A perforated sheet of US stamps. The spacing of the perforations, or gauge, can influence the scarcity and therefore value of a stamp.
In philatelic terminology, perforation gauge has two meanings:
As a term for classification. The "perforation gauge" of a stamp specifies the number of perforation holes that appear in a two-centimeter span along its edge.[1] The finest gauge ever used is 18 on stamps of the Malay States in the early 1950s, and the coarsest is 2, seen on the 1891 stamps of Bhopal. Modern stamp perforations tend to range from 11 to 14. Many stamps are produced with "compound perforations" i. e., the vertical and horizontal perforations will be of different gauges. Many U. S. stamps have been perforated 10½ x 11.
As the name for a philatelic tool used to measure perforations.[1] Invented in 1866 by Jacques Legrand, the typical "perf gauge" (sometimes called an odontometer) is a metal or plastic tile on which perforations of gauges ranging from 7 and 7½ to 16 and 16½ are marked (the marks sometimes appear at the edges of the tile).[2] The philatelist places each of these depictions beside a stamp until one is found that exactly matches the stamp’s perforations. Such a gauge is an indispensable tool for identifying stamps that present identical images but have been issued with perforations of several different sizes. An extreme example is the U. S. Washington–Franklin Issues, some of which are found with perforations of gauges 8½, 10, 11, 12, and 12½.[3]
^ ab"Stamp Perforation and Print method". Find your stamp’s value. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
^"The APS Hall of Fame 2000-2004". American Philatelic Society. American Philatelic Society. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
^Snee, Charles, ed. (2012). Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers 2013. Scott Publishing Co. pp. 63–77. ISBN 0894874756. OCLC 781677423.
terminology, perforationgauge has two meanings: As a term for classification. The "perforationgauge" of a stamp specifies the number of perforation holes that...
Films may have different types of perforations depending on film gauge, film format, and intended usage. Perforations are also used as a standard measuring...
for describing perforation is the number of holes (or the "teeth" or perfs of an individual stamp) in a 2-centimeter span. The finest gauge ever used is...
the stamps, a strong magnifying glass and a perforationgauge (odontometer) to measure the perforationgauge of the stamp. The identification of watermarks...
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with four perforations per frame became accepted as the international standard gauge in 1909, and remained by far the dominant film gauge for image origination...
in a variety of card stock and colour. As with adhesive stamps, a perforationgauge will be a useful tool of the trade. The terms Letter Card or Air Mail...
damaged by a hinge, stamp hinges Making stamp mounts at home by hand Perforationgauge. Also known as an odontometer. A magnifying glass A stockbook with...
A tragus piercing is the perforation of the tragus, which projects immediately in front of the ear canal, for the purpose of inserting and wearing a piece...
classified according to its gauge and the arrangement of its perforations— gauges range from 8 mm to 70 mm or more, while perforations may vary in shape, pitch...
historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about 2⁄3 inch); other common film gauges include 8 mm and 35 mm. It...
paper maker), types of paper (vertically or horizontally laid) and perforation (gauge 12½ or 12) were used. It also exists in a number of shades, ranging...
surviving 70 mm prints pre-date this technology. Each frame is five perforations tall (i.e., 23.8125 mm or 15/16 inches tall), with an image aspect ratio...
post office sheet. Two types of perforation exist across both issues, both of which are gauge 14. Initially the perforations were created by a line machine...
occupied by stars. Perforations, in an experimental gauge 16, first came into use in 1850 and were officially adopted in 1854, also in gauge 16. The experimental...
has a larger image area because of its smaller and more widely spaced perforations. There are also two other varieties of Super 8 – Single 8 mm and Straight-8 –...
width of the normal KS perforations so that they were nearly square, but of DH height. This was the CinemaScope, or CS, perforation, known colloquially as...
uses a single, central perforation (sprocket hole) between each pair of frames, as opposed to 8 mm film which has perforations along one edge, and most...
(1820–1912, France), pioneer of philately in France, inventor of the perforationgauge. Gerald FitzGerald, 5th Duke of Leinster (1851–1897, United Kingdom)...
strips cut from metal sheet were made into wire by pulling them through perforations in stone beads. This causes the strips to fold round on themselves to...
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