Phosphor bands are rectangular areas of a phosphorescent substance that is overprinted, inked or impregnated onto stamps and fluoresces under ultraviolet light, thus helping mechanized processing of mail.
The Portuguese Post Office used phosphor bands from 1975 to the early 1990s. Some stamps were issued both with and without phosphor band. Other stamps were issued with a phosphor band but haven’t the band when part of a miniature sheet.
Most often, there is a single vertical band along the left margin of the stamp, but occasionally two vertical bands were used.
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