Editing Perfin (section)

{{Short description|Stamp with a name perforated across it}}
[[File:British 1951 Festival stamp perfin.jpg|right|thumb|A 1951 perfin stamp of the UK (used by [[Her Majesty's Stationery Office|HMSO]]) showing front (top) and reverse (bottom)]]
[[Image:1900c&sperfin.png|right|thumb|A [[postal stationery]] envelope used from London to Düsseldorf in 1900, with additional postage stamp perfinned "C & S" identifying the user as "Churchill & Sim" per the seal on the reverse shown on inset]]
[[File:Invention perfin G F Redfern and Co. London patent agents.jpg|right|thumb|An unusual curved perfin INVENTION from Patent Agents G.F. Redfern & Co. of London, whose [[telegraphic address]] was also INVENTION]]
[[File:United States perfin stamps.jpg|right|thumb|A large block of United States perfin stamps]]
[[Image:Perfin CPR.jpg|right|thumb|A 1955 Canadian stamp with a CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) perfin]]
In [[philately]], a '''perfin''' is a [[Postage_stamp|stamp]] that has had initials or a name perforated across it to discourage theft. The name is a contraction of '''perf'''orated '''in'''itials or '''perf'''orated '''in'''signia. They are also sometimes called ''SPIFS'' ('''s'''tamps '''p'''erforated with '''i'''nitials of '''f'''irms and '''s'''ocieties).<ref>{{cite news |title=Why does my stamp have a lot of holes in it? |url=https://www.linns.com/news/postal-updates-page/stamp-collecting-basics/1998/january/why-does-my-stamp-have-a-lot-of-holes-in-it-.html |website=Linns Stamp News |publisher=Amos Media Company |accessdate=29 March 2020 |language=en |date=Jan 26, 1998}}</ref>