Forged stamps of Sierra Leone

1859-1872. Queen Victoria. Six Pence

Forgeries

Sierra_Leone_1859-72_QV_6p_Sperati_Forgery

Sperati forgery

Characteristics marked in red

Sierra_Leone_1859-72_QV_6p_Forgery

Forgery

Sierra_Leone_1859-72_QV_6p_Forgery2

Forgery

Sierra_Leone_1859-72_QV_6p_Torres_illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1876-1892. Queen Victoria

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_Half_Penny_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_One_Penny_Genuine

Genuine

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_One_Penny_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_QV_2p_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_QV_2p_Forgery

Forgery

Sierra_Leone_1872_QV_3_Pence_Genuine

Genuine

Sierra_Leone_1892_QV_3_Pence_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_1892_QV_3_Pence_Spiro_Forgery2

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_1892_QV_3_Pence_Torres_illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_1.5Penny_Genuine

Genuine

Sierra_Leone_QV_3halfp_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_4_Pence_Genuine

Genuine

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_4_Pence_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_1_Shilling_Genuine

Genuine

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_1_Shilling_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Sierra_Leone_1876_QV_1_Shilling_Forgery

Forgery

Stamp Duty. Queen Victoria

Forgeries

sierra_leone_qv_stamp_duty_1d_forgery

Forged overprint added to genuine stamp to look like expensive variety

sierra_leone_qv_stamp_duty_2-5d_forgery

Forged overprint added to genuine stamp to look like expensive variety

Queen Victoria

Spiro produced his forgeries in sheets of 25

Sierra_Leone_QV_half-p_Spiro-sheet_Forgery
Sierra_Leone_QV_1d_Spiro-sheet_Forgery
Sierra_Leone_QV_2p_Spiro-sheet_Forgery
Sierra_Leone_QV_3p_Spiro-sheet_Forgery
Sierra_Leone_QV_3half-p_Spiro-sheet_Forgery
Sierra_Leone_QV_4p_Spiro-sheet_Forgery
Sierra_Leone_QV_1s_Spiro-sheet_Forgery

Experts

Get certificates from these experts

Links

Recommended resources

  • Filatelia.fi – Details about expertizers of British Colonies

Know any relevant websites? Please contact me!

Literature

For further research

  • 1,5. First Queen design, 1859-74, 1872. The Serrane Guide/ Stamp Forgeries of the World to 1926, p.311 (Yvert 1-4,16). Forgery and fraudulent postmark: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 2, pp.263,64. De La Rue Reference Sheets are overprinted “Cancelled”: Colin McCaig, “Sierra Leone”, The London Philatelist, Vol. 87 (March-April 1978): 31-39.
  • 122-39. KGV, Die II, high values, 1921-27. Fiscal obliterations erased: J. Dorn (Publisher), The Forged Stamps of all Countries, p.117.
  • 170-88. KGVI, 1937-48. Forgery of specimen perforation: Frank Walton, “Sierra Leone King George VI Specimen Stamps”, The London Philatelist, Vol. 110 (October 2001): 272-76.
  • Seven Madame Joseph fraudulent postmarks, 16 JUL 11 to 6 MY 35. Derek Worboys and Roger B. West, Madame Joseph Forged Postmarks, pp.94,95.

Source: The Tedesco Index

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