Hello Gandhi Philatelist,
Now you all know what's going in Gandhi philatelic material, that there is very limited philatelic material such as FDC to collect, so Forgery or Bogus philatelic material with different theme, events are used to make very rare items (Round table cancellation or USED Gandhi covers or Gandhi 1948 special cancellation or Germany Gandhi special Cancellation from Winnenden ) is created to full fill it and Gandhi philatelist can add more in their collection in case to win a MEDAL.!! or already won medal with BOGUS philatelic material.
Also it is widely glorified that stamps are for investment and Gandhi stamps and philatelic material is great for investors because India economy is booming and lot of Indian are outside India (NRI) are looking for alternate investment.!!
But that's not true. Actually philatelic (stamp collection) is declining faster then you think in whole world including India.
You will see very high price material selling on eBay but it's all FAKE bidding where buyer don't pay or seller is doing SHILL Bidding with help of other eBay id or with help of philatelic friends(Gang or Cartel!!). So you don't have to believe all that HYPE in the price. It's FAKE.
If you don't believe me try to sell your material and see the response yourself.!! You will not able to see your money and also chances are you might loose philatelic material as well because buyer will tell eBay that it never arrived.!!
From : Max Card From : First Day Cover
Look very closely above two images and see difference between First Day cancellation and you will be surprised.
Do you think there were 2 different cancellation on that day?
One for FDC and One for Max Card ?
One of them is Genuine and other is Forged?
Both are Forged ?
After all it's a simple Rubber stamp, which is very easy to make!!! and that will create value.!!
Following is 1969 First Day cover cancellation on Mali Gandhi stamps. So if you compare 1969 and 1978 First Day cover looks similar in cancellation and to me it's looks like it's Genuine.
We all had seen Forged rubber stamp in Gandhi philately material so it's nothing new.!!
As you know that all officially issued Gandhi philatelic material of 1948 Gandhi stamps are with collectors they need a new idea to attract collectors so we are seeing lot of BOGUS (never issued or exist) such as 1948 folders from Brazil, Courviser folder from Switzerland with Emblem of India (which never exist in 1948).!!
I am not expert like BPA or RPSL philatelist expert so you don't have to believe me as this is my personal opinion which I can express when I am reporting story about world of philately.
Following is Max Card selling on eBay for $55.!!! Where as mint 1978 Gandhi stamps from Mali is selling under $1.!! So it make sense to create this kind of philatelic material and full fill the collectors need of may UNIQUE & RARE collection.!!
Maximum card or Max card or Maxi card comes under maximum philately which are collected by maximum card collectors. This kind of card are made by private individual, but you will only see Gandhi maximum card selling on eBay because it's in DEMAND.
It's all about DEMAND and SUPPLY.!!
If there is demand and no material, then you will get all kind of FAKE, BOGUS, FORGED philatelic material.
Also with that all kind of CHEATING happen when it is sold so new collectors or investor will think philatelic is an INVESTMENT to go instead of investing in GOLD, Stocks(shares) or property.!!
Don't you surprised by all this FORGERY stamps.!!!
I have in my collection too.!! and I don't hope you have one in your collection too.!!
Following are some forgery blog post I wrote in past.
1911 First Aerial Mail post forgery card (one of the greatest philatelic blunder in forgery) with receiving and sending postmark.
Even Queen Victoria overprint stamp of Indian state is forged with RPS certificate.!! Now think what happen to FORGER.!! Nothing.!! As no one cares.
Reprinted label are sold as original 1930 Pre-Independence Gandhi Boycott label!! A philatelic fantasy.!! What a SCAM!!!
Fake 10 Rupees SERVICE stamps is available in large quantity.!!
What is Tibet 1949 register cover with 1948 Gandhi stamps without stamps from Tibet and Indian Embassy of Nepal?
FAKE Gandhi specimen stamp.!!
This is not COUNTERFEIT. It's BOGUS stamp.!! Because no country name on this.!!! (was selling from $43000 -$2000)
Forged 1948 Gandhi FDC with Indian Embassy of Nepal cancellation!!
FORGED India 1948 Gandhi stamps FDC!!
OVERPRINT stamp issue from Cameroun, Nicragua & Togo. Does not make sense at all someone printing on stamp by mistake. This is delibrate act.
Even FAKE Error stamps. (Color faded with sunlight or other chemicals.!!!)
Why 2009 FAKE or BOGUS (not approved by Germany post) Germany Special Cancellation on October 2nd.? (This makes all 1969 special cancellation questionable!!, because who knows what have happen in 1969.!!). Also don't know up to what stage collector goes to take benefit. !!
BIDDERS!! "hitlerandgandhi" just to glorify Gandhi stamps they increase price of 1948 Gandhi FDC and Used covers.!!! (Images are not enough to understand this so read following blog posts.!!)
I am not expert and I am in this hobby for 4 years only so you don't have to believe me or trust me. But you can think about it. There are more experts with 20-30-40-50 years sitting around with stamp hobby and there are expertizing certificate which might help you.
If you don't want to go through all this don't think as Investment and think as "Philately Greed" and you will be SAFE.
I think collector, dealers, seller, forger will do anything for money such as making BOGUS cancellation from Winnenden to celebrate non-violence for school shooting or plane crash cover, forged 1948 stamps, Nepal Indian Embassy cancellation, Gandhi SERVICE stamp with forged Sunday cancellation, letter reaching after 2 years or reaching in 3 days from India to France by removing stamps and black ink of rubber stamp etc.
It's nothing new. In stamp collection it has been going on 160+ years since Penny Black. But counterfeit or forgery is going on since 700 B.C. ( 2500+ years).
So BEWARE what you are collecting and why are you collecting and at what price.!!
Read my following blog post to understand about stamp collection in DECLINE.!!
1) A Hobby in Decline : 1948 Gandhi USED cover case study.!!
2) A Hobby in Decline.!! - Part-2
3)
How to invest when philately price is dropping.
If you see stamps are not even selling or selling like 5-10 times lower their value than mentioned in catalog.!!
There is nothing RARE or Scare in philately because this hobby is in downward trend because experienced collectors are loosing interest because value is not appreciating and new collectors are not coming in to this because there are lot of other things to do for them such as playing video games on Nintendo or X-box , social networking on facebook or google+ or surfing on web through internet or SMS through iphone or android phones or watch games on TV such as cricket, football or basketball.!!
There is little chance of philately can survive by stopping cheating in this hobby. Yes CHEATING.!! which is what you will see in order to increase value artificially by inflating the price by SHILL bidding, not paying to seller or mutual understanding cancelling transaction and lot more.
I hope all the above will help while making decision in investing stamps and to avoid getting CHEATED.!!
Now don't you think it does NOT make sense STAMP INVESTING!!
Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club.
UPDATE :- Recently similar maxi card was sold for $20.!!! Great way to make money by selling Max card.!!
Seller : "Parsifalnibelung" from Italy.
Buyer : "Marketing50" from CANADA.
