This is one of the most forged series of Europe.
At least 9 different printings took place between Paris and Athens.
This blog will concentrate on the 1861 series and the forgeries of 1861-76.
As it is very difficult to categorize the forgeries as to which printing they represent, they will be classed by the forger.
Genuine 1861 Series
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| He(Hellas) 1 Deep Brown & 2 Olive Bistre |
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| He 3a Yellow Green & 3b Green |
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He 4 Yellowish Orange & 5 Blue
He 6 Mauve on bluish & 7 Carmine
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Genuine Features
The key feature is the (1) upper left corner design (the first wavy line) should have a break near the bottom in all genuine stamps.
NOTE - only the Alisaffi forgeries have a few with the break
There are 88 pearls (4), all neatly arranged
1876/77 Paris/Athens special printing
I am including these 2 additional new values for comparison purposes
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| He 43a Paris, He 45b Athens |
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| He 44a, He 46a |
The main differences between the Paris & Athens printings are the beard shading lines
In the Paris prints they tend to be series of dots and dashes while inn the Athens prints they are solid lines as seen below.
The Forgeries
Spiro Brothers
These are the earliest known forgeries sold by Spiro of Hamburg and made by an unknown forger. They are called "The Poor Sad Hermes"
Full Sheets in 5x5 and 5X3 format
Alisaffi Forgeries
Alisaffi was a stamp dealer and forger from Istanbul who while living in Paris (1902) produced excellent forgeries if Greek stamps.
Alisaffi produced and sold his forgeries without gum and without cancellation something which the authorities alowed him to do.
Stocks of his stamps, and perhaps the original dies as well, passed through the hands of other dealers in forgeries, and certainly in some quantity to Fournier. Gum was added, sometimes postmarks were applied, some of the forgeries were perforated and sometimes they were given forged overprints.
The break in the first wavy line in the upper left spandrel close to the medallion was sometime reproduced so it not being there is proof of a forgery but not always.
Type I Paris?
Type II Athens?
Later Printings
1876 with 2nd dot below last top dot
1880 with 2nd dot below last top dot
Rare issue with 2 dots under the bottom T
Top right lower meander missing
Uneven letters no crossbar in top A thick line back of hair
Break in upper panel below MM series dots below beard shading
Imperato Forgeries
Only the 2 Paris 1876 printing
Overall very well done
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| Plate Proof |
Sperati Forgeries
Undoubtedly the finest of all the forgeries
With Sparta #32 cancel
With Tripoli #18 cancel
Features
1. In the top right corner ornament there extra white spots between the petals
2. Just above and to the left of the spacing dot in the top panel is a smaller white spot
3. The two white pearl directly in front of the nose are joined to the white circular line
Probably a cut out from a postcard
