Riverside Stamps
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Suspect Scott #459 Used Single (12/3/16).
This is a very expensive stamp if real having a catalogue value of $1300.00 for a used single. The #459 is a carmine Type I, rotary press, single line watermarked, imperforate horizontal coil that is rarely faked. Fakes of the #459 can be made from the perf 10 vertical, single line watermarked, rotary press Type I horizontal coil #453 by trimming the perforations away. Fakes of the #459 can also be made from the perf 10 vertical, single line watermarked, rotary press Type III horizontal coil #455 by trimming the perforations away as well as altering the Type III design to resemble the Type I design. Neither fake would be convincing because the #453 is a carmine-rose color and in most cases a fake made from the #455 usually only have the extra ribbon shading lines removed which is readily visible under close examination. Fortunately there is a number of unique Type III features that are not altered that give away a fake made from a #455.
The suspect’s watermark is not distinct but I believe it is either an “S” in the middle, the fragment of a “P” in the lower right corner or the fragment of a “U” in the upper right corner.
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The suspect is a rotary press issue, the image below shows the suspect overlaid on the US Specialty Multi Gauge Flat Plate/Rotary Press gauge.
As can be seen the suspect is touching the heavy vertical line at the right which indicates the suspect is a rotary press issue. The actual measurements of the suspect’s frame is 19.75mm wide by 22.5mm tall
The suspect should be a Type I design (left images). The first place to look is the left and right folds of the ribbons which should only have one shading line (suspect in the middle); the Type III reference images are at the right:
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As can be seen the suspect has two shading lines in the left and right ribbon folds which makes it a Type III design.
Another feature to look at is the upper right laurel berry which in a Type I design should be a distinct blob of ink while a Type III berry forms a “V” shape.
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As can be seen the suspect’s laurel berry matches the Type III design.
There’s no need to go any further, the suspect is definitely a Type III design.
Conclusion: In my opinion the suspect is a Scott #455 with the perforations trimmed off the left and right sides.
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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