Liberian Philately

Overprint

An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp, banknote or postal stationery after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail. The most well-recognized varieties are commemorative overprints which are produced for their public appeal and command significant interest in the field of philately [1].

Surcharge

The term "surcharge" in philately describes any type of overprint that alters the price of a stamp. Surcharges raise or lower the face value of existing stamps when prices have changed too quickly to produce an appropriate new issue, or simply to use up surplus stocks [1].

Why So Many?

According to Kasimir Bileski, "In general we have a very peculiar situation where the Liberian P.0. sells off so many of the attractive pictorials to collectors that they invariably run into stamp shortages, hence the numerous provisionals. Most of these are rather novel in that they are issued strictly for postal use and consequently collectors have an awful time trying to get any supplies at all! With very few exceptions ALL the provisionals are very desirable property, existing in fantastically small quantities which have little relation to the so called catalog valuations." [2]

List of Surcharges

List of Overprints

References

See also