4 Finland 5 kop Blue
4 Finland 5 kop Blue
dad
Inherited
Maybe
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. Based on the photographs and description provided, the subject of this appraisal is an unauthenticated set of four presumedly either official reprints or well-done forgeries of the iconic 1856 Finnish 5 Kopeck stamp. Excellent write-ups of 5 Kop reprints vs. forgeries vs. authentic pieces can be found at http://stampforgeries.com/forged-stamps-of-finland-1856-oval-5-kop/ and http://www.scc-online.org/resources/finlands_first_stamps . According to the current owner, the piece was acquired from his father.
Note the size of the pearls at the end of the horns, the dark blue ink and the indications of lithography. Moreover, unfortunately, the relative ease of printing these stamps with modern technology coupled with the fact that these stamps have been the subject of convincing forgeries for over a century requires an examination and grading of the set by a reputable third-party stamp authentication service to determine their origin.
In consideration of the factors noted, a Fair Market Value cannot be provided as the appraisal cannot presume the pieces to be genuine in an unauthenticated state.
Questionable authenticity Can you be a little more specific?
Sure, Desmond! I'm happy to try!
Stamp collecting as a hobby arose in the mid 1800s, around the time that this stamp was created. In fact, this stamp was highly sought after by collectors, and many forgeries even from the time period exist. Official "reprints" of the stamp were printed too, and it is not reliable for an appraiser to judge the validity of certain stamps like this 5 Kop by photos alone.
For example, if there were extra documentation you could provide (like receipts around how the item was acquired by your father that show that he purchased from a stamp auction, or evidence that the piece has been authenticated already by a reputable stamp grading service), it would be possible to more definitively determine if the stamps are (1) original or not and, if not, (2) are they official reprints or were they created as forgeries meant to deceive collectors? This is an important distinction for valuing the piece. Based on photos alone, there is enough question of whether or not they are original to be able to value them.
Were they original (which there is a chance that they could be, as some research indicates that large pearls in horn does not rule out authenticity), a pre-auction FMV of approximately $10,000 to $20,000 would be an estimate of their value - but they would need to be authenticated to achieve that value.
Hopefully this explanation gives you more of the rationale in the appraisal. It would be worth the expense for you to have these stamps graded because serious collectors and auction houses would expect that authentication to happen before a sale.
Questionable authenticity Can you be a little more specific? Thank you