Question Re: Early El Salvador

I have a question regarding early El Salvador (1896 ) including Scott 146-157O and corresponding officials O1-O36.

Trying to understand these stamps that exist in both watermarked and unwatermarked varieties, and for whom reprints and forgeries exist. Aside from "thicker paper" mentioned, are there any other distinguishing characteristics between the originals, reprints and forgeries? I understand why forgeries might exist for the higher values and officials from an economic standpoint but why reprints, particularly for the lower denominations or low valued stamps.

In fact, this whole process of reprints in the rest of the world outside of the United States (except for 1875 and 1880) makes no sense to me.

Can anyone help me wrap my arms around this? What role were reprints serving when the supply of the originals was not likely exhausted?

Hi; part of the reason is the profusion of Seebeck printings.checkout the link below.
https://www.rfrajola.com/Seebeck/Seebeck1.pdf

Perf 12–thank you

The article is a very interesting read. Particularly enjoyed the section on the "SSSS" - Society for the Suppression of Speculative Stamps" and its fulminations against what it saw as such.

Am I wrong in stating that Seebeck did not produce any official reprints? My understanding is that he only produced forgeries which Scott would not have listed.

I thought that Seebeck was the source for many of the stamps of these countries in the latter part of the 19th century. So, while they might have been unofficial reprints, they could not be forgeries.

Seebeck did produce reprints, and many of them were on different paper or with different gum than the originals. He specifically had a clause in the contract allowing him to do so if the stock of returned stamps from the country weren't sufficient to meet the demand of collectors. Scott doesn't list the reprints, since they were not postally valid.

Go to the APS site (stamps.org) and click on library. If you're not an APS member, its free to non-members for a while. Search for Forty-Third and Forty-Fourth American Philatelic Congress books. There is an excellent 2 part article about the El Salvador Seebeck's going into great detail about reprints, etc. If you search for different subjects in "journals" you'll be amazed at the amount of information you can find on just about everything philatelic. If you have any problems email me.
Cheers!