←

How to Spot a Counterfeit Stamp

00

Counterfeit stamps became profitable once they started to become a collector’s item. As people began to pay large sums of money for them, counterfeiters started focusing on reproducing rare stamps to bilk investors. As technology advanced to include sophisticated printers and design apps, forgers could recreate convincing pieces. The large number of fakes has prompted postal services to implement greater measures against forgeries. So here are some measures you can take yourself to spot a fake...

01

Proof Read

The first action to take is to simply look over and proofread the information displayed on the stamp. Sometimes the forgery can be easily revealed by common and obvious mistakes such as spelling errors. For instance, the year 2015 can appear as 2105. Others display their amateur status as counterfeiters by printing the incorrect postage rate.

02

Check the Colours

Next, take a closer look at the colours when you’re attempting to detect counterfeit stamps. If we take the example of the American flag 44-cent stamp, most forged versions make the common mistake of including a brighter than usual blue. The real ones issued by the US Postal Service appear as a darker blue or even in a purple hue. Another example that was reported in 2017 depicted that counterfeit “Love Skywriting” stamps glow bright blue when placed under shortwave ultraviolet rays instead of a light-yellow green. This demonstrates that the counterfeiter used non-tagged paper to print the stamps. The tagging compounds allow the Postal Service to process mail automatically.

03

Examine the Coils

Coil stamps come in a single line rolled into a “coil.” Comparing the size of perforated holes in the coil can help you determine whether you have fake stamps. According to the Philatelic Foundation, “pressure ridges” find themselves on genuine coil stamps because the ridges for the perforations were produced by the government’s printing machines. Edges that show the use of razors, scissors or paper cutters also signal that you may counterfeit stamps.

04

Examine The Adhesive On The Back Of The Stamp

In stamps, gum is an adhesive. When you moisten the back of the stamp, it sticks to the envelope.Regumming is evidence of counterfeit postage stamps. Scammers regum stamps to make them appear more authentic in order to inflate the value. To detect such a stamp, look for texture and dullness. You should notice that the thickness of the stamp is not consistent throughout. The ability to detect a watermark without special fluid can also tell you that the step has been regummed. Stamps with the original gum have watermarks that can only be noticed by a tray of watermark fluid or another detection method other than the naked eye – but more on that in the next tip:

05

Check For Watermarks

Watermarks are applied to stamps by the maker or issuer indicate their authenticity. You can detect a fake stamp by comparing the watermarks of genuine stamps as depicted in stamp catalogs with any watermark on your stamp. To do so requires the use of watermark fluid or other devices. One such is a dark blue ink filled pouch that you place over the stamp with pressure. With this, you should exercise considerable care so it’s not to get ink on the stamp itself.