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nystamps is offering this #1 Brazilian Bulls eye stamp under "Private Auction" (as Glen has said; your first warning) under the following tempting title: nystamps Brazil Stamp # 1 Bull Eye Used $700 Top Margin Frame Lines Rare VF The BIN price is $549.00 and there is apparently one offer tendered. The offer ends on October 5th. The item #: 350598520886

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350598520886

There are several questionable characteristics to this stamp, which a seller like nystamps HAS to know, given the number of these they have transacted in the past. They do not offer a view of the back of the stamp and, for full disclosure, when I asked to receive images of the back side of a Bulls eye stamp they had on offer, not only did I NOT get them, but I was summarily placed on their blacklist, so I can't bid on any of their wares. So I will use Stampboards to warn off other less experienced collectors since I can't contact them.

The accepted FDC for a Bulls Eye stamp is August 1, 1843..and a few examples exist. The last date of use of the stamps is sometime in 1854. But the mute cancel of the Brazilian stamps does not begin until the time of issue of the Dom Pedro II series... sometime around 1876...some twenty years after the Bulls eyes were out of circulation.

The serious Brazilian collector KNOWS this and seeing this offer would also know that, at the very least, the cancellation is fraudulent. There are NO Bulls Eye stamps canceled with a genuine mute cancel. Zero. They don't exist. Note also that, other than some rarer cancellations, the MINT stamp is more valuable. So why would a fake cancellation be applied to a mint stamp in this case except to hide the fact that the stamp itself is fake? I can't think of any other reason. But, as I said, there are some dodgy characteristics in any case on this stamp.

If the forger had done his homework, he could at least have chosen to forge a genuine cancel... with this item, only a novice will be fooled... and NYSTAMPS is no novice... so why are they offering this as genuine?

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"Making money is a hobby that will complement any other hobbies you have, beautifully." - Scott Alexander
I collect Souvenir Sheets postally used on cover, WW used stamps up to 1957 except everything of Brasil and Argentina.

Sounds like NYSTAMPS was stung with this themselves and are trying to get their money back.

D.

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Visit my Website - http://WWW.DJMSTAMPS.COM for Australia & World Stamps, Collections and Accessories

Maybe. But as a professional 'retailer', if you screwed up, you should eat it...not try and pass off your mistake on some naive public. That's not a very smart way to protect your brand and reputation in a marketplace that will not tolerate such shenanigans.

And eating your own mistakes applies to the everyday collector as well; it's just that the stakes are generally much higher for those in the business of philately.

In the current climate, who knows what motivates such behavior? But I'm going to guess that they are going to hide behind their 100% satisfaction guarantee....

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"Making money is a hobby that will complement any other hobbies you have, beautifully." - Scott Alexander
I collect Souvenir Sheets postally used on cover, WW used stamps up to 1957 except everything of Brasil and Argentina.

I asked for scan of the reverse. Here is what I got;



I know absolutely nothing about these. Hope it helps.

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Peter
Hawthorn - AFL Premiers 1961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008.

Timbres

Not really my area, hence no opinion.

I did check the recent Brazil catalogue containing the "Pack" strip from the Siegel auction house and not a single quartered cork (mute in your parlance) cancel in sight.

However, the stamp is not immediately apparent to me as a forgery. (again, no opinion)

I have heard absolutely nothing negative about nystamps and may have been a customer there myself, so feel you may be being a little harsh on them.

Kindest regards, Richard