Caution:
Scott 446 is an unlikely candidate for
unused fakes, although fakes do exist. Pay particular attention to
stamps with a guide-line at top or bottom. These are often
trimmed copies of the normal sheet stamp, Sc427, with the
guideline along a natural straight-edge and the opposing
side trimmed. The incentive for fakery is much greater here,
since straight-edge stamps are not as desirable as their
fully perforated counterparts and are often fooled with.
The main fakes on the unused stamp are the addition of a guide-line to a pair,
since guide-line pairs are so valuable. On the other hand,
if the (vertical) guide-line passes the "engraved"
test, the coil pair is almost certainly authentic, since
there is no imperforate stamp from which to create these
fakes.
It is also quite possible and unfortunately quite likely that the used stamp
might be a trimmed fake of the 427. We
would advise purchasing a used single of this stamp with certification or from
a reputable seller only and to view any used copy of this stamp with a large
dose of suspicion until proven otherwise. This stamp is often
collected in pairs. |
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