Counterfeit/Forgery GB Royal Mail Red 1st Class Stamps

[gerard]

The following images are of five counterfeit stamps and one real one for comparison. One image shows the stamps under longwave uv lighting, the other from a scanner. The scanned image has been 'tidied up' to align the stamps and make it easier to compare the simulated perforations.
The top left-hand one is the only real stamp.

Could any member advise me about the die-cut simulated perferations on the bottom left-hand stamps? Are they like USA stamps?

[kacyds]

Cant say that I have seen any US Die-Cut Perforations like that one.

[gerard]

The reason I'm asking is that it would seem a lot of trouble to produce a die so I was thinking they used something already available. It is very shallow compared the the USA 'perfs'.

[gerard]

I've been experimenting with ways of illustrating the iridescent overprint on GB Machins - particularly the counterfeits I've previously shown. The attached are my efforts with the Middleton Red Counterfeit - that's the top centre one in my image of the six stamps.The colour one is with a digital microscope and a 60led circular light.

[gerard]

If anyone is interested in finding this stamp in kiloware; other than the lack of afterglow under short wave UV, the 'Y' in the nape of the Queen's neck is missing and is fairly easy to spot. I imagine there will be plenty in kiloware soon as this counterfeit is quite widespread. Only the 'Wembley' counterfeit is more common (top right stamp in my set of six).

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2015 16:10:53 GMT -5 gerard said:

If anyone is interested in finding this stamp in kiloware; other than the lack of afterglow under short wave UV, the 'Y' in the nape of the Queen's neck is missing and is fairly easy to spot. I imagine there will be plenty in kiloware soon as this counterfeit is quite widespread. Only the 'Wembley' counterfeit is more common (top right stamp in my set of six).

Wow; clever you, they would have fooled me.
How much can it be worth though, they only cost a few pence.
You'd have to produce millions wouldn't you?'

[gerard]

I'm told the printing press capable of producing these can turn out £6m worth per day. The last one found in Istanbul was producing UK, Belgian and German stamps (if I remember correctly).

[Butterfly]

"£6m worth per day" WOW!

Thank you for your excellent forensic document research.
Who knows where such forgeries will appear next?
Maybe I should purchase stamps now from stores rather than from the PO so I can search for forgeries!

[gerard]

Well, I know little of USA Counterfeits but I have seen images of counterfeit modern USA and Canadian stamps. (I mean stamps designed to commit fraud against the postal authorities rather than 'philatelic fergery'.) In the UK stamps can be sold by any shop (store) and Royal Mail only give a small discount to retailers so there is a temptation to buy from dubious sources at 50% (I am reliably informed) of the current value. There are at least 10 counterfeit stamp varieties in circulation in the UK (I have over 10 different types).

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2015 10:47:16 GMT -5 gerard said:

Well, I know little of USA Counterfeits but I have seen images of counterfeit modern USA and Canadian stamps. (I mean stamps designed to commit fraud against the postal authorities rather than 'philatelic fergery'.) In the UK stamps can be sold by any shop (store) and Royal Mail only give a small discount to retailers so there is a temptation buy from dubious sources at 50% (I am reliably informed) of the current value. There are at least 10 counterfeit stamp varieties in circulation in the UK (I have over 10 different types).

I didn't know that many people used the Post Office anymore.
I thought Hermes was taking over from the Post Office as the preferred carrier, but maybe this is a regional figure?

[gerard]

The last figures I can find are 140m parcels delivered by Hermes and 1068m by Royal Mail. RM has a 38% market share and there are lots of companies bigger than Hermes.

[cyberbeast]

this is new to me i just brought a bag with lot of 1st and 2nd brit stamps have to check them all now