Gandhi Specimen Stamp : Is it real or !!

Hello Gandhi Stamp Collectors,

A specimen stamp is a postage stamp or postal stationery indicium sent to postmasters and postal administrations so that they are able to identify valid stamps and to avoid forgeries. The usual method of invalidating the stamps is either overprinting in ink or perforating the word Specimen across the stamp. (From Wikipedia)

Not sure how postmaster or postal administrators will validate stamp or identify forgery using following Specimen stamp with all kind of missing information such as issuing country, value of stamp etc....!!!

Do you think you can validate stamp using following Specimen stamp.?

When I saw above Gandhi Specimen stamp I was surprised because it has no country name, no value of stamp and even looks like specimen is printed on the stamp instead of overprinting or perforating.!!

I have following questions for this Specimen Stamp before we can consider this a Genuine stamp as well as Specimen stamp.

 If anyone has more info then please let me know so I can add to this blog post so it will be helpful for all gandhi stamp collectors.

1) Is this a real stamp or just a label.?
2) If real stamp (SPECIMEN) then how it is available in blocks or sheets.!! ? Not sure whether they were sending one stamp or whole sheet to postmasters.!!?
3) Is this error stamp? ( missing lot of printing before it is made SPECIMEN)?
4) Which country issued this stamp? (Only Great Britain don't have country name on the stamp).
5) What is face value of this stamp ? (no info at all!!)
6) Which year it was issued or government planning to issue this stamp?
7) If stamp was officially printed but not issued then how it is available to general public? (Don't you think it should be government property)

Currently 59 stamps is selling on ebay for $7000 - 9900!!

Will you pay this amount to add this in collection.!!?

Ashoka Watermark paper means this stamp should be printed in INDIA ?

Is this official usage of Emblem of India on stamp sheet paper ?

If you like this blog post then please read my other blog post related to SPECIMEN Gandhi stamps.

1) Nevis & Germany Specimen Gandhi stamps
2) FAKE Gandhi Specimen stamp from Cyprus
3) FAKE Gandhi Postcard Stationary from India

Let me know if any information is incorrect about this blog post or any other information so it will be helpful to all Gandhi Stamps Collectors.

I don't have this in my collection because it does not make any sense without knowing details of this stamps.

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club

(My favorite blog posts)
Gandhi Stamps are false hopes of RICHES - Part II ?
1948 Indian Gandhi stamps used in Tibet 
Nepal Indian Embassy Cancellation on 1948 Gandhi Stamps
Early usage of 1948 Gandhi stamps
FAKE 1948 Gandhi stamp FDC from India.
Gandhi SERVICE stamp is it REAL or FAKE?

Update : 3/17/2014

400 stamps were for sale for $10,000.

I will not even pay that much in 10000 rupees or 10000 cents.!!

I will pay 400 Rupee or $4 for 400 stamps.!!

Update : 9/10/2014

No one wants to even buy this 100 stamps for 500 Euros.!!

Cover with Nepal Indian Embassy Cancellation on India Gandhi 1948 stamps : Avoid Collecting (Investing) in Repression!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

It's back again.!!.Forgery cover with 1948 Indian Embassy Nepal Cancellation on 1948 Gandhi Stamps.

Even after writing 3 blog posts about this Nepal Indian Embassy cancellation on 1948 Gandhi stamps cover, I still have  3 more questions about this.

1) How/Why stamps reached to Nepal Indian Embassy on/before 15-Aug-1948 ? Any used cover on that date with register mail?

Also it was Sunday so not do you think Embassy was open ? If open do you think they were busy doing rubber stamping instead of celebrating first anniversary of Independence of India.!!

2) Why we don't see FDC with official Post and Telegraph  cachets  with Gandhi portrait, which we see commonly see on  1948 Gandhi Stamps FDC ? 

Also why no special commemorative first day cancellation from Nepal Indian Embassy ? if Pondicherry has one.!!! even though Pondicherry was part of French until 1954.!! Think if P&T can arrange stamps then they can arrange  commemorative Jai Hind cancellation as well as official first day cover.!!

