Moldova Bulls 1858-61

 1858-61 Issues

Reported quantities printed

BLUISH PAPER

7008 stamps of 5 parale

28032 stamps of 40 parale

8000 stamps of 80 parale

WHITE AND VARIOUSLY TINTED PAPERS

16032 stamps of 5 parale

78000 stamps of 40 parale

52072 stamps of 80 parale

Genuine 5 Parale

1. Bottom of 5 is thick

2. Star is open on the bottom ray

3. Opening between ear and horn

4. Dent in frame

5. E & I generally joined by thin line

6. Later issue has a break in the frame

7. Square even shapes

8. Serif on foot inclines to the right

9. Top of P generally open

10. Top of O generally open

11. Left side of T generally open

12. Markings on left side only

The Unissued 1862 5p

The unissued late printing, probably made in the spring of 1862, exists only unused on white paper.
It has the same authentic features as the initial printing but the die had been damaged in the meantime so that the lower frame line shows a diagonal break
beneath the A of IIAP.
NOTE – this can be expertly fixed to imitate the very rare early printing

Genuine 40 Parale

1. Letters not joined
2. Generally a visible dent in the frame
3. The frame is much thicker on top particularly on the right side
4. Star open on top
5. Right side of ear very thick
6. Generally open here
7. Blank spot here
8. Top of horn and mouth touch
9. Generally a break here
10. Letters gradually incline particularly the I
11. P generally open
12. O generally open
13. Left side of T is open
14. Top of O is open

Most show somewhat of a break in the horn above the A.
The damaged lower P may have occurred during 1860/61 through wear or mechanical damage to the original die.

The 40p comes in 2 types. Type II having a lower damaged P. Perhaps a later printing

Types I & II

There are several shades such as the above deep blue on white wove paper

Genuine 80 Parale

1. 0 is narrow, inclined and smaller than the 8
2. Top and/or bottom rays may be open. Left side rays are longer
3. Curving serifs on P
4. R & I generally joined
5. Generally a frame break here
6. Large space between horn and mouth

7. Bottom letters very inclined and more compressed than the top ones
8. 5 white space areas in horn
9. Left ear thinner than right one
10. Horn are equal and tips curve outwards

There are 2 Types

5P Forgeries

The 4 above are easily identified by the crescent shaped horns.
They appear to be from different sources, in particular note the shape of the 5
The ears don’t point in the right direction.

Overall very crude

The horn tips do not point out as in the original

More crude forgeries

Better forgeries

This forgery should have been obvious just from the horns and ears but on auction it garnered 20 bids and sold for $400

Another obvious forgery - 19 bids sold for $300

40P Forgeries

Crude forgeries

The last 2 received several bids and sold for $100

Better forgeries compared to the original on the left

Main difference in the side letters

No break in the star
Bottom P is inclined
Right letters are not aligned

No break in the star
Letters do not match particularly the first S, both I’s, all the P’s

The above was certified as genuine in a high profile auction despite the obvious differences in the star, many of the letters and the thinness of the lines in the
horn

The top numerals are thick and close together
The star has no break
The horn is too round

Forgeries of the 80P

Crude Forgeries

Better forgeries compared to original left

Large ears
Star is not open at top
Horns do not curve out enough
Letters tend to be thicker

A very good forgery
Star is different shape
Horn is too round
Letters on right are in a curved line

This right one is the Sperati forgery
The smudges above the top frame appear consistent in all the ones found (see below)
The middle section of the horn lacks lines and appears to have a flat top
Inside to horn are 3 distinct dots

Another Sperati

Gorjan Reprint on vertically laid green paper without watermark