Old Koban: 5 Rin Slate
Genuine
Issued 17 May 1876- Scott #55 and Sakura #61
Genuine: Unused
Forgeries with Genuine with and without Sankō
Maeda: (reproduction)
Lithographed
Sankō on either side of oval below below stars in oval band.
Spiro: Type 1
Lithographed
No sankō – part of fake “Nagasaki” cancel.
Note: Large dot in center of chrysanthemum crest. No such dot in genuine.
Spiro: Type 2
Lithographed
No sankō – infamous fake ” Jokohama” instead of “Yokohama” cancel.
Note: Large dot in center of chrysanthemum crest. No such dot in genuine.
1991 Reprints: 1876 5 rin gray Koban
by the Japanese Printing Bureau for PHILA NIPPON ’91
Sheet size 89 x 138 mm
Sheet was enclosed in a folder. The cover of the folder is a reproduction of the 5 rin orange postcard with 4 added inscriptions.
Note: Called reprints because they were said to be printed from “a plate newly [1991] made from the original [1876] die or printing plate from a die.
The original 5 rin postcard was issued 1876.9.19. The the stamp design was orange and the paper of the card an gray or brownish color. The reprint on the folder cover is a more yellowish shade and on white paper with four horizontal inscriptions added. The first three are in black and the 4th in blue.
- “Kyu Koban kitte 5 rin ripurinto” (Old Koban 5 rin stamp reprint)
- “Reprint of the 5 Rin Koban” (In English)
- “PHILA NIPPON ’91” and red globe exhibition logo.
- “Nihon Kokusai Kitte Ten ’91 Soshiki linkai” (Japan International Philatelic Exhibition ’91 Organizing Committee)
The reprinted stamp is imperforate on an 89 x 138mm souvenir sheet with Okura Sho Insatsu Kyoku seizo (Produced by the Finance Ministry Printing Bureau) imprinted at the bottom of the sheet. There is no printing on the reverse of the reprinted stamp to indicate that it is a reprint.