Cherry Blossoms: 2 sen Yellow with Syllabics
Genuine
Yellow on native paper Scott #28 and Sakura #22 with syllabics イ (i-1) and タ (ta-16) only.
Yellow on foreign paper: Scott #34 and Sakura #30 with syllabics イ (i-1). ロ (ro-2), ハ (ha-3), ニ (ni-4), ホ (ho-5), ヘ (he-6), ト (to-7), チ (chi-8), リ (ri-9), ヌ (nu-10), ル (ru-11), ヲ (wo-12), ワ (wa-13), カ (ka-14), ヨ (yo-15), タ (ta-16), レ (re-17), ソ (so-18), シ (tsu-19). ネ (ne-20), ナ (na-21). ラ ( ra-22). ム (mu-23).
Size 19 1/2 mm x 22 1/2 mm
All the stamps have an issue date of February 1874. The exact number of plates has not been determined, but it is felt that there were at least 39 plates (found by Ichida), and maybe as many as the 53 that was reported by Woodward.
All vermilion, red, or rose 2 sen stamps with syllabics are phantom forgeries.
The genuine stamps below with these syllabics do not have the secret mark.
Syllabic イ (i-1)
Syllabic ロ (ro-2)
Syllabic ハ (ha-3)
Syllabic ニ (ni-4)
Syllabic ホ (ho-5)
Syllabic ヘ (he-6)
The genuine stamps below with these syllabics have the secret mark.
Syllabic ヨ (yo-15)
Syllabic タ (ta-16)
Syllabic レ (re-17)
Syllabic シ (tsu-19)
Secret Mark: Syllabics カ (ka-14) – ム (mu-23)
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- Northwest corner ornament: 8 sections.
- Northeast corner ornament: 9 sections.
Note: Both the South ornaments have only 8 sections like the Northwest ornament. Don’t count the dots. They often don’t have any relationship to the sections. One or the other of the outside side dots will be missing or so close the side frame lines that they can’t be observed with accuracy and seem as part of the inside frame.
Postal Stationery
Anyone, at any time, can add fake perforations to a piece of postal stationery and there is no way of knowing how many times this has occurred or is occurring. The paper of the stamped envelopes resembles that of the foreign wove paper of the stamps.
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- First Issue 2 sen Yellow Stamped Envelopes:
- Syllabics: イ (i-1). ロ (ro-2), ハ (ha-3), and ホ (ho-5).
- Central Characters: “Yūbin Kitte” ( 郵便 切手) or “Postage Stamp”.
- Second Issue 2 sen Yellow Stamped Envelopes:
- Syllabics: イ (i-1), ニ (ni-4), and ヌ (nu-10).
- Central Characters: Yūbin Fūhi” (郵便 封皮) or “Postage Envelope”.
- First Issue 2 sen Yellow Stamped Envelopes:
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Genuine Stamp, and 1st Issue, and 2nd Issue Stamped Envelopes.
Only the first issue 2 sen stamped envelopes design with syllabics イ (i-1). ロ (ro-2), ハ (ha-3), and ホ (ho-5) resemble the 2 sen stamp. The second issue of the 2 sen stamped envelope has a different central inscription that is easy to recognize and was never used on stamps. Although many of the features of the genuine stamp and stamped envelope are similar, these major differences that makes identification easy. Black arrows: The syllabic on the stamps is in a rectangular box. The syllabic on the stamped envelopes is in a hexagon box. Red Arrows: The second issue postal stationery has a completely different set of central characters.
Syllabics and Known Forgeries
Secret Mark: Only Syllabics カ (ka-14), ヨ (yo-15), タ (ta-16), レ (re-17), ソ (so-18), シ (tsu-19). ネ (ne-20), ナ (na-21). ラ (ra-22). ム (mu-23) have the secret mark above. Of these syllabics, ヨ (yo-15), タ (ta-16), レ (re-17) and シ (tsu-19) have known forgeries.
No Secret Mark: There is no secret mark on syllabics イ (i-1) – ワ (13-wa). Syllabics イ (i-1). ロ (ro-2), ハ (ha-3), ニ (ni-4), ホ (ho-5), and ヘ (he-6), have known forgeries. However there is a genuine 2nd issue stamped envelope with syllabic ヌ (nu-10) that could be perforated to look like a stamp. It would be easy to recognize because of the characteristics above.
