How Can You Tell?

I have a question. If two stamps are exactly the same, except one is inperf and valuable, and one is perf and cheap, how do you tell if someone cut the perfs off and sold it? Would it be smaller?

Depends on the stamp. Usually the margins are too small. In some cases they are not the exact same shade. Sometimes the paper is not exactly the same.

Also with a reperf'd stamp the perfs are often too perfectly round, not aligned correctly, cut too close to the image, etc. There are often multiple clues.... esp. when a low value imperf can be made into a valuable perf ... reverse is true too.

Sometimes almost impossible to tell - that is the reason so often people go for these on E-bay. One of the best ways to tell would be to have the stamp in question certified. One of the regulars on this forum is Bill Weiss; he certifies stamps.

Peter

This is a good reason to collect imperforate stamps in pairs or larger. Then there is no doubt as to its status. I would even say that is true with stamps from the current US no-die cut "imperf" stamps.

Also, beware of old Germany area and British Commonwealth imperforate stamps. Very often, cut down postal stationeries from these areas is offered as "rare" imperforate stamps, or proofs. Glenn Estus's advice about avoiding single imperforates is the best advice.

Developing a serious knowledge about the area that interests you is the best way to avoid these problems.
In some cases, such as first issue revenues, even having pairs does not automatically negate the possibility that they have been altered. That is a consequence of having both part perfs and imperfs as well as perforated stamps in many cases. I have seen both part perf pairs faked from imperf pairs and imperf pairs faked from part perf pairs.

Dante's Inferno really ought to be updated so that fraudulent stamp dealers are placed in one of the lower circles.

KGB, interesting proposition. Should a new level be created? What would the punishment for that level consist of? A task of finding the only copy of #461 in a warehouse full of 3rd Bureau 2c Washingtons that resets each time that it is found?

Spartacus, you have received many great answers. I'm going to try to fill in some of the gaps.




Good question. Others have pointed out some of the known differences between perfed and imperf varieties. There are many factors to consider. Often it is a matter of exclusion of possibility.

Often, it is impossible to differentiate between perfed and imperfed varieties. Many imperf varieties can be cut down such that they are indistinguishable from a cut down perfed variety.

For example, #315 has many indicators to help establish it as genuine. However, the varieties of that design do overlap with perforated varieties.

If a single stamp has too small of dimensions, than it can not conclusively be determined to be 100% an imperf versus a cut down perfed stamp. Generally, though not for every issue, a measurement of 21.5mm x 25mm is the minimum measurement that expertisers use to conclusively determine if a single stamp can be considered to be a genuine imperf.

If a stamp displays many imperf qualities yet is slightly below the minimum measurements, then it may be certifiable as an imperf. Conversely, if a stamp displays many perfed qualities yet is slightly above the minimum measurements, then it might not be certifiable as an imperf.

When a stamp is in a grey area and displays characteristics of perfed and imperf, then it will generally be considered to be the more common variety.

Unfortunately not every stamp can be categorized as a particular Scott # with 100% certainty.

Expertisers are our source of definitive opinions. They are not always 100% correct, but they are the most knowledgeable people and in general their opinions should be treated as definitive despite not being always 100% accurate. They are our best resource and continually work towards achieving the ideal of 100% accurate opinions.

Unfortunately not every stamp can be categorized with 100% accuracy. However, we can trust our expertisers to be the most reliable source of opinion one way or another. If a stamp is between two types, then they might decline to give an opinion. Given time, methods of identification might be improved such that they feel confident in making a differentiation.

Obviously, I cannot answer your original question with 100% accuracy. I hope that I did answer it such that you have a better understanding of how philately deals with some of the grey areas. Questions about specific circumstances and specific stamp attributes can be answered with better certainty. Hopefully my reply gives you better insight.

Thanks, I never knew that it could be so hard to identify fake stamps! Thanks for all the great info everyone! :)

As stated above, sometimes it can be impossible.