Meter stamps

The introduction of franking machines was prompted by the large volume of business and official mail sent every day by major government institutions, commercial companies and public organisations. Instead of affixing postage stamps to each item, an organisation could enter into an agreement with the postal administration and obtain permission to frank its mail using an approved postage meter or franking machine.

This made it unnecessary to apply adhesive postage stamps to envelopes and allowed mail to be prepared for dispatch directly by the sender. The impressions produced by these machines are known as meter stamps or meter impressions.

A meter stamp is particularly interesting from a philatelic point of view because it combines several functions in a single impression. It serves as a postage indicium, showing that the required postage has been paid, while normally also incorporating the date and place of mailing. The Meter Stamp Society defines the meter stamp as a postal marking which, together with the appropriate date and postage value, functions as a postage stamp.

Typically, a meter impression consists of three main elements: a value indicium showing the amount of postage paid in the current currency; a town/date mark identifying the place and date of mailing; and an additional slogan or advertising panel, which may contain the name or logo of the sender, an advertising message or a postal instruction.

The exact arrangement varies according to the country, period and type of franking machine. Some meter impressions also include a meter number, licence or identification number, country designation, postal service inscription or other elements.

Meter impressions have traditionally been printed in a single colour, and their designs are generally relatively simple. Their appearance can vary considerably depending on the type and model of postage meter used. Early machines were mechanical, while later generations incorporated electronic and digital technology.