Old Koban: 3 Sen Orange
Genuine
Issued 23 June 1876 – Scott #70 and Sakura #66
Genuine: Unused
Genuine & Forgeries with and without Sankō
Maeda
Lithographed
Sankō on either side above stars in oval band.
Wada: Plate 3, State 1
Engraved
Both sankō and printed cancels. State I has initial fine engraving
Beware: In some printings and positions the sankō is so faint that it is barely visible. In others the sankō is covered with a cancel.
Wada: Plate 3, State 2
Engraved
Both sankō and printed cancels. State 2 has major and crude retouching.
Beware: In some printings and positions the sankō is so faint that it is barely visible. In others the sankō is covered with a cancel.
Wada: Plate 18, no Sankō
Lithographed
The stamps and cancel were produced by multiple copying of a die and slight differences are found among individual copies. The plates were much lager than the engraved plates, but the exact size is undetermined.
Wada: Plate 3
Fine Engraving
State 1: sankō with six different vignettes and six printed cancels that all seem the same.
Wada: Plate 3, Crude Retouching
Engraved
State2: sankō with six different vignettes and six printed cancels that all seem the same.
Wada: Plate 18
Lithographed
No sankō – the stamps and cancel were produced by multiple copying of a die and slight differences are found among individual copies. The 6 types of printed cancels are not repeated perfectly. Different stamps will have different parts of the same cancel. The plates were much larger than the engraved plates, but the exact size is undetermined.