Ghana stamps - Gambia stamps - Antigua stamps : Do we need to collect each and every stamps in thematic collection ?

Hello Gandhi Philatelist,

In 1998 lot of countries issued Mahatma Gandhi stamps and miniature Gandhi stamp sheet to celebrate 50th Anniversary of Indian Independence.

I am not sure whether they issued official First Day Cover with special cancellation, but we still some unofficial First Day Cover or private first day cover.

As you know private cover are very easy to make because it don't need any special cancellation and it's easy to make rubber stamp with date. 

In past we had seen Nicaragua private F.D.C of 100th year of cinema and which was forgery or FAKE.!! Click following link to read that Fake Nicaragua Cinema stamps.

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2011/12/fake-nicaragua-100-years-of-cinema-fdc.html

So how can we know whether following are Genuine first day cover. All covers looks same even though it's from different country. Even rubber stamp looks similar!!

Also pricing of this First Day cover is also surprising.!!

$100 for one Ghana stamps F.D.C  or Gambia stamps F.D.C or Antigua stamps F.D.C of Mahatma Gandhi.

Now compare above First Day cover with Nicaragua 100 years of Cinema F.D.C and don't you think it is same pattern.!!

I think so this are very hard to think as Genuine because lot of things needs to be considered. You don't have to believe me or you don't have to think that all philatelic books or magazine are doing through research on this kind of First Day Cover.

You have to do your own research and think over all picture. Also you don't need to collect each and every First Day cover other wise dealers will provide you anything you need.!! So it's up to you. There is nothing like complete collection on thematic philatelic because it will be very hard for you to keep up with each and every stamps because dealers will print more stamps!! and you have to buy more.!!

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2011/12/fake-nicaragua-100-years-of-cinema-fdc.html

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 or watch games such as cricket, football or basketball.!!

Only way philately can sustain is to stop 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.

To know more about this kind of activity read my following blog post and think what are the possibilities in cheating, glorification, SHILL bidding, FAKE, Forgery etc.

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) Gandhi SERVICE overprint stamp price fell from $1009 to $1.!!
10) How can you tell that Gandhi SERVICE stamp is FAKE or Forgery ?

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!!

Also don't you think it does NOT make sense to collect all thematic stamps because it will keep coming.!!

Thanks

Gandhi Stamps Club.

Gandhi Stamps - 1998 from Grenada , Grenada Grenadines, Dominica, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Vincent, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda , Zambia.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

1998 was 50th Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. (1948 -1998) and stamp dealers and printers came up with stamps on this occasion to make MONEY!!

Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, St. Vincent,  Grenada, Grenada Grenadines, Guyana,  Ghana, Montserrat, Liberia, The Gambia, Dominica and others came up with Miniature sheet and stamps of Mahatma Gandhi. (Also India issued Mahatma Gandhi stamp to celebrate this)

Design and printing of all this stamps is similar and sometimes you will be confused whether this is error or what.!! (Looks like dealers and printers are lazy as they don't even want work to make it different and interesting shapes, sizes and different pictures.!!)

Following are some of 1998 miniature  sheet and stamps from African and South America countries with  Taj Mahal, Gateway of India, Emblem of India which  are currently available on delcampe.

All 1998 Gandhi sheets looks similar!!

Do you think this has any value in philatelic or it is just a album filler.!! and you will easily spent 100-150$ on this miniature sheet and stamps. Also FDC of this miniature sheets and stamps are questionable.!!

Think why no other countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia issued stamps of Mahatma Gandhi in 1998, because they print stamps for actual use as regular domestic postage by common people not just to make money on it.!! Do you think any of this countries people can afford this stamps. I bet 95% of this countries people did not even saw this Gandhi Miniature sheet or might made it in this countries.!! Also they print stamps which is important to their countries only and occasionally this countries issue stamp of other countries important events, leaders, etc

This is how stamp printers and stamp dealers prosper!!

Still cannot decide then read following blog post which might help you.

1) FAKE or Forged British India Cancellation

2) FAKE Indian Embassy of Nepal Cancellation

3) Even Gandhi Stamps are FAKE.!!

Still not decided then my opinion is AVOID it all the cost.!! and have peace of mind instead of worrying you are buying Genuine material at reasonable price.!!!

To me all Gandhi Philatelic material available ( specially before 1950) looks FAKE or Forgery as it is very hard to find Genuine stuff and as new collectors (like me) wants to collect, so some greedy experienced collectors/dealers will provide  all of us as well as experienced collectors.!!

Still want to do research  then please read my other blog post and have fun.!!

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

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club

Ghana Gandhi Stamps - Does value of Gandhi FDC makes sense.!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Ghana is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south.

The Gold Coast achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 and the name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana, which once extended throughout much of west Africa.

On December 24, 1998 Ghana issued 4 stamps(each 2000 Ghana Cedi) Miniature sheet  of Mahatma Gandhi with pictures of his famous Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) and various age portrait. Also this sheet has quotes of Mahatma Gandhi.  (Not sure why they issued in  December instead of October 2nd !!). Also Ghana  issued another Miniature sheet of Mahatma Gandhi value 5500 Ghana Cedi. 

So total 5 stamps (2 Miniature sheet) were  issued in 1998 by Ghana.

In September 2011, FDC of this Miniature sheet was sold for only $1.29.!!  Ghana 1998 Gandhi IMPERF Sheetlet FDC.

Seller : stamp_bay (USA)

Buyer : adityamootha (India)

Date : Sep 3, 2011

Price Sold :- $ 1.29 (less than a $2!!)

To me all 1998 Gandhi FDC from African and South American countries looks like questionable (more than 10-15 countires.!!!!)

It's surprising to see this kind of price for Gandhi Philatelic material.

I am not sure how much catalog value of this FDC but I think $1.29 is under stamp catalog value.!!

But I am sure it is selling under face value, as in 1998 $1=2300C. So above miniature sheet, in 1998 was somewhere between $4-5 when it was sold in Ghana.!!

What a decline.!!

 The Ghana cedi was introduced on 3 July 2007 and is equal to 10,000 old cedis. It was the highest-valued currency unit issued by sovereign countries in Africa in 2007

1 US Dollar = 1.62689 Ghanaian New Cedi   (16000 Old Cedi)

Following is another miniature sheet. Not sure about current pricing but I will update in future.

So looking to all this, it seems to me that Gandhi Stamps are not for investment as $4 invested in 1998 is currently getting only $1.!! which is 300% decline in value.

After looking to this value to me it looks like no one wants to collect stamps in this modern world, because there are lot of others things to do, such as play video games on ipad, xbox, gamecube or on internet surf on web or facebook or lot of other outdoor activity such a hiking, skating, running etc or watch different shows on TV or sports games such as Cricket or Football or Basketball or just talking on smartphone or chating.!!

After all this kind of things you don't get any more extra time to pursue your hobby of stamp collection were not that many people are involved and you feel like retard when you talk to friends.!!

Also there are lot of cheating such as Forgery stamps, Shill bidding, BOGUS philatelic material  involved in stamps collection.

Want to know more about FAKE and FORGERY stamps then checkout other blog post click one of the following link and you will be surprised.!!!

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 ?

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club