Abbreviations commonly used in our descriptions…
| Cat | Catalogue Value |
| cds | circular date stamp |
| cto | cancelled to order |
| cv | Catalogue Value |
| E | East |
| EL | Entire Letter |
| excl | excluding |
| f.u. | fine used |
| FF | First Flight |
| g.u. | good used |
| h/r | hinge remainder |
| incl | Including |
| inv | inverted |
| l.m.m. | lightly mounted mint |
| m | mint |
| m.m. | mounted mint |
| MC | Maltese Cross |
| MS | miniature sheet |
| N | North |
| n.h. | never hinged |
| NE | North East |
| NW | North West |
| o.g. | original gum |
| o/c | off centre |
| o/w | otherwise |
| ovpt | overprint |
| part o.g. | part original gum – may denote heavy hinging |
| p/p | pulled perf |
| PH | photo |
| pmk | postmark |
| RSW | Royal Silver Wedding |
| S | South |
| SE | South East |
| SW | South West |
| u | used |
| u.m. | unmounted mint (never hinged) |
| unused | mint, no gum |
| US | item is previously unsold |
| US2, US3 etc | previously unsold twice, three times etc… |
| v.f. | very fine |
| v.f.u | very fine used |
| v.g. | very good |
| vals to £1 | incomplete set to value stated |
| W | West |
| wmk | watermark |
| (4) | number in brackets denotes number of stamps in the lot |
* images on colour plates with an asterisk after the lot number are part of a set rather than a single-stamp lot.
LOT CLASSIFICATIONS { }
Classifications are denoted (where applicable), at the end of each lot description, e.g. {BK}…
| BK | Booklet |
| C | Cover(s) |
| CC | Collection |
| D | Die Proof |
| E | Essays, Colour Trials |
| F | Forgery |
| L | Cinderella |
| MH | Mounted Mint / Mint Hinged / Unused |
| MX | Mint and Used (Mixed Lots) |
| O | Officials |
| P | Proof |
| PD | Postage Dues |
| PF | Postal Fiscals |
| PS | Postal Stationery |
| R | Revenues |
| S | Specimen |
| T | Telegraphs |
| U | Used |
| UM | Unmounted Mint |
| X | Other |