Classic Stamp Forgeries: Oldenburg 1852-61

- Except for the last issue, all the stamps are lithographed. The same method used by forgers

- The various differences in size of the several issues depend on, how much the paper was dampened, and how much it contracted again after printing.
- Copies with original gum of the first issues are usually to be regarded with mistrust, for there were no stocks of leftovers, and so unused copies with original gum are very hard to find.

1852
1/30 Thaler Black on Dark Blue
Imperforate. Lithographed.
Size of stamp picture: 17 , by 20 mm.
1,500,000 printed
There are 4 types of this issue (some argue that there are sub-types). Each has its own characteristics.

Type I

1. Dots in crown
2. Foot of “r” extends outwards
3. “1” touches the ermine
4. Bottom of “3” wider than the top
5. “H & A ” joined
6. ‘Top of “U & R ” joined
7. Distinguishing feature of Type I
8. Spike in bottom of “G”
9. “5” much broader at the bottom
10. “2” touches the frame

Type II

Size is 18 X 20 mm
General traits same as Type I
1. “2” does not touch the frame
2. Bottom of “3” not as wide as Type I
3. Key feature of Type II
4. “H & A” joined
5. Key feature of Type I

Type III

1. Bottom & top of “3” same width
2. “H, A and L” joined
3. Tip of shield extends further in scroll than Type I or II
4. Key Feature
5. Key feature – narrow opening in fold

Type IV

Basically the same features as Type I
1. “2” does not touch the frame
2. Key feature – shading in loop
3. “U and R” much shorter the first letters
4. Key feature

Forgeries

Crude forgery
“THALER” too wide and cut off, bottom and top of “3” even
Bottom lettering very crude, heavy coarse shading

A good forgery
Shield cut off on the right side
“1” does not touch the ermine

1/15th

Same design as before.
1 / 15 Thaler black/rose. Type I , II and III.
Imperforate. Lithographed
Size of stamp picture: Type I: 18 X 20 mm. Type II : 18 X 20 mm.
350,000 printed

General Features

1. Top of “1” does not touch the ermine, the top line extends to the right
2. The top line extends to the right
3. Bottom of “5” is very wide
4. The “H, A and L” are joined
5. The tip of the shield does not enter the scroll below
6. The end of the ’2” has a sharp curving tip
7. There is a dot inside the ornament
8. Large “4” does not touch the frame
9. Small “4” does touch the frame

Type I

Type II

Type III

Type I, II and III. The shading in the ermine is much heavier in Type III and the frame lines are joined in the upper left corner.

Forgeries

A good forgery
The small”4” does not touch the frame
The “1” does not touch the ermine
The bottom of the “5” is flat

There is a period after "OLDENBURG"

Apparently sold by Spiro

A very crude forgery with a long list of issues – note the very thick border

Peter Winter 1980's forgery

A very good forgery

The outer frame line is irregular

1/10th

Same design as before.
1 / 10 Thaler black / light yellow, lemon-yellow. Type I and II.
Imperforate. Lithographed.
250,000 printed

Original

Forgeries

GPS Type I
Lithographed Spiro

T & R touch the frame

Letters of THALER not joined

GPS Type II

The crown is completely wrong
The numerals and letters are too small

The 1 touches the bottom of the ermine

The ends of "THALER" touch the shield

Forgery GPS Type V

No period after "OLDENBURG"

Odd crown with 3 circular openings

The right 3 is too small & thick

Background shading not made up of horizontal lines

1855 1/3

Imperforate. Lithographed.

Paper: Medium strong or thin.
200,000 were printed
1. Dash in ornament
1a. Thin frame line cuts off the cross
2. 2 dots in bottom of cross
2. 2 dots in bottom of cross
3. Tip of “1” does not touch the ermine.
4. End of “C” is long and points up
5. Bottom of “3” is flat
6. Large dot very close to shield frame
7. Same size dot as 6.
8. Tip of shield cuts the scroll line and is over the center of “N”
9. Serif of “G” touches the line
10. Bottom of “LD” joined
11. Left frame line more inclined than right side
12. Note large dot position and touching 3 shading lines
13. Thick lines on right sides of ribbons
14. Small T shape at end of “4”

Forgeries

Little shading in scroll besides “OLDENBURG”
Several side letters touch the frame line

Thick outer frame line

GPS forgery type II

The G of "OLDENBURG" is too low

There is too much space between the 3 & b

The ch on the left side are joined

GPS forgery type III Spiro

"OLDENBURG" is in a curved banner

The top of the G of Gr is thin & pointed

Sperati Type B on the right, original left

The B of "OLDENBURG" is cracked where the two loops join

There is no extra black dot below the serif and attached to the G

1/3 1859

Coat of arms of the State of Oldenburg with crown.
1/3 Silbergroschen black/green.
The number issued varies between 50,000 and 90,000

A rare & high CV stamp in both used and unused

1. The thin frame line has a break here
2. The left leg of the “N” is long
3. The “G” is small
4. The frame lines are not parallel and are wider here
5. There is a dot, on some it is barely visible
6 & 10 Note the difference in the shapes in size and ends
7. The “S” is large
8. the “C” is small
9. The bottom line of the “E” is generally broken
11. Both tips of the left ribbon are pointed

Forgeries

Given the high CV, this stamp was a prime candidate for forgery with some 15 varieties with most being crude.

Forgery GPS Type I

The G of "Groschen" is tall & thin. The c and lower portion of the h are too tall

In both fractions, the 3 is very tall

Forgery GPS Type IV

The letters of "OLDENBURG" are too small and the top of the cross lies under the "E".

