What's a key type?

Stamp collectors often get in touch with Gustamps when they are confused by certain stamp collectors terms. Sometimes Gustamps are asked what key types are. Gustamps explain that key types are a basic stamp design which are used for many different countries, where the only obvious difference is the name of the country. Gustamps say the denomination on the stamp and the tablet which bears the country name is the identifying feature, on a key type stamp. According to Gustamps, most European colonial powers use key type stamps in the earlier part of the last century. Gustamps point out that key types are often found on stamps of French, British, Spanish, German and Portuguese colonial issues. Gustamps give the examples of the monarch's head on British colonial stamps and the yacht design on stamps of the German colonies.