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Balloon Post or Balloon Mail - During the Franco-Prussian War, 1870-2, and from Przmysl during the First World War, 1914-18 mails were carried by balloon from Paris. 'Ballon Monte' means that was manned, whilst 'Ballon Non-Monte' means that the balloon was unmanned.
Back of the Book (BoB) - Items that are listed in the back of specialized stamp catalogs such as postage dues, revenues, postal saving stamps, etc.
Backstamp - Postmark applied to back of incoming mail to show date and time of receipt at the receiving post office.
Banknote Issues - Stamps printed by the American, Continental and National Bank Note Companies during the period 1870-1887.
Bank mixture - a mixture of stamp on paper, so called because it traditionally originated from bank correspondence
Bantams - Stamps issued by South Africa in a reduced size to conserve paper during World War II.
Bisect - A stamp cut in half which has been used to pay the postage at half the face value of the original stamp or during shortages of stamps. The bisect is collected on the original cover with the postmark or cancellation covering the cut to prove it is a true bisect.
Bishop Mark - The first dated postmark of Great Britain started by Henry Bishop in about 1661.
Black Print - Proofs printed in black by postal administrations for press releases.
Blind Perforation - Perforation holes that have been lightly impressed where the holes are not punched out into the stamps, leaving the paper intact.
Block - An un-separated group of stamps, at least two parallel rows of stamps in any direction.