Riverside Stamps
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Suspect Scott #350 Unused Single (1/18/17).
This coil is often faked the catalog price for an unused HH #350 is a modest $140.00 and can be faked by adding top and bottom perforations to a trimmed #346, adding horizontal perforations to a #346V imperforate coil or trimming perforations off the left and/or right edges of a fully perforated #334. There is no booklet stamp from which to fake this issue. There is no Perf 10 rotary press issues that can be misidentified as a #350.
The watermark is double line with fragments seen in the upper left and lower right corners. Also seen is an extra piece of stamp paper added to the right edge (left edge as seen from the front) as well as a severe crease at the bottom with significant separation. The left image is in natural light and the right image has been digitally enhanced.
The full width of the suspect is 21.895mm at the top and 21.916mm at the bottom. The width without the added piece on the left side is 20.292mm at the top and bottom. With the added piece the suspect is well over the nominal width of 21.5mm without the extra piece the suspect is well outside the accepted tolerance of +/- 0.3mm. The top and bottom perforations are parallel with the frame.
The suspect’s perforations match well with genuine #331 perforations and show signs of being genuine – slightly out of round, smooth on one side a bit rough on the other; there are no pressure ridges visible. The bottom perfs are slightly out of alignment due to the tear at the bottom.
The unaltered edge of the suspect (top) was compared side by side with a known genuine #348 edge (bottom). As can be seen the genuine edge has a smooth rounded shape while the suspects edge is rough and square. In my opinion the suspect’s edge is not a coil edge.
Conclusion: In my opinion the suspect is a #344 with the perforations trimmed off the left and right edges, altered for improved appearance by an added piece on the left, a severe crease at the bottom that has partially separated.
Reference material used:
- The Expert's Book. A practical guide to the authentication of United States stamps. By Paul W. Schmid.
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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