@stavrogames, are you using a translator? Brand is a typical incorrect translation of 'marka' that means postage stamp in Slavic languages. The first part of your alias also suggests a name that is common to southeast Europe.
Is the engraving supposed to have a textured surface? Or is it a flat stamp? It seems the stamp isn't flat, but I need to take a closer look. I remembered about the facsimile; maybe they covered up the word and it's barely visible? I'll try to take another macro photo. Okay, there are still a lot of stamps I'd like to know about. Maybe we should post them in one thread?
I think I see letters behind the seals. Are there parts of the letters that make up the word "facsimile"? Well, in any case, I bought it for $1 or $2. It'll be a good deal. As far as I understand, it's an old fake, about 100 years old, for suckers?
Most likely it's a fake. Sometime around the turn of the last century, the German Snef brothers produced facsimiles of the U. S. State Department Dollar values. Most did not have the second purple Facsimiles across the bottom as these three do, but did have the black overprint between DEPARMENT OF and STATE.
I collect most of California's Redwood Empire , Humboldt & Mendocino counties, including the RPOs that ran through them. Any town or city I mention is located in one or the other. My primary sources are California Town Postmarks 1850 - 1935 compiled by John H. Williams & the Western Cover Society Mobil Post Office Society RPO Catalog, MPOS U. S. Route and Station Agent Catalog, and the MPOS RPO Directory and AGT Directory California Postmaster Compensation compiled by Alan H. Patera
Quote: The 'MILE' of FACSIMILE is visible in that last picture. The 'S' also shows through at the bottom of the first 'T' in 'STATE.'
Agreed.
Here is a $2 version "borrowed" from ebay. There are several others listed, although I did not quickly find the $20 version. It is no coincidence the design is abraded and heavily cancelled across the word "FACSIMILE" in the OP's stamp.
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Posted 01/05/2026 10:13 am
