ALBANIA Koritza Local Issue

Return To Catalogue - Albania 1913-1915 - Albania 1916-1919 - Albania 1920 onwards

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Independent Republic Korce

This area is full with forgeries and detection is a field for specialists. I've tried to separate forgeries and genuine stamps, but I'm not 100 % sure is this is done correctly. If anybody has more information, please contact me!

1917 Double headed eagle

Inscription 'SHQIPERIE VETQEVERITARE'

Type 9 

  1 c brown and green
  2 c brown and green
  3 c brown and green
  5 c green and black
  10 c brown and black
  25 c blue and black
  50 c lilac and black
  1 F brown and black

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
1 c R R  
2 c RR R  
3 c RR R  
5 c *** ***  
10 c *** ***  
25 c *** ***  
50 c *** ***  
1 F *** ***   
Inscription 'REPUBLIKA SHQIPETARE'

  1 c brown and green
  2 c brown and green
  3 c brown and green
  5 c green and black
  10 c brown and black
  50 c lilac and black
  1 F  brown and black

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
1 c * *  
2 c * *  
3 c * *  
5 c ** **  
10 c *** ***  
50 c *** ***  
1 F R ***   
Overprinted 'QARKU I KORCES' (in red) and value


Two totally different overprint types (probably both forged)

  25 on 5 c green and black

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
25 on 5 c RR RR   
Inscription 'QARKU I KORCES'

  25 c blue and blck

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
25 c R ***  

There are 12 genuine types of these stamps, according to http://www.tughranet.f2s.com/stamps/aps/albania.htm, the following stamps could be genuine (by comparing the shape of the eagle with the images on this page, but I'm not 100% sure that all the stamps are genuine):

Cancelled to order?
Type 1

Probably cancelled to order
Type 2


Type 3


Type 5


Type 6


Type 7

Type 9
Type 9


Type 10

I've seen stamps with wide and short 'KORCE' inscription on top. I'm not sure if all of them are genuine.

Forgeries:


Forgery, type 1


Forgery, type 2


Forgery, type 7


Highly dubious items

Misprints (or forgeries? 2 CTM and 3 CTM):

Many forgeries exist of these stamps (about 50 types according to 'Focus on forgeries'!). There are 12 types of these stamps. 'Focus on forgeries' says in the genuine stamps, the eagle is always more or less surrounded by small dots or lines (depending on the type). In the genuine stamps the value indication for the 1 c is 'CTM' and not 'CTS'. More information can also be found at: http://www.tughranet.f2s.com/stamps/aps/albania.htm.

This forgery has inscription 'CTS' instead of 'CTM'
(Forgeries with inscription '1 CTS' instead of '1 CTM')


Other forgery of the 'QARKU KORCES' surcharged stamp


Some other highly dubious items, not the many 'tentacles' at the feet of the eagle (reduced sizes)


(Block of 10 stamps, probably forgeries, reduced sizes)


Another block with most likely forgeries made by the same forger as the sheet shown above


Forgery in a much smaller size than the genuine stamps.


Very dubious item with six 5 c stamps, the black inscription is missing on the bottom two stamps.


Another very dubious item, with two 50 c stamp, imperforate in between. The right stamp has exactly the same shape of eagle as the right hand side stamps in the block of six stamps shown above.

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