Checking Some Perf 11 2c Washingtons - Spot The Fakes

I'm breaking down a collection that has been quite a mixed bag. Some really nice items, tons misidentified, a fair number of altered stamps. So it's not easy and I appreciate any thoughts you might have. These three are all perf 11 (don't worry I have enough experience and enough stamps for comparison and the US specialty gauge). The challenge is, are they legit. Cataloged as (from left to right) 519, 461, and 546. My leaning is that the 519 and 546 are legit. 546 color is carmine rose and type iii. I'm not sure if there is even an imperf stamp available for that one. The 519 perfs look good to me - any concerns there? Then the notorious 461. The perfs don't really look bad to me except that the tops of the perfs are all perfectly lined up in a straight line. I guess that means it is a reperfed 409 - but I'd like to convince myself otherwise (lol).

Did I get this right?

Scott 546 is correctly identified. It is very difficult to fake. A few 492 coils have been perforated top and bottom and the sides reduced by reperforating, but the resulting margins would not be convincing. The formerly imperf 409 in the middle with perforations added to resemble 461 is poorly done. The stamp to the left is also a 344 with fake perforations, but a much better job. However, the perforations are too clean and the side margins are amazing. The bottom perforations are especially unconvincing. It is unlikely that PF, PSE, PSAG or APEX would give this stamp a clean cert as a 519.

thank you for your good explanations as always, but I think for the left stamp you looked too close at the perforation and less at the design :).

The design is correct for a 519, alas the perfs are added which is why it's a fake.

I was answering to cfrphoto, I don't have the Scott number in my head, but the one on the left was not a 409 before.

According to Scott the 519 would have been a 344 if it is fraudulently perforated. (Two Cents - not 2 Cents). Given the difference in value I may bring that one in to the PF just in case. (there is a tiny tear at the top)

Staring at this a bit longer I think cfrphoto is right that the 519 is a fake reperf job. Couple of top perfs are slightly out of alignment. That plus the tear, I guess this goes in the reject box. So only 1 or 3 check out. Not really surprised. Thanks for the help.

Changed the Scott number of the fake 519 to 344 from 409.

Can they be made out of booklet stamps, please? I believe that by 1915 the distance between the columns of the sheet was smaller than on the earlier series of both designs A139 and A140 (something to do with increasing the speed of producing the coils ...)

No, they can't be made from booklet stamps. They take imperf stamps and add perfs. Booklet stamps for these designs were perf 12. These stamps are perf 11.

Fake perf 12 coils made by trimming one side of a booklet pane singles exist, but booklet pane stamps had vertical watermarks unlike coils and sheet stamps with horizontal watermarks. Also, almost all booklet pane stamps are wider and a bit shorter than sheet stamps because the paper grain or mesh was horizontal instead of vertical.

I was just looking at this the other day.
Mystic has a good write-up.
https://www.mysticstamp.com/Product...tes/519/USA/