Recently I read eBay have 400,000 counterfeit items, and I agree with that.
But not only counterfeit item but there are also BOGUS items.
BOGUS items means it never existed but someone (group of collectors) make it genuine as if it were real.!!
Following are some of the BOGUS stamps which are selling as Genuine.!!
Even it has widely published in stamp exhibit, stamp handbook, stamp blogs, stamp year book, stamp journals etc.
1) Gandhi overprint SERVICE stamps.
http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2015/11/forgery-stamps-bogus-stamps-overprint.html
http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2014/07/overprint-stamps-1948-gandhi-service.html
BTW: ANY OVERPRINT STAMP ARE BOGUS.
2) 1911 First Aerial Post from Allahabad. INDIA.
Following is from my 2013 blog post about "ART OF MAKING MONEY.!! - PHILATELY GREED".
American Greed unveils incredible true cases of crime stories of people who will do anything for money.
Yesterday on TV I saw "
American Greed" episode on business news channel CNBC and I was surprised how money was COUNTERFEIT and sold in market or used in market.
So this makes me start thinking that if money ( USA dollars bill, which is widely used currency in world) can be printed using multiple ink, color change ink, watermarks and all kind of security than any one can print following simple old postage stamps with one, two or 3 colors which also don't require latest printing technology because this are all old stamps.!!
Following are some of the famous forged stamps which I came across in last 4 years.!!
Also printing stamps and using it or selling it there are less chances of getting caught because of small size and very small number of collectors and it's not widely used like counterfeit money.
Also there are very less chances where small countries government has resources to work on this kind of counterfeit!!
After watching it on CNBC I searched more about counterfeit money and read lot of article about it. Following is one of them from Forbes "Glorifying A Master Counterfeiter"!!
I am amazed that there is even book for this by
Jason Kersten "
The Art of Making Money" about counterfeit money and also there is a plan for movie.!!
Now after seeing this on CNBC and reading more about whole SCAM, I was thinking about Philately Forgeries, FAKE and BOGUS philatelic material sold to new collectors as a INVESTMENT.!!!
Also selling method applied has lot of similarities.!! Here master forger gives counterfeit money to small gang at 30% of original price and that gang will try to make it 100%.!!
But in philatelic small gang makes more than 100% because it's not written any where that this stamp is valued particular amount like 100 dollar bill!!
And that's the reason we see stamps and philatelic price ranging from $7000 - $2000. Some times it cross $15000 -$225,000.!!
To get more than 100% it's not only ART of making stamps but it's also ART of Glorification to make new collector believe in stamps investment or collection by increasing price through various methods such as Shill bidding, writing about in blog or website or philatelic magazine or catalog, stamp exhibit and winning award.
Not only that it's ART of making USED covers, ART of making Special Cancellation , ART of making philatelic cover, ART of making different rubber stamps, ART of Bidding etc is also involved with ART of making stamps in order to make more than 100%.!!
Following Gandhi stamps, King George stamp, King Edward stamp, Queen Victoria stamp and stamps of China are Forgery stamps selling as Replica or Facsimile or copy.!!
Here forged stamps seller are not making money. They are just selling as forged items so they make money under $5.
But when this forged stamps is sold as GENUINE, by certain dealers they are making tons of money.!! Like we saw $1009 for Gandhi SERVICE stamp and certain high priced items from British India and China.
Following Mao stamps of China are forged stamps, which might be used on covers or might be selling as genuine stamps or as a used stamps. for 100-150 times more.!!
Following are some of the USED or Mint stamp sold for $2000 -$2500!! What do you think it's a Genuine stamps or forged stamps are sold after lot of bidding.!!!
Following are FORGED King George stamps from British India, Bermuda or any other stamps where British ruled till 1940!!
Following are FORGED queen victoria stamps from India as well as other countries. Chances of getting this stamps as Mint or used with different TYPE of cancel are very high.!!
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).
Don't you think it's a "PHILATELIC GREED"!!
Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club
Read some of interesting blog post to see how CHEATERS are working to get your money by selling forgery or Bogus gandhi stamps.!!
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 va