Sunday, September 26, 2021

Argentina 1858

 Issued May 1 1858. 
Originally with small numerals
Lithographed and printed by Carlos Riviére y Cía., from Rosario, on double sheets of 12 horizontal rows of 9 stamps = 108 stamps per half sheet.
On plain white, thin or medium paper, without perforations.
Issued January 1860. 
With large numerals. 
Printed on plain sheets of 12 horizontal rows of 8 stamps = 96 stamps. 
Smooth, white, thin or medium paper, without perforations.

Initially they were in limited quantities and in great demand by collectors (words forgers love) especially used ones.
However, in 1891 remainder of both issues were found in the Customs warehouse and were opportunistically sold by an employee to stamp dealers.
The quantities sold were roughly the following
small numerals
5 cent..... 250,000
10 cents ...40,000
15 cents....20,000
large numerals
5 cent......30,000
10 cents....4.000
15 cents....4,000
NOTE -The large numeral 10 & 15 cents were not placed in circulation, so beware of cancelled ones.

Genuine sets of small & large numerals
Note the differences in the "sun man" and the location or absence of the periods.


Despite their low values, many forgeries exist of these stamps.
They range from quite good to very crude.
My inventory is limited so it will be best to show the constant identification marks and some samples
NOTE the features with a,b etc. are not different stamps they all appear on the same one

5C Small Numeral Types
Type 1a,b,c & 2

Type 3a,b & 4a,b

Type 5a,b & 6a,b

Type 7a,b,c

Type 8a,b,c,d

Type 9a,b,c,d

Examples

Left to right: Small Numerals Types 3, 7 & 8


Genuine bloc


5C Large Numeral Types
Types 1,2,3,4

Types 5a, b & 6

Types 7,8,9,10

Types 11,12,13

Types 14, 15 & 16a,b

Examples

Left to right: Large Numerals Types 7, 9 & 12


10C Small Numeral Types

Type 1 & 2 & 3a,b

Type 4a,b & 5

Type 6a,b.c & 7

Type 8a,b & 9a,b

Examples

Type 2, 6a,b,c & 7


10C Large Numeral Types









Examples

Type 1a,b, 2a,b & 11


15C Small Numeral Types

Type 1a,b & 2 & 3

Type 4a,b & 5

Type 8a,b & 9a,b

Not shown
Type 6:L Stain at the base of the pike.
Type 7: "1" of 15 large and thick, with a dot in the middle.

Examples

Type 1a,b, 6 & 9a,b


15C Large Numeral Types

Type 2 & 5a,b

Not shown:
Type 1. Attached point to the left and below the "V" of Centav.
Type 3. The frame line  is cut on "TI" of Argentina + small line on the right arm.
Type 4. Dot stuck on the second branch of the "V" of Centav
Type 6. Point on the Centav point. + dot glued on the 2nd branch of the "V" of Centav.
Type 7. Two points on the right arm.
Type 8. Point under the left arm near the oval.

Examples

Type 5a,b, 7 & 8

Forgeries

Fournier
Bear in mind that although these appear in his stock, it does not mean he created them as he sold forgeries from many sources. However, the 4X4 configuration of the sheets may be a good indicator that Fournier created them.


Full sheets from the Geneva Collection





Full sheets from the Geneva Collection



Torres
It appears that Torres had a penchant for these as I encountered MANY
Note the various typical cancels he uses


Unlike the original
The rays do not all point at the "Sun Man"
The cap appears more like a flower

Torres Assortment


Striped Cap

These are rather crude
The rays do not all point at the "Sun Man"
The cap is striped layers


Hooked Cap

Aside from some heavily cancelled and damaged stamps this is the only decent sample with a pronounced hook in the cap


Reversed Hands

The hands are reversed
Odd facial features
The cap has an odd shape