German WW2 Nazi Afrika Korps Stamps - Real Or Forgeries?

Here are some scans of a couple of Nazi Afrika Korps stamps. They
were attached until I accidentally pulled them apart... If they are
real, I believe they would be the scarcer version. There is writing
on the top of the stamps in pencil. Not sure what it might mean. Any
ideas?

I look forward to hearing your opinions. I'm assuming they're fake
since I'm not a very lucky guy.

I also posted this message in the 3rd reich stamp group.

Hi davek

Welcome to the forum.

These are items that need to be expertise as there are many forgeries about.
The original print run was very limited
The original print run was 150,000 which is not very large.
They were of course affixed to letters back to Germany plus a 20 pfenning stamp. the perf should be 11 and half, but some were issued imperf.
Used ones are particularly rare and were stamped BEI DER FELDPOST EINGELIEFERT, the cancellation was in either red, blue or green, and red cancellations are very hard to find.
Hope this is of help
Horamakhet

Thanks for the info! I am a complete novice when it comes to stamps. Is there anyone in the forum from NH (Keene), VT (Brattleboro), MA(Greenfield) areas that would be willing to take a look at them?
Thanks!

I actually have a ratty looking pair also, but since I know where it came from I'm certainly not hopeful of it being legit. I do keep it around though because it's cool looking.

davek, the perforations on your specimens look a bit too clean to me. Genuine stamps normally have a more sloppy look, like I-L-S's example. Not to say those are real mind you, my knowledge to these stamps is not thát good... ;)

Here's a certified one listed on ebay right now with similar perforations, probably cleaner than mine. This would be the lighter of the two version I assume.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...251217749493

Here is an article published in the 'BILLIG'S PHILATELIC HANDBOOK' VOLME 22, 1955 FOR YOUR REVIEW. It is rpretty easy to determine real from counterfeit.







Hal

Great information! Thank you! I didn't notice anything in the article that would exclude mine from being genuine. Or did I miss something? What would be the best way to determine authenticity?
Again, thanks!

The next to last paragraph is very important.

Yes, which I consider positive for the time being. Just need to find someone to look these babies over. Is PSE the only authority the stamp collecting community as a whole accepts?
Thanks!

PSE? You got to be kidding. What would they know about a German WWII
Feldpost stamp?

The only ones who should/would know for certain are German expertizers.
It's their field, there are plenty out there.

No, I wasn't kidding. As I explained earlier in the post, I'm a complete novice. I will do a google search for "German stamp experts" and see what I come up with. If anyone out there knows of one, their information would be appreciated.
Thanks.

For these issues, you need an expert certified by the German expertizing society (BPP). Currently, the BPP only lists one expertizer for these issues -- Guido Gabisch.

if you would like to submit it to Herr Gabisch, let me know and I can walk you through the process BPP requires. It's on their website, but in German. And fair warning -- the process can be slow. The last couple times I've sent items for a cert, it's taken 3-6 months.

The best place to start looking if you choose to submit it for certification would be the BPP ( Bund Philatelitische Prüfer )

http://www.bpp.de/de/home/

Choose language on left side

(Sorry Postmaster, I type too slow and go between pages too slow, didn't mean to double up)

Thank you everyone for your help! I found a guy in Germany who will look at them by the name of Robert Brunel. He looked at the scans and though he needs to see them to make any kind of decision, he wasn't able to rule them out as genuine. Does anyone know the Michel Catalog value of these stamps? The cost of the expertise and letter of authenticity is based on the value.

Just to follow up....

The stamps shown at the top of this thread are genuine.
Here's an except from an email from the fellow who is expertizing them (Still waiting on cert).

"The printing is genuine, plate position 8 and 9. I have a 5 a and a 5 b from position 9 which show the same broken off end of the top arm of the swastika. The paper shows the correct brown/violet color und ultraviolet light. The perforation is also correct in all respects. The pencil writing on the top margin is the Feldpost number 48650, the commando of the Division von Manteufel, which served in Tunis. The gum is original, it has the same structure and aging as my comparison material. There are small shiny spots on the gum, from slight adhesion, so they are not fully mnh. Gummed examples are rare though, hence the big price difference between mnh and no gum."

I have been offered 1000 euros for each stamp. Adds up to about $2600. I'm thinking about taking it.