Madagascar Gandhi Stamps - Fake FDC of Mahatma Gandhi Stamps sheet.!! - Is it Stamp Investment or Scam.?

12/16/2011

By Ketankumar Patel.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

This is our 200th blog post on Gandhi Philately Study Circle.!! Thanks to all our blog readers and special thanks to Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti of RAINBOW STAMP CLUB for referring our blog to all her blog readers by adding us in "favorite sites and blog". This is a great honored for us to be on her famous philatelic blog.

Today I am happy to announce that 1000 readers (and growing)  were referred from her blog   rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com. which is  3rd most referreing sites to our blog after google.in and google.com.

 But I think it is #1 site as we are on her favorite blog since last 8-9 months only, while google is referring since starting of this blog.!!

The Republic of Madagascar  is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (at 587,041 square kilometres (226,658 sq mi), the fourth-largest island in the world).

In 1998 along with other African and South American Countries (click link to see 1998 Gandhi stamps) issued two Mahatma Gandhi Stamp sheet. Don't you think this Madagascar stamp and sheets are similar to other countries which issued Gandhi Stamps in 1998!!

 Now look at following screen shot from ebay india auction site and you will be amazed if you are new to Gandhi stamp collection. If you are experience collector then you know all kind of FAKE material available on ebay and delcampe.

Even though stamp sheet were issued in 1998 FDC has CDS of 10-Aug-1999.!!!


I verified this on 2 most famous Gandhi Stamps and Philately website of Dr. Rajan and Nikhil Mundra and it is indeed 1998. http://gandhistamps.com/Madagascar.htm      http://topicalphilately.com/gandhi/

Yes there was another miniature sheet  issued in 1999 with other 7 famous people and Mahatma Gandhi. This sheet also has Diana, Jacqueline Kennedy, General Pershing, General Moshe Dayan and others.

Following is the 1999 Miniature sheet with Mahatma Gandhi stamp.

Now if you compare this stamp with FDC it's different. So now think what's going on in Gandhi Philately. If you think this is not right information then please let me know so I can modify this blog post.

I think all 1998 Gandhi FDC are questionable so do your research before you buy it. It's ugly out there.!!

After reading above blog post don't you think similar pattern for making FDC or Max Card in Gandhi Philately.!! (It's a whole new topical Philately !! FAKE Gandhi thematic collection.!!)


After reading both blog post don't you think similar pattern for making FDC or Max Card in Gandhi Philately.!!

Is it investment or scam ? !! Think before you buy any Gandhi Philately Material as it is very easy to make rubber stamp.!!! 

This is how stamp printers and stamp dealers prosper!!

Again thanks for reading and  Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Thanks

Ketankumar Patel.
http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com

Maldives Gandhi Stamps : Is it a Fake Gandhi Maximum Card (Gandhi Max Card or Gandhi Maxi Card) ?

12/5/2011

By Ketankumar Patel.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

In 1989 Maldives issued Nehru and Gandhi stamps to celebrate 100th Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. 

Recently I came across with a bizarre finding that contradicts Gandhi handbook and Gandhi Stamps website information. As usual I’d be very grateful if blog readers could assist me in nailing this one. 

I saw Nehru and Gandhi Max Card from Maldives from Indian ebay seller "ashokmehta1955" with this stamp and Day of issue cancellation date of Feburary 15, 1990. I did research on this cancellation date only (not comparing cancellation) and I can't believe it. 

I am not sure why date on this Max card is different then Jawarharlal Nehru 100th Birth Anniversary year which was 1989. (1889 - 1989).

I checked Nikhil's  website www.gandhistamps.com/Maldives  and found out that  stamp was issued on 20-12-1989. To make sure I double check by referring  Manik Jain's Handbook and indeed  this stamp was issued on 20-12-1989. In this book there is also picture of FDC of this stamp with date 20-12-1989.

So why there is discrepancy about date in this Max Card.?

I am now confused, which is the correct date of issue as I see 2 different dates. But I think I will go with Manik Jain's Handbook and Nikhil's website as they are one of the most reliable source of information about Gandhi stamps.

So what do you think about this Max Card.? Is  it Genuine or FAKE ?

