Forged Stamps of Romania
“The Spud Papers”
by Atlee, Pemberton & Earée
1865. Prince Cuza
2 Parale. Orange
Genuine
Inscription DOUA PARALE is easily readable. In the portrait the hair is very close to the oval. The final letter of FRANCO is rather smaller than the others, but well shaped.
Forged
The inscription above is very indistinct, and reads more like BODAPIOME than anything else. The head is much too small; the o in FRANCO is flat-bottomed.
1865. Prince Cuza
5 Parale. Blue
Genuine
The inscriptions are well defined, and all the figures are well matched, upright, and evenly formed.
Forged
All the lettering is badly formed, and the lattice-work ground is too strongly marked. Three out of the four 5′s look as if they had been sat upon,—they are so flattened. There is a little white speck (not found in the genuine) at the extremity of the hair upon the forehead.
1865. Prince Cuza
20 Parale. Red
Genuine
The figures are pretty much of one size. The 2 in the top left-hand square touches the frame. The inscription DOUA DECI PAR. is moderately distinct; so much so, that it can be read. The expression of the face is sensible, and the nose is pointed.
Forged
This is an extra good facsimile, but the prominent failing is in the figures of value, all being too large and tall. The top of the 2 in the left-hand upper corner almost touches the frame. The upper inscription is not decipherable, and the head of the sovereign is narrow and elongated, the face having the “sheepish” expression which is common to all three values.
1866-67. Prince Karl I
2 & 5 Parale
Genuine
The head is evenly fixed in the circle. The Grecian pattern is thin and pretty even throughout. At the top of the left-hand lower device there is a very short stroke, considerably less in length than the bottom horizontal line of the said pattern.
Forged
These two values are from one matrix. The head is not placed in an upright position, but slants towards the left. The Grecian pattern in the border on the right-hand side is thicker than on the left, and is also coarse and heavy-looking. The bordering in the left-hand lower portion of the forgeries differs from the genuine in the following respects: that portion of the top of the design which runs towards the central disc, is almost as long as the similar line running parallel with it at the bottom.
1866-67. Prince Karl I
20 Parale
Genuine
Not badly engraved, with all the letters even and distinct. In one die the tail of the R in PAR is almost straight, in the other it slants towards the border. There are also marked differences in the position of the Grecian border.
Forged
Very coarsely executed in comparison with the lower values. The two A’S in ROMANA are much below the other letters. The Grecian pattern is of like character with the previously described shams.
1868-69. Prince Karl I
2, 3, 4 & 18 Bani
Genuine
All the letters are tall and pointed. There is a dot over the 1 in value; not very perceptible on some copies, but still existing. The two border lines are so close together, that it would be impossible to place another line of the same thickness between them.
Forged
The facsimiles are all from one matrix, the figures only being afterwards added; so the description of the primary differences will apply equally to the quartet.
All the lettering is “flat” (i.e., not upright, and narrow). There is no dot over the 1 in BANI. The two thin perpendicular lines running up by the border upon each side are wide enough apart to admit of another line being ruled between them.
1869. Prince Karl I
10 Bani. Blue
Genuine
There is no mentionable foot-stroke to the final letter in BANI.
Forged
The 1 in Bani is the same below as at top.
1869. Prince Karl I
15 Bani. Red
Genuine
CINCIS PREDECE is in thin upright letters, all of one form. There is a small semi-circle over and under PR.
Forged
Cincis is in thicker type than PRE DECE (printed as two words.) There is no break in the lines above and below the just-quoted inscription.
1869. Prince Karl I
25 Bani
Genuine
Lettering denoting value is thin and elongated; filling the band prepared for it. Above the C in DECI there is a slight break in the border, but no ”excrescence”.
Forged
The upper portion is composed of letters which leave a well- defined space between the lines enclosing them. Above and below the c in DECI is a small, but prominent wedge-shaped figure.
1869. Prince Karl I
50 Bani
Genuine
The denomination of value may easily be mistaken for a single word. The dot in lower line comes a little to the right of the final 1 in CINCI.
Forged
There is sufficient space between CINCI and DECI to leave no doubt as to their being separate words. There is a small dot (formed by the breaking of the line) between the last c and 1 below CINCI.
Country Index
Romania
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