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Dictionary

With an estimated 500 million to 1 billion persons English is the worlds number one language. For this reason the website BICYCLE PHILATELY is based on English. The majority of the users of this website has presumably a different mother tongue. For these people there is a button at the bottom of the home page that takes you to Google Translate. At the top of the Google webpage you can select your own native language.

However, philatelic terms are something special. For these terms hardworking collectors have created specialized dictionaries. Very useful, because there are terms that have different meanings in different languages, such as e.g. "bloc": in English usually 4 jointed stamps (2x2) - in German "Block" means a souvenir sheet. Below you find a table with a compilation of links leading to different dictionaries. You are cordially invited to complete this list – just send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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Philatelic Terms

To know the correct philatelic terms is important - especially when you are buying and/or selling stamps. 

The English terms are explained in the Bicycle Stamps Club magazine no. 2 (page 12) by Douglas Marchant (former editor of the magazine) in his article "Mind Your Language":

Philatelic terms in other languages are described in the links below:

Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia listed in the table below additionally give general information about stamp collecting (countries, famous stamps and stamp collectors, ...):

If you know any other links, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.