Can Anyone Help Identify This One Cent Franklin Stamp Please?

Scott 24 with all perfs trimmed away.

The seller is saying this is a Scott #8. Do you think it's intentional or they don't know? They claim to have a certificate saying it is a Scott #8.

I have been in contact with this seller and informed him/her that this is a trimmed #24. He/she claimed to have compared it with other #24's and that "it is not the same." Baloney. I don't recognize the certificate as being issued by any competent authority, but as I told the seller the odds that this is a trimmed #24 are 100 percent.

It appears to be a certificate written by an Italian stamp firm. Just as certificates written by American expertizing organizations on Italian classics can be grossly wrong the same happens in reverse. The problem comes when the service wanders out of its true area of expertise.

I just sent an e-mail to Caffaz Perilo Filatelica which appears to be an Italian expertizing service pointing out that the certificate was inaccurate. We will see what happens.

What plate feature(s) is everyone seeing here to go straight to a #24? I see an 1853 date, which would certainly preclude the 1857-issued version.

Top and Bottom lines completely missing combined with short right side ornaments.

I think its probably 1858 -- certainly not 53. There are actually very few dated 1853 year-date stamps and this is certainly not one of those devices. 1855 is when you start to see more and more dated CDS's, although even 1855's are somewhat scarce. 1856 is when dated CDS's start becoming ubiquitous.

Another worthless stamp & cert. Perf holes still visible top & bottom.

Yep, agreed.

Alan Miller is known for fake cancels.
Don

I went to his website, and he does have his own private expertising service.

Now that the PF has many of its Certs set up as searchable, for reference, I would think that such a thing would be good for all reputable expert services to follow suit. Perhaps, it would also be a good way to validate the credibility of a given service -- by studying some of their prior certs and seeing how good a job they seem to be doing.

Certificate? You have my personal guarantee.............

I independently and objectively certify and guarantee this item I am about to sell you...

A strong charge made against a long-time dealer. Can you provide recent evidence?

Chris private message sent.
Don