International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon until 1972. The first meter was installed in 1927 while the country was under British rule. The stamps are grouped by inscription:

A – CEYLON

B – inscription in Sinhala, with no English

C - SRI LANKA

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GROUP A: Inscribed “CEYLON”

A1. Universal “NZ” (FV-6), 1927.

Small upright frank with straight, double-line outer border with country name in top panel.

“POSTAGE” in left and “REVENUE’ in right panels.

Denomination, spelled out in bottom panel.

Value figures at top left of center panel with “CTS” at right.

M# within oval and box below value figures.

M#s 1 to 20 and 62 without prefix.

A. TM straight line within 6 wavy lines      [Very scarce]

B. TM: DC or nil

Values:      1, 3, 5, 9, 12, 20

Values:      10, 14      [Rare]

Value:      6      [Very rare]

a. TM inverted (M# 19)

A2. Universal “Midget” (FV-3/-5), 1932.      [Very scarce]

Nearly identical to Type A1B but spacing between TM and frank is wider.

M#s from 41 to 46 without prefix.

TM: DC

Values:      1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10

A3. Neopost (FV-3), 1929.      [$100]

Similar to Types A1 and 2, but the meter number is above the value figure which is boxed at bottom center below “CENTS”.

Bottom frame lines unbroken.

M#s N21 and N22 only.

TM: BIC

Values:      1, 2, 5

A4. Neopost (LV-6), 1930.

Very similar to Type A3, but with small ornament added between the top panel and the box containing the meter number.

The bottom frame lines often contains two breaks below the value figures but not always.

TM: BIC, SC, DC

A. M# with “N” prefix

B. M# with “No” prefix

C. M# without prefix

Values:      1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25

Value:      21      [Very scarce]

a. TM: DC

b. Misspelling “REVENUS” (N35)      [Rare]

NOTE: Meter N27 with top panel blank (“CEYLON” removed) and no town mark was used by British military forces in East Africa ca. 1943. This stamp is cataloged as Great Britain Type MM1.

A5. Universal “MultiValue” (MV), 1934.      [Rare]

Similar to Types A1 and 2 but larger.

With “CENTS” in bottom panel. M# 51 only.

TM: lowered semi-circle with 4-digit S# above

V/F:      000

A6. Universal “MultiValue” (MV), 1939.

As Type A5 but with “RS : CTS” in bottom panel.

“CTS” with or without stop.

A. TM: DC lowered with 4-digit S# above

B. TM: Lowered semi-circle with 4-digit S# above      [Scarce]

C. TM: DC partly lowered with 5-digit S# above      [Scarce]

D. TM: DC not lowered, without S#

E. TM: DC lowered, without S#

F/V:      0000 (O) ,      000 (A,O)

a. As D, date figures small      [Scarce]

b. As E, M# in rectangle but without oval (M# 263)

A7. Universal “Automax” (MV).

Similar to type A6D, but frank is smaller.

Value figures are of uniform thickness.

TM: DC

V/F:      =0.oo

A8. Francotyp “Cc” (MV).      [Scarce]

Frank as Types A6 and 7 but spacing between TM and frank is very narrow.

M# with “F” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      0.00      0.00

A9. Universal “MultiValue” (MV), 1950.

Post Office stamp.

Horizontal frank with double-line border, broken at top left for 4-digit S# and at bottom left for date.

“CEYLON / POSTAGE | REVENUE” at left above boxed M#.

Town name across bottom

V/F:      000

A10. Universal “Simplex” (LV-25), 1953.      [Very scarce]

Frank with simulated perforation border.

M# with “S” prefix in boxes in lower corners.

“CENTS” both above and below value figure.

TM: DC

Values:     1 to 25

A11. Postalia (MV), 1963.      [Scarce]

Upright frank with double, straight-line outer frame.

M# with “P” prefix is between the frame lines at bottom.

Without inner panels. “CENTS” above bottom frame lines.

TM: DC

V/F:      000      00.00

A12. Postalia (MV).

Frank as Type A11 but with “RS : CTS” replacing “CENTS”.

Spacing between TM and frank narrow.

TM: DC

V/F:      00.00

A13. Neopost “205” (MV).

Small, square frank with double, straight-line border.

Panels at top, bottom and sides.

