Genuine Stamps
Genuine features
Genuine Features
1. Cross leans slightly to the right
2. Tip touches 3rd line down
3. Tip touches 3rd line up
4. Side of N sightly below other letters
5. Flat bottom of C
6. Break in leaf (not always visible)
7. Crossbar broken (key Feature)
Forgeries
The upper left part of the fleur-de-lis is connected with a thick line to the left part of the oval.
Note the different lower part of the fleur-de-lis compared to the original.
Uneven bottom fleur-de-lis
Unknown Forgers
Billigs Type I
- The value inscriptions are much too small
- The leaf and acorns on the left are touching the border.
- Note that there are three acorns, instead of two.
- In the genuine stamps, the right hand olive leaf has a small olive in it, this forgery lacks this olive.
1859 Provisionals
Genuine Stamps
The bottom of the S of STATI extends out to left
Middle frame line broken above A of STATI
Thick right side of A in STATI
Right top serif of T of STATI is generally smaller than that of the left
Right top serif of I of STATI is missing
Upper left of S in PARMENSI is flattened and top is much larger than bottom
Horizontal line below PARMENSI is 9 mm long (middle A to Middle S)
The bottom of the C in CENTESIMI is generally flattened
The end tail of the R of PARMENSI is flattened
The 80c
The 80c is the only stamp of the set that had only one printing run. At the "used" status it's the rarest stamp of the Old Italian States and one out of the rarest and most important of the world (1 letter and 5 single pieces known in total). A prime forgery target
Forgeries
This is one of the most forged issued of the Italian States
I have not noted the features. Comparing to the originals will easily show the differences.
5c Forgeries
10C Forgeries
20c Forgeries
40c Forgeries
80c Forgeries
Sperati Forgeries
1859 Issue 5c
1. There is a nick in the outer frameline at the level of the serif of the "P" in "PARMENSI"
2. There is a dot between the "T" and "E" of "CENTESIMI"
1859 Issue 40c
1. There is a large break in middle frameline above the "A" of "STATI"
2. The outer frame line at left, on the level of the "S" of "STATI" is missing
1859 Issue 80c - Type A
1. There is a spot of color off the point of the shield at top left
2. The upper part of the right side of the "N" of "CENTESIMI" is broken away
1859 Issue 80c - Type B
1. There is a large break in middle frameline above the "A" of "STATI"
2. The lower right point of the shield appears to have extra ink blob
1859 Issue 80c - Type C
1. There is an extra blob of color in frame lines to left of the "P" of "PARMENSI"
2. The A" and the "R" of "PARMENSI" are joined at the foot
Fournier sold forgeries
Possibly supplied by Spiro Bros.
Newspaper Stamps
Genuine Stamps
Forgeries
References
Italy - Parma Forgeries - Billigs
Italy.States.Forgeries - Cerutti Guido
Parma - Schloss
http://www.antichistati.com/800/index800.html - Lorenzo
Sperati.dot.Org - Country Index
Serrane Guide
Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries
Evert Klaseboer CD2
Italian States - Dorn
Album Weeds - Parma