Until I don't get another good source of information I will consider this as a FAKE Max Card. One more FAKE addition in Gandhi Philatelic collection.

Lot of things to consider when you buy private FDC or Max Card  such as country of issue, date of cancellation, type of postmark cancellation, who is seller including seller feedback,seller country and lot of other things because all kinds of things are possible. This is also same for USED or Register cover otherwise you will end up some piece of paper instead of valuable philatelic material.

Let me know if you think this is indeed really Genuine Max Card, so I can modify my blog post.

Again thanks for reading and  Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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!!

Luxembourg Gandhi Stamps Postmark special cancellation issued in 1969 - Are you confused which is Genuine or Forgery.!!

12/5/2011

By Ketankumar Patel.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Luxembourg is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. A representative democracy with a constitutional monarch, it is ruled by a grand duke. It is now the world's only remaining sovereign grand duchy. The country has a highly developed economy, with the world's highest GDP (nominal) per capita according to the IMF.

In 1969 to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 100th Birth Anniversary, Luxembourg also issued special cancellation along with other countries.

I own following cancellation which I bought it for under $5.

Following are other 2 covers sold on public auction site delcampe with Luxembourg Gandhi Cancellation.

Please click following link to read another blog post about 1969 cancels possible forgeries

http://gandhiphilately.blogspot.com/2009/04/gandhi-1969-cancels-possible-forgeries.html


So after reading above link which one is Genuine and which is Forgery/FAKE. ? or None of them.!!

Again thanks for reading and  Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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!!

Update : 12/19

Unsold cancellation on ebay .

Palestine Gandhi Stamps : It's a Gandhi Stamp Forgery !! Do you think this is one the reason why people are loosing interest in stamp collection?

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Since I started Gandhi Collection I was curious about Gandhi Stamp from Palestine.

According to the http://www.zobbel.de/stamp/fakes_05.htm website  Palestine Gandhi stamps are forgery. Following is screen shot of his page. You can read more in detail by clicking above link, where not only you will find about Gandhi FAKE stamps but also other  FAKE thematic stamps.

http://www.zobbel.de/stamp/fakes_05.htm

From above reference this sheet was unsold and seller was "brownblackcherry". Also price was $24.99 very high for this FAKE items.!! This are still available on ebay India site.!!

So after reading this article and further research that printers print stamps from countries where there is no proper authority to monitor and take action against this kind of activities. Also printers and dealers focus on countries where there is Civil War going on, Some political issue or poverty, where that countries are business in their own important issue, so this countries don't care about this FAKE stamps and printers and stamps dealers make fortune from this.!!

I think lot of Gandhi stamps/sheets from African countries(Rwanda, Somalia, Congo, Cameroon (ovpt), Sierra Leone, Liberia etc) comes in this category so we need to review before we add in our collection.

This is one of the reason why people are loosing interest in stamp collections.!!

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!!

What a difference in 1948 Gandhi Stamp Value - Gandhi Stamps is really for Investment.!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

To understand properly about this blog post please read my previous previous blog post written in May 2011 about "Nepal Indian Embassy Mahatma Gandhi 1948 Cover (FDC) with 1.5 Anna Gandhi stamp". In this blog post you can see there were 12-13 buyers out of which I question 50% buyer ebay id !!!

Last week on ebay buyer "e***p (559)" aka "Speedbird1*"  won  Nepal Indian Embassy Mahatma Gandhi 1948 Cover for just $37. !!

Don't know why buyer paid $37 for this.!!

Incredible price compare to previous auction.!! One of the lowest I have ever seen in last 3 years.

What a Great value compare to previous auction in April 2011 and what a loss on Investment by "srm2382" & "adianil".

Both this ebay bidders bought Nepal Gandhi Cover in April for whooping $155. Really feel sorry for them if  it is REAL deal.!!!!!

It's like 400% loss on investment.!! in just 4 months.  For me it's 200% loss as I bought it for $80!!. If I have buy it now I will not buy this at all. It's piece of ......!!!

I am not sure that at $37  is also a good value for this cover!!

But's it's buyer choice to pay even after my blog post so now I am more curious whether they got my information or something else.!!

Not sure why "e***p" (speedbird1*) started bidding since auction start and last seconds bidding by  "t***8 (2098)", "s***v  (581)" and "t***6 (176)".

