Specimen

A specimen is a stamp or postal stationery item sent to postmasters or postal officials as a reference to confirm valid postal items. They can be overprinted or handstamped in any number of languages and styles. In many cases, the overprinting is done by the originating post office. Otherwise, the receiving post office will do the overprinting to prevent attempted use or sale.

The exchange of specimen stamps has been a UPU requirement since its beginnings in 1879. Still, specimens date back to the Great Britain Penny Black.

As with some overprints, some valuable specimen overprints have been forged. Meanwhile, very modern specimens have been made to sell to collectors or given out as premiums to collectors buying stamps from certain countries.

 File:Transvaal specimen.jpg|Transvaal. File:Spain muestra.jpg|Spain. File:Germany bats specimen.jpg|Germany. File:Italy 1c specimen.jpg|Italy. File:Barbados specimen postal card.jpg|Barbados postal card. File:Philippines specimen.jpg|Philippines. File:US 65 specimen.jpg|United States. File:Japan specimen.jpg|Japan. File:Japan 12s etyched sumiten.jpg|Japan Cherry Blossom issues were touched with the point of an inked brush to provide specimens. These are known as "sumiten". File:Russian Semi specimen.jpg|Russian overprint. 

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