The Philatelic Foundation

The Philatelic Foundation was founded in New York in 1945. The PF is widely recognized in the hobby as the leading authenticating service for postage stamps in the United States. Since its beginning, it has issued over 555,000 Certificates of Authenticity. With almost 75 years of experience, the PF has unrivaled expertise in correctly identifying stamps by their Scott Catalogue number. A number of issues are distinguished by subtle color, shade, perforation and watermark varieties. Many scarce and valuable stamps look virtually identical to stamps of only nominal value. In addition, otherwise genuine stamps have sometimes been repaired over the years to conceal such flaws as paper thins, sealed tears and other condition issues. Unused stamps have been regummed to simulate genuine original unhinged gum. Pen cancels have been fraudulently removed from early issues of used stamps to make them appear as more valuable unused stamps.

With eight decades of experience authenticating valuable United States stamps, the PF in consultation with eBay has developed a “watch list” of those stamps that are frequently misidentified by catalog number or misdescribed by condition. As the leading internet marketplace for the sale of stamps, eBay recognizes the benefits of expertization. A stamp posted for sale on eBay, accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity, provides confidence to both seller and buyer. Both the eBay and the PF share the same goal: to make certain that stamps bought and sold in our hobby are genuine in all respects.

The “watch list” below, identifies stamps of significant value which the PF have found to be the most frequently misidentified by their Scott Specialized United States Catalogue numbers, The list is limited to a little more than 5% of all Scott Catalogued U.S. stamps. The great majority of the listed stamps were issued in the 19th century with a smaller number issued before 1925.

Postmasters’ Provisionals : 1X1 through 8XU4

1847 Issue : 1 & 2 unused

1851 Issue : 5, 5A, 6, 6b, 8, (8) Pos. 99R2, 12 unused, 13-15 unused, 16, 17 unused,

1857-61 Issue : 19, 19b, 21 unused, (21) Pos. 99R2, 23 unused, 25A, 27A. 31-33 unused, 34, 36

Reprints of 1857-60 Issue : 40-47

1861 First Design Essays : 63-E11e through 72-E7h

1861-66 Issue : 64, 64b, 67 unused, 75 unused, 78c

1867 Grilled Issues : 79-85, 85A through 85F, 66 unused, 90 through 92 unused,

95 through 100 unused, 101

Re-Issue of 1861-66 Issues : 102-111

1869 Issue : 118 through 121 unused, 122

Re-Issue of 1869 Issue : 123 through 133a

Banknote Issue with “H” Grill 1870-71 : 134 unused, 137 through 139 unused, 140 through 144

Banknote Issue with “I” Grill : 134A through 143A

National Banknote Issue 1870-71 : 154 & 155 unused

Continental Banknote Issue 1873 : 165 unused, 166 used

Special Printing of 1873 Issue : 167 through 177

American Banknote 1879 Issue : 191 unused

Special Printing of 1879 Issue : 192 through 204

Special Printing of 1882 : 205C

Special Printing of 1883-85 : 211B, 211D

Columbian Issue 1893, 4c error of color : 233a

Columbian Issue 1893, dollar values with original gum : 241 through 245 unused

Bureau Issue of 1894 : 261A through 263 unused

Trans-Mississippi Issue 1898 dollar values with original gum : 282 & 283 unused

Pan-American Issue with Inverted Centers : 294a, 295a, 296a

1902-03 Issue : 313, 314A, 315

1908 Coil stamps : 316 through 318 unused, 321, 322 unused, 356

1908 Bluish Paper : 359 through 366 (beware of fake cancels on used stamps)

1910-11 Coils : 388, 389

1914 Compound Perforations : 423A through 423E

1914-16 Rotary Press Issue : 449 unused, 459 used, 467

1916-17 Flat Plate Press Issue : 476A, 482A

1916-22 Issue : 491 unused

1917-19 AEF Booklet Panes of 30 : 498f & 499f unused

1917-19 Compound Perforations : 502e, 504a, 506a, 508a, 511a, 512a, 514a, 516a, 517a

1917 Issue : 519

1917 Victory Issue : 537a

1919 Regular Issue : 539

1920 Offset Printing : 534B

1922 Issue “Waste” : 544

1923 Issue “Waste” : 594, 596

1927 Harding Memorial Perf. 11 Rotary Press : 613

1938 Presidential Issue : 834a

1918 Jenny Invert Airmail : C3a

1944-45 RF Overprints : CM1 through CM12

1879 Postage Dues Special Printing : J8 through J14 unused

1914 Postage Dues : J58

1916 Postage Dues : J59

1878 State Department Officials : O68 through O71

1879 Agriculture Official : O94

1879 Officials Special Printing Overprinted “Specimen ” : O1S through O98S

1875 Newspaper Special Printing : PR33 through PR56

1895 Newspaper Special Printing : PR102 through PR113

Updated: September 24, 2018