Mint stamp

This mint stamp of the Russo-Ukrainian War symbolizes Ukraine's will and defiance in the face of Russian aggression.
A mint high value 100 Rupee key type stamp of Ceylon valid for postage or revenue use and vulnerable to tampering to remove a fiscal cancel to make it appear to be a more valuable unused stamp.

In philately, a mint stamp is one which is unused, has never been mounted and has the original gum, (if issued with gum).[1][2] The term applies equally to postage stamps and revenue stamps.

In practice[inconsistent], the term is used within philately to refer to any stamp that appears to be unused with gum. It also includes those without gum but only when they have been issued without gum.

To avoid confusion the various states of mint can be distinguished in the abbreviations stated under "Variations".

  1. ^ Mackay, James. Stamp Collecting: Philatelic Terms Illustrated. 4th edition. London: Stanley Gibbons, 2003, p.88. ISBN 0-85259-557-3
  2. ^ Youngblood, Wayne L. All about Stamps. Iola WI: Krause Publications, 2000, p.109. ISBN 0-87341-963-4