War Emergency Rate - a tax, levied in the form of increased postage rates, to help pay for World War I.  The war emergency rate was in effect from November 2, 1917 until restoration of the pre-war rates on July 1, 1919.

War Savings Stamps - stamps issued by the Treasury Department during World War I and World War II that were redeemable during WWI for War Certificates and during WWII for Defense Bonds or War Bonds.  Scott numbers begin with WS.

Wash Drawing - a painting or drawing in which thin layers, or washes, of watercolors or India ink are used.

Washington 2006 - one of a series of international stamp shows hosted once every decade in the U.S.; held in Washington, D.C. in 2006.

*Washington Bicentennials - commemorative  stamps (Scott 704-715) and stamped envelopes (U523-U528) issued in 1932 for the bicentennial of Washington's birth.

*Washington Views - series of high face-value Priority Mail and Express Mail stamps begun with the 2001 $3.50 Capitol Dome, Scott 3472.

*Washington-Franklin Head Issue - the Third Bureau Issue; a series of about 350 definitive  postage stamps issued between 1908 and 1922.  Found between Scott 331 and 547, and K1-18.

*Water-activated gum - gum on a stamp that must be moistened in order to affix the stamp to an envelope.

Waterbury Cancels - fancy cancels used in Waterbury, Conn. that were created by its postmaster.

*Watermark - a pattern embedded in paper during the production process, created by an intentional thinning of the paper.  Watermarked paper has been used for stamps, stamped envelopes, and postal cards.  The design of the watermark on stamps generally consists of the letters USPS.  Watermarks on postal stationery vary, but generally contain the letters US.

Way Letter - a loose letter handed to an official mail carrier (stage, horseback, boat or railroad) in the absence of a route agent.  A way letter could not be added to sacks of mail being transported because they were locked and the mail carrier did not have a key to them.  The way letter was delivered to the first post office reached for dispatch to its destination. A fee was charged for this service.  The word “Way” was written or stamped on such letters as an accounting device.

*Web - a continuous roll of paper used on a printing press or off-line perforator.

Web-fed - the process of printing from continuous paper on a roll (a web), as opposed to printing from individual sheets of paper.

Wells, Fargo and Company - An express mail company formed in 1852 that provided service in the West; agents for the operators of the Pony Express; issuers of local stamps.

Wesson "Time-On-Bottom" Handstamp - duplex handstamp that displays the date numerically as DD MM YY, with the time of day at the bottom of the dial.

Wet Printing - intaglio printing on paper that has been dampened to facilitate the transfer of the ink.  Wet printing of Bureau Issues ended in the late 1950s.  See also  Dry Printing.

Window Envelope - envelope with a transparent window for displaying the name and address of the recipient.

Wine Stamps - see Cordials, Wine, etc. Stamps.

Winter gum - name given to the comparatively soft gum applied to stamps during the winter at the BEP during the early decades of the 20th century.

Wiper marks - streaks of ink left on an intaglio printed stamp due to the failure of the wiper to completely remove ink from the surface of the plate.   A stamp with wiper marks is a freak.

Wrapper - a sheet of paper imprinted with a stamp-like indicium that can be folded and sealed around a newspaper or periodical for mailing.  A wrapper is an item of postal stationery.

Wrinkled Tagging - Short bright or untagged lines overlying a stamp's tagging that resemble "chicken wire" when viewed under ultraviolet light.  Caused by tagging roller surfaces that became wrinkled from pressure and age.