Also not sure whether my previous blog helps this bidders or not.

Do you think this 1948 FDC or cover is for investment.?

Thanks
Ketankumar Patel.
My special Cancellation

Thanks
Ketankumar Patel.
(My Son's blog http://usapostman.blogspot.com)
Date : 08/29/2011

Click to see 50th Anniversary
Special Cancellation

It's back again. FAKE Winnenden Germany 2009 Gandhi Special Postmark for sale made to protest against Massacre in High School.!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

I am surprised that seller is trying to sell again FAKE Germany 2009 Gandhi Special Postmark even though I wrote  about this FAKE issue 18 months ago. No shame in making money.!!

Don't know up to what certain collectors and dealers can use Mahatma Gandhi's name and Principle of Non-Violence to make money.

This rubber stamp (FAKE pictorial postmark) was made by probably known or unknown Individual in Germany(not German post office or philatelic club)  as a protest against the massacre which took place on 11th March 2009 in Winnenden High School  in which 16 students and teachers were killed. 


I think this is INSULT to all innocent people who died in this incident. (Click this link to read more about this incident.)


If you live  in Winneden then please do more research on this FAKE pictorial postmark and stop this kind of activity.  Don't know why  maker  of this rubber stamp choose October 2nd instead of  March 11 date.!!

This FAKE used covers with rubber stamps were mailed in Winnenden and Schwaikheim, Germany which are only 4 km away. Check it out in map

I also got proof from German Post Office and also Winnenden stamp club President that this is FAKE after Bjorn's own investigation and followup for 3-4 months on this cancellation and even talked with one of the local senior philatelist about this cancellation.

I don't know what's seller is thinking about my research. Looks like he is thinking he can get away  this FAKE  cancellation and  make money by selling this kind of FAKE rubber stamps.?

Also don't know why they used State Emblem of India in this rubber stamps? Indian Government or Indian Embassy in Germany has nothing to do with this Incident but still they used India's Emblem.!! (Read my other blog post of Emblem of India)

Now you decide what other FAKE material is in Sellers bag.!!

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!!

BTW: Also another Gandhi rubber stamp was on used cover mailed to Schwaikheim not far from Winnenden.

=========  My previous Blog Post written in Jan 2010 =============

Recently I noticed on ebay that there is one more postmark cancel by Germany on October 2nd 2009 on Gandhi's 140th birthday to celebrate United Nations International Non-Violence Day. Following is the postmark cancel.

I did some research on German Post website which is

http://www.deutschepost.de/dpag?xmlFile=828 & also I contacted them by email and got reply from them(email copy is attached). Also I contacted some local German Philatelist from whom I bought Gandhi related material and according to them they are not aware of this postmark cancellation.

This is amazing as GANDHI philately material is one of the most popular and searched on internet auction sites as well as in stamp shows noone has any idea about this postmark cancellation. How this is possible that no stamp collector/dealer from Germany has no idea.!!

My research indicates that following is authenticated philatelic material issued on October 2nd 2009.

1) United Nations:- $1 Gandhi stamp with FDC & Souvenir card

2) India :- 25 Rupees Gandhi stamp & FDC.

3) Croatia :- Gandhi Postmark Cancel.

So now my questions is what is this German GANDHI postmark cancellation?

Is it FAKE? (Read email from German Postal Service)

Unless I don't get sufficient proof I think it is.

If someone has any proof please let us know so we can update this.

Thanks
KP

I got 2 reply from different department of Deutschepost and as per them this are not postmark from German Postal Service. Read following emails and let me know if any question about email.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Premium-Service-Philatelie@deutschepost.de 
Date: Jan 22, 2010 4:47 AM
Subject: Your inquiry
To: kxxx@gmail.com

Dear Mr. Patel,

Thank you for your inquiry.
Deutsche Post AG did not issue any postmark from Ghandi`s birthday.

Kind regards

Jutta Frimberger

Premium Service Philatelie

Deutsche Post AG

Niederlassung Philatelie

Franz-Zebisch-Str. 15

92637 Weiden

3632 Junior Assistent Premium

Tel.: 0180 3 245442

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Sonder-Werbestempel@deutschepost.de 
Date: Feb 1, 2010 6:31 AM
Subject: AW: Gandhi postmark handstamp on October 2nd 2009 from Winnenden, Germany,
To: kxxx@gmail.com


Dear Mr. Patel,

Thank you for your require.

