A DATABASE OF HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES OF THE GENUINE LEADERS OF THE WORLD STAMPS
PRODUCED BY THE FORMAT INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PRINTERS LTD.
Plus other stamp issues effected by criminal forgers

This is a link page to images of the genuine stamp issues that were produced by the Format International Security Printers in the 1980's. If you have read my reference section on "Modern Fake Stamps" then you know why this database has been created. Due to the massive forging of many of the "Leaders of the World" stamp issues and others, I have found it is needed for collectors and dealers to have an online source they can use to compare the issues they have obtained or plan to obtain.

All of the images of the stamps provided in this database have been scanned at 1200dpi with no enhancements to the images. They are scanned directly on the scanner glass with no protectors or anything else that can alter the colors and details of the stamps. In other words, they are exactly as they are when you look at them in person.
They are scanned at 1200dpi so you can see every detail of the genuine issues including the very "dots" that make up the image on the stamps. These "dots" are the screen layouts used in lithography to produce the stamps. The many forgeries of the issues have been produced using cheap versions of screens to simulate the genuine issues. The Format Printers were noted for making the finest images on stamps in their time due to using very fine screens in the process which was and is more expensive to use. The differences of the genuine stamps and the forgeries is profound. When looking at the forgeries with the naked eye, in many cases they have easily slipped by detection as they look very similar to the genuine issues. With closer inspection though, one can see the completely inferior quality of the images on the forgeries and unauthorized reprints which "takes away" the image quality to the point of being blurry and many details being lost.

As shown in the Modern Fake Stamps references for most of the forgeries and unauthorized reprints the colors differ as well. The inks that were used and the papers and gums that were used by the Format Printers at the time of printing the genuine issues are no longer available. Some were of a patented "secret" formula of which that recipe can no longer be duplicated. Even though in some few cases the forger used the actual original plates and screens (like the St. Vincent 1987 Century of Motoring stamp forgeries), you can still define them due to the colors, paper and gum used to make the forgeries.

This database is provided with images not only for the stamps that have been forged in 2014/2015 and reprinted without authorization by/for Clive Feigenbaum in the 1990's, but for the many issues produced by the Format Printers that have not been effected by the forger. Due to the numbers of issues that have been effected, it is possible and probable that other sets (namely Leaders of the World Cars and Trains) and other series can and will be effected in the future. These criminals are still out there and will boldly do this again.

Due to these criminals doing this with the issues originally produced by the Format Printers exclusively, they have effected the very value of the genuine issues. Falsly making it look like millions were produced due to the, yes millions of forgeries, they have produced. Thus saturating the stamp market with these forgeries and unauthorized reprints. This database is yet another tool that can be used to weed them out.

Each image is large so it may take a little longer to download depending on your location and other factors. For a direct comparison, simply scan the stamp(s) directly on your scanner at the 1200dpi setting and do not use any enhancements that scanning software offers like brightening ect. Using a camera or smart phone camera will not produce the same results as direct scanning does, so the accuracy is diminished. If you do not have a computer and scanner, find someone who does. It is the only "accurate" way to do this.

Following are links to pages for the different countries that have been effected by these forgers. On those pages will be links to the sets and series I have scanned. The top areas will have the Leaders of the World Cars and Trains series links and below that will be other Leaders of the World sets and others that have been effected by these criminals. I hope that this will be a helpful source for stamp collectors and dealers to use before purchasing or trading the issues and getting "ripped off"! Hopefully it will also help to deter the forgers from continuing as it is a source that can not only be used to detect the known forgeries, but can also be used to detect future forgeries, should these criminals attempt to add new ones.

This is an ongoing project. Many sets for the different countries are not displayed yet due to my not obtaining them yet. I will add more as time and obtaining of the sets allows.

Your friend and fellow collector and researcher,
JLowe

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