Classic Stamp Forgeries: 2021

Features of the genuine stamps

1. Corner elements are very fine and do not touch the outer frame

2. None of the letters touch the frames

3. Note the shape & size of the cross and ball.

4. Clear space in ring of crown

5. 18 vertical lines in the shield

6. Middle leg of E much shorter.

7. Crowns have 3 diamond rings visible

8. Middle leg of F much shorter.

9. Central vein in each feather.

10. Note distance from frame

11. NOTE the corner perfs are a comb type, forgeries will generally be line perfed

Genuine stamps

Mi 9, 10a, 11

Mi 12, 13, 14

Mi 15, 16, 17

Mi 18, 19b, 20

Mi 21, 22b, 23

Mi 24, 25a

Forgeries

Mi 9

1 Lower leg of E is longer

2 Face & crown very different

3 Tip is closer to the frame

4 Heavily broken horizontal lines

5 Z middle bar is more inclined and bottom is longer than the top

Mi 13

1 Bottom leg of E is longer
2 Face & crown are wrong
3 Small cross
4 Tail is close to the frame
5 Top of S is smaller than the bottom

Mi 16

1 Dots touch the frame
2 Coarse outline around elements
3 Thicker 3

Mi 16

1 B has an extension on top
2 Crown lacks details
3 Very different shape 3
4 Broken lines
5 Thin letter

Mi 17 Torres

1 Thin curved beak

2 Narrow crown

3 Very thick letters

4 Odd corner ornaments

5 KR instead of KREUZER

Mi 17 "Fournier" forgery

1 Top of B extends outwards
2 Center leg of B cut off
3 Crown details missing & right side larger than left side
4 Details in corners missing
5 Breaks and shaded areas

NOTE - although part of the Geneva Fournier collection there is no evidence that Fournier forged these stamps

Mi 19 Forgery - "Fournier"
1 Small cross on crown
2 Slanted E
3 Heavy shading
4 Fake cancel, circles not evenly spaced

NOTE - although part of the Geneva Fournier collection there is no evidence that Fournier forged these stamps

Mi 19 forgery

1 Head very different
2 Crown lacking details
3 Many breaks in lines
4 Uneven letters
5 Frame lines not distinct

Mi 20 forgery

1 B has an extension on top
2 Thin letters
3 No details in the crown
4 Crude corner elements
5 Heavy shading

1 Heavily Shaded areas
2 Large dots, many joined
3 Thin letters

Mi 21 forgery

A very crude rendition with the
wrong word “FRIEMARK” in the right
frame

1 Head very different
2 Large top of B
3 Broken frame line
4 Point and pronounced curve on 1

Aside from a very crude overall rendering, the unique feature is the word “FAKSIMILE” in
the shield

Mi 22 forgery

1 Head wrong shape
2 Crude corner elements
3 Tip touches the frame
4 Thin letters
5 Heavy shading

1 Head & crown different
2 Wrong cross
3 Shading lines not in original
4 109 cancel does not match original and is fake

Mi 23 forgery

1 Wrong cross on crown
2 Broken uneven lines
3 Top of R not curved

Mi 25 forgery

1 Poorly shaped letters
2 Uneven lines
3 Dots joined
4 Curved M

Fournier Imperf forgeries

These are from the Geneva Collection

Sperati forgeries

Type A

Type B

Type C

Type D

Type A

1. there is a white spot just to the right of the "E" on "BADEN"

2. there is a white spot before the "1" of "18"

Type B

1. there is a nick in left outer frameline above the bottom left corner square

2. there is a nick at left side of right outer frameline at level of the top right ornament

Type C

1. there are white spots on each side of the "I" of "VEREIN"

2. there is a weak spot rather than a full period after "R" of "KREUZER"

Type D

1. there is a white spot in the space between "A" and "D" of "BADEN" towards the top

2. at the foot below the "FR" of "FREIMARKEN" there are two places where the color interrupts the white space

1862 Land Post Stamps

Original stamps

In 1859 a rural post was established in Baden to operate a service connecting rural villages which had no post-offices of their own with the nearest State Post office.

In 1862 a 1kr, 3kr, and 12kr stamps were ordered to be prepared for its use. Although the “PORTO MARKEN" indicates they were postage due, they served a dual purpose.

The stamps were not sold to the public but were used only by officers of the rural post. As such, they would be scarce were it not for the fact that in 1873 Julius Goldner (later known for unauthorized reprints) purchased the remainders consisting of 322,800 of the 1kr, 455,400 of the 3kr and 160,000 of the 12kr.

