Canada Admiral Issue with Forged Overprint

Canada · 1915 ·

This is a Canadian 'Admiral' definitive stamp featuring a portrait of King George V. The stamp has been altered with a forged overprint, likely intended to create a fictitious or rare variety for fraudulent sale to unsuspecting collectors. The base Admiral stamps were the workhorse definitives of Canada for over a decade.

The Admiral series was issued from 1911 to 1925. During and after World War I, various surcharges and overprints were legitimately applied, but their existence also created an opportunity for forgers to create fakes of rare varieties or entirely fantastical issues.