Chile 1974 FFC Lufthansa World Cup 74 Football First Flight Cover - Gandhi Chile Overprint Stamps FFC - Is FFC value going down.?

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Recently I saw 1974 Chile FFC of Lufthansa airlines with two overprint  Gandhi Stamps was sold for $3.42.!!! Also similar FFC were sold for $3.50 - $4  last few months.

Chile 1974 FFC Lufthansa flight LH-491 Football World cup flight carrying the Chile National team dated 13 June 1974. Cover is franked with the Vina del Mar overprint and 100E opt on 1969 Gandhi Stamps are cancelled with a special event cancellation and the front has a cachet with the official WM74 logo

This is a very nice FFC but again price is going in downward direction.!! After almost 40 years it's has no appreciation.!! This price is in auction and there were total 3 bids and 2 bidders for this FFC and then also it never went up.!!

So please make sure priicing of FFC before you buy Gandhi FFC. It's selling very cheap. If you pay more than 3-4$  then chance are that you will regret.

I see lot of Gandhi philatelic materials is selling for very high price some where between 30-50$ which is not even worth 1/5th of that price, but this is a trick to cheat some new buyer who is not aware of all kinds of activity in Gandhi Philately.

If you like this blog post about FFC then please click follwoing link to read our other FFC blog post to know more about it.

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/search/label/ffc

So before you buy any stamps or philatelic materials think twice what are going in to. Make sure you not accumulating someone junk as your treasure.!!


Again thanks for reading and  please share your thoughts in the comments section or you can email me at ketankumar@gmail.com.

Thanks

Ketankumar Patel.
Shill Bidding on Gandhi Stamps

My First year experience in Gandhi Philately.

My 100th blog post.

Gandhi Stamp Collecting is SCAM. My 3 year experience tell me Yes!!

Gandhi FFC - First Flight Cover : One more Gandhi Rubber Stamp?? Emirates Airbus A380 Ryanair FFC London - Leipzig.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Recently I saw Gandhi rubber stamp on lot of FFC from Emirates Airways.

Looks like nothing to do with Gandhi, but it's a  great marketing technique.!! I don't think it's even official rubber stamp from Emirates Airlines. (Correct me if you know it's official from Emirates Airlines.)

This is another way to make money from Gandhi!! Same way like printing stamps from smaller countries or creating Gandhi  error stamps or like other Gandhi FFC.

This FFC's are selling for $12.75 and to me it required more research for even considering it as a Genuine FFC. Lot of things to research such as FFC from which airlines Ryanair or Emirates Airlines, direct flight from south africa or stop over, FFC was taken out during flight stop etc.

 FFC is on November 3, 2011 and Emirates Gandhi Rubber stamp is October 1, 2011.!!

So beware of this Gandhi Rubber stamp. This FFC has nothing to do with Gandhi.!!

Also make sure about  Airbus A380 Gandhi FFC and Gandhi FFC after 1975.!! It's another way to make money by using current popular philatelic theme.

I know all experienced collector(now including me!!) are aware of all this in Gandhi FFC world but any new collector who will start Gandhi Philately after 3-4 years will have no idea what happen in 2011 and start buying it thinking it's rare ffc !! and when they will know about this then there is nothing but regret.!!!


Now look at the following and you surprised what are possibility in Stamps Philatelic collection ?

http://www.filatelia.fi/forgeries/blum.html

Following are some FAKE postmarks of FRANKFURT.!!!!!!!

Want to read other Germany related blog posts then click following link.

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/search/label/Germany

Again thanks for reading and  please share your thoughts in the comments section or you can email me at ketankumar@gmail.com.


Thanks
Ketankumar Patel.
My First year experience in Gandhi Philately.
My 100th blog post.
Gandhi Stamp Collecting is SCAM. My 3 year experience tell me Yes!!

Chile Gandhi Stamps on FFC during 1974 Football Soccer World Cup First Flight Cover

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

One of the best FFC with Gandhi stamps was issued in 1974 with Chile Gandhi Stamps during World Cup Soccer.

