# Colombia

* The first meter was used in the country in 1931.
* Nearly all Colombian meter stamps contain a license number (with prefix LIC or L.C.) rather than a meter number. Later meters, especially the Pitney Bowes, displayed both. A few stamps are found with identical license and meter numbers.
* Some stamps are designed specifically for airmail with "AEREO" inside the frank (Types A4, A5, A9, etc) and others for surface mail use with "COMUNICACIONES" inside the frank (Types A1-A3). The airmail stamps are printed in red while the surface stamps are printed in blue. Occasionally the two types of stamps are found on the same mail piece.
* The stamps are grouped by appearance and usage:
       A - Frank with simulated perforation outer border
       B - Frank with only partial or no exterior border
       C - Frank with straight-line border
       PO - Special stamp for Post Office use

## GROUP A: Frank with simulated perforation border

* A1. Universal Postal Frankers “Model O” (Francotyp “C” under licence) (MV), 1931.
* “COMUNICACIONES” at top and “COLOMBIA” at bottom.
* Wide spacing between frank and TM. With S# at top between TM and frank.
* Without M# but with L# with “LIC.” prefix below TM.
* L#s 2-11 known used. L# 12 known as a proof only.
* TM: BIC
* V/F:      000
* A2. Universal Postal Frankers “Model O” (Francotyp “C” under licence) (MV), 1940.
* Very similar to Type A1 but spacing between TM and frank narrow.
* Without S#. L# with “LIC.” prefix below TM.
* L#s 12-16 seen.
* TM: DC or BIC
* V/F:      00
* a. Without TM
* A3. Hasler “F88” (MV), 1931.
* Similar to Type A2, but value figures different and with vertical surcharge reading down at left.
* L# with “L.C.” prefix in bottom of TM.
* A. “SOBRETASA” separated from V/F by two lines
* B. “EXTRA-RAPIDO”, no lines
* C. “EXTRA-RAPIDO” separated from the value figures by two lines
* TM: DC
* V/F:      0.oo      ◇0,oo
* A4. Hasler “F88” (MV), 1941.
* As Type A3, but with “SOBREPORTE AEREO” at top and without surcharge.
* L# with “L.C.” prefix in bottom of TM.
* TM: DC
* V/F:      ◇000
* a. With spelling error “AERO” for AEREO (LC 305)      [$20]
* A5. Hasler “F88” (MV).
* As Type A3 but with “CORREOS” at top.
* L# with “Lic.” prefix below frank.
* A. With “Sobreporte / AEREO” vertical reading down at left
* B. With “AEREO” vertical reading up at left
* TM: DC
* V/F:      ◇0000      ◇0,oo
* a. Licence number at bottom of TM, “HASLER” below frank
* A6. Hasler “F88” (MV).
* Similar to Type A5 but larger and with coat of arms left of F/V.
* With “HASLER” below frank at left and L# with “L.C.” prefix at right.
* A. Large coat of arms
* B. Small coat of arms
* TM: DC
* V/F:      ◇0,oo      ◇00,oo
* A7. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV).
* Upright frank with “COMUNICACIONES” in top panel and “PESOS” below F/V.
* L# with “LIC” prefix in sides of TM.
* TM: DC
* V/F:      0oo
* a. With “UPF” (for ‘Universal Postal Frankers’) below frank, with or without M#
* A8. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV).
* As Type A7 but with “CORREO/ AEREO” in top panel.
* TM: DC
* V/F:      0oo      00oo
* a. With “UPF” and M# below frank
* A8.1. Universal Postal Frankers “Simplex” (LV-25).      [$10]
* Frank as Type A7 but smaller.
* TM: DC
* Values seen:      0.09, 0.18, 0.35
* A8.2. Universal Postal Frankers “Simplex” (LV-25).      [$15]
* Frank as Type A8.1 but with “CORREO/ AEREO” in top panel.
* TM: DC
* Value seen:      0.60
* A9. Hasler “F88” (MV), 1964.
* Unusual split frank with “NACIONAL” vertical in one half and “AEREO” vertical in the other.
* With “HASLER” below each frank half.
* L# with “LC” prefix in bottom of TM.
* A. “NACIONAL” at left, “AEREO” at right. FV:      | 0.oo
* B. “NACIONAL” at right, “AEREO” at left. VF:      0.oo |
* TM: SC
* A10. Pitney Bowes “Automax” (MV).
* Nearly square frank with panels at top, bottom and sides.
* “CORREOS DE” in top panel and a vertical line in each side panel.
* Small M# with “P.B.” prefix breaks bottom frame line.
* L# with “LC” prefix in bottom of TM.
* TM: DC
* V/F:      =0.oo
* A11. Hasler “Mailmaster” (MV).
* Horizontal rectangle with straight-line border within simulated perforation outer border.
* With “CORREOS DE” at top. Value figures with “$” prefix.
* L# in bottom of TM or below TM plain or boxed.
* A. Frank variable, 35-37 mm, in width
* B. Frank 37mm wide with “PESOS” vertical left of dollar sign
* TM: DC
* V/F:      ◆.00=      0.000=      000.00      00.000.=      00000.oo      ◆0,000.oo
* NOTE: The “$” character is variable in size.

