Lessons for Responsible Consumers

A sequential public-awareness course. Each lesson treats a separate circumstance in which postage, source, appearance, or institutional response may be mistaken for authentication.

1. Lesson 01

   The Stamp Was Slightly Crooked

   Orientation, Vigilance, and the Possibility of a Problem

   32:47

2. Lesson 02

   The Corner Lifted Slightly

   Adhesive Irregularity and the Consumer's Duty to Notice

   32:45

3. Lesson 03

   The Stamp Touched a Finger

   Temporary Possession and the Problem of Unrecorded Transfer

   29:03

4. Lesson 04

   The Stamp Was Mixed Into a Drawer

   Commingling, Identity Loss, and Source Confidence

   31:40

5. Lesson 05

   The Stamp Was Left Unattended for Eleven Minutes

   Opportunity and Consumer Oversight

   29:44

6. Lesson 06

   The Stamp Was Received as a Gift

   Courtesy, Transfer, and Lost Source Confidence

   32:32

7. Lesson 07

   The Stamp Was Inherited

   Postage When the Original Purchaser Cannot Be Questioned

   30:30

8. Lesson 08

   The Stamp Was Purchased Below Face Value

   Discount Awareness and Knowing Anything

   31:01

9. Lesson 09

   The Stamp Was Purchased at Full Face Value

   Why Paying More May Not Resolve the Source

   31:30

10. Lesson 10

    The Stamp Was Given Away Free by a Postal Employee

    The Maximum Possible Discount

    28:49

11. Lesson 11

    The Seller Had Hundreds of Stamps

    Quantity, Inventory, and Organized Availability

    31:17

12. Lesson 12

    The Seller Had Only One Sheet

    Scarcity, Limited Inventory, and Strategic Plausibility

    32:13

13. Lesson 13

    The Packaging Looked Extremely Professional

    The Risk of Being Reassured Too Easily

    31:30

14. Lesson 14

    The Packaging Looked Unprofessional

    Irregular Presentation and Too Little Reassurance

    30:12

15. Lesson 15

    The Stamp Looked Completely Genuine

    Why a Convincing Appearance Should Not End It

    31:40

16. Lesson 16

    The Stamp Looked Slightly Unusual

    Intuition and Limits of Explaining What Seemed Off

    29:08

17. Lesson 17

    The Mailpiece Was Successfully Delivered

    Why Arrival Does Not Confirm Authenticity

    30:22

18. Lesson 18

    The Mailpiece Was Rejected

    Institutional Decision vs. Demonstrated Physical Defect

    27:16

19. Lesson 19

    The Clerk Looked at the Stamp for Several Seconds

    The Meaning of a Prolonged Pause

    28:41

20. Lesson 20

    How to Recognize a Counterfeit Stamp Without Being Told What a Counterfeit Looks Like

    A complete public-awareness examination

    31:57