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The term "perfin" is an acronym for perforated insignia or perforated initials on stamps.
A perfin is a perforated design, symbol, insignia, letter or group of letters in a postage stamp,
placed there by an individual, organization or government agency for the purpose of controlling the
stamp's postal use.
Perfins were first authorized in the United States on April 9,1908.
The May 5, 1908 Poste/Bulletin reads, "The punctures or perforations shall not exceed one thirty-
second of an inch in diameter, and the whole space occupied by the identifying devices shall not
exceed one-half inch square."
The earliest date recorded so far of a U.S. perfin on cover is May 22, 1908.
In the beginning perfins were first used to stop the theft of postage stamps but eventually developed
into vanity use also.
The introduction of postage meters eliminated the need for perfins but they continue to be used
today.
The U.S. was a latecomer to perfin use. Great Britain first used perfins in 1868. They however
called them "spifs", stamps perforated with initials of firms or societies.
Currently the U.S. has 6416 patterns identified by perfin collectors. Great Britain has over 23,000,
Germany has over 12,000, Austria has over 3000 & France has almost 3000.
In the past perfins were the unwanted "damaged" stamps that were tossed aside or used as space
fillers by stamp collectors.
In recent years, as collector knowledge has increased, perfins are being looked at differently,
Collectors use the term "PREFERS" for PREcancelled PERfins.
Perfin prices are rising in auctions today but pricing perfins is still very difficult.
The Catalog of United States Perfin uses a rating system to help establish perfin prices:
A+ Very rare, found on some Schermack stamps with control perfins.
A Rare, no more than 10 copies of each perfin pattern.
B+ Very scarce, 11 to 20 copies or less of each perfin pattern.
B Scarce, 21 to 40 copies of each perfin pattern.
C+ Fairly scarce, 41 to 80 copies of each perfin pattern.
C Found often in collections of more that 2400 different perfin patterns.
D+ Above average.
D Average, found in collections of 1200 to 2400 different perfin patterns.
E Common, thousands of each perfin pattern.
F Plentiful, found in practically all perfin collections.
Non U.S. perfins do not have a rating system currently so pricing is stilt difficult.
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