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Posted By: davidcycleback

As already mentioned, the stambox text is consistant for the date. The AZO and other names
in the stamp box indicate a brand/type of photo paper, and if the collector is worried he
can purchase other cheap postcards with the same stamp box. The paper should generally
have similar thickness, feel, etc-- and most modern cardstock with faked stamping
would likely stand out. One could probably get a pile of old real photo
post cards will all sorts of stamp boxs for cheap, and own a small postcard
paper reference library.

Though not impossible, it would be difficult to take original blank AZO postcard
paper and make a new photo on it, as the paper and photochemicals on front have
likely dried out. Whether a professional or a hobbyist photographer, you want
to be making your photos on fresh photo paper, not stuff found in your great
grandfather's foot locker.

I would think that if someone was going to make a new fake AZO real photo postcard,
with a fake AZO stamp on back, what would give it away is the
distinctly different stock (probably thicker, perhaps obvoiusly newer) and that
the printing on back looked too new, fresh. For example, if you've collected
lots of real photo postcards, or even documents like contracts, you get a good
feel for old writing ink and stamps. A fake postmark from last Tuesday will
usually stand out as it simply looks brand new.

For the non-photo expert, if a real photo postcard has an appropriate stamp box
or postmark date and the image is real photo (not dots), that's most of the
battle, and usually indicates the postcard is genuine.