First Day Cover

Hello Gandhi Philatelist,

How can you tell whether first day cover is genuine or forgery or bogus (fake).?

Recently I saw first day cover with following postmark or cancellation date stamp.

By looking to above cancellation (rubber stamp) we cannot tell or even predict that this first day cover is from which country or city or zip code or pin code.!!

If I have to think about this cancellation then I will guess that this  rubber stamp is "One Size Fit All".!!

That means you can apply this rubber stamp ("Not postmark") to any cover with stamp on it and it will be first day cover.

You just have to change date and apply on any stamps from any country!! and you will make some more collective items and make 10-50 times or more money than just selling mint stamps or sometimes just bogus stamps (which never actually exist).

Don't you think so?

I am in this hobby only for 4 years so I don't consider myself as expert so you don't have to belive me, but you can think what I am writing in this blog as I am expressing my view and opinion.

Look at the following cover and think it's a genuine first day cover ?

This kind of things happen in small countries mostly African and South American Islands stamps which issue multiple theme stamps.!! In above stamp you can see it's not only for Gandhi but also for Mother Teresa, fauna, plant, flowers etc.

Following is a screenshot from eBay where above rubber stamp cover was selling as CONGO first day cover for $20-$40!!

Do you really think above is a FIRST DAY COVER.?

A First Day of Issue Cover or First Day Cover is a postage stamp on a cover, postal card or stamped envelope franked on the first day the issue is authorized for use within the country. There will usually be a first day of issue postmark, frequently a pictorial cancellation, indicating the city and date where the item was first issued, and "first day of issue" is often used to refer to this postmark. Depending on the policy of the nation issuing the stamp, official first day postmarks may sometimes be applied to covers weeks or months after the date indicated. (From : Wikipedia)

Now compare above cover with officially issued first day cover from 1967 Congo Gandhi stamp and look at the special cancellation issued for first day of issue.

It has city name "Brazzaville". Also it has a "Mahatma Gandhi (1969-1948)" inside the postmark cancellation. This makes it Genuine and also collectible item which is also known as special cancellation issued only for certain time (30 days).

Of course this can me forged too.!! It's very easy to make this kind of rubber stamp. I had seen forgery in Congo special stamp of Gandhi. But there are some minor differences because you cannot copy or forged 100%.

Congo was the 3rd country in the world to issue Gandhi stamp and first day cover.

After comparing both cancellation don't you think 2006 first day cover does not make sense.!!

Don't you think it's FAKE first day cover ?

We had seen this in  Gandhi stamp collection, were everyone think they are smarter than other.!!! Don't  you think this apply to other BRITISH INDIA stamp also.

1) Philatelic FAKE and FORGERIES.
2) FAKE AERO PHILATELY Covers.
3) Stamp collection CHEATING.
4) Stamp Collection Value
5) Stamp Collecting Facts
6) China stamp collection value.
7) First AirMail Post
8) World First Flight Cover
9) Greatest Stamp Collection Scandal 
10) Biggest stamp collection SCAM
11) SCANDAL in stamp collection 
12) How to increase stamp collection value

Now does it make sense to collect stamps after looking above blog posts?

Also looks like there are more money in British India stamps than Gandhi stamp because you can have lot of varieties of QV stamps or King George stamps or King Edward stamps.

It's just a RUBBER stamp.!!!

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club

Congo Gandhi Stamps : Are stamps for Investment or false hope of riches by accumulation.!!

Hello Gandhi Philatelist,

Congo was 3rd country to honored Mahatma Gandhi by issuing his stamp in 1967 after India(1948)  and USA(1961).

This shows how much respect Congo gave in 1967 to human rights, non-violence, peace etc by issuing stamp of one of the greatest leader of all time.

But even after 45+ years we still don't have official stamp of Mahatma Gandhi from some G8 nations such as Canada, Japan and  France. Also we don't have stamps from Australia and New Zealand.

Don't know why ? but I think they still talk about all kinds of human rights, non-violence and peace.!!

But if you see current price of this stamps and FDC is unbelievable because to  me it looks hobby is really on decline.

Recently I saw FDC from Congo with Gandhi stamps sold for less than $10.!! It has been 45+ years this FDC was issued and this really makes HOBBY IN DECLINE.!!

Even though there are only 2000 officially issued there are not enough collectors who wants to buy this.!! 

 After throughly examine this transaction on delcampe to me it looks like there are only 2 buyer/dealer "brownblackcherry" and "0261orthod" which are in this stamp business for long time who are buying it and trying to sell afterwards.

Also "brownblackcherry" bought 5 more First Day Cover with Gandhi Stamps from Congo.!! (check screenshot at end of this blog post). A classic example of how to accumulate philatelic material.!!

So 6 cover with just one collector/dealer.!!

Now do you think you will ever get cheaper Congo Gandhi FDC in auction?

