Imperorate US Revenue Stamps

I would like some pointers as to tell the fake imperfs from the real ones.

it takes a lot of experience to do what you are asking. a good glass helps. cancel dates will sometimes help,as will paper look and feel. color and impressions will all play a role. looking through old auction sales at multiples will aid in determining margin spacing between impressions and give some help. a large difference of value between perf and imperfs of the same issue is a red flag. so are what I call two margin copies with just clearing margins on the other two sides.

I would recommend spending some time browsing the Philatelic Foundation certificate database looking at both the genuine and bogus examples to discover common characteristics.

IMO part perfs are even more difficult than imperfs.

Thanks, I'' spend some time with the Philatelic Foundation certificate database.

Any advise about dates and colors?

thanks

There are exceptions, but generally, anything after 1863 is suspicious.

There are exceptions, but generally, anything after 1863 is suspicious.

Actually there are a number of exceptions, starting with almost anything used in California. Also some were used rather extensively and so are well known in 64 as well. It comes down to learning margins (both size and how they should look, a much more lengthy learning process), impressions, paper, shades, and dates. And yes, part perfs are often FAR more difficult to determine.

For the Washington/Franklins, I was taught that you hold a perforated stamp over them as a measuring tool. Imperforate stamps will extend beyond the perforations.

It seems with the revenue stamps, there must be much more variation in size. It looks like many of the stamps in the Philatelic Foundation certificate database would pass the above test. EG:

There is so much more than that, especially since Butler & Carpenter had a lot of trouble with the perforating machines. Which is why imperf and part perf stamps exist in the first place.