Beware! Backdated Use of the Luxembourg-Ville V Cancel on Scarce Postal Stationery

 

 

 

Used examples of the 12 1/2c Message-Reply card are scarce, seldom appear on the market, and command high prices.  But be careful.  Here the Luxembourg-Ville V double-circle cancel was backdated to 3 July 1879, making this 12 1/2c Message card appear to have been postally used to Metz.  But the double circle cancel did not come into use until 1883!  So obviously this is a backdated cancel. 

The absence of a receiving mark is another clue that this is a bogus use of the 12 1/2c card.

The card comes from an old German worldwide postal stationery accumulation of about 4000 cards, which were collected before WW1 and stored away until a few years ago.  So the fakery occurred long ago.

Let me know if you have seen other backdated uses of the Luxembourg-Ville V cancel, or any other cancels. 

Thanks to Luxembourg’s outstanding proofer, Lars Boettger, for alerting me to the bogus status of this usage!