Collecting Perfins


What are perfins, you might ask.

The word "perfin" is an abbreviation for "perforated initials," and the definition perfectly describes what perfin stamps are: stamps that have the initials of various companies and governmental bodies perforated right into the stamp.

Perfins came into use as a means for the companies and government offices to prevent theft and pilfering by employees. They are generally collected either in alphabetical order or by industry, such as railroad company perfins or bank perfins.

Collecting perfins can be a fascinating stamp collecting sub-specialty, and they're normally pretty inexpensive.