Fake or genuine?

[songenaz]

Hello
I found this stamp on ebay
Date is 15 January 1856, then it must be first allocation of numeral cancel.
With red date stamp from central post office of Hobart, the numeral could be 68.
Or it appears to be 88 as second allocation for Tamar East, opened 01/01/1869

4 d chalon LS 1.jpg (255.25 KiB) Viewed 695 times

Here is a better scan of the postmark, 600 dpi

BN 68 or 88.jpg (520.21 KiB) Viewed 695 times

What do you think?
Is it 68 or 88?
Is it a fake postmark on the stamp?
Or both genuine and link together?
Thanks for your help.
Laurent

[admin]

Laurent,
I think its Numeral 68 of Hobart, first allocation and is a genuine example. The Large red circular marking 'GPO Hobart" is associated with Ships Mail outwards which makes sense as the cover went from Hobart to Adelaide in South Australia.
BN 68 is common as Hobart had the largest volume of mail in Van Deimen's Land at the time.

There are very few fake postmarks on Tasmanian stamps though there are definitely some, usually on forged stamps which are are not too hard to identify as forgeries.
The stamp would be a Star Watermark chalon given the date.
Pete.