Genuine

Forgery A

The groundwork of the central triangle, behind the large trefoil, is engine turned all over, but there are three places where the engine-turning consists of simple network, instead of a more complicated pattern, making the ground work appear to be divided into four horizontal strips. It must, however, be remembered that the four strips are not really separated from each other, but joined by a plain network. The white network forms a pattern of horizontal, colored diamonds, arranged in groups of four.

The free part of the stem of the rose, in the central trefoil, leans strongly to the left, where it issues from between the two leaves, then takes a bend to the right, and the top bit, where it joins the flower, is vertical. The very center of the flower contains a tiny, dark crescent, lying on its back, with both points upwards, the right-band point being a little higher than the other. The right-hand leaf is distinctly outlined all round, and two of its serrations touch the flower, while three serrations of the left-hand leaf touch the flower.

The head of the thistle only leans very slightly to the left, and the bottom of its stem projects well below the junction of the two leaves.

The top leaf of the Shamrock shows at least four long lines of shading. The name, NEWFOUNDLAND, is in one word ; the O is a somewhat pointed oval ; the U is rounded at the bottom ; the A is crossed almost in the very Center, and the feet of the AN do not touch.

The O of JOHN'S is rounded at the bottom and the apostrophe is a nicely shaped comma. The O of POSTAGE is nicely shaped, and similar to that in NEWFOUNDI.AND ; the A is crossed low down ; and the lowest limb of the E, projects further than the top limb.

The dark ring round the 3, in each lower corner of the stamp, is a perfect circle, and the head of each 3 is perfectly Horizontal . 

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Bibliography

Album Weeds by Rev. R. B. Earee

The Serrane Guide by Fernand Serrane

The Forged Stamps of all Countries by J. Dorn