Cherry Blossoms: 10 Sen Green without Syllabics
Genuine
3 October 1872
Scott #15 blue green & #16 yellow green and Sakura #12 Matsuda Printing & # 20 light yellow green Government Printing on native paper.
Size 21 mm x 24 mm
The darker blue green & shades were the earlier printings by Matsuda, while the lighter yellow green shades were later Government printings. Only one original plate known.
The original plate had an error. That is the “0” in “10 sen” was closer to the “S” of “SEN” than to the “1” of “10”. The error was found and corrected. The engraver burnished out incorrectly place “0” and re-engraved the “0” in the correct position. Later during the printing, a portion of the old “0” appears again as blurs on the stamps.
Reminder: Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest).
Matsuda Printings
Government Printings
Early printing with no blur around the “0” of “10”.
Later printing with blur around the “0” of “10”.
Government printing showing blur around the “0” of “10”.
Government printing showing blur worn away and possible retouch of the “0” of bottom “10” .
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.
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: The value labels of the genuine read ” 10 Sen” . Forgeries: The forgeries read “1 0SEN”.
“Signed” Forgeries
There are only two stamp types of the 10 sen green without syllabic that are known with sankō. One is the Hirose type 1 known with the “red sankō” overprint. The other is by the unknown forger who very successfully hid his sankō under a heavy cancel. Both will be shown below with a genuine stamp.
Forgeries with Genuine Stamp
Wada: Plate 11
Mihon Type 1
With no mihon
Mihon Type 2
With no mihon
Unknown Forger
Small sankō under cancel
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 – Design 103
State 1 (No. 12) and states 2, 3, & 5 (No. 14)
Characteristics of Design 100-A:
-
-
- “s” in North panel is small.
- Break in South inner frame line.
-
Reproductions
Japan Stamp Publicity Association
Tayama
JSPA Sheet No. 2 Issued 20 September 1961
This stamp reproduces the genuine issue of 3 October 1872 on laid paper. The reproduction is imperforate on cream-colored vertical laid paper.
Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.
Tayama: 1908
This stamp in found in Sheet 1 included with the 1908 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. Type 1 Cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
10 sen green;
Issued: Meiji 5.9 (September 1872);
Off Sale: Meiji 8.2 (February 1875);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.