Sardinia 1855-63

 Genuine stamps

1. Odd shaped inclined 5

2. Short top 5

3. Top of B smaller than bottom

4. Oblique tail of Q

5. Large extended leg of R

1.Inclined S

2. Wide T

3. Oblique top of 1

4. Bottom arm is longer

5. Note difference in appendages

6. Note length of beard

7. Flat side to O

8. 3 corner elements enclosed, top left open

9. Faults

10. A almost closed

11. Left side much wider than right side

12. Key feature - break in line

Dimensions: 19.25 / 21.75 mm

1. Large P

2. Inclined S with small bottom

3. T smaller than other letters

4. Top of 2 extends beyond base

5. Dot close to 2 And corner element

6. Right element lower than left one

7. Top of B smaller then bottom

8. White spot

9. Larger round shape than left

10. Top of N oblique

11. E appear inclined

12. Large dot

13. Base of R extends out past top

The 2 following genuine all have traits of the previous 3

1. N lines up with end of vertical line

2. O lines up with end of vertical line

3. Break in line

4. S is slightly inclined

5. E lines up with end of horizontal line

Remainders

Remainder with fake embossing

Remainder with fake invert

Forgeries

Possibly Oneglia??

The "20", "40" and "80" are not positioned properly

"QUARANTA" is written as "OUARANTA" with an "O".

The same cancels appear on other stamps. "DA ANCONA A BOLOGNA 12 APR. 60"

Fournier Forgeries

These were sold by Fournier from various forgers

The following were advertised as inverted "Proofs" by Fournier

Sperati Forgeries

5c Frame - Type A

1. There is a dot of color in the field above the top left corner ornament

2. The ornament above the "I" of "CINQ" is joined at the point to the colored background below

Cohn Reprint/Forgeries

The plates of at least the 5 c, 20 c and 40 c ended up in the hands of a certain David Cohn of Berlin.

Reprint-forgeries were made with these plates by him after some retouching. 

In the 5 c reprint-forgery there is a break in the ornamental design at the left upper corner surrounding the ellipse (below the asterisk). 

In the 20 c there is a blue dot to the right of the upper right ornament surrounding the ellipse with the portrait of the king. 

In the 40 c there is a small break in the outer curved line of the ellipse just in front of the king's forehead and in the upper right corner with the ornament, the horizontal line is broken. 

These 'reprints' also exist perforated 11 1/2 to turn them into the first issues of Italy (however, the genuine stamps of Italy are perforated 11 1/2 x 12).

Modern Forgeries

Very popular on the base online auctions

Usually the low price is a giveaway

The letters are faulty and they lack the genuine traits

More Forgeries from unknown sources

None of these should fool

Unissued NAPLES stamps

These may show up as Sardinia stamps

At the beginning of 1861, it was set up locally, on the initiative of the Poste Napoletane, in order to replace the series of Bourbon stamps still in force, a series of five stamps similar to the issue of the fourth of Sardinia. 

A small number of postage stamps did however have a postal use.

The local issue differs from the fourth of Sardinia in several details: the print in

frame color is typographic; the characters of the words are rounder and wider; the effigy in relief has the head tilted more backwards, a wider forehead, a different beard, an elongated curve of the skull and a flattened head, absent the characteristic earring.

These are only 5 legitimately used stamps with extreme value

An obvious fake