overprint, surcharge
Overtrykk – Blått: (Nor.) blue overprint (1905 1.50 Krone surcharge)
Overtrykk – Karmin: (Nor.) carmine overprint (1905 2.00 Krone surcharge)
Overtrykk – Lys grønt: (Nor.) light green overprint (1905 1.00 Krone surcharge)
Overtrykk – Olivengrønt: (Nor.) olive-green overprint (1905 1.00 Krone surcharge)
Overtrykk – Rødt: (Nor.) red overprint (1905 2.00 Krone surcharge)
Overtrykk – Svart: (Nor.) black overprint (1906-1908 15ø and 30ø Krone surcharges)
Overtrykk – Ultramarin: (Nor.) ultramarine overprint (1905 1.50 Krone surcharge)
Overtryksfarve: (Dan.) overprint color, surcharge color
Overtryksforfalskning: (Dan.) overprint forgery, surcharge forgery
Ovpt(d): auction abbreviation term for overprint(ed)
Øvre: (Dan., Nor.) upper (side)
Övre Schlesien: (Swed.) Upper Silesia
Øvre Senegal og Niger: (Dan., Nor.) Upper Senegal and Niger
Övre Senegal & Niger: (Swed.) Upper Senegal and Niger
Øvre Slesien: (Dan.) Upper Silesia
Övre Volta: (Swed.) Upper Volta
Øvre Volta: (Dan., Nor.) Upper Volta
Övriga Norden: (Swed.) Nordic countries
OWASU: Old World Archaeology Study Unit
Owney: a dog who became the symbol of the Railway Mail Service and traveled on mail trains in the1890s
O.W. Official: Office of Works/Official overprint on stamps of Great Britain officials, 1896-1902
Owls: mail carriers in the magical world of Harry Potter
o.Wz, ohne wasserseichen: (Ger.) without watermark
OX: Scott Catalog number prefix for U.S. Post Office Seal (Official Seals)
Oxford: United Kingdom college stamp/labels; All Souls 1884; Exeter 1882; Hertford 1875; Keble 1871-76; Lincoln 1877; Merton 1876-83;Saint John’s 1884-85.
Oxia, Arcoudi and Dranonera: Greek island stamps repudiated by the government in 1963
Oxford Postal & Courier: United Kingdom postal strike; local post 1971
Oxidado: (Sp.) foxed
Oxidation: a chemical process where the color of the stamp is changed due to exposure to elements present in the air or by improper storage; is considered a “damaged stamp.”
Oxidized: term applied to a stamp that has been darkened from sulphurization or oxidation with age
Oxydeé: (Fr.) oxidized
OY: Scott Catalog number prefix for Life Insurance (New Zealand)
Øy: (Nor.) island
Øypost: (Nor.) island post
OZ: Peru
O.Z.A.K.: (Ger.) Operation Zone Adriatische Küstenland, (Operation Zone of the Adriatic Coast), consolidation of provinces created by Germany in WW II
Ozorków: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20.