Philatelic Forgers: Their Lives and Works

Looking for something interesting to read this summer?

If so you might want to pick up a copy of Philatelic Forgers: Their Lives and Works. First printed in 1976, a revised edition was published by Linn's in 1991.

According to a book review on Amazon.com, author Varro E. Tyler is the world's reigning expert on stamp forgeries. It goes on to say, "Tyler's long-time interest in the stamps of Japan and his eight-year period of service as chairman of the Expertizing Committee of the International Society for Japanese Philately led him to develop an interest in the forged postage stamps of all countries."

In his professional life, Tyler was dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences at Purdue University for 20 years. 

Professor Tyler chaired the APS Committee on Fakes and Forgeries from its beginning in 1992 until 1998. In addition, he taught a class on "Detecting Fakes and Forgeries" at the annual APS Summer Seminar on Philately.


Tyler received the Meritorious Service Award of the Korea Stamp Society, and in 1998 he received the APS Luff Award for Distinguished Philatelic Research.

Tyler passed away in 2001.

To order a copy of Philatelic Forgers: Their Lives and Works, click here.