Cherry Blossoms – Eagle: 45 Sen Carmine with Syllabics
Genuine
Issued 1 January 1875 with Syllabics 
(1 – i ) , 
(2 – ro) and 
(3 – ha)
Scott #50 and Sakura #38 on foreign paper
Size 19 1/2 mm x 22 1/2 mm
The 45 sen lake (some catalogs refer to the color as carmine) with syllabics has four original plates. Ichida says, one plate each with syllabics (1-i) and (3-ha), and two plates with syllabic (2-ro). There are no known forgeries with syllabic . Therefore, stamps with syllabic (2-ro) may be presumed genuine.
Reminder: Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest).
Syllabic (1-i)
Syllabic (2-ro)
Syllabic (3-ha)
45 Sen Secret Mark
West flower has 11 petals. East flower has 10 petals.
Other Differences Between Genuine and Forged
- Genuine: The larger scroll leaves just below the upper left and right cherry blossoms are split and have two tips. Forgeries: Most forgeries have only one tip.
- Genuine: The outside frame of the circle consists of three lines ; the outer two are very close together and the inner line more widely spaced. Forgeries: A solid single line instead of the two outer lines.
- Genuine: The leaves on each side of the chrysanthemum crest either touch the crest or are very close to touching it. Forgeries: In many, but not all forgeries, there is a clear space between the leaves and the crest.
Wada 45 Sen Forgeries Plates 39 & 40
Plate 39: Wada changed this same plate in different ways from mozō to sankō, and then changed the position and size of the sankō. The earliest examples (state 1) of plate 39 have mozō in the color of the stamps. State 2 & 3 have sankō on either side of bird near ground. State 3 sankō is a little smaller and closer to the inner circle than state 2 sankō. State 4 has sanko higher than state 2 & 3.
Positions 1-3 (all states) have 14 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest and positions 4-6 have 15 petals. All states & positions are of syllabic (1-i).
Plate 40: No sankō or mozō and there are 16 petals in the Crest. Plate 40 positions are all of syllabic (3-ha).
“Signed” Forgeries
Wada: Plate 39, State 1, syllabic (1-i) with mozō
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals
Wada: Plate 39, State 2, syllabic (1-i) with sankō
Chrysanthemum Crest has 14 petals
Wada: Plate 39, state 3, syllabic (1-i) with sankō
Chrysanthemum Crest has 14 petals
Wada: Plate 39, state 3, syllabic (1-i) with sankō
Chrysanthemum Crest has 14 petals
Maeda: 45 sen, type 1, syllabic (1-i) with sankō
Mihon: Type 1, syllabic (1-i)
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals
Mihon: Type 2, syllabic (1-i)
Chrysanthemum Crest has 16 petals
Mihon: Type 3, syllabic (1-i)
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals. Type 3 is also known without mihon (see below).
“Unsigned” Forgeries
Wada “unsigned’ forgeries are syllabic (3-ha). All other “unsigned” forgeries are syllabic (1-i)
Wada: Plate 40, Position 5, state 1, syllabic (3-ha)
NW Cherry Blossom stamen missing
Wada: Plate 40, Position 5, state 2, syllabic (3-ha)
NW Cherry Blossom stamen added
Maeda: Type 2, syllabic (1-i)
8 Petals in Flower
Maeda: Type 3, syllabic (1-i)
11 Petals in Flower as in genuine
Comparison with genuine shows many minor errors such as more white space in head of bird.
Spiro: syllabic 
(1 -i)
17 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
Mihon Type 3: syllabic (1-i), with no mihon
15 Petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
Unknown Forger: syllabic (1 – i)
Never a genuine stamp of this color – Printed Perforations
ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) - 1950's-1960's
For more information about the ABC Kurabu Forgeries click here.
Note: Numbers in parenthesis and bold are the catalog numbers found on reverse of the forgeries. State 4 forgeries did not have any numbers on the reverse. It is believed that State 4 forgeries exist for all different values. But only a few State 4 examples were available for examination. When State 4 was available for examination, the design type is recorded.
ABC (Kurabu) Club Forgery syllabic ハ (ha-3) – Design 117
States 1, 2, 3, & 5 (No. 33).
Characteristics of Design 117:
-
-
- Nothing specific – many design lines and details blurred or missing because of the poor printintg.
-
Reproductions
JSPA: 45 Sen Eagle, Syllabic ハ (3-ha) from Sheet No. 1, Issued 20 April 1961
This stamp reproduces the genuine issue of 1 January 1875 on wove paper. The sheet is on cream colored wove paper.
Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.
Tayama: 1912
This 45 sen red eagle イ (i), is found in Sheet 1 included with the 1912 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. Type 2 Cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
45 sen bird;
Issued: Meiji 8.1 (January 1875);
Off Sale: Meiji 10.8 (August 1877);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.
