Classic Stamp Forgeries: Germany

Of all the early European stamps, the Saxony 3pf is one of the most desirable and forged stamps.

The 3 Pf. red originally was in tended for use only as a provisional.

New stamps were in preparation, but it took more than a year before the 3 Pf. green replaced it.

It is called 'Sachsendreier'. It was used for tie wrappers to newspapers, and therefore many of the stamps were destroyed when the wrapper was removed.

About 460,000 stamps were issued, but only 3000 to 4000 are thought to have survived now.

Due to its rarity and demand, a who’s who of forgers made counterfeits. In the "Freimarken des Königreichs Sachsen (1921)", Friedrich W. Dieck mentions Zechmeyer, Goldner, Elb, Fohl, Senf brothers, Thiele & others. A few such as the Martin Schroeder forgery (a Leipzig printer) are excellent and only a few differences mainly in the paper are noticeable.

3 Pf Genuine

Large numeral in a square.
3 Pf. red, brick, cherry, red-carmine.
Imperforate. Typographed. in sheets of 20 stamps
Paper: Thick, yellowish or white.

Genuine Features

1. Right side of A much thicker and longer

2. Right side of H much thicker and longer

3. Top curve of S larger than bottom

4. Part of dividing lines on all 4 sides - not always visible

5. Line made up of dots and dash

6. G is slightly lower than other letters

7. Large blank areas

8. Large lobe

9. Lines cross forming an X

10. C is slightly lower than other letters

11. Large blank area

12. Large curve often connected to design

13. Break in frame line

14. Bottom leg of E longer than top one

15. Break in frame line

16. Large blank area

17. Right rays are very short

18. Bottom part of serif longer than top part

19. Break in frame

20. Right white space wider than left one

21. Right leg of N is raised

Forgeries

Oswald Schroeder Forgery

This is regarded as being one of the best forgeries

Oswald Schroeder (Schröder) was part of the A.Neumann and Schröder printing firm of Leipzig.

These Schroeder forgeries are also sometimes called "Fohl forgeries", since they were printed by Schroeder but ordered by Engelhardt Fohl from Dresden around 1878

They were apparently printed in pairs with 2 types.

In the top (Type A) the line right of the large 3 is broken twice near the top

In the bottom (Type B) it does not connect with the top right floral.

The separator lines are too thin

The serif of the center bar of the F of FRANCO is equal top and bottom

There is a wider space between the A & C and the C appears more inclined

The stamp is lithographed and does not have the edge ink squeeze typical of the typographed original.

Sperati Forgery Type A

There are 2 dark blobs between the lines, one just left of the E of PFENNIGE and one below the O of FRANCO.

The top serif of the first S is connected to the body.

The serifs of both I's are too short

Senf Forgery

The "R" of "DREI" has an upturned tail

The "D" has a very long bottom serif.

The middle stroke of the "E" of "SACHSEN" is closer to the top one

The upper stroke of the "C" of "SACHSEN" almost touches its lower stroke

The first sample has the overprint FALSCH which is typical of SENF forgeries

Forgeries noted by Fritz Billigs in his 1936 book on Saxony

Billigs Type I

Billigs Type III Fournier with typical SEBNIZ iS 15 3 52 5-3 V

Billigs Type IV Goldner Reprint - no strokes in corner elements

Billigs Type IV - Note the separator lines

Billigs Type VI - no dot after FRANCO

Billigs Type VII sold $500 in top auction

Billigs Type VIII Dot after Pfennige

Billigs Type XII Oneglia-Panelli

Unlisted Forgeries

These are not common but there are many of them in auctions

An obvious forgery sold for $500 on eBay

Top letters too low. Very crude background

Top "Dresden" May have come from city promotion

Crude forgery, dashes instead of 3's in numeral. Crude background. Thick letters.

A hand painted forgery

Dashes on numeral instead of 3's. Crude background. High crossbar on H

Modern forgery. Crude background.

Forgery taken from early French catalog

Another modern forgery. Very crude letters Possibly Hialeah forgery.

Modern Dangerous in design. Too orange yellow. Feet of H connected.

Pair of modern forgeries

Forgery with odd corner flowers and very tall letters

Very crude design. No 3's in numeral. Uneven letters

Very crude forgery. Small top loop of 3. Uneven and tilted letters. Unusual backgrounds

Crude rough litho. Letters very uneven. Background in numeral made up of dashes instead of 3's

Goldner Reprints

Julius Goldner was a stamp dealer in Hamburg (Germany), who sold enormous quantities of reprints

The key feature is the missing dashes in all the corner flowers

Hirschfeld Reprints

All the D's are broken at the top

Mi 2

Mi 2I & 2II

There were multiple printings so a large variety of colors and faults appear.

12.25 million were printed in 24 editions so there are a lot of variations.
These color variations make them difficult to distinguish.
The Mi 2I has a much higher CV.
Generally it is sharper in detail and more dense in color

Proof

Features

1. Left side of the cross is detached
2. The left side of the “H” is taller
3. The right side ornament is much smaller than the left one.
4. The numeral “3” on the right is positioned higher.
5. The right curl is incomplete.
6. The right curl is larger and more open.
7. The right ornament is more curled than the left one.
8. Right ornament is much larger.
9. 7 pearls outside
10. Ornament is detached
11. Ornament is detached

Forgeries

Proof Forgery

The 3's have no middle branch
The cross is tiny and crown narrower

Part of the oval projects into the top letters

D is inclined

An odd color forgery sold as a color proof

All the side ornaments are ver different

All the letters are thicker

Lower letters are taller

all serifs are short

Top letter are thicker

Sperati right type A

Type A

1. the top frameline is broken in places and generally weak at left as well

2. the top serifs of the "H" in "SACHEN" are joined

Type B

1. the outer frameline is strong at top left and top, but almost disappears at lower left

2. there is no horizontal stroke on the "A" in "SACHEN"

'The 'A' of 'SACHSEN' has a break at the left hand side and the 'E' of this same word has a break in the bottom.

Peter Winter modern forgery

1851-1852 Mi 3-7
Head of King John I. facing right
1/2 S.Gr. black on grey
1 S.Gr. black on light rose
2 S.Gr. black on light blue
3 S.Gr. black on yellow
2 S.Gr. black on dark blue
Imperforate, colored paper

Mi 3

Mi 3 Proof

Mi 4

Mi 5

Mi 6

Mi 7

Mi 7 Pr00f with solid back ground

Forgeries

Letters and numerals much thinner

Lack of detail around eye

Possibly a proof forgery

A modern forgery

Shorter lower letters, taller top ones

Excessive facial shading

1855-1857 Mi 8 - Mi 13
Head of King John I. facing left.
Imperforate. Engraving (copperplate) .
Paper: Thin , very thin, to medium strong

Color varieties of Mi 12

Mi 13 & 13a

Forgeries

Crude Proof Forgeries

Mi 9 forgery

Wrong color

Tall side numerals

Letters uneven

Mi 12 13 Features

Characteristics of the genuine 5 & 10 S.Gr.
1. The left and right legs of the “N” are thin.
2. There is a wide space here.
3. 3 pearls on the right side
4. The end of the ribbon is quite vertical.
5. A stroke and a pointed section here.
6. Wavy lines.
7. A dot here.
8. Large blank spot.
9. 5 lines here.
10. Note the thickness of the lines.
10a. Note the shape of the ear.
11. A pronounced ridge on the nose.
12. This element has a rounded top unlike the right one.
13. 4 pearls here.
14. 5 lines here.
15. Bottom of the “S” is wider and flatter than the top.

Mi 12 Forgeries

These forgeries are known as Neuruppin forgeries (the firms Gustav Kühn and Oehmigke & Riemschneider

1. No ridge on nose.
2. Hair lacking in details.
3. Right “5” is closed at the top
4. 4 pearls top right.
5. Top “H” left side is taller, should be the right side.
6. “N” has a normal oblique stroke instead of a long one.

A rather crude forgery