# Trinidad and Tobago

* This former British colony obtained its independence in 1962. Meters were first used in 1931 during the colonial years. These franks contained the crown and cipher of the British monarch. Many were used as such without alteration well after independence.
* All franks contain “TRINIDAD & TOBAGO”.
* Currency was changed from Sterling (£sd) to decimal in 1955.
* The stamps are grouped by appearance and function:
       A – general commercial use franks with upright orientation
       B – general commercial use franks with horizontal orientation
       PO – stamps generated by special post office machines
* For specialized information about the meter stamps of Trinidad & Tobago, see Trinidad & Tobago Postal Meter Stamps, by R.G. Wike, Harry Hayes, Batley, W. Yorkshire, England, 1979.

## GROUP A: General commercial use franks with upright orientation

A1. Neopost (LV-6/-8), 1931.
    Small frank with diamonds in side panels.
    The meter number appears in the side panels with "N" prefix at left and the number at right.
    TM: BIC
                                                                   A. “£sd” currency, with “D” indicator: ½, 1, 2, 3, 6, 1/- [$25]
                                                                   B. Decimal currency, with “c” indicator. Large V/F: 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 20, 24 [$5]
                                                                   C. As B but value figures much smaller: 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 20, 24, 25 [$5]
                                                                   a. M# N22 without currency indicator, numeral only
                                                                NOTE: The 25 cent value for type A1C may not exist. It is undocumented elsewhere and is possibly a misidentified 24 cent value.
A2. Universal “MultiValue” (MV), 1941.
    Frank with simulated perforation frame line, crown at top center.
    Currency indicator “$ | ¢” above “POSTAGE” at bottom.
    Vertical lines at sides.
    M# with “U” prefix in bottom corners.
                                        TM: DC, BIC
                                        V/F: 0oo (O) 00 (O) 00oo (O)
                                        V/F: 00 (A) 000 (O) [$10]
                                        V/F: 000 (A) (U11 only) [$20]
A3. Universal “MultiValue” (MV).
    Very similar to Type A2 but currency indicator “¢” centered at bottom.
    M# with “U” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: 0 (A) [$20]
    V/F: 0 (O) [$25]
A4. Universal “Simplex” (LV-25), 1953. [$15]
    Similar to Type A2 but smaller frank with “CENTS” below value figure.
    Wide spacing between TM and frank.
    M# with “S” prefix.
    TM: DC
    Values: 1¢ through 21¢(?) in 1¢ steps
A5. Universal “Automax” (MV).
    Similar to Type A2 but crown different, and inscriptions smaller.
    M# with “U” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: =0.oo
A6. Satas (MV), 1955. [$35]
    Frank design similar to Type A2 but spacing much wider.
    With 6-digit S# high between TM and frank.
    One meter only “S1”.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ★0.oo
A7. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV), 1957.
    Frank with simulated-perforation outer border and with curved petal design at sides and a small crown/”EiiR” at bottom center.
    Spacing variable.
    M# with “RN” prefix in lower corners.
                                                       A. Frank 26-27 x 29-30 mm
                                                       B. Frank 29-30 x 32 mm [$10]
    TM: DC
    V/F: 0•00
A8. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV). [$20]
    As Type A7 but with crown and EiiR removed.
    M# with “RN” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: 0•00
A9. Postalia (MV), 1960.
    Single-line simulated-perforation outer frame.
    Crown below country name at top.
    M# with “P” prefix.
    Three parallel curved dashes at sides.
    Spacing very narrow.
    Value figures narrow.
    TM: DC
                                           V/F: 0.00

