Entwertet

Entwertet is a German term used in philately and other contexts to describe a postal item or document that has been invalidated or rendered unusable for its original purpose. In the field of stamps, entwertung refers to the process of canceling a stamp after it has been used for postage, so it cannot be reused.

In philately, an entwertet stamp bears a cancellation mark, an obliteration, or an overprint indicating that it has already served its purpose. Cancellation marks can vary widely, from simple handwritten or punched stamps to machine-printed postmarks, and may include date, town, or other identifying information. The exact form of the cancellation is often of interest to collectors, particularly if it is rare, distinctive, or associated with a particular post office, event, or period.

The concept also extends to other items that lose validity after being validated or used, such as tickets or coupons. In catalogs and collections, entwertet or used items are distinguished from mint (ungebraucht) items; within used items, collectors may classify by the type and rarity of the cancel, as well as by the historical significance of the postmark.

Historically, entwertung evolved from manual, hand-stamped cancellations to sophisticated machine cancellations in the 20th century and beyond. While entwertet stamps are typically less sought after for certain collectors than pristine mint issues, cancellations that are rare or tied to notable locales and dates can still hold significant interest.