fake05

This stamp was sold to an unsuspecting buyer as having "intaglio black" omitted. In fact, the stamp was printed entirely by photogravure. The inscription, purported to be omitted, was printed in light gray, not black. Black intaglio ink is impossible to successfully bleach or scrape off. The faker counted on this common knowledge to deflect suspicion. He guessed, and guessed correctly, that having described the stamp as intaglio omitted, no one would bother to scrutinize it too carefully. The unlucky buyer of this "error," for which he paid a substantial price, subsequently wrote me to suggest listing it in the Error Catalogue. I didn't even have to see the stamp to know something was wrong -- the issue contains no intaglio printing. Under magnification, the fakery became evident. The faker carefully, with a light, deft touch, erased the gray inscription. The moral to the story, examine color-omitted error stamps under magnification for possible signs of tampering.