What Is Wrong With The Cert On This #70 1861 24c?

Dang iPhones, sorry guys and gals, thought I posted this already.

OK, if you look on the left side of the stamp you'll see a guide line. As others have correctly pointed out it has clearly been reperforated on the left as it was originally a straight edge copy. It appears to be 40R6.

I think the guide line is creating an optical illusion that a margin was added.

A thought ocurred to me. There is still plenty of margin, could one just chop off the perfs and return it to a "normal" stamp?

The vertical guideline at left was what threw me off (and why I wanted to see a back-scan). Knew it was either an added margin or reperf at left - thanks for the summary.

You could cut off the perfs, but it wouldn't look the same as the original straight edge. Now that I know what to look for, I've found quite a few W/F "coils" with one natural straight edge and the other with trimmed perfs.

I have corresponded with APEX about this stamp. It was expertized by a well-known person, but I think it would be unfair of me to say who it was. I did NOT examine it. Mercer has told me that he will gladly accept it back for re-examination and has contacted the person who submitted it. I will request Mercer to let me know the outcome of the re-examination.

I think it is about time for the OP to
"state his case"

Kevin, I think he did--upthread at the top of p. 3--reperfed on left but no added margin.

thanks....just got tired of following the thread and missed it.

BillW2; Are you the owner of this stamp? If so, as I said in my last post, Mercer will be happy to have you send it in and he'll send it out and get it corrected.

.....Well, I am pleased to report to this forum that I have recently examined this stamp, which I had asked Mercer to send to me. I am going to try to attach a copy of the APEX worksheet which examiners use to record their findings. If I am successful in attaching them, then no further explanation is necessary! If I am not, I will ask someone else to upload the pictures.**

OK, I can't upload them (fiule size "too big". I'll ask someone to help me.......

I can take care of it for you, Bill. Any time; no problem.

Images from BillW...
Don

Don's links have a formatting error. Here they are and compressed to fit on this site.

Thank you Don for posting the pictures. The quote above described the left side 100% accurately in my opinion. The fact that another noted expert did not think it was reperfed at left is interesting because it points out clearly that so-called "experts" can, and do, sometimes disagree! Since the cert. was issued after one examiner checked it and he was unsure about the reperf, the commitee chairman went along with the description.

I must say that I did not see any cancel ink in the perf hole edges - which would, of course, prove that it is NOT reperfed (unless done so before it was cancelled - highly unlikely or a fake cancel added after it was reperfed - also highly unlikely.

I am pleased to be able to "wrap up" this story for SCF readers.