Study of Philatelic Forgeries of Iran

Forgeries of 1902 - 1903 Typeset Issues

"CHAHIS" & "KRANS" fake stamps without overprint

"Chahis" & "Krans" fake stamps with overprint

The Tehran Type-set stamps were printed by the Pharos Press of Tehran during 1902 and 1903 while the post office awaiting the arrival of the Mozaffar-eddin Shah's Full Portrait issue from Holland. The typeset stamps were handstamped by various control handstamps at the post office as a security measure. However a number of remainders as well as forgeries were later handstamped or overprinted and sold to the collectors. Beside the fake handstamped printer's remainders the forgeries of the basic stamps also exist. Most of the fake basic stamps can be recognized by their paper and printing qualities. The forgeries generally lacking gum and have been printed on low quality brownish smooth paper. A vast number of these stamps were machine overprinted rather than individually handstamped. Although the genuine stamps were printed from 12 clichés (2 by 6), showing identifiable characteristics for each position, however, the fake stamps do not show those characteristics.