Seeking Opinion On Cherifien Post Stamp, Please.

I'm curious if someone knows the spotting features for checking out Cherifien Post stamps...I'll post a couple, and I'd appreciate any opinions on genuineness, if possible.

Thanks in advance.

Collin

Definitely A7. On the first printing, the margins are much tighter and the printing is much coarser.

Looks genuine to me. I see no indication that it would be a fake/forgery. Is there a reason you would suspect it is a fake?

K-

You beat me to the followup, with one of each printing...



No particular reason to suspect a fake, other than its the kind of thing you'd expect to run across faked...

Thanks!

Collin

The only fakes you have to worry about are fake overprints, and also 1st sets made from altered 2nd sets (some poorly centered examples with dirty impressions are sometimes trimmed and reperfed).

Your A2 looks genuine; you have the variety WITH the imprint.

Thanks for the additional pic!

k

Never thought about the possibility of someone trimming down the second issue, but considering the difference in catalogue value, I should have considered that possibility.

Thanks for the followup.

Collin

Usually, the finer impression on the 2nd printing is a dead giveaway for faked 1st printings.

However, not everybody has the stamps to compare. Also, Scott does not mention the difference in printing impressions. Narrow margins can be faked, and "white paper" is not the best of descriptors when the tinting is faint to begin with.

Collin, got any more? I don't have a complete set of scans for both sets.

k

dear k,

you would be very dangerous if you went rougue.

I have no interest in forging stamps, only in spotting them. It's an issue of protecting my time/money investment.

The knowledge and expertise of the folks on this forum never ceases to amaze me.
Well done.
KirkS

K-

I might be able to put my hands on a couple more from the second printing...unfortunately, the A2 pictured is my only example from the first printing. If anyone has a set to post, please do so. I'd like to see it, too.

As much as I would like a complete set of the first printing, once I have representatives of each printing, I switch gears and only fill in gaps when I find them at very low prices. That is the case with most of the oddballs...I may never complete Castellorizo, or Foochow or Chefoo from the Treaty Ports, or Oltre Giuba, or Saseno, or the Czech Legion overprints, or any of a hundred other little guys; that still works for me, though. It might drive others crazy.

Collin

Appraisal please.

Where do we find them in catalogues?

I don't have SG, sorry.

They do appear in the Ceres and in the recent Scott catalogs (I think last ~5 years only). When they first got a catalog number listing in Scott, it was at the front of French Morocco. But now the listings have been moved to the beginning of Morocco (not French Morocco).

The wide margin set was issued in Feb 1913.

Thanks Kim,
I think I have both Ceres and Scott
I'll kick tyres.

Scott Index go to page 1121
Page 1121 go to Volume 4
Volume 4 = Nothing.

:(

From Casper & Stefano - why they are not in SG:

"The Sherifian (Cherifien, or Cheriffien) post, an official post started in 1892, operated throughout Morocco and in Tangier. These stamps are not included in Gibbons because they are regarded as a local post issue, and Scott merely illustrates the design in Volume 2, French Morocco, between French Offices in Morocco and French Protectorate (p. 950 of 1999 catalogue). Before 1912 the covers were impressed with hand-struck cachets; on 25 May 1912 these were replaced with adhesive stamps of the type you illustrate, in six values (1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 mouzounats, or "moussonats"), with narrow margins. In February 1913 the same denominations were issued in modified colours, with wide margins. Your stamp is from this second issue. On 1 October, 1913, the Sherifian posts were merged with the French PTT operating in Morocco, but these stamps remained in use all over Morocco until 1915 and in Tangier until 1919.
David Heppell (05 Jun 2000)"

Thanks 22c and Mr. Heppell.
That will make a dandy album page write up.