“Signed” Forgeries
Wada Plate 4
Wada retouched positions 4,5 and 6 of his Plate 4, which he had used to produce forgeries of 2 sen with crossed branches:
- By adding a second stem of the paulownia flower to the left branch,
- By changing position 4 to syllabic ロ (ro-2), position 5 to syllabic イ (i-1). and postion 6 to ハ (ha-3).
Wada Plate 4, State 4, Position 4
Syllabic ロ (ro-2), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 4, State 4, Position 5
Syllabic イ (i-1), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 4, State 4, Position 6
Syllabic ハ (ha-3), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19
Wada Plate 19, State 1, Position 1
Syllabic ハ (ha-3), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19, State 1, Position 2
Syllabic ロ (ro-2), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19, State 1, Position 3
Syllabic イ (i-1), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19, State 1, Position 4
Syllabic ヘ (he-6), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19, State 1, Position 5
Syllabic ホ (ho-5), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19, State 1, Position 6
Syllabic ニ (ni-4), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada retouched plate 19, state 2 so that positions 1-3 all had syllabic イ (i-1) and postions 4-6 all had syllabic タ (ta-16).
Wada Plate 19, State 2, Positions 1-3
Syllabic イ (i-1), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Wada Plate 19, State 2, Position 4-6
Syllabic タ (ta-16), tiny sankō on each side of top central character.
Genuine Stamp with “Unsigned” Forgeries
Wada: Plate 20, Positions 1, 2, & 6 Syllabic イ
Genuine: West side – Dot in center of open paulownia flower. Stem shows on fourth paulownia leaf. Base of “2” ends in sharp upward stroke. Forgery: No open flower with dot. No stem on fourth paulownia leaf. Base of “2” is straight.
Wada: Plate 20, Position 3, 4, & 5, Syllabic ヨ (yo-15)
Genuine: West side – Dot in center of open paulownia flower. Stem shows on fourth paulownia leaf. Base of “2” ends in sharp upward stroke. Forgery: No open flower with dot. No stem on fourth paulownia leaf. Base of “2” is straight.
Wada: Plate 20, Positions 7 & 8, Syllabic タ (ta-16)
Genuine: West side – Dot in center of open paulownia flower. Stem shows on fourth paulownia leaf. Base of “2” ends in sharp upward stroke. Forgery: No open flower with dot. No stem on fourth paulownia leaf. Base of “2” is straight.
Early Forgery by Unknown Forger, Syllabic ヨ (yo-15)
Genuine: West side – Dot in center of open paulownia flower. Stem shows on fourth paulownia leaf. Dots do not touch frame line. Forgery: No open flower with dot. No stem on fourth paulownia leaf. Dots touch frame line.
Spiro: Syllabic レ (re-17)
Genuine: West side – Two stems on paulownia flower. Base of “2” ends in sharp upward stroke. Forgery: Only one stem on paulownia flower. Base of “2” is almost straight.
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, 2 sen yellow syllabic タ (ta-16) – Design 108-A.
State 1 (No. 18) and States 2, 3 & 5 (No. 17).
Characteristics of Design 108-A:
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- Break in frame under North “E”.
- Incomplete corner ornament.
- Break at top of value panel.
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ABC (Kurabu) Club Forgery, 2 sen yellow syllabic シ (tsu-19) – Design 108-B
States 1, 2, 3 & 5 (No. 25).
Characteristics of Design 108-B:
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- Top value panel touches outside frame line.
- Extra dot.
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Reproductions
Tayama 1908 Sheet 2
This 2 sen stamp, syllabic タ (ta-16) is found in sheet 2 included with the 1908 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. It has the type 2 cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
2 sen yellow;
Issued: Meiji 6.6 (June 1873);
Off Sale: Meiji 9.5 May 1876);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.
Japan Stamp Publicity Association
JSPA Sheet No. 8 issued 15 October 1962
The stamp in this sheet reproduces the genuine issue of February1874 on wove paper with syllabic タ (ta-16). The sheet is on wove paper.
For more information click here.