Part 2 of a series of reports highlighting the fake reperforations of the now famous "Buonocore Reperforations" that flooded the market on eBay from mid 2001 to May 2002.
Be sure to read the other reports concerning the "Buonocore Reperforations" 546 and the altered RW5.
The next stamp we expose as fake is part of the Wahington / Franklin regular issue of 1917-19. It was unwatermarked and perforated 11 on a common perforation gauge. It was produced by the FLAT PLATE printing method, and popped out of the presses in sheets of 400 subjects in panes of 100.
The 508c came about when someone at the BoEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing) accidently replaced a set of #11 rotary perforation wheels with #10 rotary perforation wheels.
The image of the wheels shown here illustrates how flat plate press stamps were perforated. The sheet of stamps is shown as the letter "C". The wheel "A" has pins that punch the holes into the sheet of stamps and line up with matching holes in wheel "B".
Because the BoEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing) used this method, it makes the forger's life very difficult. And makes for detecting fake perfs easy for us, as will be explained more below.
A genuine 508c came about when only one wheel "A" was replaced with the wrong perforation gauge. This rarity only exists with the perf 10 on the top or bottom and, only used copies have been found.
Another Bogus Scott 519 - New November 2002
The Fake Scott 346 Private Perf - New October 2002
The Most Impressive Fake Scott 62B
The Secret Life of an Altered Scott 72
The Secret Life of a Chemically Altered Scott 78
The Secret Life of an Altered RW5 Duck Stamp
A Fake Scott #320 with Schermack Type III Perforations
Fake Scott #743a
Detecting a Flat Plate Press Vertical Coil, Fake Scott 441
Fake Reperfed 514a
Fake Reperfed 508c
Fake Reperfed 546
Fake Scott 143 w / Bogus Grill
Fake Scott 137 w / Same Bogus Grill as Fake 143
Fake Scott 139 w / Same Bogus Grill as Fake 137 and 143
Fake Scott 315 - Revised June 2002
Fake Reperfed Scott 519 - Revised June 2002
A Gallery of Bogus Stuff Part 1
A Gallery of Bogus Stuff Part 2
A Gallery of Bogus Stuff Part 3
A Gallery of Bogus Stuff Part 4
A Gallery of Bogus Stuff Part 5
Credits, Inspiration and Links of Interest
Bibliography of Research Material I Use for this Site
Download the Schermack Type III Go-NoGo Gauge
New Rev5.1 Design, November 2007
Buy the Sonic Imagery Labs Specialty Perforation & Grill Multi -Gauge
Download Instruction Sheet for the Sonic Imagery Labs Specialty Perforation & Grill Multi -Gauge
Download a MAIL ORDER form for the Sonic Imagery Labs Specialty Perforation & Grill Multi -Gauge
This was purchased on eBay from the seller (stamps55). It was purchased for $11.50 on 1/29/2002 and was eBay item number 1326089527.
On first glance, one might not even notice that the lower edge of the stamp is even perforated differently. Let's take a closer look and use a US Specialty Gauge to make more precise measurements.
This was purchased on eBay from the seller (stamps55). It was purchased for $11.50 on 1/29/2002 and was eBay item number 1326089527.
Here we can see that the top does perf out correctly.
This was purchased on eBay from the seller (stamps55). It was purchased for $11.50 on 1/29/2002 and was eBay item number 1326089527.
Uggghh. The bottom doesn't even fit right. The perf spacing is close but the hole size is all wrong. Perf 10 holes should be about 0.0375 inches in diameter. Real perf holes are slightly oval in the direction of sheet feed. In this case the hole would be wider in the horizontal plane.
Here is a closer view at 30X magnification. It is pretty clear to see that the fakers found a used 508 with a straight edge and simply did a bad job of punching holes along its lower edge.
Here is another close view at 30X magnification of the other corner.
The Scott Specialized Catalog of US Stamps places a value of $3250.00 on a genuine copy. A quick census of the Robert Siegel Auction Gallery of New York finds that only 4 genuine copies have been sold though them since the 1970's.
Look closely at the characteristics of the perforation holes in this image to the left. Look at the perforations that have been added to the RW5 report. Notice any similarity?
I am pointing to the little divots in the perforations holes edge. The perf hole to the far left actually has 3 divots. This is the "finger print" or shared characteristic of all of the now famous "Buonocore Reperforations".
Be sure to read the other reports concerning the "Buonocore Reperforations" 546 and the altered RW5.
Thanks for visiting this site. I hope you learn something new as I am having fun doing this and stirring up the "doodoo" so to speak. You, the visitor, have my permission to copy my pages and images for the purpose of showing others how to look for fakes and forgeries. You also have my permission to link to my pages and to share the link paths to others. I only ask in return for you to send me an e-mail if I have made a mistake or have done some other technical blunder that in my rush to put these pages up would cause the visitor confusion. Please also visit my other website www.slingshotvenus.com and support the live music arts.