While researching about correct price about this FFC, I was surprised by the price of this FFC as it was sold under $5.!!

I think it's a fair value for this FFC comparing 2 Gandhi OVPT stamps from Chile and also one more stamp.

Thanks
Ketankumar Patel.

All United Nations Airbus A380 FFC with Gandhi stamp are questionable.!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

On October 2, 2009 United Nations issued stamp of Mahatma Gandhi of $1 to celebrate International Day of Non-Violence.  This stamp is only valid to mail from United Nations office in New York. You cannot use this in local USA post office or any other UN office in USA.

The United Nations is the only organization in the world which is neither a country nor a government, and is permitted to issue postage stamps. Because of arrangements made with postal authorities in the United States, Switzerland and Austria, the United Nations Postal Administration issues stamps in three different denominations. While UN stamps are popular collectors’ items, they can be used for posting only from post offices located at UN offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna.

Read more about United Stamp Usage.(#31)

Recently I am seeing lot of FFC with this Mahatma Gandhi stamps and to me all look bogus. Reason for this assumption or opinion is that it does not make sense at all with all kinds of stuff such as origin of mail, not flown officially through regular mail stream or might be not flown at all.

We need to think and research before we buy any philately item whether this is possible or not. Don't just buy it blindly because it's Gandhi.!!!

Following FFC is from San Francisco to Frankfurt for AirBus 380 with date on May 9, 2011.

After detail research about this cover I still have following concerns about this cover.

1) You cannot use UN Gandhi stamp  from any other USA post office except from United Nations, New York. So how this is mailed from San Francisco, California. If it is mailed from New York to Frankfurt it should go directly to Frankfurt not San Francisco.

2) Also if it is mailed from United Nations New York office on May 9th, 2011 it will take 3-6 days to reach San Francisco and after that it cannot be send to Germany.!! Where as First flight was on May 9th and reached Germany on May 11th.

3) Also you don't see any barcode from regular postal stream so not sure whether it was flown through regular postal stream or not at all.

4) Again USPS cancellation is not per standard and also it is not on stamp at all.!!

So after detail thinking about all this concerns I think UNO FFC are all bogus. This is my personal opinion. You can do more research on UNO FFC with Gandhi stamps and compare it yourself with that FFC and you will find something strange.  Please write a comment on this blog if you find one.

If you have more information about how this is flown than let me know. There are lot of FFC with Gandhi UN stamp which are questionable.

BTW: - Let me tell you how UN postal service works. You send them envelope(cover) with UN stamps on it they will cancel the envelope and send it back to you in another  envelope. I tried this and I got it back.!!

If you like this blog post then you will like following also.

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/2011/05/airbus-a380-gandhi-first-flight-cover.html

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/2011/06/ffc-from-hawaiian-airlines-and.html

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/2011/05/gandhi-cover-is-paquebot-or-ffc-or.html



Now look at the following and you surprised what are possibility in Stamps Philatelic collection ?

http://www.filatelia.fi/forgeries/blum.html

Following are some FAKE postmarks of FRANKFURT.!!!!!!!

Want to read other Germany related blog posts then click following link.

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/search/label/Germany

Again thanks for reading and  please share your thoughts in the comments section or you can email me at ketankumar@gmail.com.

Thanks
Ketankumar Patel.
(My Son's blog http://usapostman.blogspot.com)

Click to see 50th Anniversary
Special Cancellation

How price of Gandhi stamps or Philatelic materials are increased.!! Chile Mahatma Gandhi Stamp FFC related Football - Soccer World Cup 1974

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

I am surprised when I notice on ebay about price variation on recently sold  Chile 1974  "FFC Chile > Germany 1974 SOCCER-Sport-Gandhi, LH Expres Cvr"

Yesterday on June 4 above FDC was sold for $8.10 to "p***p (14)"and on April 10 it was sold for $3.80  to "r***3 (29)" and seller for both cover is "firstphila"

You will be thinking that's good ROI for buyer "r***3 (29)" who bought it at 3.80!! I think so.!!

