Heligoland - Reprints And Forgeries

Almost every older collection that passes through my hands seems to have at least one stamp from Heligoland. Usually mint but occasionally not. I think it must hold some sort of Guiness Record for most forged stamps or some such.

I long ago gave up any hope of seeing a legitimate issue but .... They have to be checked each and every time.

Now, the four shown below are, I think, most likely Berlin reprints of #1 - 4 complete with forged cancellations. Any comments or opinions would be most welcome.

Being as these command a high premium for Postally used, I think you are correct in classifying them as reprints with forged cancels.

The Fritz Wagner site is probably one of the best for information.

http://www.fritzwagner.com/helgolan...s_intro.html

Purchased a bag of loose stamps, which I normally pay around $6-$8
I was up against another bidder, that kept beating me, I figured he could see something I didn't, so I kept going out of curiosity.

It was difficult, as it was just shown as a mass of stamps.

I eventually secured it at $11.55, and it has given me some cracker stamps, just mind boggling.
This one came out today.

I am figuring it is a Scott #6 1st Berlin Reprint,
but I welcome opinions, as I have not dealt with Heligoland stamps prior to this.

I looked at the Pollard chart, with my opinion..........

Perf 13.5 x 14 (14.25?)
thin white greyish paper ?
Broken frame lines
The hair curl below the chignon, is curved upwards concave.
Medallion and embossing "in register" = done in 1 operation

1st Berlin reprint (my guess on colours) Carmine to dull carmine, dull yellowish Olive Green.

June 6th 1875
Issued 75,000

Pollard chart here
http://www.fritzwagner.com/helgolan...igoland.html

1 shilling Chart
http://www.fritzwagner.com/helgolan...hart_10.html


Thinnish paper finely cracked gum.

Is this a $2 stamp do you think ?

Hard to tell from the scan, but looks like the stamp has a thin spot at the top. Thanks to all for the link to the fritz wagner site. I've bookmarked it as I also have some of these Heligoland stamps to evaluate at some future time.

Indeed.
The worse example of "bad hinging" protocol.
In the olden days, collectors were encouraged to "place the hinge as near as possible to the top edge" so as to show, the reverse of the stamp, when lifted by tongs.

This brought 2 things into play, the fragilty of gum near the teeth, and excess moisture leaking from the hinge to the stamp gum and page.

This has happened here.
I found another identical stamp in my package, again with the same damage.
...bad hinging technique.

thanks for interesting site for heligoland. I just put some up for sale on ebay and didn't know much about them

rod, I think you got it right. Did you happen to also look at it under UV?

Odd that the head/chignon types are not identified for this 1sch reprint. http://www.firstissues.org/countrie...ligoland.php says the genuine is type III, so the reprints are perhaps "not type III"(?) Yours is clearly type II, of course.

I was wondering if you also had any Heligoland mutilated stationery and if you or anyone knows if those were reprinted?; remainders were sold. Like the stamp reprints, one often sees postal card cut squares in ancient collections