Genuine Characteristics

1. Loop faces down

2. Small dashes here

3. Loop faces up

4. Vertical line connects all 4 curls

5. 3 half circles in each ornament

6. Extending dashes as in top

7. The right serif of the M is thicker

8. Note the low position of the dash

9. The P is slightly higher than the other letters

10. Note the shape of the leaf, the slightly curved veins and they are not attached to the ornament.

The leaves are a key problem area with forgeries.

Note that with these stamps, being printed off center is a common trait.

Forgeries

The Land Post forgeries are very plentiful especially the 12 value

The main differences are the leaves and serifs.

The last 2 are from Torres and Winter

Addendum

Fournier sheets he sold

References

Germany States - Muller 1933

Germany States - Hugo Krötzsch 1896

Germany States - Poole 1891

Klaseboer Forgery CD 2019

Germany States Forgeries - Hermann Schloss 1930

Germany States GPS Forgeries

Album Weeds Earee

Timbrex - Schloss 1944

Seranne Forgeries

Early Forged Stamps - Pemberton

Forged Stamps All Countries - Dorn

Fakes & Forgeries of Germany & Colonies - Germany Philatelic Society Inc, 1966

Various Billigs catalogs - 1930's

Forgeries Old and New - A. Johnson

Distinguishing Characteristics of Classic Stamps - SCHLOSS Hermann

Michel Specialized Germany - 2016

Images from personal collection, public auction sites and Germany forum members

King Peter Bareheaded Issue of 1905
Genuine original

The design was created by the French engraver Tasset, who also engraved the basic die in steel.

The cliches were also prepared in Paris, but the printing was done in Belgrade by the State Printing Works in typography.

The design measures 20 mm by 25.5 mm, the whole stamp, 23 mm by 27 mm.

The stamps were printed in two operations. The frames, in different colors, were done first, then the medallion in black.

They were printed in sheets of 100 (10 X 10).

During the six years they were in use, the stamps were reprinted several times (perhaps 6 times) using different papers and are found line perfed 11.5 and comb perfed 12X11.5. As well, the entire set can be found imperforated.

The following quantities of each value were printed:

1 para, 7,160,300

5 para, 28,404,200

10 para, 26,147,800

15 para, 2,409,100

20 para, 2,968,800

25 para, 4,721,800

30 para, 2,463,000

50 para, 3,244,800

1 dinar, 857,600

3 dinar, 177,400

5 dinar, 146,200

All values except the 3 and 5 dinar stamps were demonetized Feb. 9 1914. The 3 and 5 dinar were demonetized June 12 1914.

Genuine set

Forgery set

The dangerous forgery of the whole set surfaced after World War II.

The forgeries were made by Mirza Hadi who was of Persian origins and later became a stamp dealer in Paris and Monaco. He is best known for his involvement in the reprints of Transvaal stamps.

The forgeries are slightly larger. The original stamps measured, with perforations, 23 mm x 27 mm. The forgeries are 24 mm x 30 mm.

The paper used for the forgeries is not the same for all values. The 15 and 30 para forgeries are printed on slightly thinner paper.

The colors of the forgeries are much stronger than those of the genuine stamps, particularly in the 5 and 15 para and the I and 3 dinar values.

The gum used on the forgeries is entirely different from the gum on the genuine stamps.

They are printed by lithography, the genuine by typography.

Fortunately the Hadi stamps all have a very easily identified flaw
The upper right corner has a break in the frame

Genuine left, Hadi forgery right

Another good method is to check the ends of the letters and numerals. In the originals (left) they have flat ends. In the forgeries (right) they are rounded

Based on my research, finding any genuine sets is a daunting effort

Almost all full and partial sets are forgeries

Given how well done they are, most dealers and sellers are not aware.

Rare genuine pair

Proofs - genuine left, Hadi right

Genuine Block

Forgery Block

Stamp with flaw

King Peter with Cap of 1911-14

The design was prepared by M. Markovich, a lithographer employed by the General Staff of the Army.

The die for it was cut in wood by P. Anicich, an employee of the State Printing Works.

They were printed in two panes in sheets of 100 (5 X 10)

The design measures 19.75 mm by 25.5 mm

The only constant plate flaw is a deformed numeral 1 on the 1 dinar stamp and it appears only once in each sheet of 100.

Genuine stamps from the first vertical row often have a double perforation on the left side.

Colors
I para, olive black
2 para, deep violet (first printing) and black violet (second printing)
5 para, yellow green
10 para, red carmine
15 para, purple
20 para, yellow
25 para, blue
30 para, blue green
50 para, grey brown
1 dinar, red orange
3 dinar, lake
5 dinar, violet

Genuine and Forgery Features

There are 2 common "types" of forgeries