But I notice the buyer who bought it for 3.80 was also second bidder (loser) on other one.

Looks like this second bidder "r***3 (29)" is new Gandhi collector from Surat (Rajesh Movaliya with id "srm2382" who is writing comments on this blog.!!

I am not sure why "r***3 (29)"  wants to buy it at higher price then he bought.!!.Also not sure why he wants to buy another one.!! as per him, he a new collector.  I will understand if he buys this cover if it is very cheap to trade or exchange with other collectors but by paying twice the amount which does not make sense.

But this is Gandhi Philately where some of the weirdess things are going on!!.


Also another buyer "p***p (14)" is new collector from Dubai and he also writes comments on this blog.  Not sure how many new collectors are joining Gandhi philately but this also surprise me.!!


Also 2 similar FFC were unsold on May 20 from UK seller "phil-centre" which were listed at "$29.45".!! and it is currently re-listed.!!




Let us know what do you think.!!

Thanks
KP.

BTW : This is very interesting FFC for Gandhi collector. You can get more info about this FFC on blog post written by co-author of this blog Nikhil Mundra who is also owner of www.gandhistamps.com website. It's interesting to read about this FFC. Click following link to read his blog post.

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/2010/03/chile-1974-gandhi-ffc.html

FAKE FFC flown in Airbus A380 with Mahatma Gandhi USA stamp from New York to Frankfurt, Germany in First Flight.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,


Recently I saw New York to Frankfurt FFC with Gandhi USA 4 cents stamps flown by Lufthansa in new Airbus A380. I only have issue with  date on cancellation & special postmark Cancellation from New York.

Special Cancellation on both cover is not as per USPS standard.


On cancellation date stamp it is Feb 18, 2011  but has also another rubber stamp which indicates that first flight operated on Feb 28, 2011.


So how this is FFC if the cancellation on stamp has CDS 2 weeks in advance.!!


Lufthansa was officially landed on JFK airport for first time  on February 28th at 2:00pm. (Technically 2nd time. First time was in 2007 during test run.). And I believe it was flown back to Frankfurt on same day which is Feb 28.




As per my  research about FFC the date on cancellation should be date of First Flight departure from that particular airport so it should be Feb 28 not Feb 18.!!


After doing some research I don't find any information from USPS about this type of special cancellation just for First Flight Lufthansa from New York Post Office.


Looks like this is rubber stamp not postmark cancellation from USPS because postmark is not as per USPS standard special cancellation. ( I know this because I recently worked with USPS to make one for 50th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi USA stamp, I will scan this and blog  in near future.)


Again if maker/seller of this cover has proof  such as email correspondence of application, approval etc please provide us so we can modify this blog post and also I might think about buying it. I am looking for Postmark Cancellation from United States Post Office, New York, NY.


Looking for 2 things about this FFC.


1) Why date is different on CDS and flight flown.
2) Proof of Cancellation is not as per USPS standard.


I will call this as  FAKE FFC or and if I don't want to call FAKE then I might come up with new thematic collection "Advance FFC"  or "Future FFC".!!.


Anyone has more info then please comment on this


Thanks
KP.


BTW: It's good that creator of this FFC  specify about the actual date of First Flight. There is no way to find First Flight dates of 1961, 1969, 1970 , 1985 covers unless you go through archives in library.




******* Also read about frogeries in German Postmark Cancel **********
While researching on this German Cancel I found very interesting material related to Germany postmark handstamp forgery.
It is very important to read before you buy any Gandhi related material from Germany including this as well as other FFC available from that country.
http://www.filatelia.fi/forgeries/blum.html

Following link will display more than 650 FAKE postmark handstamp. You can see by clicking following link and than choose the first alphabet of German city.
http://www.phila-kompass.de/index.php?id=73&no_cache=1&tx_kbsystem_pi1[showUid]=90

FFC from Hawaiian Airlines and Ballymahon 2010 Balloon cover with insufficient postage of Mahatma Gandhi USA Stamps.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Following 2 covers are very nicely done  FFC with colorful stamps, printing and rubber stamps of Balloon & USPS event cancel of airport if it is GENUINE.

