Honduras 1898 Train Issue

 The original stamps were authorized by a decree in "LA GACETA" on April 30, 1898, and were issued on August 1, 1898. 
The basic set of eight values were 1¢, 2¢, 5¢, 6¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢ and 1 Peso. 
Five of these values, the 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢ and 1 Peso, were overprinted for official use. 
All the stamps are perforated 11.5 and are printed on woven paper. 
However, in the latter half of 1902, the five lower values appeared on laid paper.
Also, in 1902, the 5¢ value appeared, in error, in the color of the 6¢ value. 
An error of color in the 6¢ value also exists.

First issue on wove paper including color errors & varieties

Second issue on laid paper

These stamps were very popular as one of the early issues depicting a train.

4 very good forgeries are known

Forgeries

One local expert notes that there are no forgeries on laid paper.

Forgeries right are compared to the original left

Forgery Type I - "Crooked LIT"

This appears to be the most common forgery.

It appeared in 1902, almost as soon as the genuine

All are perf 11.5 with all 8 values printed.

Given the date of appearance it may well be a postal forgery

The key feature is the upwards sloping LIT at the bottom

The smokestack is almost separated from the train

Overall the shading is darker

The Fournier forgeries from the Geneva collection are Type I.

However, Fournier sold forgeries from many forgers so there is no guarantee he made them.

Unused pairs of 'LIT" forgeries

As these may have been postal forgeries, a variety of cancels exist.

A common one is the MCB cancel shown below which was in use for a long period.

The forgery can also be found with a fake OFICIAL overprint in the 50c and 1 Peso which is perfed 14.5.

Forgery Type II - "Cowboy Hat"

This forgery appears to originate from Paris around 1905 to 1910

The whistle on top looks like a western hat

All 8 values are forged perf 11 instead of 11.5

There does not appear to be any OFICIAL overprints of the forgery.

Overall the shading is very dark

The bottom letters are taller

The top of the 2nd R in CORREOS is large

The mountain on the right is pointed and there is no slope near the funnel

Forgery Type III - "Bad Date"

The features are the same as the Type II and probably are from the same source

The main difference is the wrong date 1896 instead of 1898

The perfs are 11.5 same as the original

This stamp has an 1896 date but is genuine

The 6 is an inking fault

Forg3ry Type IV - "Stripes"

This is a relatively modern forgery, believed to have originated in Germany in the late 1940s or early 1950s. 

The date is very tall and clearly legible

The perf is 11.5 but often very rough

The mountain tops have a dark band

The window of the train cabin is completely shaded

The key feature is the clear stripes on the front of the engine

Type IV forgeries with the OFICIAL overprint

References

Postal History to 1877 Part 4 by Irving Green in Collectors Club Philatelist Vol 45:1

Honduras: the Provisionals of 1877 by L. Fulcher in London Philatelist, December 1922. 

The Postage Stamps of Honduras in The Stamp Lover, February 1912

Locomotive Stamps of 1898 by Hugh Watchorn in American Philatelist September 1966

Forged Stamps of America by Bynof 1991

Postage Stamps of Honduras by L. Crouch in Stamp Lover May 1912

Kohl Handbuch. 1933

Forged Stamps of All Countries Dorn

Focus on Forgeries V. Tyler

Vade-Mecum Seranne

Album Weeds - Earee

Forgeries CD2 - Evert Klaseboer