Scarce Ws-3 With Rouletted Peforations, MNH And Sound?

This seemingly great stamp popped up on a well-known stamp seller's site on Monday. As most BOB collectors know, WS-3 w/ rouletted perforations is a scarce stamp. This one looked unusually nice, and when I informed the seller that I wanted to purchase it, but intended on obtaining a PF cert, they initially agreed. Because I have had some issues with hidden faults on some of this seller's higher priced material, I asked for their reassurance that this stamp was sound, so that I didn't waste their time or my money. This is when they back-peddled, decided they were not going to sell the stamp to me, and instead, decided to put it back in inventory. It is at this point that I really started to scrutinize the photo of the stamp. If you look closely to the left of Aug 4 19, there is a small round discolored area. If you look at the same area on their reverse image, it appears to be an inclusion of some kind. Does anybody have any feedback on what this potentially is? I have to believe in retrospect that the seller was aware of a problem, or they would not have acted in the way that they did-especially given the fact that I had bought many thousands of dollars worth of cheaper stamps from them over the years.

Possibly an inclusion. However, the upper left corner appears to be thinned (upper right on reverse).

Robert

Agree with the potential thin noted by Robert.

Also, was this being offered as a mint or used stamp? It's used - there is offset on the back from the War Savings Certificate to which it was attached. This is actually a common mistake on the war savings issues.

It is being offered as "VF OG" which infers MINT.....something this company seems to be very good at.

Even though their listing is always littered with stamps that are over-graded, mis-attributed and have important omissions in their descriptions, "a walk through the minefield" will yield enough legitimate good buys that it keeps me coming back.

Must be Apfelbaum.

I would prefer not to say. My purpose was not to slam the company, but rather get feedback on this stamp (although re-reading my posts, I might have started going in the "accusatory" direction).

Interesting epilogue to my earlier post; so tonight I go to Apfelbaum's site, try to place an order for a cheap "harmless" lot of stamps, and my account has been "blocked". Apparently, Apfelbaum's did not appreciate me exposing their questionable business practices on a public forum? They seemed to have no problem taking tens of thousands of dollars of my orders over the last 5 years, But the second I cry foul, they want no further part of me. Unfortunately, I think their reputation more than speaks for itself, starting with their namesake's involvement in a criminal bid-rigging scheme: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/spi...amp-auctions My father used to say, "20,000 French men don't lie"....with that said, I would love to reopen this thread and hear some other opinions of this firm.

This is an old story with them, it has been repeated many times by many collectors.

So many forgeries. Too many returns. Banned long ago. Never looked back. Happy Happy!

Lots of altered revenues. Someone to stay away from.

Not to start a new Anthony's-type thread, but is this Apfelbaum's standard approach once a customer like me has the audacity to question either their product or business practices? Ban me?? REALLY???

Yes it is. As I said earlier, it's an old story.

For years, when ever a PF cert would say a stamp of theirs was fake, their standard answer was "well that's their opinion. Our opinion is that it's genuine".

Funny- there never seems to be this "difference of opinion" like that with Siegel or Rumsey......hmmmmm

Simple enough to work around if desired; another account, another IP. Surely your wife or a trusted business partner would be willing to make purchases for you, assuming you would want to support this dealer.
Don

SOP Missy