A Glossary of Terms for the Collector of United States Stamps

EDU - see Earliest Documented Use.

EFO - see Errors, Freaks and Oddities.

EKU - see Earliest Known Use.

Earliest Documented Use - the first date on which a stamp or item of postal stationery is known to have been used, as documented by expert opinion.  Often used interchangeably with Earliest Known Use. This term applies only to stamps and postal stationery that do not have an officially designated date of issue.  Compare Predates.

Earliest Known Use - the first date on which a stamp or item of postal stationery is reported to have been used.  Often used interchangeably with Earliest Documented Use.  This term applies only to stamps and stationery that do not have an officially designated date of issue.  Compare Predates.

Electric Eye - 1.) a device which employs a beam of light to facilitate more accurate perforation of stamps during the manufacturing process.  2.) the markings (see Electric Eye Dashes,  Electric Eye Margin Line,  Electric Eye Gutter Bar, and Electric Eye Frame Bars) in the margins and gutters of sheets of stamps that enable the electric eye device to accomplish its purpose of more of accurately perforating stamps.  Stamps with electric eye markings were first sold in 1935.

Electric Eye Dashes - vertical dashes in the vertical gutter between the right and left panes that were used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  First used experimentally in 1933.

Electric Eye Frame Bars - horizontal lines in the left sheet margin that were used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  This marking was first used in 1939.

Electric Eye Gutter Bar - horizontal line in the left sheet margin at the end of the horizontal sheet gutter that was used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  This marking replaced the Electric Eye Margin Line on some plates in 1939.

Electric Eye Margin Line - horizontal line in the right margin of a sheet at the end of the horizontal sheet gutter that was used by the electric eye in the perforating process.  First used experimentally in 1933.

*Embossed Envelope - a stamped envelope produced by the embossing process.  Example: New York World's Fair Issue, Scott U546.

Embossed Double Impression - a stamped envelope on which the embossed stamp-like indicium is doubled.  Such doubling usually involves some overlapping.  An error.

Embossing - the process of impressing a design into paper with a die so that the design is raised up on the paper.  The embossing process was used for most stamped envelopes of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Encased Postage - a postage stamp encased in a coin-like container that was treated as if it were a coin with a face value equivalent to the face value of the stamp.  Encased postage was used in the Civil War period.  Scott catalogue numbers begin with EP.

Engraver - a craftsman who engraves a die.

*Engraving - a process by which a stamp's design is cut into a metal die.  The design is then transferred to a transfer roll and then from the transfer roll to a printing plate.  The recesses created by transferring the design to the plate are filled with ink in the printing process.  Paper that is forced under pressure into these recesses picks up ink, thus reproducing the design on the paper.  A distinguishing characteristic of the engraving process is that the dried ink on the printed sheet has texture that can be felt by lightly touching the surface with a fingernail or a pair of stamp tongs.  Although few modern stamps are printed by the engraving method, it was the dominant method of stamp production until well into the middle of the 20th century.

*Entire - 1.) an intact piece of postal stationery, that is, a piece of postal stationery which has not been reduced in size.  Not a cut square.  2.) any intact cover.

Error - a major and total production mistake, often defined as a mistake that can be identically repeated.  Examples: Inverts (such as Scott C3a), imperforate stamps that were intended to be perforated, use of the wrong perforation gauge, and totally missing colors or tagging.

*Errors, Freaks and Oddities - a collective term for philatelic material that deviates in some manner from an intended norm.  An error may be considered to have a greater deviation from the intended norm than a freak.  Oddities encompass a wide range of unusually variations.

*Essay - artwork officially proposed as the design for a stamp.  An essay is artwork that was not adopted for the design; hence it differs from the design as issued.  A Progressive Die Proof is a special type of essay sometimes referred to as a "die essay." Scott catalogue numbers contain an E.

Etiquette - a gummed label placed on an envelope indicating a postal service that is desired.  Air mail etiquettes are the most common.

Europe - Pan America Round Flight - 1930 flight of the Graf Zeppelin from Germany to South America, to Lakehurst, N.J. and thence back to Germany.  The US issued three high value air mail stamps - the "Zepps" - for this flight.

Even Tagging - tagging that appears smooth or even when viewed under short wave ultraviolet light, as opposed to mottled or grainy tagging.  An example is the 1995 Milton Hershey stamp, Scott 2933.

Event Cover - a cover, usually with a cachet, marking an event.  Examples of event covers include: 1st flight covers, airport dedication covers, and stamp show covers.

Exchange Office - a postal facility, typically in a large port city, which handled the "exchange" of mail between the US and foreign countries.

*Expertization - the process by which an expertizing service renders an authoritative opinion on the genuineness of stamps and covers.  Most authoritative opinions are provided by the American Philatelic Expertizing Service (a service of the APS), and by The Philatelic Foundation.

Exploded Booklet - a booklet that has been disassembled, usually to facilitate the display of the individual components: covers, panes, interleaving and staple.

Express Mail - 1.) an expedited delivery service provided by the Postal Service since 1971.  2.) a government service in the early (pre-stamp) 19^th century.  3.) a private service provided in the mid-19th century by such companies as Wells, Fargo and Co. which operated "The Pony Express."