The bottom of the shield points between "Drittel" and "Groschen".

In each fraction, the "1" (nearly) touches the fraction bar and the "3" is too large.

The right lobe of the shield does rot protrude sufficiently and is too far from the oval frame

Forgery GPS Type V

In ''OLDENBURG", the "N" lies directly over the top of the cross but is much too large, as is the "O".

The bottom of the shield points between "Drittel" and "Grosechen".

All letters and numerals are too thick and coarse.

The top of the shield is excessively curved.

Another version of Forgery GPS Type V

Forgery GPS Type VI

A fantasy accredited to Spiro

A huge crown

Ornaments on the sides not present in the original

Forgery GPS Type VIII

There is a wide space between the G & r

The numerals are thick

No shading lines in ornaments on side of shield

Odd looking ball beneath cross

Forgery GPS Type X

In OLDENBURG, the top of the "N" leans over and touches the "B",

The space between Drittel and Groschen is too wide.

The space between the two large oval frame lines is too wide.

At the bottom center, several of the circular ornaments arc missing.

The right "3" is much too large.

Billigs Type VI

Very small top letters

Right 3 is inclined

Thin lower letters

Despite the obvious differences in the numerals, thick letters and different crown, this bad forgery sold for $800 on an auction

Forgery GPS Type XI

Known in black on green paper resembling the original.

The crown and the shield arc too high in lire central oval; the crown touches the oval at top and there is too much space below the point ot the shield.

The fractions of value are too low in their ovals, particularly at left which is larger than the right one.

The curving ornament above GROSCHEN is too narrow.

Forgery GPS Type XII - Peter Winter used

All excellent imitation in black on yellowish green paper produced by Winter of Bremen in the 1980rs.

The fine shading lines, especially in the top and bottom banderoles, are more interrupted than in most originals.

The head of the "G" of GROSCHEN drops downward slightly at the serif rather than continuing upward.

This forgery mimics all of the frame line extensions and connections seen in the original

Exists "unused", "used", "on piece" and "on coved' (front), sometimes with a boxed Bremen "cancel" in red and usually with "Replik" on the reverse.

Peter Winter unused

Sperati Type A right compared to genuine left

The bottom frame line extend to far to the left (both types)

There is a white dot in the lower portion of the "1" of "1/3" at right side

Sperati applied forged cancels "NEUENBURG 6/2", "NEUENBURG 15/12" and "ELSFLETH 8/12" to these forgeries.

Sperati Type B right compared to genuine left

The B of "OLDENBURG" has a dot on the left side

1859 1 Groschen

1. Lower part of the “B” much larger than the top and the bottom stroke slants upwards

2. The top of the “R” is wider than the bottom.

3. The left and right ornaments are different in shape and size

4. The right oval has a dot middle left, the left oval has one also but not prominent on all samples

5. The bottom of the cross has a semi circular shape

6. The top of the “c” extends out and down

7. The top of the cross slope downwards to the right

Forgeries

Forgery Billigs Type I

The E, G & h touch the frame

Large space between L & D of "OLDENBURG"

Guide lines visible

The animal on the shield bottom is unknown

Forgery Billigs Type II

Very dark shading

Too many pearls on bottom

Cross touches the frame

Top letters are too tall

Another Type II forgery

Modern Forgery - Winter?
This is an excellent forgery

The curve in the G & s are different from the original

The top of the left one is straight not inclined

The top be is shaped differently

Another modern forgery

A truly primitive example

Top letters very uneven in height

Crown is slightly lopsided

Bottom letters touch the frame

1859 2 Groschen

1. Top of “E” slopes down to the right

2. Bottom of the “E” much longer than the top

3. The globe is slightly wider than the cross and divided into 3 sections

4. The point is inclined to the left and the tip is rounded

5. Clear dots in both numeral frames

6. The left oval touches the shape below

7. The top and Bottom lines of the “Z” are generally broken

8. The left lobe shape does not touch the banner below

Forgeries

Forgery Billigs Type I

Cross much larger

2's have a long left tail

Top letters much taller

Ball below cross is embedded in crown

Curved elements on both sides have much larger openings

Forgery Billigs Type II

Top letters are taller

Cross touches frame 2's are thinner & larger

Crown has larger openings

Side ornaments are very different

Forgery Billigs Type VIII

Larger cross

Crown is misshapen

Top letters are too tall

Modern Forgery - Winter?

Top N is more inclined

Top letters serifs are more pronounced

Overall shading is darker

Forgery Sperati

The top left corners do not meet properly

There is a break in the top frameline above the L

The top of the top E is level

1859 3 Groschen

1. The “B” is larger than the other letters
2. The left upper leg of the “U” is longer than the right one
3. There are dots in both ovals
4. This mark seems to consistently occur
Note – the dots in 3. have been described as “secret” engraver’s marks. I cannot say their purpose but as obvious as they are, the term “secret” seems far-fetched.
The mark in 4. however is more random and a forger might assume it is only a flaw and omit it.
5. The frame line on the left side of the shield is thinner than the right side
6. The bottom of the cross has a small semi oval shape smaller than the width of the cross.
7. The shape touches the banner. Note also that the left and right shape are very different.
8. The top of the “h” has a long dash.
9. There are 7 distinct pearls
10. The shape of the “s” is uneven, the top curve is more open
11. The right leg of the “h” tilts inwards
12. The cross is visibly attached to the front of the globe

Forgeries