Riverside Stamps
Return to Home Page or Altered and Faked stamps Index Page
|
The contents of
this website is copyright protected. Any suggestions for additions or changes are always welcome. |
Suspect Scott #413
This is not an overly expensive stamp - $25 catalog value and is often faked. This stamp can be made by adding perforations to a #409, there is no perforated stock in which to make a #413 from. The fact that the only way to make this stamp is to add perforations to an imperforated stamp, an easy conclusion is that if the perforations can be determined to be genuine then the stamp itself is genuine.
So lets look at the perforations then. The actual gauge of a #413 is 8.29 not 8.5. The Instanta gauge only goes down to 9.8 but it does go up to 18+ so good 8.29 perforations should match up with every other line of 16.58, on the Specialist Gauge use the 8 1/2 - 95. The suspect stamp lines up perfectly with both gauges .The perforations are on a straight line and do not waiver, they are parallel to each frame line thus the two columns of perforations are parallel to each other.
The perforation tips are clipped, the only thing that gives me pause, but it is a known fact that perf 8 1/2 was at times difficult to separate so it is possible that the postmaster or the person who bought a coil of stamps used scissors to separate a stamp from the bulk coil.
The perforations do not show signs of being manufactured - they are slightly oblong in shape, ragged in appearance and are filled with paper fibers especially near the top of the perf hole. Another thing I noticed was that where the cancel meets a perf hole the fibers are covered in ink. See the images below, the first is a view of several perforations on the right side and the rest are close-ups of individual perforations.
In conclusion: I believe that I can safely say that the perforations of the suspect stamp are genuine. Since there is no perforated stock and the only other way to make this stamp is to add perfs I can say with confidence that this stamp is in fact a genuine Scott #413
Reference material used:
- The Expert's Book. A practical guide to the authentication of United States stamps. By Paul W. Schmid.
- How to Detect Damaged, Altered and Repaired Stamps. By Paul Schmid
As always comments and suggestions are always welcome.
To Contact Riverside Stamps:
Email:
Mike Girard - Owner / Operator / Web Master:
g1rardmn1099@comcast.net
|
I am a member of the American Philatelic Society
|
I am a member of the United States Stamp Society  USSS #: 16733 Visit the United States Stamp Society Website at www.usstamps.org |
I am a member of the Perfins Club
|
