Official / unofficial perforation holes in stamp image

Only a few Dutch stamps with perforation holes in the stamp image have been issued. In addition to these official stamps (collaboration between designer and postal service), stamps with perforation holes do exist! The openings in these stamps were all made on the personal initiative or commissioned by the owner of a company.

Stamps with official perforations

NVPH 1579/1580 – December stamps 1993 In the stamp image of both December stamps 1993 (nvph 1579/80Perforation holes have been made (one with 16, the other with 14 holes). These openings / perforations represent snowflakes or raindrops in an original and witty way, swirling / falling either around the candle or over the fireworks. In the first-day stamp, next to the fireworks, there are a number of dots around the star that represent precipitation such as raindrops or snowflakes in a completely different way than on the stamp. NVPH 1841 – 200 years of the National Postal Service Also the number '5' on the 5 guilder stamp from the '200 years National Postal Service' block (nvph 1841) is provided with openings (73 pieces) to highlight the postage value. The chain links of the cooperation stamp represent a joint approach to future development. Of a completely different order are the stamps as continuous image stamps using visual language. When the perforation of a stamp image extends across two adjacent stamps, it is referred to as a continuous image. A characteristic aspect of the stamp subject is intentionally applied to the stamp pair in a figurative manner using the visual language method. On both cow stamps, three pedigree cows of different breeds are shown lined up, breeds that have been used for breeding in livestock farming for years. With the literally depicted pass-on effect, the livestock breeder figuratively passes on the life of the cow / pedigree cow to the next generation of cows. With the calf, he attempts to achieve a higher milk yield or greater meat yield from the cow using a 'high-quality' bull or carefully selected feed. Beautiful Netherlands (2005 to 2019) It is not the stamp itself, but the center of all Mooi Nederland stamp sheets (2005 to 2019) that features the perforated informative text 'Mooi Nederland'. The handwriting is rendered in a 'curved line', leaving the fifth stamp on the sheet untouched.

Stamps with unofficial company perforations

1) To prevent the theft of stamps by business employees, stamps bearing a few company letters were perforated (corporate perforation) during the period 1900–1940, allowing the owner to be immediately identified. At that time, stamps were still legal tender. You could use them, for example, to buy food or exchange them for money at the post office for private use. 2) These stamps are known by the abbreviated English name 'perfin', which stands for 'perforated initials'. 3) Initially, there was actually no interest at all in these stamps. The reason? They were damaged stamps! The collector later reconsidered. A cancelled stamp with perfin perforation is now usually worth more and is sought after more than one without such perforation. 4) In our country, there have been approximately 900 different companies that have provided stamps with corporate perforation / corporate letter perforation. However, there have also been companies that have introduced variations in their perfin over the years. 5) For their correspondence, the companies actually always used ordinary postage stamps, readily available everywhere, entirely consistent with their business operations. 6) Nevertheless, charity stamps were used by some companies, as evidenced by the accompanying children's stamps. The client / company is known to me for two of these. GS a SEA The initials 'GS' were applied to the 1925 children's stamp (nvph R73) by the Dutch Yeast and Spirits Factory in Delft. The initials HAV were applied (in reverse) to the children's stamp (nvph R76) by the Holland-America Life and Disability Insurance Company. BV, SPG and NBA The initials BV and SPG are both positioned vertically on the 10-cent children's stamp of 1924 (nvph 143). The bottom of the letters is on the left on one stamp and on the right on the other. The initials NBA appeared on both 1930 children's stamps (nvph 234). De Perfin Club Nederland   The company involved in the three children's stamps mentioned above is (still) unknown to me. It is known, however, that the managements of these enterprises presented a positive social face to the world of that time through the use of children's stamps. The Perfin Club Netherlands (PCN, publisher of the accompanying catalogue) can provide you with further information.