By the late Raymond W. Carlin
It is quoted on Webb p.46 that at around 1897, a Chinese official at one of the branch offices applied faked one dollar chops in English and Chinese to some QV 10c purple/red simulating the surcharges on the 96c stamps of the same colour. Webb recorded two copies but more examples have been discovered in recent years.
Three different types of forgeries are recorded by the author: –
- Forged ovpt. ONE DOLLAR without Chinese chop. Stamp cancelled Hong Kong s/r dated ?? 1895.
- Forged ovpt. ONE DOLLAR with forged Chinese chop. Stamp cancelled Shanghai c.d.s. dated 1895. Chinese chop characterised by two missing strokes of the Chinese word “Dollar”
- New Find – forged typographic ovpt. with forged Chinese chop cancelled brush-stroke and Hong Kong Paid All c.d.s. date not known. In addition, the stamp has an inverted watermark!
Please note that the ‘1 Dollar’ chop appears different on the two stamps with Chinese chops, the ‘1’ being taller and the ‘D’ and ‘O’ rounder.
- These three forgeries bring some new observations and questions, viz.,
- The Chinese chop was not applied to all forgeries of the 1 dollar on 10 cents stamps.
- Forgeries occurred before 1897 shown by the two copies bearing 1895 dates.
- The postal forgeries may have also been used in Shanghai earlier than dates quoted by Webb.
- The Chinese chop was clearly defined as if applied by letterpress rather than hand-struck as per Webb.
- Forged copies were used fiscally.
- Subsequent forgeries by other forgers on used stamps bearing other dates.
- Members with other interesting examples, please contact the HKPS.