Tiny “Rts. Cts” above M# with “RN” prefix in bottom panel.

TM: BIC

V/F:      0.00

A14. Neopost “Frankmaster” / “305” (MV).      [Scarce]

As Type A11 but larger, and taller than wide.

M# with “EN” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      00•00

A15. Pitney Bowes “Automax” (MV), 1964.

Large horizontal frank open at the sides.

M# with “P.B.” prefix in boxed oval at lower left.

TM: DC

V/F:      =0.oo      =00.oo

A16. Francotyp “Cc” (MV).      [Scarce]

Upright frank with single straight-line frame.

“CEYLON” stacked along right side.

Tamil lion in lower left corner.

“RS. CTS” very small at bottom center.

M# with “F” prefix in oval below value figures.

TM: DC

V/F:      0.00      00.00

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GROUP B: Inscribed in Sinhala only, without English

B1. Universal “MultiValue” (MV).      [Very scarce]

Upright frank similar to Types A5 and 6 but with all inscriptions in Sinhala script.

M# without prefix.

TM: DC lowered with 4-digit S# above

V/F:      0000

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GROUP C: Inscribed “SRI LANKA”

C1. Neopost “205” (MV).

As Type A13 but with new country name.

M# with “RN” prefix.

TM: BIC

V/F:      0.00

C2. Satas “Baby” (MV).

Small frank similar to Type C1 but without panel at left of frank.

Panel at right contains “POSTAGE” reading down.

“Rs CTs” above M# with what appears to be an “S” prefix at bottom.

Tall date as with type C1 but spacing between TM and frank is wider.

TM: BIC

V/F:      0.00

C3. Neopost “405/505” (MV).

As Type B2 but wide design.

M# with “VN” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      00•00

C4. Neopost “Electronic” (MV).

Very similar to Type C1 but slightly larger, and “Rs Cts” above the bottom panel rather than within it.

With “RN” alone in bottom panel. Only one seen.

TM: DC

V/F:      0000

C5. Neopost “Electronic” (MV).

Frank as Type C3 but not as wide.

M# with “EF” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      00.00

C6. Pitney Bowes/GB “5000” (MV).      [Scarce]

Wide frank similar to Type A15 but not as tall and with revised country name.

Date figures are raised in relation to value figures.

M# with “P.B.” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      ≋00.oo

C7. Pitney Bowes/GB “6300” series (MV).

As Type C6 but date and value figures are on the same level.

TM: DC

V/F:      ≋0.00 ,     00 00 (no decimal)

C8. Francotyp “Cc” (MV).

Very similar to Type A16 but with “SRI LANKA” stacked at right.

Value figures large but thin.

M# with “F” prefix in oval below value figures.

TM: DC

V/F:      0.00

C9. Francotyp “A9000” (MV).

Very similar to Type C8 but the value figures are thicker,

and the date figures are more spread out, especially between M and Y.

M# with “F” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      00.00

C10. Francotyp-Postalia “MS5” (MV).

Similar to Types C8 and 9 but smaller.

Value figures are smaller and narrow.

M# with “F” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      00.00

C11. Frama (MV).

Similar to Types C8-10 but frank is wider than tall, and M# is not in oval.

Value figures thick.

M# with “FR” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      000.00

C12. Satas “RF” (MV).

Square frank with single-line border.

M# with “S” prefix boxed in lower left corner.

TM: SC

V/F:      00.oo      000.oo

C13. Frama “EPS” (MV).

Square frank with double, straight-line border and panels at top and bottom.

M# in bottom panel preceded by “POST CODE”.

TM: DC

V/F:      00000

C14. Pitney Bowes “Personal Post” (digital).

Horizontal frank with exterior border along top and bottom only.

SRILANKA in large letters at upper right above the value figures

M# in oval at lower left.

Two columns of numbers left of the town mark.

TM: DC

V/F:      00.00

C15. Unknown, possibly Francotyp-Postalia (digital).

Square frank with single-line border.

M# with “FP” prefix at lower left corner.

TM: DC

V/F:      000,00

C16. Neopost “Frankmaster” / “305” (MV).      [Scarce]

Similar to Type A14 but with new country name.

M# with “N” prefix.

TM: DC

V/F:      0•00

a. TM rotated 90 degrees.

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