## GROUP B: General commercial use franks with horizontal or square orientation

B1. Pitney Bowes “R” (MV), 1961. [$15]
    Horizontal frank without outer frame.
    Country name with crown in arch above value box.
    Columns of small ornaments at sides.
    Date figures raised in relation to value figures.
    “$” inside value box.
                                        M# with “P.B.” prefix between TM and value box.
                                        TM: SC
                                        V/F: $ ≋ 00 $ ≋ 00 :
B2. Pitney Bowes “5000” (MV), 1966.
    Very similar to Type 8 but somewhat larger.
    “$” breaks left side of value box.
    Horizontal line added below value box.
    Value box 18.5 or 19.5 mm wide.
    M# with “P.B.” or “P.B.U” prefix in lower left corner.
    TM: DC
                                           V/F: $ ≋0.00
B3. Neopost “205/2205” (MV), 1964.
    Small square frank with country name in large panel at top and curved petal design at sides.
    Date figures tall (205) or short (2205).
    M# with large “NE” prefix at bottom.
    TM: BIC
    V/F: ★00 0.00
B4. Neopost “405/505” (MV), 1973.
    Very similar to Type B3 but much wider.
    Date figures short.
    M# with “RN” or “RV” prefix.
    TM: BIC
    V/F: 0•00 00•00
B5. Neopost “Electronic” (MV).
    Very similar to Type B4 but frank somewhat narrower and taller.
    Wide date with stops after D and M.
    M# with “NE” prefix.
                                                    A. M# in lower corners
                                                    B. M# centered at bottom
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋0.00
B6. Pitney Bowes-GB “6300” (MV), 1973.
    Horizontal frank with frame lines at top and bottom, open at sides.
    Three ornaments at left side, and crown and three horizontal dashes at right.
    M# with “PB” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: $ ≋0.00
B7. Pitney Bowes-GB “6300” (MV).
    Similar to Type B6 but with coat of arms at left side and without crown at right.
    M# with “P.B.” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋0.00
B8. Pitney Bowes-GB “6600” (MV).
    Similar to Types B6 and B7 but with horizontal dashes at left.
    “POSTAGE” and “PAID” are vertical at sides.
    M#, with “PB” prefix, is centered at bottom.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋0.00
B9. Pitney Bowes-GB “6900” (MV).
    Very similar to Type B8 but taller and narrower with more tightly spaced dashes at sides.
    M# with “PB” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋0.00
B10. Pitney Bowes “A900” (MV).
    Very similar to Type B8 but not as tall and with 5-bank value figures.
    Dashes at sides more tightly spaced.
    M# with “PB” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋00.00
B11. Pitney Bowes “EasyMail” (digital).
    Similar to Type B10 but with two columns of numbers at left of town mark.
    Date as DD/MM/YY.
    M# with “PB” prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋00.00
B12. Pitney Bowes “DM”(?) series (digital).
    Plain frank with frame lines at top and bottom and with hash marks at right.
    "POSTAGE" at top, M# with "PB" prefix at bottom.
    The country name is found in the bottom of the town mark.
    Two columns of numbers at left of TM.
    TM: rectangle
    V/F: 000.00

## GROUP PO: Stamps from special post office machines

PO1. Universal “MultiValue” (MV), 1955. [$50]
    Horizontal frank with simulated-perforation frame.
    Straight-line TM at left inside frame.
    Center design is map of the country.
    Impression counter number breaks top frame line at left, and date breaks bottom frame at left.
    M# “UR1” only
    V/F: 00oo
PO2. Universal “MultiValue” (MV). [$50]
    Very similar to Type PO1 but smaller.
    M# with “UR” prefix
                                                 A. Without impression counter. Frame line at upper left is complete. M# UR4 seen.
                                                 B. Impression counter number breaks upper left corner of frame. M# unengraved block with “UR” prefix.
    V/F: 00oo
PO3. 1955, T.I.M. (LV-200), 1955. [$200 for proof impression]
    Very wide design in three parts.
    Small part at left has country name and “PARCEL POST” vertical.
    Center and right segments are similar in shape. The center part contains vertical “POSTAGE PAID”, and the right part containing the value figures.
    Meter numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 without prefix.
    Although at least three of the four machines sent to the country were placed into use, no surviving postally used examples are known.
                                                                                     Values: 0.oo to 9.95 in steps of 0.05
NOTE: A Universal “Midget” meter (M1) was sent to Trinidad and Tobago in 1930 but probably was not placed into use. Proofs exist.
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