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Counterfeit $5 Estado de Sonora note Type 7-9

These counterfeit types are really hybrids. They were produced by applying an illicit red printing using a forged Randall signature, counterfeit mountain seal, and unauthorized serial numbering to authentic unissued remainders with authentic blue, black, and green printing.

Perigoe has only noticed three of these notes, which he identified whilst organising his hoard in serial number order within printing position, without painstakingly identifying every seal as he went along. It was much easier to visually verify that the seals were consistent, once they were arranged in batches that should have had the same seals. It was only this verification process that enabled him to spot these hybrids. In his small sample of three notes, he found one from position 1 which he has called Type 7, and two from position 3 which he has called Type 9. This strongly suggests that there is probably at least one from position 2 lurking unnoticed somewhere, hence Type 8.

Following are illustrations of the two known positions. The counterfeit mountain seal and numbering device are the same on both. But the differences between the notes are substantial, the same as noted earlier for the black and green printed elements on the genuine notes. They deserve to be identified as three separate types, rather than mere varieties. It is interesting to note that both examples show the broken ‘J’ in ‘Juan’ print wear.

Est Sonora 5 2 7586

GENUINECOUNTERFEIT
 

 5count7b

The Mountain seal is printed in a deep rose red instead of carmine red. The rays below the Liberty Cap are merged together and form a short fringe at the right. The shoreline is not level; the right half bows upwards. The marks in the Liberty Cap appear to form an ‘H’ joined at the bottom left to a bar.

  The ‘R’ in the forged ‘C. E. Randall’ hand written signature is much higher than the ‘C. E.’, but is only slightly higher on genuine notes. The ink used in the forged signature is also much lighter, probably from fading