Kans/Nebr Overprints

I have noticed that the overprint inking varies from heavy and messy to thin and neat. I also see a lot fakes, is that the reason or was printing that "sloppy" ? I keep thinking the overprints should be very similar. any input would be appreciated.

If you see either extreme, the stamp probably was faked. Try reading this book and then see what you think.

http://stamps.org/userfiles/file/My...erfeitKN.pdf

For mint stamps, the presence of vertical ridges and a single gum breaker on the back is a better indicator of genuineness than the overprint.

Love this set. One surefire way to see if you have a fake is to measure the overprints tip to tip (width). You should come up with...

Kans. 9.2 mm

Nebr. 9.0 mm

Another is the number of gum breakers (appear as ridges) on the back. Those in this set should have two, not four. But these can be faked.

More info... http://riversidestamps.com/KansNebrFakes.shtml


-IBFS

Ok, I'm measuring mine. From tip to tip, do you mean the left edge of bottom foot of the N to end of the dot - for Nebr. ? .2 mm isn't a lot.

1847USA puts the breaks on the gum breakers. see; http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa...Breakers.htm

Yes, how you described your method was correct. I know it is a small distance difference, but none of my Nebr. overprints exceeded 9.0 mm.

Also the gum breaker ridges are key also. Please refer to the website in my last post. Fortunately it says...

"The gum breaker ridge impression on a used stamp can be strong enough to be seen using the same angled viewing method under a light technique as with an unused stamp".

and...

"With no exception all genuine unused Nebr./Kans. overprints have gum breakers that are spaced 22mm (Type II) apart which means that there will only be one gum breaker on the back unless the breakers are at the very top and very bottom perforations of the stamp."

It is also interesting to note how they overlayed a genuine overprint over a fake overprint.

I won't understand up to my dying day why the USPS used a typewriter font, so easily duplicated with certain typewriters, instead of the font used on the "Molly Pitcher" and "Hawaii" overprints.


Hope this helps
-IBFS

Most of the fakes are on used stamps, and not many are good enough to warrant measuring. In addition to the fakes documented in the APS booklet, additional fakes surfaced some years ago and are the subject of a front page article in Linn's by Ken Lawrence. Those fakes are recognizable by the large period and somewhat amorphous appearance of the letters. In some cases it may be possible to see clearly that the overprint is on top of the cancel.

Clark