Editing Training stamp

{{Short description|Type of stamp used to train postal workers}}
[[File:France training stamp 10 Sans Valeur.jpg|thumbnail|right|A modern French training stamp]]
A '''training stamp''' is a label resembling a [[postage stamp]] that is used by postal authorities to train postal workers. They generally have the same size and shape as regular stamps, but with a minimal design. Alternatively, several countries have simply obliterated their regular stamps in order to make the training process more realistic, for instance Sudan and the United Kingdom.

In some cases, training stamps may be interchangeable with [[test stamp]]s though test stamps do not need to have a range of values to assist with training postal workers. Although training stamps are not normally available to the general public, some have found their way into private hands, and they are a recognised [[stamp collecting]] speciality. Training stamps are a form of [[cinderella stamp]].

== France ==
Training stamps have been widely used in France and one series consists of a number of plain labels of minimal design with different numbers and the words ''sans valeur'' (without value).

==Sudan==
[[File:Sudan post office training stamps.jpg|thumbnail|right|Post office training stamps of Sudan. Overprinted and punched to prevent postal use.]]
A number of Sudanese stamps have been [[Overprint|overprinted]] "school" for use at the post office training school.<ref>[http://www.murraypayne.com/vPages.asp?vpagesid=Sudan ''Sudan''] murraypayne.com, 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130721004758/http://www.murraypayne.com/vPages.asp?vpagesid=Sudan Archived here.]</ref>

== United Kingdom ==
Stamps used for training postal workers in the United Kingdom are usually normal postage or other stamps, including television license and [[National Insurance (United Kingdom)|national insurance]] stamps (when they were in use), obliterated with two vertical or horizontal bars to prevent genuine use, though other forms of cancellation have been used such as [[Overprint|overprinting]] or rubber stamps. They have frequently found their way into the hands of collectors. Early examples were properly printed with bars but more recent examples tend to simply be crossed through with a black marker pen. A range of cancelled or voided paper money, cheques, [[postal order]]s, credit cards and [[horizon label]]s are also used to train workers which takes place at counter training schools (CTOs). Before [[Decimal Day|decimalisation]] in 1971, post offices were issued with very simple training stamps in the same colours as the upcoming decimal stamps.<ref>"Another view" by Douglas Myall in ''[[British Philatelic Bulletin]]'', Vol. 51, No. 5, January 2014, pp. 149-151.</ref>

=== Gallery of British training stamps===
<gallery>
File:Britishtrainingstamp.jpg|A British training stamp overprinted with vertical bars to prevent genuine postal use
File:3 pence British Wilding series training stamp c. 1954.jpg|A 3d [[Wilding series]] training stamp, 1954 or later
File:British decimalisation training stamps in blocks.JPG|British decimalisation training stamps in the same colours and values as the upcoming decimal stamps
File:British 4p decimalisation training stamp.JPG|The 4p stamp from the decimalisation series. The stamps had no real postal value.
File:Part sheet of 10p British stamps cancelled for training purposes.JPG|Part sheet of cancelled 10p [[Machin series]] stamps
</gallery>

==United States==
Around the early twentieth century, some U.S. business colleges used specially [[precancel|pre-cancelled stamps]] or stamp-like labels to train students in the handling of stamps.<ref name=scott>Carlton, R. Scott. ''The International Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Philately''. Iola WI: Krause Publications, 1997, p. 264. {{ISBN|0873414489}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Test stamp]]
* [[Dummy stamp]]
* [[Specimen stamp]]
* [[Printer's sample stamp]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{commons category|Training stamps}}
*Oliver, T & A. ''The History of Post Office Training. The Post Office Training Schools: A Handbook & Reference Listing.'' Sarum Publications, 1996.
[[Category:Postal systems]]
[[Category:Philatelic terminology]]