Three Separate Expertizing Services Available
Certificate Service:
Each item examined is photographed, and a copy of the photograph is attached permanently to a signed certificate. For residents outside the US/Canada this service is available to ISJP members only. For residents with mailing address within the US/Canada the service is available to anyone.
All submissions must be accompanied by payment in US currency. For residents of the US and Canada the service is available for both ISJP members and non-members. For residents outside the US/Canada it is available for ISJP members only.
Each item examined is photographed, and a copy of the photograph is attached permanently to a signed certificate. The basic charges are US$12.00 for each stamp and US$30.00 for each cover plus shipping costs to return materials.
Shipping, including packing, by registered mail is US$9.50 up to 50 gm, and $13.50 for 51 to 500 gm. Registered shipping only.
Note that from 2020, postal insurance for letter mails is no more possible. Hence shipping by letter mail is on stamp owners/providers risk and own insurance must be provided.
Private express carrier shipping (e.g. Fedex, DHL, UPS..) can be done at cost.
All submissions to be sent to Florian Eichhorn, Adolfsallee 17, D-65185 Wiesbaden, Germany. Email communication prior to sending is necessary.
Payments accepted in US$ or Euros. The preferable method of payment is by PayPal at minato@web.de. US-residents only may use checks through separate payment to ISJP, PO Box 1283, Haddonfield NJ 08033. European members can also use bank transfer by SEPA (IBAN/BIC). Checks from non-US residents, and in general money orders, cash and postage stamps will not be accepted in payment of fees.
N.B. No material will be returned during December each year and it is requested that materials not be sent at this time.
How to proceed:
1. No stamps are accepted unless submitted on a properly filled out ISJP certificate form. These certificate forms can be obtained from the publisher of Japanese Philately by email or by mail from, PO Box 1283, Haddonfield NJ 08033 USA. Be sure and include your name, address, and the number of forms needed with your request. Only one stamp per certificate. A block is considered one stamp.
2. Email Florian Eichhorn for approval before sending stamp
3. With approval, fill out required information on page 2, affix items in pouch provided on page 3, and ship items(s). Include a photocopy and list of items sent.
Note: At this time, we are not accepting the following items for expertization:
1: Japanese WWII occupation issues (except Hong Kong including on cover and stationery)
2: Ryūkyū Islands issues
3: Japan, military mail, 1921, so called Tsingtau provisional (rubber handstamp on 3 S. Tazawa)
The Mini-Service:
This is a high-quality, low-fee service to be used when a formal certificate is not desired. Only off-cover copies of Dragon, Cherry Blossom, Koban (Scott numbers 1-71) and Offices in China and Korea overprints are accepted for this service.
No special submission form is needed. Simply identify material as “for the Mini-Service” and send it by registered mail to the address that will be provided by email. Enclose a self-addressed return envelope bearing sufficient postage for return by registered mail (participants from countries without access to US postage stamps should add at least US$12.00 to their remittances), along with payment by check or money order at the rate of US$1.00 per stamp. The service consists of a careful examination of the stamps, whereupon they are sorted into two groups, genuine and counterfeit. No opinion will be given on cancellations, paper, condition, or catalog identification.
Ms. Lois M. Evans-de Violini
miniservice@isjp.org
New ISJP Website
This website compares the genuine Dragons, Cherry Blossoms and Koban issue with the forgeries in side by side graphics. It is hoped that this website will help collectors of the early Japanese stamps determine forgeries without the help of the experts. But if is doubt, don’t hesitate to get an expert opinion.
Free ISJP Digital Expertizing for Members Only:
For several reasons, it is impossible to determine that a stamp is genuine from a digital image. But at the same time, it is easy to recognize digital images of the common forgeries of classic Japanese stamps.
Therefore the ISJP offers a free expertizing service. ISJP members can e-mail digital images of their stamps to expert@isjp.org
The expert will separate the images into two categories:
1. images of forgeries
2. images of stamps that need to be seen to be expertized.
Please include your name and ISJP number with your request.
No stamp will be determined genuine by this method.
This service is for classic stamps only (Dragons, Cherry Blossoms, and Koban)…no covers.
The digital image must be in color, in focus and of sufficient resolution to see the stamp features clearly on the screen. For instance, digital images of full album pages would not acceptable. If you are not sure that your digital image is good enough, send a sample for suggestions. With technology readily available today, the scanned digital image is the most reliable way to get the desired result. Jpg color images are the best, but other formats can be handled. Please ask if you need to use some other format.