Hawaii's second issue featuring King Kamehameha III was produced by intaglio printing in Boston, thus the name "Boston Engraved."
It is assigned Hawaii Nos. 5 in the Scott Catalogue.
The 5c value paid the Hawaiian domestic foreign mail charge to handle a letter and deliver it to a ship bound for San Francisco.
Genuine Issue
But they make an interesting subject given the abundant forgeries.
The main problem for collectors are the relatively affordable reprints passed off as "originals"
In 1861, a new five cents printing was ordered made from the original plate. These stamps were printed on a thin bluish wove paper.
Genuine Features
- There is a tiny dot opposite the left 5 near the frame line
- There are 2 dots below the image in the value tablet
Forgeries
Spiro forgery
- Immediately identified by the dot in a white space on the chin
- Typical 4 ring cancel
- No double right frame line
- These are very close to the Spiro but without the chin dot
- The 5c has a typical Torres cancel
- Obviously some relationship with Spiro
- Facial features are crude
- The eye on the right is higher than the one on the left.
J. W. Scott forgery
- Thick letters and odd eyes
Forger unknown
- Speculation it is a period privateer "Bully Hayes" and it is so named
- Very crude with tall thin letters
- Large 5's
- He only sold forgeries from various forgers
Unknown forger
-Note the odd "E" of FIVE
The same as the previous forgery with the "E" corrected
Peter Wintet forgery
Well executed & deceptive
Notethe unusual symbol before the "H"
Unknown forger
Note the double outer frame
A very crude forgery
Unknown forger
Note the leaning "s" of "CTs" and different lettering of 'POSTAGE' and '5'
