![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stampsofarmenia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/352.jpg?resize=640%2C548\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThis looks like a typical official document. The Etchmiadzin cancel shows a date stamp reading (most likely) 4.8.22. I am always skeptical when seeing these bureaucratic documents with a non fiscal stamp.<\/p>\n
The scan is not really good. Too low res. There is potential for improvement. If I ask a buyer to spend 400 bucks upwards for an item – and we all know forgeries are not rare in the world of Armenian postal items – I would certainly see it as my duty to provide a good scan. Let us say at least 600 DPI.<\/p>\n
My conclusion (from the bad scan): stamp and narrow “2” overprint are genuine. Cancel is fake and stamp added to the document at a later time.<\/p>\n If Raritan or the buyer can provide a better scan I\u00a0offer to recheck this item for free!<\/p>\n The time stamp of the cancel reads 4.8.22. This falls in the period of the gold kopeck issues. Postal rate at that time was – according to Ahsford\/Tchilinghirian – from May to August 1922 at 3 to 4 Kopecks for a letter. The overprint itself (2 on 500 rubles) belongs to the third gold kopeck issue, which was produced in and used from January 1923. Again this leads to the conclusion that the stamp was added later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A blog reader asked my about my opinion regarding this item currently offered at Raritan. This looks like a typical official document. The Etchmiadzin cancel shows a date stamp reading (most likely) 4.8.22. I am always skeptical when seeing these … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stampsofarmenia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/352-detail.jpg?resize=359%2C273\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAdditional thoughts<\/h2>\n