Editing Cancellation (mail) (section)

==Collectors==
Cancellations can affect the value of stamps to collectors, positively or negatively. Cancellations of some countries have been extensively studied by [[philatelists]], and many stamp collectors and postal history collectors collect cancellations in addition to the stamps themselves.

Generalist stamp collectors usually prefer '''lightly cancelled''' stamps which have the postmark on a corner or small portion of the stamp without obscuring the stamp itself, which ordinarily are more valuable than '''heavily cancelled stamps'''.<ref>See, e.g., [[Scott Catalogue]], note preceding Great Britain listings.</ref>  In order to get the postal clerk to cancel the stamps lightly, collectors may rubber-stamp or write "philatelic mail" on the envelope.

Cancellations may significantly affect the value of the stamps.  Many stamps are rarer, and consequently much more expensive, in unused condition, such as the Penny Black, which in 1999, catalogued for $1,900 mint and $110 used.<ref>[[Scott Catalogue]], Great Britain, no. 1.</ref>  The reverse is true for some stamps, such as the hyperinflation stamps of [[Postage stamps and postal history of Germany|Germany]], which may be worth many times more if genuinely postally used.<ref name="catalogue1">[[Scott Catalogue]], Germany, no. 161-321 and note preceding no.161.</ref>  Where stamps are much more valuable in used condition than unused, it may be advisable to  have such stamps [[Expertization|expertised]] to confirm that the cancellation is genuine and contemporary.<ref name="catalogue1"/>

Some stamp collectors are interested in the cancellations themselves, on or off cover, of a particular country or issue, or collect a specific type of cancellation, such as fancy cancels. Birth date cancels are also collected.<ref>See External Links: Other, below</ref> There have been many published studies of the cancellations of many countries, some of which are listed below.  Collectors who are interested in the cancellations themselves prefer bold, readable cancellations.  Cancellations also are an integral part of the collection of [[postal history]].

Historically, collectors disliked pen cancels and removed many of them, making the stamp appear unused or to add a fake cancellation.<ref name="scott2"/>  Today, early United States pen cancelled stamps still are worth considerably less than examples with  hand stamped cancels.<ref>See, e.g, [[#Scott US|Scott US]] values for nos. 1-39.</ref>

Collectors generally view modern cancelled-to-order stamps or CTOs as philatelic junk, and they rarely have any significant value.<ref>{{cite web |title=Postmarks |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=http://www.linns.com/reference/postmark/basic_postmarks.aspx |access-date=June 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318065946/http://www.linns.com/reference/postmark/basic_postmarks.aspx |archive-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>  Stamp catalogs commonly state whether their values for used stamps are for CTOs or for postally used examples.  For example, the Scott Catalog used value listings for the German Democratic Republic are for CTOs from 1950 through mid-1990, over 2700 stamps.<ref>''Scott 1999 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 3'' Germany listings, note preceding no. 68.</ref>