Cherry Blossoms: 10 Sen Green with Syllabics
Genuine
February 1874
Scott #37 and Sakura #33 with syllabics 
(I-1), syllabic 
(ro-2) , or syllabic 
(ha-3) on foreign wove paper.
Size 22 1/2 mm x 25 1/2 mm
The design of this stamp is the same as the 10 sen native paper with the addition of syllabics 
, , and at the lower center. There was one plate for each of the syllabics. All were Government printed.
The 10 sen green Cherry Blossom plates with syllabics were engraved with the same error that was made in the plates engraved in 1872 for the 10 sen issue without syllabics. That is the “0” in “10 sen” is closer to the “S” of “SEN” than to the “1” of “10”. In the 1872 issue the error was corrected, but in this issue it was never corrected.
Reminder: Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest).
Genuine with Syllabic (i -1)
Genuine with Syllabic (ro -2)
Genuine with Syllabic (ha -3)
10 Sen Green Secret Mark
The cloud designs in the upper corners of the stamps are not symmetrical. While many parts of the cloud design are not symmetrical, the most noticeable is the indent at the outside edge of the West cloud, not present on the East cloud. This feature occurs on all three syllabics.
Wada’s plate 26 is the only forgery known to imitate this feature. But, in Wada’s plate 26 the heavy center line of each dragon does not touch the dragon’s mane. See feature “A” below.
Differences Between Genuine and Forged
These characteristics are typical of most of the forgeries. For many years it was said that there were no forgeries of syllabic (i) or (ha). It is now known that there is at least one forgery of each syllabic. Most of the forgeries bear syllabic (ro).
A: Genuine: The heavy center line of each dragon touches the dragon’s mane. Forgeries: In forgeries, this center line usually stops short of the mane.
B. Genuine: On syllabic (i) and (ro) the lower inner pair of curls on the east dragon are separated from the body by a solid line. In the genuine syllabic (ha) this attached portion is open as it is in the forgeries. Forgeries: On most of the forgeries with syllabic (i) or (ro), the attached portion is “open” meaning there is no line.
Note: Any 10 sen stamp with a syllabic under the dragon’s tails (not in a box) and blue instead of green is a forgery.
“Signed” Forgeries
Mihon, Type 1, syllabic
Also occurs without mihon (see below).
Mihon, Type 2, syllabic
Also occurs without mihon (see below).
Mihon, Type 3, syllabic
Probably occurs without mihon.
Maeda: Syllabic
Sankō in color of stamp, vertical below central characters.
Unknown Forger: Syllabic
Sankō close together between east dragon’s head and crest. Some of these forgeries appear to have syllabic (ha-3)
All Wada Plate 25 forgeries (7 states and 6 positions, with and without the “signed” markings) have only 15 petals.
All syllabic
Wada: Plate 25, State 1
Sankō on either side of central characters.
Wada: Plate 25, State 2
Sankō in color of stamp vertical under central characters.
.
Wada: Plate 25, State 4
Mozō in color of stamp horizontal under central characters.
.
Wada: Plate 25, State 5
Faint sankō in color of stamp. Also exists in blue phantom color as state 6.
Hirose: Position 1, State 1
Syllabic (ro-2)
Hirose: Position 2, State 1
Syllabic (ro-2)
Spiro
Syllabic (ro-2)
Unknown forger
Syllabic (ro-2)
Wada: Plate 25, State 3
Syllabic (ro-2) – 15 petals in crest
Wada: Plate 25, State 7
Syllabic (ro-2) – 15 petals in crest
Wada: Plate 26
Syllabic (ro-2) – 16 petals in crest
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, 10 sen green syllabic ハ (ha-3) – Design 114
State 1, 2, 3 & 5 (No. 28)
Characteristics of Design 100-A:
-
-
- Break.
-
Reproductions
Japan Stamp Publicity Association
Genuine with 10 sen green from JSPA Sheet No. 9 Issued 20 November 1962.
The stamp on this sheet reproduces the genuine 10 sen green issue of February 1874 with Syllabic (ro-2) on wove paper. The reproduction is imperforate on cream-colored wove paper. Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.