For airmail international letter USPS required 98 cents postage stamps in 2010.  FFC on left which was mailed on July 31 2010 from Chicago, USA to Dublin, Ireland has insufficient postage. It has total of  90 cents only.  First Class postage stamp on the cover is United States stamps #4029 from 2006 valued $.39 first class, non-denomination stamps depicting Love Birds.

So total is 39+39+8+4= 90 cents. If there is insufficient postage than USPS will rubber stamp with "Postage Due". But sometimes USPS don't check this.!! and you will get the mail. But if you are making particular cover for event then it will not make sense unless you are making it ODD cover with insufficient postage stamp, stamp from different countries etc.

Also not sure whether this was flown officially in Balloon flight. If it is flown officially in Balloon then this cover is very cheap as it cost more to fly this kind of covers because of weight issue in balloon and you should know right person to carry cover for you.!!

Also not sure whether this was flown by balloon to Chicago to Ireland?

Also Ballymahon 2010 (40th Anniversary) was from 19-24 September and this cover was mailed on July 31 2010. !!

Also not sure which balloon it was flown by out of 44.

Lot of things to look in to this FFC to consider as GENUINE !!

Following FFC only has 44 cents stamps.!!

Not sure why this has stamp of USA as this cover is flown from Korea to Hawaii on 12-14 January 2011. It has already stamps from Korea.

As per USPS rates even postcard or letter(cover) required 98 cents for International postage stamps. so both cover postage stamps does not make sense.

I think USA Gandhi stamp is on cover, only to sell this cover to Gandhi Collectors.!! as no Gandhi stamp from South Korea.!!

Now you have to decide whether this is Genuine or FAKE and depending on that you add in your collection or you can start new theme of Mahatma Gandhi "Mahatma Gandhi travel world with insufficient postage"

My blog post also look colorful.!!

Thanks
KP.

BTW:  Check USPS Postal Rates History by clicking following URL.

http://www.akdart.com/postrate.html

Is it Airbus A380 FFC or Paquebot cover or just rubber stamps with Mahatma Gandhi stamp from Singapore Airlines to Zurich

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

===============================================================
According to me following cover has no value in philatelic world. Reason for this is

1) Gandhi stamp from India is only to make money. There is no point of having this as this cover is not FFC mailed from India.
2) Having 2 different type of cancellation (paquebot/special   and Singapore Philatelic Bureau cancellation).
3) This is not Paquebot cover because ship is not register in India.!!
===============================================================

Airbus A380 is new top of the line passenger airplane which can carry 500-850 people depending on configuration.  Airbus A380 is now started flying to Singapore and USA.

Look at following cover and you decide. Is it FFC or Paquebot or Rubber stamps. As per seller this is Singapore Airlines FFC from Singapore to Zurich.

Cover itself looks nice with 3 stamps from 2 countries and 3 cancellation/rubber stamps with picture of newest airplane Airbus 380.



This cover has stamps from India and postmark cancellation of "FastNet Lines Ferry Services Swansea 1st March 2010, 1896-2010 Paquebot 2010"

Also it has another 50 cents stamp from Singapore with CDS of "Philatelic Bureau 27 March 2010 Singapore".

And ofcourse rubber stamp of Singapore Airlines and Printed picture of Lufthansa Airlines First Flight A380.

I think it's a FAKE cover looking at following.

1) Mahatma Gandhi India Stamp & Emblem of India Service stamp (mostly used by goverment) does not make sense on this cover. why?

It is flight from Singapore to Zurich.

2) Cancellation on India stamp is from "FastNet Lines Ferry Services" which operates ships from Ireland to Wales to carry passenger and other goods.

