Serious questions must now be asked about the genuine accepted stamps showing a plate number 77  

that can only originate from the 1864 plate 77 imprimatur sheet.

The comparison close ups below indicate that this may not be the case!

Abed H Najjar

Comparing the overall head impression between the plate 73 imprimatur stamp SK

(left hand column) and the three accepted plate 77 examples.

Are the plate 77 stamps the same as the 1864 imprimaturs or do they show differences and plate wear?

Firstly below are the heads from imprimatur stamps from plates 73 and 74 to show the similarity between them.

Below, left are heads from an imprimatur stamp from plate 73 and next to each are those from stamps BA, AB and PH.

It is fundamental to state here that stamps AB and BA are 'unused' examples and if from imprimaturs then they must therefore be practically identical in detail to the 73 imprimaturs.

I do not believe that anyone had ever compared the 1864 issue imprimaturs with the 'plate77' stamp AB, BA and PH 'imprimaturs' before this date. There was no need to do so, they were, and still are, accepted to be stamps produced from plate 77.

However close inspection and comparison between the imprimaturs for plate 73 and 74 and stamps AB and BA clearly show variations and these variations should be researched further and explained.

These observations, coupled with fact that the shapes and positions of the 7's vary greatly, plus the fact that they do not have the dashes that appear on the plate 77 roller impression must question the current belief that the accepted plate 77 stamps originate from a plate 77 imprimatur.

Comparing the right hand plate 77 roller impression with two of the accepted plate 77 examples.

Are they the same?

Comparing the impression of the figure '77' which must be identical in both right and left panels

on three of the accepted plate 77 examples. 

Are they they identical?

Left hand 77 from stamps AB, BA and PH.

The difference between the shapes, angles and the position against the intersection of the 7s is clearly obvious. Impressions from an imprimatur sheet must be identical and sharp.

Right hand 77 from stamps AB, BA and PH.

The difference between the shapes, angles and the position against the intersection of the 7s is clearly obvious. Impressions from an imprimatur sheet must be identical and sharp.

Comparing the figure '77' from the right hand panel from stamp SK with its counterpart from plate 77 stamp PH.

Why is stamp PH, which has no scientific data behind whatsoever, accepted as completely genuine and stamp SK which has a mass of scientific evidence to prove its authenticity as not?

Above the right hand panel '77' from stamp SK on the cover. Below it is the right hand '77' from stamp PH.

Stamp SK (top) has been scientifically proven to have genuinely printed '7's.

If ever a figure '7' should arouse suspicion then the two on the accepted stamp PH certainly should.

They both look so different from any of the others and from the roller impression.

There is no doubt as to the genine status of this stamp.

The only way that we can have 'genuine' inconsistent '7's of this nature is through hand-engraving.