GREECE Small Hermes Head issues

Return To Catalogue - Greece Large Hermes Head issues (1861) - Cancels on the first issues - Forgeries of the Large Hermes Head issue - Greece overview

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

1886 Small Head of Hermes

Imperforated

1 c brown 20 l red 40 l lilac 1 D grey

  1 l brown
  2 l brown
  5 l green
  10 l orange
  20 l red
  25 l blue
  25 l lilac (1893)
  40 l violet
  40 l blue (1893)
  1 D grey

Perforated (1891)

20 l red 25 l purple 1 D grey 

  1 l brown
  2 l brown
  5 l green
  10 l orange
  20 l red
  25 l blue
  25 l lilac
  40 l violet
  40 l blue
  50 l green
  1 D grey

Specialists distinguish a Belgian print (1886, imperforate, perforated 13 1/2 or 11 1/2) and an Athens print (1889 less well done, imperforate, perforated 13 1/2 or 11 1/2). The Athens print is in general cheaper.

Value of the stamps

 
vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
 
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
Imperforate, cheapest type
1 l c c  
2 l * *  
5 l * c  
10 l *** c  
20 l ** c  
25 l blue *** c  
25 l lilac ** c Athens printing only
40 l violet R ***  
40 l blue *** ** Athens printing only
50 l *** ** Paris printing only
1 D R **  
Perforated, cheapest type
1 l c c  
2 l * *  
5 l * c  
10 l *** *  
20 l ** c  
25 l blue R *  
25 l lilac ** c Athens printing only
40 l violet *** ***  
40 l blue *** ** Athens printing only
50 l *** ** Paris printing only
1 D R *   
Surcharged (1900, imperforate or perforated)

20 l on 25 l blue

1 D on 40 l and 2 D on 40 l

  20 l on 25 l blue 
  1 D on 40 l violet
  2 D on 40 l violet

Value of the stamps

 
vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
 
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
Imperforate
20 l on 25 l * *  
1 D on 40 l *** ***  
2 D on 40 l RR RR  

Perforated 11 1/2
20 l on 25 l *** **  
1 D on 40 l R ***  
2 D on 40 l RR RR  
Perforated 13 1/2
1 D on 40 l RR RR  
2 D on 40 l *** ***   
Surcharged with value and 'A M' (1900, imperforate or perforated)
  25 l on 40 l violet
  50 l on 25 l blue

Value of the stamps

 
vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
 
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
Imperforate
25 l on 40 l *** ***  
50 l on 25 l *** ***  

Perforated 11 1/2
25 l on 40 l *** ***  
50 l on 25 l *** ***  

Click here for cancels on this issue.

A certain Alisaffi made forgeries of these stamps, which were later also sold by Fournier.

I've been told that the next stamps are forgeries, I have no further information. If anybody has information about forgeries of this issue, please contact me!


This 'stamp' printed on very thick paper looks like postal stationary or a forgery, but it is not. Actually, this is a cut from an 'educational card' with 'THE MAIL IN GREECE' illustrated with four images of stamps of which this is one. It was produced by Manning in Chicago, producer of teas, coffees, spices, baking powder, flavoring extracts etc. (probably given for free with one of their products?).

Fournier forgeries:


Fournier forgeries as they can be found in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries', here with 'FAUX' overprint

The ornament to the right of the right of the 'S' is different from the genuine stamps in the Fournier forgeries.

Postal forgeries (to deceived the post office) exist of the values 20 l (12 varieties according to the Serrane guide), 25 l, 40 l, and 1 D. They have different dimensions when compared to the genuine stamps. Also, the design is different.

Postal forgeries, images obtained from a Karamitsos auction
Postal forgeries. The 'S' has the bottom left part too small and appears to be slanting backwards. The third stamp appears to be a different type(?).

The book 'Die Postwertzeichen von Griechenland' by A.E.Glasewald (1896, available online from http://www.archive.org) describes seven different types postal forgeries of the 20 l, two types of the 25 l and one type of the 1 D value.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer