Stamps & Postal History

Postal Stationery: What to Record

Cards, envelopes, aerogrammes and wrappers with the postage printed on them.

The Data Sheet for Postal Stationery

The 21 fields worth recording for postal stationery, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to postal stationery.

Identification

Country Text Stamps & postal history: Country of origin or issue, by its usual English name (historic states as named at the time, e.g. Kingdom of Bavaria).
Catalogue numbers Text Stamps & postal history: Numbers in the main catalogues with the catalogue named, e.g. Scott 245, SG 186, Michel 52, Yvert 140, WNS DE012.05.
Reference link Link Stamps & postal history: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
Stationery type Choice, or your own: Kind of postal stationery (postage printed on the item).
Postal card
Stamped envelope
Aerogramme / air letter
Letter card
Wrapper
Registered envelope
Reply card
Issue date Date: First day of issue.
Face value Text: Denomination as printed, with currency, e.g. 5 c, 1/2 d, 0,80 EUR.

Condition

Condition notes Text Stamps & postal history: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Certificate / expertise Text Stamps & postal history: Certificates of authenticity or expert opinions, with issuer, date and number.
Gum / usage Choice: State of the gum for mint stamps, or how the stamp was used.
Mint never hinged (MNH, **)
Mint lightly hinged (MLH, *)
Mint hinged (MH, *)
Mint, no gum ((*))
Used
Cancelled to order (CTO)
On piece
On cover
Cancellation Text: Type, place and date of the cancellation, e.g. circular datestamp BERLIN 12.3.1921, pen cancel, numeral obliterator.

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Stamps & postal history: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Stamps & postal history: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Stamps & postal history: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Stamps & postal history: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Stamps & postal history: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Stamps & postal history: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Stamps & postal history: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Stamps & postal history: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Stamps & postal history: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Stamps & postal history: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Stamps & postal history: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.