How can I tell if a postage stamp is authentic?

Question

I'm talking about the newer postage stamps that you use for everyday mailing.

What are some things to look for that would prove if a stamp is real or not?

Answer 1

This site is awsome. It should answer your questions:

Comparative Stamp Forgery Identification Site:
http://www.geocities.com/claghorn1p/index.html

Answer 2

The postal service in America has several new fangled systems to prevent forgeries. One is micro printing on the stamps that does not copy on m copy machines and the other is a coded indicia printing technique that makes an image show up if you have the special image 'magnifyer thingy' However, I do not believe that there are many people making fake stamps of the commoner 39cent stamps.

What to look for:
Gum on the back, or self sticky-ess (All today's stamps have one or the other)
proper number of holes (perforations) along the sides, (or wavy lines that are regular on the plastic self stick kind)
clear images that are not fuzzy or obviously made on a copy machine.

There is a catalog that the US postal service puts out. You can get it from the PO locally (they may have them there depending on the size of the PO) and it shows all the current stamps, with pictures.

In other countries I do not know about forging stamps. There are catalogs that list EVERY stamp ever made - The most common one in the US is in 6 volumes costing about 25 dollars each. Name: Scott Catalog

Anything else I can help you with?

Answer 3

Good heavens-go to the post office.They will tell you soon enough,most crooks don't bother forging stamps,at least not everyday postage.If you have to worry about 1 fake stamp maybe you shouldn't buy from that person anymore.

Answer 4

Wrong, is impossible to tell! it's pretty easy but most people don't care to waste the time for so little money, you would end up losing so much money just to make them that you're better off just buying them, or using stamps.com to save a few pennis now and than.