Stamp glossary
Overprint
Why stamps get overprinted
Overprinting is the quickest way to change a stamp without designing a new one. Common reasons include a new colony or possession, a military occupation, a currency change, a new postage rate (the surcharge), and security measures against misuse and theft.
US examples
- Kans. and Nebr. (1929). To counter a rash of stamp thefts from rural Midwestern post offices, the 1¢ to 10¢ regular stamps were overprinted "Kans." or "Nebr." and issued on May 1, 1929, so stolen stamps would be harder to sell elsewhere. They remained valid everywhere and were discontinued on March 29, 1930, after general confusion among customers and clerks. Scott lists them as 658–679.
- Canal Zone. The Canal Zone's first stamps, issued June 24, 1904, were overprinted Panamanian stamps; a later series used US regular issues of 1902–03 overprinted CANAL ZONE / PANAMA.
- Hawaii. After the overthrow of the kingdom in 1893, the Provisional Government overprinted existing Hawaiian stamps.
- Guam and the Philippines. US stamps were overprinted for use in both territories.
Errors and forgeries
Overprint errors are widespread: double, inverted, misspelled, wrong, partly missing or entirely missing overprints are all known. Genuine errors are listed in the catalogs and usually carry a premium.
Fakes and forgeries exist for some of the more valuable overprint issues. One giveaway is that a fraudulent overprint is always applied after the stamp was gummed and issued, so forged letters can leave an impression in the gum on the back. Any overprint that makes a stamp worth real money should be certified by an expertizing service.
Overprint: common questions
What is the difference between an overprint and a surcharge?
A surcharge is a type of overprint that changes the stamp's face value. Every surcharge is an overprint, but most overprints don't change the value.
Why were Kansas and Nebraska stamps overprinted?
To fight stamp thefts from rural post offices in 1929. The marked stamps were meant to be harder to sell outside their state. They were dropped in 1930 because they confused customers and clerks.
Are inverted overprints valuable?
Genuine inverted overprints are listed errors and usually worth more than the normal stamp, but fakes exist for valuable overprints. Have one certified before relying on its value.
Sources & References
- Overprint - Wikipedia
- US Regular Issues of 1922–1931 - Wikipedia
- Postage stamps and postal history of the Canal Zone - Wikipedia
- Postage stamps and postal history of Hawaii - Wikipedia
- A Glossary of Terms for the Collector of United States Stamps - United States Stamp Society
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