Perfin

                      

The specimen given is a Canadian perfin.
The term "Perfin" is an abbreviation for "Perforated Initials" and is usually applied to stamps punched with holes as a form of protection against theft. However the term has also been applied to patterns intended for use as a cancellation, or for punching information onto documents (such as date perforations of cheques).In 1868 one Joseph Sloper, having patented several devices for puncturing railway tickets, turned his attention to puncturing postage stamps with a companies initials. On the 13th of March 1868, after much persuasion, the Postmaster-General finally stated that he would "...not object to the perforation of postage stamps ... with a view to protect merchants and others, as far as possible, from the theft of stamps used by them".
The Post Office had been slow in accepting Joseph Slopers invention, however at about the time they finally accepted it there had been a case of theft that had been much publicised in newspapers and I wonder if this theft is what finally persuaded them.
The "Perfin" (which stands for Perforated Initials) was thus born and was quickly adopted by companies both large and small. This was to be without doubt the most successful form of security endorsement and is still in use today. Many tens of thousands of GB perfin dies have been recorded, over 7,000 of which appear on the Penny Red.


Thats all about perfins. The stamp contains no name of countries except for the term "POSTAGE". I thought it was Italian, but was wrong. Later i found out that it was Canadian. There is a perforation "C & A" on the stamp. I wondered what it was. Actually it is a perfin common for Canada and Australia.Countries and islands like United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis were known as Comonwealth Nations and Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) was the reigning queen of 16 such  independent sovereign states.

The background of the stamp is Windsor castle with Thames river, and Queen Elizabeth II in foreground.

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