... Bulgarian forgeries ...
1901

Mi 46 / Sc 55
Surcharged


Forgery

Original

The most characteristic criteria for ORIGINAL issues of Mi 46 (Sc 55) are:

  1. Curved, pointed head
  2. Vertial inside of arc
  3. Strongly curving outside of arc
  4. Long neck
  5. Distinctive "bullet" ending
Forgery
Original

- Here are some more samples of more or less successful attempts at forgeries...

Mi 47 / Sc 56
Surcharged


Forgery

Original

According to "Billig's grosses Handbuch der Faelschungen" the most characteristic criteria for ORIGINAL issues of Mi 47 (Sc 56) are:

  1. Height of surcharge is 6 mm
  2. Distance between number and bar is 4 3/4 mm
  3. Total width of numbers is 4 3/4 mm
  4. Width of bar is 4 3/4 mm (See comments below!)
  5. Inner width of "0" is 3/4 mm
  6. Equal height of "1" and "0"

Billig's Handbook describes three different forgeries of this surcharge which deviates considerably from the criteria above, but NONE of my stamps fulfill criterium #4 above. As the enlargements show, the cancelling bar on one stamp is centered under the numbers but only 4.60-4.65 mm wide. The other two enlargements also fulfill ALL the criteria above except no. 4. The cancelling bars are only 4.50 mm wide, too short either to the right or to the left.

These deviations are caused by inaccurate printing which is not referred in Billig's Handbook.

T. Hitzler, Munchen:
- All the shown stamps are genuine - no doubt! The original overprints show some squeezing signs from the typography and the bogus ones not. And most of the time they show a clear impression into the paper. In my opinion all overprints with clear impression and an even color with squeeze remnats have to be geniune.

N. Penev, Varna:
- I fully agree with Mr. Hitzler's opinion. Original overprints have really squeeze remnants from the black colour. I think your shown stamps are genuine. According to all bulgarian catalogues the measure for the width of the bar is 4.5 mm!

Original
Original
 

- Here are at least some samples of overprints which are definitely forgeries...

Forgery
Forgery

As a bonus, I also show some really homemade fantasy issues....

Forgery
Forgery


Source:
- Billig's grosses Handbuch der Faelschungen, Part 34, Vienna, 1937