Large Newspaper Stamps

I want to develop a mini-collection of the large Newspaper stamps PR1 to PR8. I have the PR3 and also the scan below. It seems difficult to distinguish with confidence PR4, PR5 and PR8 (5 cent light blue, dull blue, dark blue -- all with white borders). Or can someone give me an education on that - I am assuming mine is a PR5?? I know I have seen several on ebay that are misidentified.

Other than the stated colors to check you need to pay attention to the various papers (hard, thin, soft porous). Check 1847usa for a complete list.

http://www.1847usa.com/Newspapers1865.htm

I'm not confident in my ability to judge the paper - I'll study up on that - I worry about a ebayer not knowing any more than I do and listing incorrectly.

LOTS of fakes of these out there.

The other odd thing I saw on ebay was several marked as regummed - why would you regum a stamp that was never gummed in the first place?

Repeat Revcollector.

FAKES are Rampant! on this series of stamps. Be Careful

Two obvious things; genuine stamps were embossed when they were printed, many fakes are not. Also at the bottom of the stamps there is a small label of the National Bank Note Co. This label has to be clear and easily read, on the fakes it's usually very muddy with broken or incomplete letters.

Thanks for that revcollector - I will have to look - I am sure one of my two is embossed but not so sure of the other. That would be a bummer if I already have a fake.

So would anyone like to weigh in on whether the above stamp is real or forgery. Perfs are a perfect 12; dimensions of the design are spot on; National Bank Note script at bottom is sharp. But it does not appear to have strong embossing (compared to my PR3 for example) - but I feel some I believe in the lower area. I have read that the embossing is hard to see on reprinted versions - so could this be the PR5 dull blue reprint?