Editing Overprint (section)

{{Short description|Layer of text or graphics added to a banknote or postage stamp}}
{{About|overprints on stamps and currency|the use of the term in printing|overprinting|other uses}}
[[File:1000-rials-surcharge obv.jpg|250px|thumb|Overprinted Iranian banknote with the seal of the [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], which was printed after the [[1979 revolution in Iran]]]]
[[File:Stamp China 1897 overprint 1 dollar on 3 cents.jpg|thumb|right|An 1897 Chinese [[Red Revenue]] stamp overprinted with small "one dollar" characters was sold for [[Hong Kong dollar|HK$]] 6.9 million in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=1897 Red Revenue Small One Dollar" stamp sells for $970,000 at auction |url=http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/red-revenue-small-one-dollar-stamp-sells-for-970000-at-auction/story-e6frfmd9-1226673991497 |work=News.com.au |date=3 July 2013}}</ref>]]
[[File:Merson LeHavre1929.jpg|thumb|right|[[Postage stamps and postal history of France|France]], 1929: Commemorative overprint for the [[Philately|Philatelic]] Exposition in [[Le Havre]]]]

An '''overprint''' is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a [[Postage stamp|postage]] or [[revenue stamp]], [[postal stationery]], [[banknote]] or [[Ticket (admission)|ticket]] after it has been [[Printing|printed]].<ref>Reinfeld, p. 36.</ref><ref>Williams & Williams, p. 256.</ref> [[Post office]]s most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public [[mail]]. Well-recognized varieties include [[Commemorative stamp|commemorative]] overprints which are produced for their public appeal and command significant interest in the field of [[philately]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.linns.com/news/postal-updates-page/stamp-collecting-basics/2002/june/surcharges-and-overprints-make-a-difference-.html |title=Surcharges and overprints make a difference |author=Klug, Janet |date=3 June 2002 |publisher=Linn's |access-date=3 September 2011 }}</ref>