Words of Wisdom
According to expert Stefan Petriuk: “if you can’t figure out what type of Przedbórz stamp it is, then it’s a forgery.”
1918. Pilica River Bridge. 4 Grosze
Fischer #4 / Michel #4
Genuine vs. Forgeries
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1
Approx. 0.35 mm gap at the bottom of the left thick frame line.
2
Left inner frame line is missing next to the ‘M’ of Miasto, but if it were present, it would intersect the M’s left leg.
3
‘I’ in Miasto has a little hook on the top right, and the bottom right serif is missing, giving the appearance of a vestigial.
4
Tiny dot above the ‘1’ of “1918”, above the top outer frame line.
5
For ‘E’ in Grosze; The middle line is down near the bottom of the E, instead of at or above the middle of the letter.
6
Both outer frame lines jut out from the “4 Grosze 4” box.
Genuine type I
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1
Two left inner frame lines are terminated at the bottom with a thin line joining them to the outer one.
This extra line is about 1.5-1.6 mm long and 0.2 mm above the frame line around the left 4.
2
Foot of the M is about 0.3 mm from the left inner frame line.
3
Faint dot between ‘P’ & ‘R’ of Przedbórz, near the bottom under the loop of the P.
4
Inner right frame line stops above the right part of Z.
5
The middle frame line is terminated by a thin line.
6
Only the left outer frame line noticeably juts out from the “4 Grosze 4” box.
Genuine type II
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1
No horizontal line terminating the two inner frame lines
2
Frame around “Grosze” is broken at the lower left corner.
3
Miasto Przedbórz has been shifted to the right, so that the left foot of the M is about 2.3 mm from the left outer frame line, and the foot of the Z is about 0.9 mm from the corresponding right outer frame line.
4
Thin horizontal line under the back leg of the first R in Przedbórz. It’s actually the start of a vestigial line that goes all the way to the Z, and is only visible in a few scattered spots.
5
Dot between of ‘Z’ and ‘E’ in Grosze.
6
Thick right middle frame line stops parallel to the inner line
Genuine type III
Forgery type I
- – Left inner frame line becomes broken near the M.
- – Right inner frame line stops directly over the Z.
- – Accent is a thick dash joined to the O.
Forgery type II
- – The most objective indication is top arc, which is thick and solid. On genuine stamps and other forgeries it is thin and dotted.
Forgery type III
- – Like genuine type 2’s, the thick middle frame lines are terminated at the bottom by lines about 0.2 mm above the thick line under Miasto Przedbórz. But Miasto Przedbórz is only about 0.15 mm above the line, so that the right horizontal line is attached to the Z; if it were longer, the left line would intersect the M.
- – Accent on ‘O’ is almost a round dot, as compared to a teardrop on genuine stamps.
- – ‘Z’ in Grosze has a 1.9-2 mm base, vs. a 1.4-1.6 mm base on genuine stamps and other forgeries. The top of the Z is only about 1.4 mm wide, much shorter than the bottom, and giving it a “laid-back” appearance.
Forgery type IV
- – Dot to left of 1918 is like a comma on its back
- – ‘O’ in Miasto looks slightly “flat-topped”; there is a dot over it and over ‘E’ in Przedbórz
Genuine proof type II
Thanks to Sam Ginsburg for images and analysis of Przedbórz forgeries
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