## GROUP B: Frank without exterior frame

B1. Pitney Bowes “R” (MV), 1953.
    Horizontal frank with “CORREOS” above TM and “COLOMBIA” above value box.
    Condor in center with “DE” above.
    M# with “P.B.” prefix below condor.
    L#, if present, in bottom of TM.
    TM: SC
                                        V/F: ≋00 : ≋000 ≋00oo
                                              a. Post Office stamp, with “C” and ”N” at sides of TM
                                              b. Provisional stamp sold over the counter as mint postage at various post offices during periods of stamp shortages caused by rapid inflation between 1981 and 1985. The stamps are always on tape, never dated, and denominated in round numbers, 50, 100, etc.
B2. Pitney Bowes “DM” (LV-21), 1956.
    Similar to Type B1 but much smaller.
    M# without prefix.
    TM: SC
    Values: 01 to 21 0.10 to 2.00
                                     a. Post Office stamp, with “C” and ”N” at sides of TM
B3. Pitney Bowes “5000” (MV).
    Very similar to type B1, but wider value box.
                                                 A. Value figures of variable thickness
                                                 B. Value figures of uniform thickness
    TM: SC
    V/F: 0000 ≋0.00 000oo
B4. Pitney Bowes ”6500” (MV).
    Very similar to Type B3 but with “CORREOS DE/ COLOMBIA” and value box wider, variable in width from 21 to 26 mm.
                                                    A. Value figures of variable thickness
                                                    B. Value figures of uniform thickness
    TM: DC, SC
    V/F: ≋000oo 0.000oo 0000.oo 0,000.oo
B5. Pitney Bowes-GB “5000” (MV).
    Similar to Type B3 but larger with DC TM.
                                                    A. Value box 18 mm wide
                                                    B. Value box 21 mm wide
                                                    C. Value box 23 mm wide
    V/F: ≋0.00 ≋00.oo ≋.000oo
B6. Pitney Bowes “6300” (MV).
    Similar to earlier Pitney Bowes types but value figures on same level as date figures rather than lower as on Types B1-B5.
    M# at bottom below value figures.
    Without complete frame line around value box.
    M# known with "P.B." and "PBE" prefixes.
    TM: DC
                                                    V/F: ≋0.00 ≋00.oo ≋000oo ≋.000.oo
B7. Pitney Bowes-GB “A/B900” (MV).
    "COLOMBIA" and the value figures are larger than on Type B6.
    No frame line at top, frame line at bottom below the meter number.
    No inner frame line around value box.
    M# seen with "PBE" prefix.
    TM: DC
    V/F: ≋0000.oo

## GROUP C: Frank straight-line border

C1. Postalia (MV).
    Upright frank with “CORREO AEREO/ COLOMBIA” at top and coat of arms at bottom right.
    Value figures at left with “PESOS” at right center.
    With or without M# between TM and frank.
    L# with “LC” prefix at bottom of TM.
                                                 A. “CORREO AEREO” 23 mm wide (as shown)
                                                 B. “CORREO AEREO” smaller, approximately 18 mm wide
                                           TM: SC, DC
                                           V/F: 0000 00.00 ≋0.00 0000oo

## GROUP PO: Stamps generated only by machines used in Post Offices

PO1. Francotyp “Taxograph” (MV).
    Horizontal rectangle with simulated perforation outer border and straight-line inner border, broken at left by vertical M# with “T” prefix.
    “CORREOS DE” at top.
    TM is rectangle with rounded corners with large “R” for Registration breaking right frame line.
    R# between TM and frank.
    With postal slug, such as “RECOMENDADO” below TM.
    V/F: $ 00.oo
PO2. Hasler "Mailmaster” (MV), 2010 or earlier.
    Horizontal frank with simulated perforation outer border.
    Top of frank contains "LA RED POSTAL DE COLOMBIA".
    4$^{>>>}$ over $_{72}$ at bottom left.
    M# with "H" prefix reads up vertically at right.
    TM is outline of the shape of the country containing the date but no town name.
    Between the TM and the frank is another 4$^{>>>}$ over $_{72}$
    Left of the TM is an alpha-numeric number, possibly a citation to a postal law.
    V/F: $ 0,000
NOTE. The stamp is printed on labels with large blue, yellow, and red {{{1}}} at far left. 4-72 is the name of a company contracted to run Colombia's postal system starting no earlier than 1998 and probably close to 2010.
PO3. Unidentified (digital).
    Self-adhesive label with rounded corners.
    Across the top are the town/post office identification and the mail service designation.
    The next line in larger characters shows the value figures and a code with unidentified meaning ("K-CI-I1" in this case).
    Following are a line containing the date, time, and weight above a bar code with a registration number at bottom.
    The country name does not appear in this stamp, and it appears to be a registration label rather than a postage stamp except that it includes the value figures. The mail class is "CERTIFICADO INTERNAL DOCUMENTO" indicating a registered document with destination within Colombia. Possibly stamps of this type on international mailings would include the country name.
    V/F: $00,000 with slashed zeros