Singapore became an independent city-state in 1965. Until that year it was a part of the Straits Settlements and then Malaya (now Malaysia).
Stamps inscribed “SINGAPORE” appeared as early as 1950 while it was still a part of Malaya. Because of the inscription these stamps are cataloged here rather than under Malaysia. For other issues before 1965, see “MALAYSIA”.
The stamps are grouped according to appearance and usage:
A - Provisional issues without country name in frank
B - Franks with simulated perforation border
C - Franks with straight line border
D – Digital frank without complete outer border
PP - Special stamps for only Parcel Post
PO - Special stamps for Post Office window service
PD - Special stamps for only Postage Due
PV - Registered variable rate stamp from vending machine
OO - Special stamps for Official government mail
GROUP A: Provisional issues without country name in the frank[edit | edit source]
“SINGAPORE” is found in the town mark.
A1. Universal “MultiValue (MV). [Scarce]
Simulated perforation outer frame, blank at top.
M# with “U” prefix at bottom of frank.
“CENTS” vertical at both sides.
A. “U” large and bold. V/F: 000
B. “U” of standard size. V/F: 0000
TM: DC
NOTE: Meter U165 was used as early as 1958.
A2. Neopost (LV-6). [Rare]
Small frank with simulated perforation frame line at top and sides.
M# with “N” prefix below indentation in bottom frame line.
Blank at top.
“SINGAPORE” in TM only.
A. “CENTS” above and below value figures. M# N179 seen
B. “CENTS” above but not below value figures. M#s N100, N181 and N510 seen
TM: BIC
Values seen: 5, 6, 10, 15, 25, 75¢
A3. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV). [Rare]
Frank blank at top.
Without currency indicator.
Two meter seen, RN 382 and 476.
TM: DC: V/F: 0•00
A4. Universal “Automax” (MV). [Scarce]
Very similar to Type A1B but value figures are of uniform thickness.
M# with “U.” prefix.
TM: DC
V/F: =000
A5. Neopost “205” (MV). [Rare]
Square frank with straight-line border.
Panel at top is blank.
“CENTS” vertical is both side panels.
M#s NE 19, 54 and 55 seen.
TM: BIC
V/F: 000
GROUP B: Franks with simulated perforation border[edit | edit source]
B1.1. Universal “MultiValue (MV).
As Type A1 but with “SINGAPORE” at top and “POSTAGE” above M# at bottom.
M# with “U” prefix.
TM: DC
V/F: 000 0000
B1.2. Universal “Automax” (MV). [Uncommon]
As Type A4 but with country name added at top.
M# with “U” prefix (U403 seen).
TM: DC
V/F: =000
B1.3. Universal/Pitney Bowes “Automax” (MV).
As Type B1.2 but “POSTAGE” added at bottom above meter number
A. M# with “U” prefix
B. M# with “PB” prefix
TM: DC
V/F: =000
B1.4. Pitney Bowes “Automax” (MV).
As Type B1.3B but “POSTAGE” below meter number rather than above.
TM: DC
V/F: =000
B2.1. Neopost (LV-6).
As Type A2 but “SINGAPORE” at top of frank.
Value figures 4 or 5 mm tall.
M# with “N” prefix.
A. “CENTS” above and below value figures[Uncommon]
B. “CENTS” below value figures but not above[Very scarce]
C. “CENTS” above value figures but not below[Very scarce]
TM: BIC
Values seen: 3, 5, 6, 10, 15, 25¢
B2.2. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV).
As Type A3 but with country name at top and “CENTS” vertical at both sides.
Frank variable from 25 to 27 mm in width.
A. Letters in “CENTS” short, 1½ mm. M# with “RN” prefix
B. Letters in “CENTS” short, M# with “NR” prefix
C. Letters in “CENTS” tall, 3 mm, M# with “RN” prefix
Square frank with simulated perforation border, SINGAPORE at top, meter number at bottom.
Script "Singapore POST" logo at upper left above the date and 2D barcode.
Two columns of stacked codes at far left.
Value figures 4.5-5 mm tall.
The barcode is wider than the date.
M# with “PB8” prefix.
V/F: 00000
E1.2. Pitney Bowes (digital).
As Type E1.1 but value figures are shorter, 4 mm tall.
Smaller barcode than with Type E1.1.
M# with “PB9” prefix.
V/F: 00000
E2.1. Neopost (digital).
Frank with simple, straight line border with breaks in centers of top, bottom, and sides.
Singapore POST logo at top, meter number at bottom.
At left, date, numeric code and 2D barcode field.
Without town name
M# prefix indicates different model:
A. M# with "N1" prefix
B. M# with "N2" prefix
C. M# with "N8" prefix
V/F: 00000
a. With mailer's name above date.
E2.2. Neopost (digital).
Frank wider than tall, with simulated perforation border, SINGAPORE at top, meter number at bottom.
Script "Singapore POST" logo at upper left above the date and 2D barcode.
Two columns of stacked codes at far left.
Meter number with "NC2" prefix.
