Nicknames for Errors in Stamps - An Introduction

Errors, Freaks, and Oddities (EFOs) have an enormous appeal in philately and some even qualify as gems.

Error stamps can be categorized as

1. True Errors – occurs when one or more production steps are missed in certain production runs for a particular stamp. Examples include missing colors, missing perforations, multiple printings, and incorrect design orientations. In general, stamps with errors are generally command a much higher premium than the same in perfect condition and,
2. Design Errors – are stamps with incorrect design including erroneous facts, language errors, and other design problems.

Freaks are an odd design for one or more stamps that result from a random problem in the production process. Examples include mis-cuts, color shifts, and/or faint colors, missing perforations and/or faint perforations, etc. Generally, the more unique the occurrence the more higher prized the freak becomes.

Oddities are stamps unusual in other respects. Examples comprise of unusual, misspelled, or inverted cancels, plate variations from worn-out areas in the printing plate or other causes, etc.

Below are nicknames for some of the most famous stamps with errors:

Term	Explanation	Sample
Gronchi Rosa - Italy	Italian stamp released April 3, 1961 with an error in the map showing Peru – the border with Ecuador is incorrectly mapped.
Inverted Head 4 Annas - India	First issue of India – October 13, 1854 – The head in the first few sheets of printing was shows inverted – this error made the stamp scarce & famous
Inverted Jenny - USA	A US 24c stamp issued May 10, 1918 with the airplane (Curtiss JN-4) in the center of the design inverted. Only one sheet of 100 is known to have this error
Inverted Swan - Western Australia	A 4p Western Australia stamp issued in 1855 with an invert error – the frame is inverted and so the design appears inverted
Post Office – Mauritius	1d and 2d stamps of 1847 (~500 copies each), so named because of the wording “Post Office” in place of “Post Paid”.
Treskilling Yellow - Sweden	An 1855 stamp with a color error that holds the record for auction sale price – only one copy is known to exist

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Last Updated: 07/2011.