What to do this on flight from Singapore to Zurich. ?

Why they are messing up with Indian stamp which is not even worth for local postage charge?

3) Paquebot cover will have CDS from other countries not CDS of ship.!! Also postage stamp should be from country where ship is register and in this case this is from Ireland. So this is not a Paquebot cover.!!

4) Also 50 cents Singapore stamp which is not valid for Airmail.!! It requires $1.10 ( look at screen shot at the end of the post). 50 Cents is only for surface mail so this not a FFC.!!

SO THIS IS A COVER WITH BUNCH OF RUBBER STAMPS. NEWLY ADDITION IN GANDHI PHILATELY RUBBER STAMP SERIES.!!

5) Now regarding Singapore Philatelic Bureau Cancellation, it also looks flaky.!! Click this link and you decide. ( Look at the Alphabet on both cancellation and also look where they are located in both). We can argue that this might be newly made by Philatelic bureau but looking to all other things on this cover it does not make sense.

One more thing is that Singapore Goverement is very strict on rules and regulations so not sure how this kind of things get away from Singapore Philatelic Bureau.!!

After looking to this information I think this is a very unique FAKE cover. I had never seen this many forgery on single cover. This cover is completely made under single roof.!! instead of First Flight Cover in which cover needs to travel on first flight and needs to have CDS from both departure and arrival cities.

Gandhi Collectors beware of this kind of FFC. Looks like all new FFC after 2000 are questionable as popularity of Gandhi Philately is increasing there are lot of people who wants to make quick bucks and in future(after 10-20 years) this FFC will be worth more as new collectors will not know about this.!!

After all this stuff going on with Gandhi Philately with stolen Gandhi Philatelic material from Goverment of India, Possibly Fake 1969 cancel, 2010 Germany fake Cancel on Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday, Fake Postcard from china post, fake sellers, fake addresses etc I started thinking that what I am doing here.!! & I hope you will also start thinking this.!!

If you are seller of this cover or maker of this cover please clarify with sufficent proof about this cover so we can make changes in this blog post & more collectors will trust this cover and will add in their collection.

Gandhi Collectors, What do you think about this cover? Please reply by writing a comment on this blog post.

Thanks
KP.

BTW: I don't own this cover.!!


Further reading:

1) Look at Singapore Postal Rate Calculation




2) Fastnet Lines Ferry Services

3) Sold on ebay for $11 which is not that much compare to pain of making this cover. It takes lot of time to make cover so $11 is good price is this GENUINE.!!

Chile 1974 Gandhi FFC

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

This post is about the Chile Lufthansa 1974 First Flight Cover (FFC) that features 2 Green Gandhi Chile (Ovpt.) stamps.

FFCs are issued when a new Flight Service is started between 2 places, or to commemorate a Special Flight. The covers are affixed with corresponding Airmail stamps, sent aboard flights, applied with the official delivery postmark, and then returned to the sender’s address. In most probability, the sender has an arrangement with the Airways or its branch at the Airport to return the covers to him safely. FFCs were produced in plenty by the German Airways Lufthansa, and also certain airlines in the USA.

There are some examples of FFCs being used with Gandhi stamps, but almost none of them have a direct thematic connection to Gandhiji. This above Chile FFC is an exception. This FFC was prepared in during the 1974 Football World Cup held in Germany, and was issued for the Flight which carried the Chilean National team to Frankfurt. Below featured Card was also issued for the same occasion:

What is interesting and little-known is that during his stay in South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi was closely associated with Football. In fact, Gandhi was the Manager of a Football club known as the “Passive Resisters”. Below is a photo showing Gandhi with his club members:

True to his ideals, the Mahatma educated the young club-members on the positives of non-violence, and also encouraged his team to use lesser aggression in their games during his half-time lectures.

Sadly, the club did not have a very long run, and in the absence of Gandhi, it closed in 1936.

Nikhil Mundra

www.gandhistamps.com

================