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What else can I collect?Perfins? Perfins is an acronym derived from PERForated INSignia or INitialS on stamps. Originating in England in 1868, perfins have been punched into stamps by large commercial organizations such as manufacturers, retailers, railroads, banks, insurance companies, and governments to discourage stamp theft. Since then, in over 300 countries and stamp issuing areas, perfins have been utilized expressly for that purpose. To most stamp collectors, perfins are the unwanted "damaged" stamps tossed aside or appear in collections as "space fillers" when a collector does not have a better copy, or can be found in mixtures, especially older mixes of definitive or regular stamps. In fact on many stamps perfins are given a lower value in the catalog such as US revenues. Joseph Sloper from England is credited with inventing the perforated stamp around 1868.
The above revenue stamp was issued in 1918-34 and has a value of $2.40 w/o the perfin but only $0.70 with. There are over 20,000 different British perfin designs. U. S. perfins over 6,000 different. About 12,000 German and close to 3000 French. For more inforation check out the Perfin Society.
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