So this means that no new collector really wants to even join this stamp collection hobby. I think reason for this are

1) SHILL Bidding on Gandhi philatelic material is extreme.
2) FAKE and Forgery are available more than Genuine.
3) Highly INFLATED price because of Shill bidding which new buyer regret afterwards.!!
4) New youngster are moving away from this hobby because there are lot of other new hobby and things to do than just collecting piece of paper.!

This is not only in Gandhi thematic collection but I am seeing in all philatelic material selling on auction sites whether it's online or in-house.

What do you think about this Gandhi First Day Cover from Congo issued in 1967.

There is nothing like RARE stamps or philatelic item because eventually it will come in market.!!

Do you still think it's stamps are for Investment.?

Still want to do research  then please read my other blog post about Gandhi Stamps and you yourself think how Gandhi Stamps are glorified!!

1) 1948 Stamps of India are False hope of Riches?
2) 1948 Gandhi Stamps of India: 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?
7) Indian Philately Exposed 
8) Indian Philately Exposed - Part II


I don't think it's for INVESTMENT because there are lot of great Investment out there.

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club

BTW:- In past "brownblackcherry" also bought 3 more First Day Cover with Congo Gandhi Stamps. (Thanks declampe for allowing to see this for long period.)

It's good that this buyer is not using different id to buy it and try to hide his accumulation.!!

1) On 9/20/2012 bought FDC #1457 for $22.
2) On 12/26/2011 bought FDC #1106 for $14
3) On 12/19/2011 bought FDC #???? for $12.
4) On 2006 bought FDC #1843 for $2.!! (yes two dollar.!!)
5) On 2006 bought FDC # 1845for $2!!

Congo Gandhi Stamps - Do you think this is example of SCAM in Stamp Collection specially in Gandhi thematic collection?

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

There are two countries named with Congo who honored Mahatma Gandhi by issuing his stamp.

1) Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
2) Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Republic of the Congo, sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa.

The republic is a former French colony. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. The People's Republic of the Congo was a Marxist-Leninist single-party state from 1970 to 1991. Multiparty elections have been held since 1992, although a democratically elected government was ousted in the 1997 Republic of the Congo Civil War. (Read more about Republic of the Congo at Wikipedia)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world. The Second Congo War, beginning in 1998, devastated the country and is sometimes referred to as the "African world war" because it involved nine African nations and some twenty armed groups. Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, fighting continues in the east of the country. The war is the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people since 1998.The vast majority died from malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo was formerly, in chronological order, the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Léopoldville, Congo-Kinshasa, and Zaire (Read more about Democratic Republic of the Congo  : Wikipedia)

Congo was 3rd country in world after India and USA to honored Mahatma Gandhi by issuing stamp of him. I think this was real honored to Mahatma Gandhi.

1967

In 1992, they again honored Mahatma Gandhi with MLK, but after that all stamps are questionable.

1992

Now look at the following stamps issued by Congo and you decide whether this is a SCAM or not in Gandhi Philately.?

Click following link to understand GANDHI stamp SCAM.!!

1) "National Game or Gandhi Philatelic Game"
2) "Gandhi stamp collection SCAM"


To me it looks like maximum # of Gandhi stamps came from Congo in last 10 years.!! This is not honored to Mahatma Gandhi but to honored printers/dealers/reseller.!!!

Starting 2001 dealers are taking benefit of internal war by issuing stamps of GANDHI. I think this is nothing but a SCAM in Gandhi Philately.!! It's very sad where people are dying in Congo and this dealers are taking it's benefit. Following are all bogus stamps from Congo so avoid it and don't support this SCAMMER.

All following stamps were issued after 1997.!!

2009

2008

2007

Please read following series of my blog post  to understand what is going on stamp collecting world specially in Indian Philatelic materials.

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?
7) Indian Philately Exposed 
8) Indian Philately Exposed - Part II
9) First Aerial Post - Indian Philately Exposed - Part III
10) 1911 First Aerial Post - Allahabad - Indian Philately Exposed - Part IV

2006

2006

2005

2001

2001

There might be more Gandhi Stamps from Congo which we all might see after couple of years.!!!

Now look at what price Congo stamps sold for even 1967 FDC.

Considering the political situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo since last 15 years, I think stamp dealers are printing without permission of government as there is none like Somalia(since 1991) , Afganistan (till 2002) etc.

Do you think this many Gandhi Stamps from Congo are needed?

Do you think stamps issued after 1998 is/was available in Congo!!? But in future you might see used cover with stamps issued after 1998 from Congo(same way like Cameroun Overprint Used covers).!!

Do you think this is a SCAM in Gandhi Philately.?

Do you think this is all about making money on Gandhi Stamps?

For all above questions I think so.!!!

Thanks

Ketankumar Patel.