Cherry Blossoms: 2 sen Vermilion/Rose and Yellow with Crossed Branches

Genuine

Matsuda Printing
Vermilion Issued 23 August 1872 – Scott #11 and Sakura #11 on native paper (Matsuda Printing),
Government Printing began 6 October  1872.
Rose/Red issued 23 August 1872  – Scott #12  and Sakura #17 on native paper.
Yellow issued 5 June 1873 – Scott #13 and Sakura #18  on native paper (Government Printing).

 

 

There is a variety of native paper types that make a great difference in value of the genuine stamp, but do not help much in the identification of the forgeries.  There are great shade differences in the genuine stamp of the vermilion, rose, and red shades. These shade difference do not show well in scans, but again are not important to the identification of forgeries.  Ichida says that the difficulty with the vermilion, rose, and red shades caused the switch to yellow on 5 June 1873.

Reminder:  Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest.

 

 

Masuda printing: 4 sen vermilion cherry blossom
Matsuda Printing – Vermilion

 

 
Government printing: 4 sen red cherry blossom
Government Printing – Red

 

 
Government printing: 2 sen yellow cherry blossom
Government Printing – Yellow

 

 

 Differences Between Genuine & Forged

A.   Genuine:  There are two stems of paulownia blossoms.  Forgeries: Only one stem in some forgeries. 

B.   Genuine: Open flower with a dot in paulownia blossom.  Forgeries: This flower is only a bud.

C.   Genuine: The stem of the third paulowina is usually visible, although in many instances the double lines appear as one thick line.  Forgeries: This stem is rarely found in the forgeries.

D:  Genuine: Base of the “2” ends in a sharp upward stroke.  Forgeries:  Upward stroke isn’t as sharp and often is missing so bottom of “2” is a straight line.

2 sen Cherry Blossoms with crossed branches - difference betweeen genuine and forged

“Signed” Forgeries

All “signed forgeries are known in both  shades

Maeda: cherry blossom, 2 sen yellow crossed branches wth mozō
Maeda: Type 1, Mozō

Single flower stem

 

 

 
Mihon type 1: cherry blossom, 2 sen yellow crossed branches wth mihon
Mihon: Type 1

Single flower stem, and 15 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest

 
Mihon type 2: cherry blossom, 2 sen yellow crossed branches wth mihon
Mihon: Type 2

Single flower stem, and 16 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest

 
 
Mihon type 3: cherry blossom, 2 sen yellow crossed branches wth mihon
Mihon: Type 3

Single flower stem, and 15 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest

 

 

 

 
Wada State 1: cherry blossom, 2 sen vermilion crossed branches wth sankō
Wada, Plate 4, State 1

Sankō vertically above crossed branches. Positions 1-5 have only 15 petals in Chrysanthemum crest. Single flower stem.

 

 

 

 
Wada State 2: cherry blossom, 2 sen yellow crossed branches wth mozō
Wada, Plate 4, State 2

Mozō vertically above crossed branches. Positions 1-5 have only 15 petals in Chrysanthemum crest. Single flower stem.

 

 

 

 
Wada State 3: cherry blossom, 2 sen vermilion crossed branches wth sankō
Wada, Plate 4, State 3

Sankō horizontal above crossed branches. Positions 1-5 have only 15 petals in Chrysanthemum crest. Single flower stem.

 

 

 

 
Wada State 4: cherry blossom, 2 sen vermilion crossed branches wth sankō
Wada, Plate 4, State 4 – Plate Retouched

Sankō above on either side of top central character (red arrows) . Second flower stem added (black arrows) . Postions 1-3 with crossed branches, but position 5-6 have syllabics.

 

 

 

“Unsigned” Forgeries

All are shown with a genuine stamp.

Genuine with Hirose: Postion 1, 2 sen crossed branches in red & yellow
Hirose: Position 1

Position 2 is known but a graphic is unavailable at this time.

 

 

 
Genuine with Ramsden: 2 sen crossed branches in red & yellow
Ramsden

 

 
Genuine with Wada: Plate 5, 2 sen crossed branches in red & yellow
Wada: Plate 5

 

 
Genuine with Wada: Plate 6, 2 sen crossed branches in red
Wada: Plate 6

 

 
Genuine with Spiro, 2 sen crossed branches in red
Spiro

 

 
Genuine wiht Printed Picture perforated
Printed Picture with perforations.

 

 

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.

Genuine 2 sen yellow crossed branches with ABC: Designs 102-A & 102-B

ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) 1 sen yellow – Designs 102-A & 102-B

 State 1 (No. 10) & States 3 & 5 (No. 12): Design 102-A.   State 1 (No. 16) & state 2 (No. 12): Design 102-B.

Characteristics of Design 102-A:

  1. Breaks in design lines.
Genuine 2 sen red/rose crossed branches with ABC: Designs 102-A & 102-B

ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) 1 sen red/rose – Designs 102-A & 102-B

 States 2, 3, & 5 (No. 11): Design 102-A.  State 1 (No. 16): Design 102-B.

Characteristics of Design 102-B

  1. Loop of South “S” closed or almost closed.
  2. Break in frame line.

Reproductions

 

1907 Tayama Reproduction

 

 

Tayama: 1907 Sheet 2

 

This 2 sen Cherry Blossom stamp with crossed branches in red is found in sheet 2 included with the 1907 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report.

Inscriptions translate:
2 sen red;
Issued: Meiji 5.7 (July 1872);
Off Sale: Meiji 6.6 (June 1873);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)

Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.

 

 

 

 

JSPA Reproductions

 

 

Genuine with JSPA Sheet No. 3: 2 sen red
JSPA  Sheet No. 3 Issued 25 October 1961

Reproduces the genuine 2 sen vermilion Cherry Blossom stamp originally issued 23 August 1872 on laid paper.  The reproduction is imperforate on cream-colored laid paper.

Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.

 
Genuine with JSPA Sheet No. 3: 2 sen yellow
JSPA  Sheet No. 3 Issued 25 October 1961

Reproduces the genuine 2 sen yellow Cherry Blossom stamp originally issued 5 June 1873 on laid paper.  The reproduction is imperforate on cream-colored laid paper.

Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions

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