2018 First-Class Forever US Flag- COUNTERFEIT STAMP

Mint 2018 Counterfeit US Flag Stamp

Counterfeit US stamps have popped up every now and then throughout postal history, but in 2002, we began to see a noticeable rise in the illegal printing of modern stamps.  In 2020, misleading advertisements appeared offering current stamps at heavily discounted prices to the unsuspecting consumer.  For this reason, the USPS recommends only purchasing Forever stamps through their website or other trusted stamp dealer sources.

This is your chance to see counterfeit US stamps up-close and compare them to your genuine versions.  The scandal surrounding these stamps makes them all the more interesting to collect.  And, since you won't be using them as postage, you have nothing to fear from owning them.  Order today!

This stamp is one of 23 different counterfeits of the 2019 US Flag Forever stamp printed by Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.  This variety was found in the fall of 2021.

How to Distinguish them from the Real Deal…

• No tagging (originals have tagging) – this means the stamp doesn’t react under shortwave or longwave UV light.
• Microprinting to the right of the flag fold on the 6th white stripe (originals have microprinting to the right of the flag fold on the 5th white stripe)
• Microprinting is larger than on the genuine stamps
• Die cuts are even, but are distinctly different from the originals
• Die cuts measure gauge 9.4 (Originals measure 11)
• Die cuts are double every 4th stamp
• Printing appears wet
• Black shading below the fold is darker than the genuine stamp
• The “1” in the date has a slanted serif at the top and a footer at the bottom. (Original has straight serif and footer)

Get the Genuine for Your Collection, Too

 U.S. #5261

It’s a lot of fun to have both the genuine and counterfeit stamps in your collection. You can even compare them side-by-side on an album page so you can spot the differences.
Missing the genuine stamp? Get it here