Armenia 2nd Definitive

 This set was printed by Yessayan Printing Works and designed by Sarkis Khachatourian, who was a famous Armenian artist in Constantinople. They were printed at the same time as the First Yessayan set. The series was intended for use as Obligatory Tax stamps for Famine Relief, along the same lines as those issued in Azerbaijan.

There were 16 stamps – eight different design each in blue-black and carmine. As with the First Yessayan set, only some were issued and then only with surcharges.

These stamps are difficult to find except for the 100r, 10,000r and 20,000r. These particular stamps were not overprinted and presumably found their way back to Moscow and then to Western markets.

Complete Genuine Set in Both Colors

As with the previous set, secret marks allow collectors to easily distinguish between genuine and forged stamps.

100R - Woman spinning

size 36 x 25 mm. 162 per sheet (estimated)

Secret markings:

In the top corner the inside frame line runs long.

The vertical inside frame line runs long by 0.3 – 0.5 mm.

The bottom frame line is open on the right side

250R - Stork in upwards flight.

Size 21.5 x 34 mm. 210 per sheet (estimated).

Secret marking:

The top right vertical frame frame has a break measuring 0.2 – 0.3 mm.

500R -Refugee in Cart

Size 36.5 x 25.5 mm. 162 stamps per sheet (estimated)

Secret markings:

In the dark square top right letter square lines run out of the border from the top and bottom on the left side.

1000R - Woman getting water.

Size 22.5 x 35.5 mm. 210 per sheet (estimate)

Secret marking:

In the dark square value square, a line extends to the border from the upper right side.

2000R - Railroad and train.

Size 35 x 24 mm. 200 stamps per sheet (estimated)

Secret marking:

Between the two upper, horizontal line there is a 2 mm slanted line

5000R - Horseman with weapon.

Size 39.5 x 25.5 mm. 162 stamps per sheet (estimated)

-Secret markings: 

In the upper corner, where the name of the Republic is printed, the upper left line runs long and almost crosses the left vertical frame. 

The frame of the illustration comes out of its borders on the left side.

10000R- -Eagle with outspread wings

37 x 25.5 mm. 162 per sheet (est.) in two groups, 81 stamps (9 x 9).

-Secret markings: 

2 mm horizontal lines on both sides of the eagle's head. 

In the upper square the upper right line runs long by 0.3 - 0.4 mm.

20000R- -Shepherd with staff. 25.5 x 39 mm. 144 stamps per sheet 9 (est.) in two groups, 72 stamps (12 x 6) .

-Secret markings: near the horizon of the oval border, a line extends towards the ornament.

Reprints

FIRST Reprint

Yessayan prepared these for the stamp trade. None were sent to Yerevan and none can exist with genuine surcharges. A surcharge on a Reprint is ALWAYS a forgery.

To economize on lithographic plates, Yessayan RESET the eight values onto just two plates of unequal size. 

These two plates yield 147 stamps in total providing stamp dealers with 18 sets and 3 spare stamps.

First Reprints are on a white paper which is either without gum (about 50%) or with a good white gum.

SECOND Reprint

Again to supply the stamp trade, Yessayan made a Second Reprint (probably a couple of years after the First)and this time used just one plate for all values. There are 74 stamps on this plate, yielding 9 sets and 2 spare stamps.

Second Reprints are always gummed and the gum is yellowish, giving the paper a yellowish appearance

Most of the sheets were cut up for the packet trade and se-tenant multiples are rarely seen. None were sent to Yerevan and a surcharge on a Second reprint stamp is ALWAYS a forgery.

Type II Reprints - NOTE the large white spaces

The real issue with these stamps is therefore not the forgeries which I found very few of.

The Reprints are the main issue and they have all the genuine secret marks. As noted the only way to tell from an original is by the amount of white spaces in the reprints.

Forgeries

There appears to be only one Forgery type. The designs are crude, the paper grey, and the gum thick and yellow.

The Forgeries copy the Reprints but do not have any secret marks. For some reason, red Forgeries appear to be scarcer than grey forgeries. They also appear to be cruder in detail.

Genuine left, forgery right.

NOTE on the genuine a blue stamp appears. This is considered to be a factory certification of a genuine stamp. This only appears occasionally.

Above, a complete set of forgeries

Added information will be posted at a later date.