Template:FDC issue

This template displays the principal details of a first day cover issue.

Usage

{{FDC issue
|fdc-image=Example-FDC.jpg
|fdc-back-image=
|country=Isle of Man
|country-code=IM
|country-2=
|country-code-2=
|issue-title=Example issue
|issue-date=15 September 2026
|withdrawn-date=
|quantity-sold=
|sold-out=
|year=2026
|stamp-type=Commemorative
|stamp-subtype=Commemorative stamps
|theme=
|text-credit=
|designer=
|printer=
|printing-process=
|colours=
|paper-gum=
|perforation=
|stamp-dimensions=
|issue-format=
|cover-type=
|cover-producer=
|cover-reference=
|limited-edition=No
|edition-limit=
|copy-number=
|cachet=
|addressed=
|postmark-type=
|postmark-location=
|postmark-date=
|postmark-inscription=
|postmark-notes=
|postmark-image=IM-Example-Issue-2026-postmark.jpg
|postmark-additional-image-1=
|postmark-additional-image-2=
|signed=No
|signed-by=
|signature-details=
|information-sheet=Yes
|information-materials=Double-sided information card
|information-sheet-title=Example issue information card
|information-sheet-image=IM-Example-Issue-2026-information-card-front.jpg
|information-sheet-back-image=IM-Example-Issue-2026-information-card-back.jpg
|information-sheet-notes=
|authenticity-certificate=No
|authenticity-certificate-image=
|authenticity-certificate-back-image=
|fdc-owned=No
|condition=
|collection-comment=
}}

The number of stamps is calculated automatically from the uses of Template:FDC stamp row later on the page.

FDC articles in the main namespace are automatically added to Category:First day covers and to country-specific categories based on country and, when supplied, country-2.

Use the full plain-text country names in country and country-2. Country codes belong in country-code and country-code-2.

Leave country-2 and country-code-2 blank for a single-country cover. Both secondary rows are hidden when country-2 is blank. The second country code row is also hidden when its code is blank.

A cover with two countries appears once in the chronological, year and decade listings. It appears in the appropriate categories for both countries.

Wanted covers are automatically added to Category:Isle of Man first day covers wanted when either country or country-2 is exactly Isle of Man. Covers with fdc-owned=Yes are excluded.

Set fdc-owned to exactly Yes or No. This automatically places the article in either Category:First day covers owned or Category:First day covers wanted.

The year parameter places the page in the appropriate first day covers by year category.

For fdc-back-image, enter a filename without the File: prefix, or exactly N/A when the reverse has no content to document and no reverse image will be provided. N/A displays through Template:Not applicable. Leave the field blank when a reverse image is unknown or has not yet been supplied.

The withdrawn-date parameter records withdrawal from sale or invalidation for postage of the stamps, rather than the physical cover. Where both dates are known, include both with explanatory labels. If stamps on the cover have different dates, identify the relevant stamps beside each date. Leave the field blank if unknown; the table will display “Not specified”. Record dates or descriptive statements about stocks selling out in sold-out. Selling out does not establish formal withdrawal from sale or invalidation for postage.

The quantity-sold parameter records a supported numeric quantity sold, such as 350,000. It must not be substituted with a quantity printed or an edition limit. Leave it blank if unknown; its row will be hidden. Explain in the page text whether the quantity describes the cover product, a stamp set, the entire stamp issue or a particular stamp, and cite the source.

The sold-out parameter accepts either a supported date, such as 1 January 2000, or descriptive text, such as Soon after issue.. Leave it blank if unknown; its row will be hidden. Explain which stamp or cover product the statement describes, preserve any relevant sales-outlet qualification, and cite the source. Where individual stamps have different quantities sold or sold-out dates, describe them separately in the page text rather than forcing them into one summary value.

Examples:

|withdrawn-date=1 March 1972 (invalidated for postage)

|withdrawn-date=31 August 1966 (withdrawn from sale); 1 March 1972 (invalidated for postage)

Fields that do not apply

The following fields automatically display N/A when their controlling parameter is set to exactly No:

• limited-edition=No: edition-limit and copy-number.
• signed=No: signed-by and signature-details.
• information-sheet=No: information-materials, information-sheet-title, information-sheet-image, information-sheet-back-image and information-sheet-notes.
• authenticity-certificate=No: authenticity-certificate-image and authenticity-certificate-back-image.

Leave dependent parameters blank when they do not apply. The template generates the N/A display automatically, overriding any supplied dependent value when the controlling parameter is No. Do not enter N/A or a template call in filename parameters.

For other controlling values, the existing display behaviour is retained. A controlling parameter supplied with a blank value does not trigger the N/A display. An omitted controlling parameter uses this template's existing default of No.

For information-sheet-back-image, enter a filename without the File: prefix, or exactly No when no reverse image is applicable, for example when the reverse is blank or unprinted. This displays N/A through Template:Not applicable. Leave the field blank when the reverse is unknown or an image is still awaited.

An information sheet with no applicable reverse image still uses information-sheet=Yes.

TemplateData

Displays the details of a first day cover and its associated stamp issue.

