Venezuela: 1880 Forgeries: Effigy of Liberator Simon Bolivar
Feb 20, 2024 17:54:51 GMT
philatelia, Beryllium Guy, and 4 more like this
Post by aram528 on Feb 20, 2024 17:54:51 GMT
Fake 1880 Issue with Effigy of the Liberator Simon Bolivar
Good morning or good afternoon, dear Forum Members: Here is another topic that I hope will be of interest to you, thank you for your attention.
The present information was extracted from the article written by Mr. Alberto Moratti, member of the Caracas Philatelic Association (ASOFILCA), March 2009.
In Mr. P.K. Brack's article, published in "Main Sheet" many years ago, and in Hull and Fulcher's book, we have noted certain discrepancies in the specifications of the catalogues, with regard to this series. Let us see: In January 1880 the first series with the effigy of the Liberator was issued, printed by Felix Rasco in Caracas. The contract was for an overall quantity of 600,000 stamps distributed as follows.
The paper was thin, and the perforation was 11. As we can see, there are five values, but in the catalogues there are six, with two different colours for the 10c. value. The reality is as follows: because the stamps were running out, in January 1881, the Government ordered 250,000 copies of 25 c. to be reprinted, which were received on 30 July 1881.
In the course of the same month, it was also necessary to order the 5c, 10c and 50c. denominations in quantities of 250,000, 150,000 and 100,000 respectively. Between September and November partial batches of reprints of the 5 c. and 10 c. denominations arrived on thick paper with the same perforation.
In the 5c. value of this second batch the difference in colour is more in intensity than in tone, but in the 10c. value it is definitely noticeable, as it is totally different, as well as in the 25c. value. Before the entire order was received, and due to the problems of counterfeit stamps (not this series, which was counterfeited some years later), the Government cancelled the contract with Rasco and ordered a new counterfeit-proof issue from the American Bank Note Co.
For this reason, we believe that the 50c. was never received in its entirety, which would explain its rarity, and the 1 Bs. was never even commissioned. However, if we consider the reprinting of the 10c. as an additional value, why not do it with the 5, 25 and 50c. values which were also printed later and differ in colour and paper thickness?
In the 1961 Massilia Catalogue, the series is correctly listed with 5 values and the 10 c. and the other denominations in different colour and paper appear as varieties. The 10 c., vermilion and thick paper, is a variety, as are those of the other values, or the four reprinted values (5,10,25 and 50) are a separate series.
Readers will have their say.
Good morning or good afternoon, dear Forum Members: Here is another topic that I hope will be of interest to you, thank you for your attention.
The present information was extracted from the article written by Mr. Alberto Moratti, member of the Caracas Philatelic Association (ASOFILCA), March 2009.
In Mr. P.K. Brack's article, published in "Main Sheet" many years ago, and in Hull and Fulcher's book, we have noted certain discrepancies in the specifications of the catalogues, with regard to this series. Let us see: In January 1880 the first series with the effigy of the Liberator was issued, printed by Felix Rasco in Caracas. The contract was for an overall quantity of 600,000 stamps distributed as follows.
- 5 cents Blue 200,000
- 10 cents Red 100,000
- 25 cents Yellow 200,000
- 50 cents Brown 50,000
- 1 Bolívar-Bs Green 50,000 (Bolívar makes annotation to the currency not to the person)
The paper was thin, and the perforation was 11. As we can see, there are five values, but in the catalogues there are six, with two different colours for the 10c. value. The reality is as follows: because the stamps were running out, in January 1881, the Government ordered 250,000 copies of 25 c. to be reprinted, which were received on 30 July 1881.
In the course of the same month, it was also necessary to order the 5c, 10c and 50c. denominations in quantities of 250,000, 150,000 and 100,000 respectively. Between September and November partial batches of reprints of the 5 c. and 10 c. denominations arrived on thick paper with the same perforation.
In the 5c. value of this second batch the difference in colour is more in intensity than in tone, but in the 10c. value it is definitely noticeable, as it is totally different, as well as in the 25c. value. Before the entire order was received, and due to the problems of counterfeit stamps (not this series, which was counterfeited some years later), the Government cancelled the contract with Rasco and ordered a new counterfeit-proof issue from the American Bank Note Co.
For this reason, we believe that the 50c. was never received in its entirety, which would explain its rarity, and the 1 Bs. was never even commissioned. However, if we consider the reprinting of the 10c. as an additional value, why not do it with the 5, 25 and 50c. values which were also printed later and differ in colour and paper thickness?
In the 1961 Massilia Catalogue, the series is correctly listed with 5 values and the 10 c. and the other denominations in different colour and paper appear as varieties. The 10 c., vermilion and thick paper, is a variety, as are those of the other values, or the four reprinted values (5,10,25 and 50) are a separate series.
Readers will have their say.