# Marcophily

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[[File:Prag postmarks.png|thumb|A study of the postmarks of [Prague](/source/Prague) between 1850 and 1888.]]

'''Marcophily''', occasionally called '''Marcophilately''', is the specialised study and collection of [postmark](/source/postmark)s, [cancellation](/source/Cancellation_(mail))s and [postal markings](/source/postal_markings) applied by hand or machine on [mail](/source/mail) that passes through a [postal system](/source/postal_system) and applied by the [postal operator](/source/postal_administration) through whose [domain](/source/Territory_(country_subdivision)) they pass. Commatology was a term used prior to [World War II](/source/World_War_II) but is rarely used today.<ref>[http://www.linns.com/reference/terms/terms.asp?firstletter=c Glossary Of Philatelic Terms (retrieved 25 February 2007)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521073824/http://www.linns.com/reference/terms/terms.asp?firstletter=c |date=21 May 2008 }} Linns.com</ref>

Two branches of marcophilists exist - those who are mainly interested in the details, style and design of the markings, and those who take into account the political, social, and postal history surrounding them. Large cities that have many [post office](/source/post_office)s offer great study opportunities due to the vast range of handstamps or [machine cancellations](/source/Machine_postmark) in use over any time period. It offers vast study areas to select a topic from for study or collection.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

While strictly speaking it is not a [postal history](/source/postal_history) topic, it can be collected and studied as such.<ref>{{cite book | first=Vivien J. | last=Sussex | year=1988 | title=Introducing Postal History | chapter=1 | pages=5| publisher=British Philatelic Trust in conjunction with The Postal History Society, London }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080521073824/http://www.linns.com/reference/terms/terms.asp?firstletter=c Linns.com ''Glossary Of Philatelic Terms'']
* [http://www.postmarks.org/museum/ Post Mark Museum and Research Library]

Category:Philatelic terminology
Category:Postal markings

[fr:Marcophilie](/source/fr%3AMarcophilie)

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