Types of Charity Seals

1949 Boystown Charity Seal

Charity seals: Stamp-like adhesive labels that are distributed by a charity in exchange for a donation. They have no postal validity, although they are often affixed to envelopes. U. S. Easter Seals, Boys Town Seals, various Catholic Charities, and Jewish National Seals are examples of charity seals issued by U.S. based charities. 

Odder Charity Seals, and Aalborg Charity Seals, are examples of charity seals issued by Denmark based charities. Barns Dag Kumla, and Swedish Advent Charity Seals are examples of charity seals issued by Sweden based societies. Norwegian Seaman's Fund, Norwegian Blue Cross, Norwegian Help Fund Charity Seals, and Norwegian Advent Seals are issued by societies in Norway. Further, The charity seals issued by the Rotary Club of Kopavogs, Iceland, is an example of a seal from a charity based in Iceland.

TB Charity Seals: Charity Seals which were issued to support sanatoriums, or for anti-tuberculosis campaigns. The use of TB Charity Seals began in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries beginning in 1904. In the United States, the Red Cross issued seals to fund anti-tuberculosis campaigns and sanatoriums beginning in 1907.  They were soon issued by various societies to support anti-TB campaigns in states, counties, and for public and private hospitals and sanitariums.

TB Charity Seals were also issued world-wide in countries such as: Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Australia, Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Syria, Thailand, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. 

Cross of Lorraine: The red double-barred cross is known as the international symbol for the crusade against Tuberculosis and appears on most all known Christmas and anti-TB Charity Seals. If you are unsure as to the type of charity seals, look for this symbol. Since the early TB Charity Seals were issued by the Red Cross, the Red Cross symbol will appear on those seals, instead of the Cross of Lorraine.  A red crescent is often used on TB Charity Seals issued in the Middle East. 

Christmas TB Charity Seals: TB Charity Seals which were issued near, at, or for Christmas and have Christmas themes. Since these TB Seals were issued near Christmas and have Christmas themes, they have also become known as Christmas Seals. We classify them as Christmas TB Charity Seals, or simply Christmas TB Seals.

TB Charity Seals issued nationally in the United States and Canada are examples of Christmas TB Seals. 

We differentiate Christmas TB Charity Seals using the Green's Catalog of the TB Seals of the World:

1)  Christmas TB Charity Seals issued nationally in the U.S. - U.S. Christmas Seals

2)  Christmas TB Charity Seals issued by U.S. local societies in support of sanatoriums - U.S. TB Christmas Seals

3)  Christmas TB Charity Seals issued by societies in foreign countries - Christmas TB Seals

Spring TB Charity Seals: TB Charity Seals which were issued near, at, or for Easter and have Spring, or nature themes. Since these TB Charity Seals were issued near Easter and have Spring, or nature themes, they have also become known as Spring TB Charity Seals. We call them Spring TB Seals, or simply Spring Charity Seals. We classify them as Charity Seals.

We differentiate Spring TB Charity Seals using the Green's Catalog of the TB Seals of the World:

1)  Spring TB Charity Seals issued nationally in the U.S. - U.S. Spring Charity Seals

2)  Spring TB Charity Seals issued by societies in foreign countries - Foreign Spring Charity Seals