Template parameters[Edit template data]

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
FDC image	fdc-image	Filename of the main first day cover image, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
FDC reverse image	fdc-back-image	Filename of the reverse image, without the File: prefix. Enter N/A when the reverse has no content to document and no reverse image will be provided. Leave blank if unknown or not yet supplied.	String	optional
Country	country	Issuing country or postal authority. Example Isle of Man	String	required
Country code	country-code	Two-letter country code used in stamp identifiers. Example IM	String	required
Second country	country-2	Optional second issuing country represented by stamps on this cover. Use its full plain-text name, such as Gibraltar or Isle of Man. Leave blank for a single-country cover; the row is hidden. Default Example Gibraltar	String	optional
Second country code	country-code-2	Optional two-letter code for the second country, in the same form as country-code. Its row appears only when country-2 and this value are both supplied. Leave blank for a single-country cover. Default Example GI	String	optional
Issue title	issue-title	Official or descriptive title of the stamp issue.	String	required
Date of issue	issue-date	Date on which the stamps and first day cover were issued. Example 15 September 2026	String	optional
Withdrawal or invalidation date	withdrawn-date	Date when the stamps were withdrawn from sale or ceased to be valid for postage. This refers to the stamps, not the physical cover. Where both dates are known, include both with explanatory labels. Identify individual stamps if their dates differ. Leave blank if unknown. Example 1 March 1972 (invalidated for postage)	String	optional
Quantity sold	quantity-sold	Supported numeric quantity sold, with thousands separators if appropriate. This is not a quantity printed or an edition limit. Leave blank if unknown; the row is hidden. Cite the source and explain the product or variant scope in the page text. Example 350,000	String	optional
Sold out	sold-out	Supported date or descriptive statement about stocks selling out. This does not establish formal withdrawal or invalidation. Leave blank if unknown; the row is hidden. Cite the source and explain the product or outlet scope in the page text. Example Soon after issue.	String	optional
Year of issue	year	Four-digit year of issue. This places the page in the corresponding first day covers by year category. Example 2021	Number	required
Stamp type	stamp-type	General classification, such as Commemorative or Definitive.	String	optional
Stamp subtype	stamp-subtype	More specific classification of the issue.	String	optional
Theme or subject	theme	Overall theme or subject of the stamp issue.	String	optional
Text credit	text-credit	Person or organisation responsible for the written text accompanying the stamp issue. Example Ted Cummings, Cloud PR	String	optional
Designer or artist	designer	Designer, illustrator, artist or photographer responsible for the issue.	String	optional
Printer	printer	Company or organisation that printed the stamps.	String	optional
Printing process	printing-process	Printing method, such as lithography, intaglio or photogravure.	String	optional
Colours	colours	Number or description of colours used to print the stamp issue. Example Four-colour	String	optional
Paper and gum	paper-gum	Paper weight, paper type and gum used for the stamps. Example 110 gsm paper; PVA gum	String	optional
Perforation	perforation	Perforation measurement for the stamps in the issue. Example 13 per 2 cm	String	optional
Stamp dimensions	stamp-dimensions	Physical dimensions of each stamp. Example 36 × 36 mm	String	optional
Issue format	issue-format	Format in which the stamps were issued, such as sheet, miniature sheet or booklet.	String	optional
Cover type	cover-type	General type of cover, such as standard, commercial or official.	String	optional
Cover producer	cover-producer	Postal authority, company or organisation that produced the cover.	String	optional
Cover reference	cover-reference	Catalogue, producer or collection reference for this cover.	String	optional
Limited edition	limited-edition	Whether the first day cover was produced as a limited edition. Suggested values Yes No Default No	String	optional
Edition limit	edition-limit	Maximum number of copies produced in the limited edition. Example 500	Number	optional
Copy number	copy-number	Individual number or designation assigned to this particular first day cover. Example 24	String	optional
Cachet or cover design	cachet	Description of the illustration or cachet on the cover.	String	optional
Addressed	addressed	Whether the cover is addressed, for example Yes, No or Address label. Suggested values Yes No	String	optional
Postmark type	postmark-type	Type of postmark, such as special handstamp, FDI postmark, CDS or slogan postmark.	String	optional
Postmark location	postmark-location	Town, post office or other location shown in the postmark.	String	optional
Postmark date	postmark-date	Date shown in the postmark.	String	optional
Postmark inscription	postmark-inscription	Wording or slogan appearing in the postmark.	String	optional
Postmark notes	postmark-notes	Any additional information about the cancellation or postmark.	String	optional
Main postmark image	postmark-image	Filename of the principal postmark image, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
Additional postmark image 1	postmark-additional-image-1	Filename of an optional additional postmark image, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
Additional postmark image 2	postmark-additional-image-2	Filename of a second optional additional postmark image, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
Signed	signed	Whether the cover has been signed. Suggested values Yes No	String	optional
Signed by	signed-by	Name and role of each signer, such as artist, author or depicted subject.	String	optional
Signature details	signature-details	Location, ink colour, authentication or other details about the signature.	String	optional
Information sheet included	information-sheet	Whether an information sheet is included with the cover. Suggested values Yes No	String	optional
Information materials	information-materials	Description of all information cards, inserts and other materials included with the cover.	Content	optional
Information sheet title	information-sheet-title	Title or description of the accompanying information sheet.	String	optional
Information sheet image	information-sheet-image	Filename of the front of the information sheet, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
Information sheet reverse image	information-sheet-back-image	Filename of the reverse image, without the File: prefix. Enter exactly No when no reverse image is applicable, for example a blank or unprinted reverse. Leave blank if unknown or an image is still awaited.	String	optional
Information sheet notes	information-sheet-notes	Additional information about the accompanying sheet.	String	optional
Certificate of authenticity included	authenticity-certificate	Whether a certificate of authenticity is included with the cover. Suggested values Yes No	String	optional
Certificate of authenticity image	authenticity-certificate-image	Filename of the front of the certificate of authenticity, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
Certificate reverse image	authenticity-certificate-back-image	Filename of the reverse of the certificate of authenticity, without the File: prefix.	File	optional
FDC owned	fdc-owned	Whether this first day cover is currently in the collection. This controls the ownership category. Suggested values Yes No Default No	String	required
Condition	condition	Condition of the cover, including any faults or damage.	String	optional
Collection Comment	collection-comment	Private collection details such as damage, duplicates owned or replacement requirements.	String	optional