Advice For Collecting Csa Stamps

Up til now, I've contented myself with just US stamps, but with the fruit getting quite high the tree, I'm considering starting to add CSA to my collection. I'm completely unfamiliar with this area, but have noticed that authentic postally used stamps seem to command higher prices than unused. I've also sensed that many of the available stamps were actually produced after the war from the original plates. There also seems to be a host of suspicious items for sale that may in fact be unmarked facsimiles. Truth is that it's a bit scary. Any help or advice out there for a Confederate stamp virgin?

Larry

#1. Get out your checkbook.
#2. See #1

#3. I'll leave this one for the other people here

Remember knowledge is power. Gain the power by arming yourself with knowledge. Many books have been written about the Confederate Stamps. Their are also some Very Good websites. For one I would recommend Col. Kevin Baker's Website.

http://home.comcast.net/~kr.baker/c...s/index.html

I would also recommend jouning the Confederate Stamp Alliance.

Know what the genuine stamps look like.

Of the 14 general issue Confederate stamps listed in Scotts only #6 was reprinted in blue and black in 1957. There are numeroius forgeries of the general issue stamps. Most are poor imitations. The earlies of these fakes dates back to 1862. Age is no guaranty of genuineness. The New York counterfeit, the best of the fakes, and the Birmingham are the most likely to fool a beginner. If it does not look like the genuine stamp then it is a fake. Genuine copies of Scotts # 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 can be found readily for very reasonable prices on ebay.

The genuine provisional you will most likely find are the New Orleans, Mobile five cent, and the two and five cent Memphis out side a specialty dealer or major auction house. All the other provisional you see are 99.9% likely fakes, forgeries or facsimiles. Beware: there are numerous fakes of the New Orleans, Mobile and Memphis stamps as well. Compare with pictures of the fakes. Be skeptical.

Put picture of the stamp you buy or want on the forum ask if they are genuine. Some one is bound to know.

See:

http://www.webuystamps.com/csaauth.htm

http://www.jlkstamps.com/fakes/fakecsa.htm

lpmiller,

Some good advise has been already been stated. Perhaps the only one that I would add is to work through a dealer you trust, one that has a legitimate return policy. ebay and others are full of fake CSA material. Some dealers just don't know the difference and some are just out for the quick buck.

So, do your research, study what to look for and take a chance. Isn't that what we as collectors do?

Art

Wecome Larry
I started collecting CSA last year and thoroughly enjoy them. It is a challenge, I've bought a couple of duds off ebay.
I'd highly recommend Dr Kimbrough's site as well (jlkstamps.com) and here's a link for an article on CSA fakes from American Philatelist

www.stamps.org/AP/Collecting0111.pdf

Informative and with pictures! I like that the best.



There are other later reprints as well. August Dietz, considered the father of confederate philately found some unused plates in 1926 and printed the redesigned 2c John C. Calhoune in emerald green. The stamp (seen below on top) and the 5c Davis were redesigned with new denominations, but never issued.
In the end, I kind of find the forgeries and 'cinderella' CSAs as interesting as the originals.

Also, beware the Springfield reproductions. Some on ebay will try to pass them off as the real thing.