Precancel

[1][2] A number of nations of the world use precancels, typically in the form of an overprint on definitive series stamps.

The postal administration will typically offer an incentive in the form of a reduced price for precanceled stamps in volume.

Initially, they consisted only of waves and bars applied with ink roller, but the town and province was added in 1903, similar to in the United States.

[5] The United Nations Postal Administration has only issued one precancel, a 1½ cent stamp used from 1952 to 1959.

[11][note 1] Precancels are known from over 20,000 towns across all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and American Samoa.

U.S. 2¢ stamp of 1938 with New York precancel, Scott No. 806, PSS type 71
The 1903 standardised design with the city and state between two horizontal lines.