A New S-122 On Cover Or A Scam

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-S-78-122-...em43dfe333a0

ebay #291519017888 is proported to be an S-122 1869 90 cent pictorial on cover. I would think that anyone that has been involved in covers knows there is only one legitimate cover with an S-122.

My question is why doesn't ebay care about creating an honest open forum for buying and selling legitimate merchandise.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but, although the title may be a bit misleading, the seller does state the following in the description of the item:

" It is my opinion that the U.S. 122 has been added to a genuine 78 on cover. This alteration was skillfully done and only evident after careful examination. The Scott U.S. Specialized catalogue states that "No. 122 on cover is unique" and only one example on cover is known (SCV$430,000). I have catalogued this as (a) U.S. 78 on cover (SCV$450.00) and (b) as a U.S. 122, used, OFF cover (SCV$2100.00)."

The item could have been titled more accurately, but it did get our attention. Always need to read the entire listing in detail and completely.

Seller is being honest about the stamp being added. A real beauty of a cover wish I had it. Lots of bids to.

I'm very partial to this type of fakery. No peanut work here - someone used a relatively expensive stamp to "improve" what was already a good cover. Of course the 90 cent stamp is also "improved" Nice faked item which should do quite well.

No scam - seller states quite clearly in the description that stamp was added.

Anyone have an opinion on this listing then? (I contacted the seller and inquired. He replied and stated that he justified the listing with the reasoning that he had purchased the cover as legitimate from a dealer at a stamp show.)
Don

http://www.ebay.com/itm/25202530240...4%26_rdc%3D1

Don, that's a modern fake (and a bad one at that - same color ink for everything ) that personally I would not touch with the proverbial ten foot pole. It looks like the stamp is also a forgery.

And am I not mistaken that the return address is Los Angeles, but the postmark is London? And a 1869 stamp used in 1897? And an overpayment of postage of 87 cents? Did I miss anything?

What is wrong with those bidders - they can either buy a good period "fake" with a real stamp (repaired, etc.) or a modern reproduction (with valueless label) for almost the same price.

Even looks like modern poor penmanship - surprised they didn't put the zip code on it too :)

Thanks everyone. I must admit, I didn't read the listing correctly. I thought it was listed as an authentic cover.

Have a look at this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/29151901788...RK:MEBIDX:IT

Al - is that the same one that the OP commented on?

OPPS! I was looking at the one Don posted. Sorry for the confusion.

There's been rumors for years of another one in existence, most recently hidden in the Gomez correspondence to Spain.

Regardless, there's one in existence on a small piece with a "New York Steam Ship" CDS and the Ice House cover. That's it.

At least the seller is up front that this is a fake. Look closely, the 90c is faulty and likely worth no more than $150 IMO and the cover is a bit of a pig and probably not worth more than $100. I have a much nicer domestic use of a 24c '61 and I don't think I paid over $150 for it.

It's brought as much already as I think it's worth, curious to see how high this goes (It's at $255 as of 5:10pm on 7/22)

Neat listing. Seller is honest in how it is presented, so whatever it goes for is two people valuing it accordingly. Will be fun to watch. Is at $290 now.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what the seller(alohax) from irisgarden's post was attempting to communicate to the Russian Buyer who left him negative feedback.

This is a rhetorical post, please don't respond, this is a family friendly community...

Auction just ended - this item sold for $561.