Riverside Stamps
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Suspect Scott #321, Used Single (12/27/20).
I bought this stamp on eBay as a known fake of a Scott #321 to get it off the market and to do a doing a proper analysis of the stamp. The Scott #321 is a ridiculously rare and expensive stamp with a catalogue value of $250,000 as a used single on cover of which only two are known. There are no known used singles off cover. The Scott #321 is only known as a Type I stamp – weak frame line on the laurel leave next to the left hand numeral “2” and a weak inner frame line in the bottom left corner. The #321 can be faked from the Scott #319 issue by trimming the perforations off from the left and /or right edges, from the #320V imperforate coil by adding counterfeit perforations to the top and bottom edges and the Scott #319g booklet stamps by trimming the perforations from the left or right edges of the top two stamps in a pane of six. Fakes are also known from the Scott #319F Type II issue but would fool only the inexperienced collector. Only four certified unused pairs are known with a possible fifth uncertified unused pair is known in the Miller Collection at the New York Public Library. Two unused singles are known on cover. Forgetting about the rarity and expense of this stamp, how would one go about proving that this is a fake? The first thing to look at is what type is the stamp. Below are images of the two places on the suspect that can be used to determine what type design the suspect is.
As can be seen the inner frame line at the lower left is a uniform line and the line where the left side laurel leaf meets the frame is thin and weak – these are characteristics of the Type I design. The Type II design would show a stronger inner frame line that in most cases would also show a bump or spot of thickening and the left side laurel leaf would also have a much thicker line separating it from the frame.
Below are images of the suspects perforations overlaid on known genuine perf 12.
As can be seen the suspects perforations are a perfect match with known genuine perf 12 therefore the suspect can only be a trimmed fully perforated stamp or booklet single. Examining the watermark will differentiate between the two types of stamps.
The suspect is showing a reversed double line “S” on the left side and a corresponding “P” on the right side that reads vertically.
Since the watermark reads from bottom to top the suspect could only have been made from a booklet single. The final question becomes which edge was trimmed? Looking at the edges the left edge is very uneven having a concave shape to it. the right side is more straight and looks like an old edge of a booklet.
In conclusion I can say with certainty that the suspect is a Scott #319g with the perforations trimmed off of the left edge.
As always comments and suggestions are always welcome.
To Contact Riverside Stamps:
Email:
Mike Girard - Owner / Operator / Web Master:
g1rardmn1099@comcast.net
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I am a member of the American Philatelic Society
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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
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