3) As this cover was mailed to Nepal address, was India Gandhi Stamps were valid for postage usage inside Nepal and if so who carried this mail to that address? Nepal post or Indian Post ? What was valid postal rate for this used cover.!! (Domestic rate or International rate, Airmail or Surface mail)!!

Please read my following other previous blog post about Nepal Indian Embassy Cancellation on Gandhi Stamps so you will get more knowledge about this cover.

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2011/05/nepal-indian-embassy-mahatma-gandhi.html

Currently on ebay you will see three 1948 cover from Nepal Indian Embassy with 1948 Gandhi Stamps for sale. Only thing changed is Buy it Now or Best Offer instead of Auction type listing.!!!!!! and price is double/triple of last sale.!! (So no more shill bidding.!!!)

1.5 Annas Gandhi Ghandi 1948 issue (only 1 low value stamp of 4 values set) used from Indian Embassy (Nepal) 15 August 1948 was sold for $50.

After thinking about my above 3 questions it looks to me that this cover was not possible in 1948.!!! because communcation and transportation between India and Nepal was not fast as we used to see today. Also not sure what was the need to send stamps to Nepal Embassy on first day.!!. If stamps can reach in Nepal for cancellation on Aug 15, 1948  then cacheted cover from P&T should reach there too.!!

Do you think it might be backdated ?!! as there is no receiving CDS or just someone has rubber stamp of this cancellation!! (like we see in other high priced Gandhi Philately material.!!)

One more thing why it is coming out of 60+ years.!! and how many of you have seen 1948 Typewriting address FDC with Gandhi Stamps?

Do anyone has seen BPA or BPP expertising certification of this cover.??

Try to avoid this item until you don't get satisfied answer to all of the above questions and concerns and any other that might arise after reading this. Use your imagination what are the possibilities.?

If you pride yourself enjoying Genuine collection, you should do through research and exposing any suspicious activity going on.

I bought this Nepal FDC 2-3 years back and I still have this costly album because I paid high price($80 for low value Stamp!!) for this, but I want others should do more research before you buy it.!! I bought this because there was no research what to look before you buy, but now you have it.

NOT SURE WHETHER THEY HAVE GENUINE OR THEY ARE USING FORGERY OR BOGUS with or without knowingly.

This Indian Embassy of Nepal rubber stamps are also in Gandhi Handbook and other website so be careful when you use this philatelic material, because chances of FORGERY in this are very high as no one know what actual happen in 1948 or afterwards.!!

It will be very hard to find out what is genuine because there is nothing officially declared by Indian Government or Postal Department of India.

To me it looks like it has been created as per the demand and hobby goes popular.

If I have to buy it now (after 3 years in this hobby) I will avoid it because(now I know how Gandhi Philately works.!!) lot of research needed before this kind of cover with cancellation is to be consider Genuine.  I will not make my collection differently unique.!! with this kind of philatelic material because it needs lot of research.

As again more unique or rare more research is needed and still it will not convince if you think given all the situation, circumstances etc.

Do you think I want to decrease my value of collection by writing this information.?!!!  I also don't want to loose money on my investment, but I don't want to be proud or  happy or look happy with this kind of questionable Gandhi philately item if we cannot find TRUTH about this kind of cover.!!

One more thing I can't see more new collector to get trap like me.!! When I was bidding on auction, no information about all this and other Gandhi dealers/collectors were laughing at me and other well known philatelist who were trapped, but now I don't want  to laught or that dealers/collectors also don't want to laugh at other new collectors.!! This is for all RARE/UNIQUE Gandhi Philatelic material.!!


I hope this will help future collectors whether they really want to start collecting GANDHI stamps and philately.!!

Some useful blog post which might help you to protect yourself from this gruesome philately world.!!

1) 1948 Stamps False hope of Riches?
2) 1948 Gandhi Stamps: Are False hope of Riches - Part II ?
3) 1948 Gandhi Mourning Private FDC : Are False hope of Riches - Part III?
4) 1948 Expensive Gandhi FDC : Are False hope of Riches - Part IV?
5) 1948 Gandhi Stamps Early Usage cover :  Gandhi Stamps Are False hope of Riches - Part V?
6) Maxi Card sold for $5100 with 1948 Gandhi Stamps - False hope of Riches - Part VI?

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club.