Two forged seals of quality for English woollen cloth and Osnabrück canvas, both export hits of the Hanse era, prove that brand theft was already an issue 500 years ago. In the Osnabrück case, the neighbouring town of Lübbecke wanted to promote sales of its own product by imitating the well-known trademark. In the case of the fake English seal, the culprit is unknown. The motto of the English Order of the Garter embossed on the stamp takes on a new ironic meaning in the copy: “Shame on anyone who thinks ill of it.”