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A Member asked…..
What does the term perfin stand for?
Perfin stands for PERForated INitials although the perfin on a stamp can be a full name or a symbol. They consist of small holes punched in a pattern and are a security measure to prevent theft of stamps from companies. Their inception has been credited to Joseph Sloper who persuaded the GB Post Office to allow their use, the official first day being 14th March 1868.
The Swiss Post Office was not far behind with the passing a decree on April 22, 1876 allowing commercial firms to perforate postage stamps with their initials or abstract designs.
If you start collecting, how many are there and what would you expect to pay? According to the Perfin Society over 23,500 different perfin designs had been catalogued on British postage stamps to 2007 and as new ones are still being discovered, it is estimated that total may rise to around 25,000. On the 1d red alone, 1,000 different perfins are recorded, a big number as the 1d red was withdrawn just 12 years after perfins were introduced. A perfin collector is usually most interested in the perfin die and not the stamp and after all, a perfin is a damaged stamp, being full of holes. The going rate is 5%-20% of "catalogue".
For more specialised information members may be interested in The Perfin Society which was formed in 1957, its aim being the recording all perfins found on GB stamps. The society website is http://www.angelfire.com/pr/perfinsoc/index.html
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