The postmark is not a postmark from the German Post. You can recognize this, because there are no posthorns on it.
I am sorry, the person who has created the postmark is unknown.

Kind regards

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Anna Girbert

Deutsche Post AG
Niederlassung Philatelie
Stempelvertrieb
Franz-Zebisch-Str. 15
92637 Weiden
Tel: 0961 - 3818 3636
Fax: 01805 - 24 68 76
e-mail: Anna.Girbert@DeutschePost.de
e-mail: Sonder-Werbestempel@DeutschePost.de
Webseite: http://philatelie.deutschepost.de/philatelie/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also if you see there is no POSTHORNS on this cancel. This posthorns are small design on both sides around the name of the city on the cancel.

You can see this posthorns at following link on German postal service.

http://philatelie.deutschepost.de/philatelie/stempel/stempel_pew.jhtml?id=cat180029&navAction=jump

http://philatelie.deutschepost.de/philatelie/stempel/sonderstempel.jhtml?id=cat180029&navAction=jump

Following postmark cancel is genuine which has 2 posthorns on both sides of the name of city (Barnstorf) where as Gandhi postmark cancel that is missing(maker of this Gandhi postmark cancel did not notice this!!)

******** 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

FAKE FDC made from Nicaragua 1979 - 1980 Souvenir Sheet with Mahatma Gandhi & Albert Einstein.!!

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Please look at following 2 images and find out what's has been going on in Gandhi Philately World.

Nicaragua 1979 Souvenir Sheet #01183:

FDC made with Same Souvenir Sheet #01183

Did you notice something different?





Above FDC was for sale on ebay 3-4 years ago.!! One of the fine example of DIY (Do It Yourself)!!

This forgery was reported 3-4 years back when one of the dealer or group of collectors made this FDC with Nicaragua Souvenir Sheet with stamp of Mahatma Gandhi and background of Taj Mahal with other stamp Albert Einstein in 1979 or 1980. This is one more in FAKE item in Gandhi Philately.

It's easy to make this kind of FDC. Just make 2-3 Rubber Stamps,  Print some Envelopes, affix stamps and your are ready to make 10-20 times more money than Mint Stamps.!!

Now after making  this FDC send some of this to your philatelist friends and they will start displaying in their exhibit with RARE or Unique items and after that all collectors will dream to own one when they can afford it.!!

This is because everyone wants to make their collection Unique or with RARE items in their collections so someone out there will make sure there is enough for everyone's needs.!!

So all new collectors entering in Gandhi Philately BEWARE before you buy some of the RARE or Unique items.!! There is no RARE or Unique thing. It is just created to be RARE.(Why only 100 Gandhi 1948 Service stamp printed.?? to make money!!)

As I mentioned in my profile that "Stamp collecting makes selfish but I think differently" and that's the reason I am writing about this FAKE Gandhi Philatelic materials without any Fear or Afraid from anyone other wise there is no point of being Gandhi Philatelist if I can't follow some of  Mahatma Gandhi's  principles. (It's very hard to follow all.!!).


I know I am making more enemies by exposing this kind of activity for ever by publishing on this blog, instead of just keeping with me. 

So this has been going on since last 3-4 years or last 40 years in Gandhi Philately!!

More reading on other Fake or Possible Fake Gandhi Philately related blog post.!!

1) Fake Pictorial Postmark Cancel

2) Fake Postcards

3) Fake seller

4) FAKE Error Stamp

5) Fake Postmark

6) 1969 Cancellation Possible Forgery

7) Gandhi Fiji Cancel

8)  ???????

This needs to be stopped other wise collectors will loose their interest in Philately.


Please comment if any questions or suggestion or more info about this. Also if this is incorrect then please let us know so we can change this blog post.

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

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

BTW: Want to learn more about FAKE, Forgery then click following link and go through all 34 pages and you will be aware of what to look for. Following link will specially help you for 1948 Mahatma Gandhi Used Covers.

http://www.jlkstamps.com/fakes/title.htm