Fake Stamps Part III Of III

Continuing from the post on Friday…

Certain stamp cancels and overprints can raise the value of a stamp so you should check the validity before purchasing them. Fake cancels will often have inaccurate dates or will be hand painted in instead of printed.

Re-perforated stamps are the most common fakes out on the market. They are fairly easy to spot especially with a magnifying glass. When a stamp is originally perforated it has holes that are shaped like an oval. Original perforations have little paper tufts that extend slightly in the holes. When a stamp is re-perforated, perforations are added to a straight edge stamp. Look for fakes by checking the holes. The holes on the fakes will likely be poorly spaced and not line up properly.

With stamp collecting being the most popular hobby in the world, it only stands to reason that stamp fakes and forgeries are also the most popular fraud in the world. The old adage still holds true, even when purchasing new stamps ….”If it is too good to be true, than it usually is.”

If you would like to add some wonderful stamps (that are not fakes) to your collection, check this site out.