The object of this exercise is to investigate the possible ways that the figure '3' could be altered into a figure '7' in five different places and on three stamps, bearing in mind that the cancellation falls over some of the right-hand '7's.

Below is the figure '3' from a plate 73 stamp and next to it the right hand figure '7' from stamp SK from the cover. The diamond in which the number is printed measures about 2mm wide and the figure '3' or '7' measures 0.6 and 0.8mm!

It is clearly evident that any would-be forger wishing to attempt this incredible faking fete must work within very small parameters indeed. This in itself presents its own difficulties.

The right hand figure '3' from a plate 73 stamp scanned at 600 dpi	Micrograph image from the RSSL of the right hand '7' on stamp SK

 

First of all there is the important point of the cancellation to consider before we can look at how the faking may have been carried out.

 

It is evidently clear in this case that all three stamps are tied to the cover with the black Guernsey duplex, which, in the majority of cases falls over the plate number. The Guernsey duplex is correct, the rate is correct and the transit and arrival cancels all tally. There is no reason whatsoever to believe that this is nothing but a completely genuine usage.

The questions that now need addressing are the following:

1- Were these stamps faked on the cover itself?

2- Were these stamps removed from the cover, faked and reattached to it?

3- Were these stamps in mint condition, faked and then a false cancellation applied to them?

4- Were these stamps already used, faked and reapplied to the cover and then cancelled again?

These questions must first be answered convincingly in order to determine how the Guernsey cancellation could have been applied over the plate numbers after any faking. There are no traces of any other cancels applied to the stamps or cover.

It must be stated here that there is no evidence whatsoever that stamps have been removed from the cover and replaced.

The possible ways of faking

What we have in question is a cover franked with three stamps showing a plate number 77. The right-hand number '7' must be faked from a plate 73 stamp whereby the number '3' must be altered into a '7', in five locations and on three stamps.

There are only a few practical, but in this case, exceptionally difficult ways in which this faking could have been carried out. The only credible or possible ways of altering the numbers I believe are as follows:

1- Inlaying - 'Cut and paste'.

This is the process by which the figure '7' is cut out from other stamps of a 'similar' colour and then pasted over the figure '3'. The process by which this can be done is either by pasting a carefully cut figure '7' over the figure '3' on the stamp or else by cutting out the figure '3' out and inserting the figure '7' in its place.

The difficulty with this process is two fold. If the '7' was pasted over the '3' then it would be clearly visible as it would undoubtedly rise proud of the surface, and this would be very easily detected. Alternatively if an exact shape was removed from the area and an exact shape containing the figure '7' was inserted in its place, an incredible fete in its own right, then incision marks where the paper fibres were cut would be clearly evident, if not under light microscopy then certainly under scanning electron microscopy.

 

Below are scanning electron microscope images of the right hand '7's on stamps SK (top pair) and SL (bottom pair), in topographic mode produced by the RSSL clearly showing that the paper fibres have not been disturbed or tampered with. There are no incision marks, nothing inserted nor stuck on  to the surface.

 

 

It is abundantly clear that the fibres are intact throughout the area and the figure '7' is an integral part of the printed design. This effectively rules out both options of alterations.

We can therefore very safely disregard this option of alteration which is the reason for the faking as given by The Royal Philatelic Society London.

 

2- The painting option.

This of course is the process by which 'somehow' the area which the figure '3' occupies is somehow altered through 'painting' in order to produce a figure '7'.

However here is the problem. Below is a microscope image of the paper fibres at 80x magnification. It is very clear that the fibres are interwoven and matted together. Tampering of any kind will clearly disturb this feature and will be easily seen under microscopy. Furthermore the fibres can be clearly seen to be coloured and there are ink residues amongst them.

 

Below is an image of the figure '3' which needs to be altered into the figure '7'. It is important to note the position of this figure against the diamond and to relate this with the position of the figure '7'. The alteration must be done five times on the five visible '3's on three different stamps.

 

The figure '3' from a plate 73 stamp that needs to be 'altered'	The right hand figure '7' from stamp SK which is alleged to have been 'altered'!

 

Below are images to show the areas within the diamond that have to change colour in order to produce the faking.

 

Above is the figure '7' which is outlined in black. The outline is superimposed over the figure '3' on the image below it order to show where the altered colours would be. It is clear that the top of the '3' and both of its sides which are white will need to be painted in red. Furthermore there are parts of the '7' that are currently red that need to be painted white.	The image below would show where the red colour should be in order to paint out the parts of the '3' that must not appear in white and the area of the '7' which must be painted in white.

 

There are only two 'practical' options available to a forger in which the number a '3' can be altered into a '7'. Either:

1- The whole diamond is painted in red and parts of the figure '7' which are red painted in white- An extremely crude way of faking!

This certainly did not happen as EDXRF and Raman spectroscopy did not show any white ink constituents whatsoever present. Furthermore the red ink around the diamond has been shown, again through EDXRF and Raman spectroscopy, to be identical to that of the rest of the stamp.

or:

2- The whole area within the diamond is partly/completely cleared from the red ink and then painted in red leaving a figure '7' within the diamond unpainted.

The problem with this method certainly lies in finding a way to 'accurately and specifically ' remove the ink in such as small area. A bleach or solvent may be used to remove the ink from this area but in view of the size of the area in question it will be exceedingly difficult to control the seepage of solvent into other parts of the stamp. However if successful then a blank area would result which can now be painted to leave a figure '7' in relief.

The new problem facing a forger is now the following. Firstly an in ink must be formulated which must be identical both qualitatively and quantitatively to the existing ink on the rest of the stamp. A forger in the early years would have been concerned with getting the colour right. The thought of analytical equipment being invented decades in the future that would analyse the ink constituents at atomic levels would have never crossed his mind.

We know for a fact through Raman spectroscopy and EDXRF analysis that the ink between both '7's is similar in its constituents. Trace elements were found which were not part of an offending ink but can be directly attributed to plate contamination, indicating that the plate was worked on- as we know. This clearly must signal that the origin of the ink in the right hand '7' could only come from the printing process.

Below is an EDXRF trace showing the elements present in both '7'. Clearly they are similar both qualitatively and quantitatively, barring of course the 'trace' elements.

It is quite evident in this case that these lines have not been painted as the paper fibres which crisscross the diamond do appear identical in form to the rest of the area. In fact very close inspection of some of the paper fibres which traverse the diamonds will show how the colour could only have been applied via a single original process.

We know that the colour of the stamp is derived from mercury sulphide (vermilion) and lead oxide (red lead). Both these compounds are insoluble in water and must therefore be made into a paint using an oil. Oil based paints are remarkably difficult to use in small areas.

 

Robert W Radley M.Sc., C.Chem., F.R.S.C., F.S.Soc.Dip., F.A.E., R.F.P. of The Forensic Document Laboratory thoroughly investigated the cover and the stamps including the possible ways any faking may have been carried out. His report and conclusion are on this link.

The Robert Radley Report will fully endorse the fact that these stamps have not been altered.

 

Professor Gene Hall's Report will fully endorse the fact that these stamps have not been altered.

Of course, for the sake of completion one must mention the ' trace' elements of chromium, barium and phosphorus that were found in the right hand '7'. These are covered in this document. http://www.1dplate77.com/1dplate77/Eengraving.htm