Socked-on-the-nose

Socked-on-the-nose cancels are cancels that are more-or-less centrally placed on a stamp. These are also known as bullseye or on-the-nose cancels. Even when some cancels are slightly larger than the stamp, centrally placed ones where most of the cancel appears on a stamp are still SOTN. And this can be a CDS or similar marking, or a killer/obliterator. Some countries normally used a CDS to cancel stamps so SOTNs can be found easily.

The definition is loose enough that upside down cancels and ones not quite perfectly centered can be considered SOTN. Still, upright and very well-centered cancels are preferred. This is a serious preference for Swedish collectors of Swedish stamps, for example. For others, SOTN cancels provide the bonus of a bit of postal history in their collections, possibly leading them down the rabbit hole of collecting cancels and postal history.  File:Belgian Congo favor cxl.jpg|Belgian Congo 25c value with ALBERTVILLE CDS; this is a favor cancel. File:Brit Guiana 36c KGVI.jpg|British Guiana 36c KGVI with BOURDA cancel. File:Nigeria UPU.webp|Nigeria 3d UPU issue with IBADAN H. O. registration cancel. File:US 4c coil SOTN.jpg|US 4c Martha Washington coil with NEWARK, N.J. cancel. 

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