Guides · Common Fakes & Counterfeits · Stamps guide
Common fakes: stamps
Altered stamps are made to look better than they are. Check the back and the edges.
General tips, not authentication. This is an estimate, not an appraisal. When in doubt, use a professional authentication service.
Most common fakes
- Regummed stamps, reperforated stamps and outright forgeries. Sources: philatelicfoundation.org · americanstampdealer.com · philatelicfoundation.org · stamps.org
How to spot them
- Signs of regumming: gum inside the perforation holes, or gum with the wrong texture. Regumming often hides thins or repairs. Sources: philatelicfoundation.org · americanstampdealer.com · crotonstamp.com
Tests you can do safely
Coming soon.
When to get it authenticated
- For valuable stamps, get a certificate from the American Philatelic Expertizing Service (APEX) of the American Philatelic Society (APS) or the Philatelic Foundation. Sources: philatelicfoundation.org · stamps.org · crotonstamp.com
These guides are general screening tips, not authentication or appraisals. Sources are independent sites we don't control and aren't affiliated with. Sources checked Nov 2, 2026.
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