Canada 12 Penny Black

I just inherited my grandfather's collection and found a damaged 12 penny black (see photo). I don't know if it is real or a fake. What should I do next?
Thanks.

It is real but ruined beyond the point of keeping, I'd toss it in the rubbish bin. Please post some of the others you inherited as we'd love to see them.

Welcome to the site :)

Rabbit

It is a shame it is sooooo damaged..but keep it, who else out here can say they have one...haha.

P.S. -..

This seems to show some attempt to perforate the stamp....look at holes on the bottom middle right and top left...unless these are mites chewing marks...

Seriously? Throw it away? If it is real it will still be worth something. Coverless versions of Action Comics #1 with pages missing still sell for thousands. Regardless of the condition, there would still be a market for this stamp, if nothing else but for completion. I'd buy it in a second. No way could I afford one in good condition.

To quote Col. Sherman Potter, "Horse Hockey!"
It's a fake, and a crude one at that. As Gilles points out, before it was mangled, it was perfed.
And the quality of the engraving is embarrassing. Here's an image of a 12 penny black I got from Vance Auctions web site (hope they don't mind)...




Even comparing with this image you can easily see the difference in the face as well as the necklace and the roundness of the numerals.
Also see the differences in the E's in the words TWELVE PENCE.

Don't mean to disparage your Grandfather, but it's trash (and I like fakes!)

Don't mean to belabor this but let's look at the two side by side, that might make it more obvious.
Detail in the crown. Heavy black outer border on yours compared to the fine line outer border on Vance's copy.



I could go on (and usually do!) Ok, maybe trashing it is too drastic, but at least label it for what it is.

I'll stop now.

Oh, and

This isn't action comics with other pages intact, it's a 1 page book and the value is zero.

James, it's not a fake. At one time it was a perfectly legitimate stamp but Lord knows what happened to it. Your side by side comparison shows all the letters and numerals are exactly the same. The neckline is exactly the same, the side Crown is exactly the same. Not one spot on that Stamp looks like it's been perforated, home made perfs perhaps.
It's been chewed up and spit out.

Sorry Stallzer, I usually bow to your wisdom, but this time I have to totally disagree with you. Regardless of the perforations, the drawings are vastly different. The lower left hand 2 is much broader on the Vance stamp than on Rabbit's. Also the words TWELVE PENCE are totally anaemic on Rabbit's compared to the other. The Queen's hair is different, as is her nose, the shading under her left (our right) cheek where it meets the neck, The sides of the panels holding the crowns on the left and right side are straighter on Rabbit's stamp than on the other one. And again there is a general lack of detail in the crown and necklace - the crown actually has shading lines on the left side on Rabbits, that don't even appear on the other stamp. And then, I'll say again, the outer borders are totally different.
I stand by my opinion. Sorry.

You are also comparing one of the finest examples Money can buy with one that went through a washing Machine. I'd guess it was purchased in that condition just so someone could say I have the most expensive Canadian Stamp issued. Does Unitrade mention that Forgeries exist ? Album weeds lists nothing regarding this Stamp, nor does the spud papers. Also at the time of the Chalon printings throughout the Commonwealth nations the printing process was hardly refined as to where each and every Stamp were the exact same. If you blow up the picture you can see where the lettere "W & E of Twelve are connected at the top.

We can always agree to disagree on this one :)

At first glance, I told myself that its an obvious forgery ??

I also can see that this is an obvious and crude forgery.

Please expand Peter. I certainly would not call it crude or obvious if it is a fake. Is everyone assuming it's a fake based on it's value ?

A single page from Action Comics #1 can sell for hundreds, even if Superman does not even appear on it.

Single Pages of Action Comics #1

I would purchase a rare stamp like this, even though its condition is terrible. And I certainly would not pay much for it. Of course, I would ensure it was real before buying it. You guys are much more knowledgeable in determining that than I am.

The pictures and details posted by jamesw above highlight the differences - another clear area is the shading lines around the portrait, which are widely-spaced and crude in the forgery.

Hi all. I appreciate all your feedback. By way of background, my grandfather died in 1958 (at age 75) and my mother inherited his stamp collection. I remember seeing the stamp at that time when my mother discovered it and asked about its potential value. She was told it was worthless and put it away. She passed away a couple of years ago; I discovered the stamp this week while going through her things. I would be interested in selling it if it has some value; otherwise I will keep it as wonderful curiosity item.