Fig. 1.2: Identification Aid

Fig. 1.2 is a quick and inexpensive way to check the overprint on a stamp. Using an inexpensive or damaged GENUINE stamp with a clear overprint, cut the stamp parallel to the overprint, laterally, through the center. This aid can now be placed over a suspect stamp, the length of the overprint, the size and style of the individual letters and the 22 degree angle will become easily apparent.

Most of the forged overprints were applied to used stamps. Supplies of used United States stamps were gleaned and the stamps with indistinct and smudged cancels were used for the forgery, stamps with clear town cancels were not acceptable as they might alert the purchaser to the forgery. These forgeries can usually be detected by holding the stamp almost parallel with the eye and looking across the flat surface of the stamp, most of the time you can see which is on top the cancel or the overprint. If the overprint is on top of the cancel, it is not genuine.

Occasionally an error overprint will be encountered, There are only two errors known in the entire overprinted series. All errors should be viewed with suspicion unless there is a valid expert certificate with the stamp. The only genuine errors known are the 5c blue of the first issue (Scott # 216a) with inverted overprint. A few used copies of this error have surfaced, No mint or unused copies have been reported and no copies on cover or on piece are known, Forgeries of this error are occasionally offered, usually on cover,. The other error is the l0c red brown of the second issue (Scott # 233b) pair, one without overprint. Only two blocks of four have been discovered. Both of these blocks were certified by Gen. Bandholtz. (one block has since been accidentally destroyed).

The 5c inverted overprint had to come from a sheet of 100, so many may yet be found. The l0c pair one without overprint, was the result of one strip of stamps being folded under during printing, 10 pair could exist, 2 pair are recorded, 2 pair destroyed, leaving a possible six more pair. Since the known copies have fiscal cancels, which are probably for payment of telegram fees, and were attached to the sending form, the others likely have been destroyed.

Broken letters are not errors. All of the letters in the word PHILIPPINES can be found in damaged (broken) condition, most common are the top of the first "P" the bar of the "H" and the foot of the "L" the other letters are less common in damaged form. Also noted is a broken top on the "S" which gives the appearance of a smaller "S".