... Serbian Forgeries ...

1901
King Alexander

- Fournier forgeries -
(courtesy of B. Claghorn's Fournier Album)


In his 1914 price-list of philatelic forgeries ("Facsimiles of Obsolete Postage Stamps") Fournier offered the two top values of this set (3 and 5 Dinars) for 1 French Franc [2]. The set was listed under his "1st Choice" selection, facsimiles of the highest degree of workmanship, printed in single copies.


Mi #60

Forgery

Genuine


Thanks to Bill Claghorn's Fournier Album I can show samples of both forgeries of this issue. Unfortunately, I don't yet have a genuine stamp to show for comparison, but will show some of the most important details from another value in the same set. As the stamps are imperforated, we have to look for DESIGN deviations to distinguish the forgeries:

  1. The top of the "A" in "SRBIJA" is slanting on the forgeries, flat on genuine issues.
  2. The indention in the inner frame line is missing of the forgeries.
  3. Double lines under "SRBIJA" are blurred or missing.
  4. Double lines over the numeral are blurred or missing.
  5. The lower right corner lines are not properly aligned.
  6. The letters "DIN." are somewhat irregular.

Forgery
Genuine
Forgery


Mi #61

Forgery

Genuine


I don't yet have a genuine stamp to show for comparison for this value either. Instead, I will show some of the most important details from another value in the same set. The main DESIGN deviations are the same as for the previous value:

  1. The top of the "A" in "SRBIJA" is better performed than on the 3 Dinar value, but still not quite flat.
  2. The indention in the 2nd frame line is missing of the forgeries.
  3. Double lines under "SRBIJA" are blurred or missing.
  4. Double lines over the numeral are blurred or missing.
  5. There is a distinct indention left of the right numeral.
  6. The lower right corner lines are better aligned than the 3 Dinar value.
  7. The letters "DIN." are much more irregular than the 3 Dinar value.
Forgery
Genuine
Forgery


Sources:
  1. "Expert: Billig's Grosses Handbuch der Faelschungen, Lieferung Nr. 30: Serbien", O. Stiedl, F. Billig, 1936
  2. Fournier's 1914 Price-list of Philatelic Forgeries, Introduced by L. Ragatz, 1958