V/F: 00000
GROUP PO: Special stamps used only for Post Office window service[edit | edit source]
PO1. TEC (digital), 1983.
Vertical design with “SINGAPORE” at top followed by V/F, M#, “POSTAGE”, transaction # and date.
“DOLLARS” reads up at left, “CENTS” reads down at right.
M# with 2-letter prefix identifying post office where located.
Printed on labels only, not directly to covers.
V/F: ★0•00 000•00
a. Frame line at left missing
PO1.1. TEC (digital).
As Type PO1 but without frame lines, text only.
V/F: ★0•00
PO2. Monarch (digital), 1994.
Post office machine stamp.
Vertical design with preprinted frank at top.
Frank with simulated perforation outer frame.
“SINGAPORE” at top “DOLLARS” vertical at left, “CENTS” vertical at right.
Applied at time of sale are V/F and M# within the frank, and transaction #, weight and date below the frank.
M# XX1 with “PB” prefix (as PB AL1, PB MP1, etc).
Printed on labels with underprint of script “Singapore” over “POST”.
A. Value figures thick
B. Value figures narrow
V/F: 00.00 (A) 000.00 (B)
PO3. Unidentified (digital).
Horizontal frank with single line simulated-perforation border.
“SINGAPORE” at top left, “DOLLARS” above value figures at right.
Date (as DDMMYYYY) left of value figures.
Bottom line with three letter code identifying post office branch and a 3-section identification number.
Printed on self-adhesive labels with underprint of script “Singapore” over “POST” across bottom.
Point-of-sale data gray to black with value figures similar in size to the letters in the country name.
With 3-segmented transaction number right justified in bottom line.
V/F: 000.00
PO4. Unidentified (digital).
Very similar to Type PO3 but with several differences including a slightly larger "SINGAPORE".
Point-of-sale data is dark black with thick value figures.
The value figures are heavier than the letters in the country name and has zeros that are squarish.
Text at bottom can vary considerably but is always left justified.
Text at bottom can be one or two lines with one line a 3-segmented transaction number preceded by a three-letter code ("ORC", "TNC" and "SBD" have been seen).
V/F: 000.00 (Note that the wavy line triad is found both raised and in line with the numbers.)
a. On label without underprint
NOTE: The underprint for both PO3 and PO4 can vary considerably across a wide variety of blue and green shades.
GROUP PD: Special stamps used only for Postage Due[edit | edit source]
PD1. Neopost “305” (MV), 1967. [Very rare]
Similar to Type A3 but with “POSTAGE DUE” at bottom.
Without M#. One machine only
Printed in green.
A. Obliteration at top masking old country name (Malaysia)
B. Blank at top
TM: DC
V/F: 0•00
NOTE: See Malaysia Type PD2. This stamp was used with "MALAYSIA" at top for several months after Singapore separated from Malaysia.
PD2. Pitney Bowes-GB “6300” (MV). [Scarce]
Similar to Type B3.3 but without M#.
A. "POSTAGE DUE" in one line, breaking lower frame line.
B. "POSTAGE DUE" on two lines above lower frame line.
TM: DC
V/F: 000
PD3. TEC (MV).
As Type PO1 but with “POSTAGE DUE” at bottom of frame.
M# with 2- or 3-letter prefix identifying post office where located.
V/F: ★0•00 000•00
GROUP PP: Special stamps used only for Parcel Post[edit | edit source]
PP1. Universal “Multi-Value” (MV), 1950. [Scarce as loose tape, rare on mail piece]
Large wide design with double straight line outer frame.
"PARCEL POST" left of frame containing dollar and cent signs.
"PAID" and value figures at center left.
"SINGAPORE" at bottom center.
M# with “U” prefix at top center, U106 and U189 seen.
Printed on yellowish adhesive labels with "FRANKOPOST" underprint and often the meter number and "MALAYA' printed along the bottom.
V/F: 0000 0oo
NOTE: These machines were used by the head Post Office in Singapore while it was still a city within Malaya.
GROUP PV: Variable rate stamps from vending machines[edit | edit source]
PV1. eSAM (digital), 2018 or earlier.
Stamps printed on small frameless self-adhesive labels divided into a large section at left and a smaller one at right.
The larger section contains SINGAPORE at top.
The right section contains (from top to bottom) an identification number, the value figures, POSTAGE PAID, date vended and weight, another identification number, and the Singapore Post logo.
A. Ordinary mail - Left section blank.
B. Registered mail - Left section with a large R above a thick horizontal line with a barcode below.
V/F: SGD (00)0.00
PV2. eSAM (digital), 2018 or earlier.
Similar to Type PV1 but the label has an outer frame line, is larger and bears a CUSTOMS DECLARATION beneath the stamp.
There are slight differences in the font and the layout of the postage information.
V/F: SGD (00)0.00
GROUP OO: Special stamp used only for Official government mail[edit | edit source]
OO1. Neopost "Frankmaster" / "305" (MV). [Rare]
Frank as Type B3 but with “S.A.D.C.” (Singapore Air Defense Command) at top.
000
000
[Rare]