postal markings genuine? Are the postal markings appropriate from the time period used? Have extra faked postal markings been added to the cover to make it more valuable? Is the ink genuine and from the time period used? The tools of expertisation Experts will often maintain their own library of fakes and forgeries, and they also have access to the records of past genuine items that they have seen. They will usually have a large library of philatelic literature to refer to. Scientific equipment is essential, including: Binocular and comparison microscopes Paper micrometers Ultraviolet and infrared energy sources Photometric colour determination equipment X-ray fluorescence and spectro-photometry equipment. Common sense and above all, experience, are also vital. Expert certificates and marks Once an item has been examined, the expert(s) will issue a certificate giving their findings which will include identification, genuineness or otherwise and comments about any alterations or unusual features. The certificate will normally feature a photograph of the item and be signed. It may also be embossed or have other security features. In the past it was common for experts to sign or add their mark to the back of stamps, however, this is nowadays uncommon as it is by some regarded as an undesired alteration. In Germany (BPP) it is still common practise to sign many items, but generally not the most valuable. There have been instances where expert certificates have themselves been faked and in the "Blüm Case", a forger produced false expertizing marks that were applied to German colony stamps and others. Finding experts In the United States, the Philatelic Foundation, American Philatelic Society and numerous specialized stamp collecting organizations have committees who will perform expertisation for a fee. In Great Britain The Royal Philatelic Society London has a renowned expert committee which is also the oldest in the world, and of equal fame is the BPA expert committee. German experts usually belong to the Bund Philatelistischer Prüfer (BPP). Specialized in their countries issues are e.g. the expert committees of NVPH (Netherlands), COMEX (Spain), Isphila (Turkey). - In addition, the International Association of Philatelic Experts (AIEP) is a worldwide organisation for independent stamp experts. The results of expertisation may be challenged, and in some cases further research has shown the genuineness of an item considered a forgery, or vice versa. See also Expertisation Philatelic fakes and forgeries References External links Aspects of Philatelic Expertising - Part