Not What They Seem

I have created a label for a series of posts that feature items that I have encountered that I believe have been altered, massively repaired or faked in some fashion. It is my hope that recording these items and placing them in a freely accessible forum will prevent them from being passed off as genuine elsewhere.

All opinions expressed on these items are my own unless otherwise attributed. I am willing to accept criticisms and alternate opinions. I am grateful to those who pointed out things I did not recognize or who confirmed my suspicions. I am pleased that these individuals are willing to provide insight to further my knowledge. I hope to do the same for others in the future.

This post last edited Nov 8, 2019

Domestic Registered Cover?  
This cover wants to be a one-cent convenience overpay of a registered use from California to Massachusettes.

24 cent stamps on domestic covers are rare.  Is this one?

This cover represents an early learning experience for me. At the time of purchase I wasn't aware of the relative scarcity of domestic uses of the 24 cent 1861 adhesive. I was also not nearly as aware of the rates and fees of the 1860's as I am now. If I had the experience or had done specific research I would have had some concerns about this cover without even viewing it.

1. Prepayment of the registry fee of 20 cents using stamps wasn't allowed until Jun 1, 1867 (the fee was reduced after Dec 31, 1868).   This significantly limits the time period for an overlap of use of the 24 cent stamp & the prepayment of this fee.
2. Smaller post offices, such as Vallejo would be less likely to have 24 cent adhesives on hand rather than more commonly used 3 cent and 10 cent adhesives. So, even if this WERE posted after June 1, 1867, it is far more likely two ten cent and one 3 cent stamp would be used to pay the postage and fees exactly.

from the 1863 Instructions from the Postmaster General

I take some consolation in the fact that I exhibited this item as a part of my first exhibit attempt (a single frame) that won a gold medal and best single frame exhibit award at the Minnesota Stamp Expo in 1999.  On the other hand, I am equally horrified that I put something out there that was clearly incorrect.  It made it past the judges and most who viewed the exhibit. But, when you consider how hard it is for a judge to critique EVERY item in EVERY exhibit, it is hardly a surprise that it wasn't noticed.   I find things in exhibits every time I have a chance to view them that have small to large inaccuracies for items that fall within my area of knowledge, but if they are outside of my expertise....

The up side is that working on an exhibit encouraged me to do further research and to begin studying my own material more closely. When I looked at this item in detail, I became unsure of what was going on. I noticed that the stamp appeared to have been lifted and moved (or so I thought) since there was a shadow of soiling that did NOT line up with the stamp. Further, the cancel that 'ties' the stamp didn't quite line up either. I began to despair that I had been stuck with a problem child and was able to ask for an opinion of Richard Frajola via his discussion board. Richard was kind enough to view the cover in person. What Richard found/confirmed is listed below:

1. Cancellation ink was found UNDER the stamp's perf tips.
2. The inks on the stamp and on the envelope are different (a black light viewing illustrated this problem)
3. A definite shadow appears on the cover outlining where the original stamp was affixed. The shadow does not match the shape of the stamp's perf tips.
4. The shape of the cancellation tie on the cover doesn't match up with the cancel on the stamp.

Conclusion: This cover likely had a 3 cent stamp paying the postal rate for letter carriage and the registry fee was paid in cash. The 3 cent stamp was removed or was missing and it was replaced with a 24 cent stamp in an attempt to create a much more valuable and rare cover.  I donated this item to the United States Philatelic Classics Society S.C.R.A.P. program so it could be taken out of the market.

Richard's Analysis follows: 
 
ANALYST: Richard C. Frajola
PUBLISHED: February 2003 Issue of The Chronicle of the U.S. Classic Postal Issues

DESCRIPTION: An orange registered cover franked with a single 24 cent grayish lilac shade 1861 issue, perforated 12, postmarked with a blue VALLEJO/SEP 15/CAL cds, and canceled by a blue circular grid handstamp, with also a dark brown manuscript Reg #26 and blue crayon452, addressed to a Miss Margret McCarry, Ware Village, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

APPARENT USAGE: Fully prepaid 3 cents per half ounce domestic postage rate plus 20 cents registry fee, the latter being in effect between June 30, 1863 and December 31, 1968, with the letter overpaid by 1 cent.
 
ANALYSIS: The franking on the letter appears to be a genuine 24 cent 1861 issue, Scott number 78, with some perforation staining as well as several short perforations and three missing perforations on the lower right edge.
The cover is a genuine registered usage. However, the 24 cent stamp did not originate on this letter and is a replacement stamp for the original. The significant points of the analysis are: (a) the rim of the blue handstamp cancellation extends under a perforation near the top right side; (b) under black light there is a perforation shadow well above the top of the 24 cent stamp that does not conform with the shape of the top perforation tips; there is also a similar shadowing well to the left of the stamp; and (c) the blue ink of the handstamp cancellation appearing on the envelope does not match the blue ink appearing on the stamp, nor does the blue ink on the stamp match the blue ink of the cds.

CONCLUSION: Originally, this registered letter was likely franked with a common 3 cent of the same 1861 issue, and the 20 cent registry fee was probably paid with cash. The original stamp was removed and replaced with a 24 cent, probably in an attempt to greatly increase the value of this registered usage.