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Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

 

Hello everyone,

 

My name is John and I am the lead research specialist on the Format International Security Printers Ltd.

Because of my research I have discovered that many of the Leaders of the World (and other issues) printed by the Format printers in the 1980's are being "reprinted" and are being flooded onto the stamp market starting in mid 2014. I have produced an introductory page with links to pages that describe and show you how to define these new fake stamps on my website.An example is attached...I hope.

 

These stamps are being produced on a massive scale by a yet unknown source. Many are normal issues that are very hard to define from images by sellers on eBay. Many are varieties of the issues such as imperforates, color proofs and "errors". Examples are Michael Jackson inverts, Dogs inverts, Flowers inverts, Nevis Spitfires with missing country name, Imperforate 60th Birthday of Queen Elizabeth souvenir sheets, Audubon Birds issues, Century of Motoring, Leaders of the World Trains and Cars series. The list is getting longer as I write this.

 

These fakes are being sold here on eBay, and are being sold on Delcampe, Amazon, Bonanza and many other places now. Sellers are buying them and reselling them not knowing they are fake reproductions of the originals. Some may believe there is no demand for these issues. I am afraid you are wrong as they are selling like crazy.

 

Once you visit my introductory page on the Modern Fake Stamps and view some of the linked pages describing them with 1200dpi images you will be able to know what to look for. It is pretty much impossible for the forgers to duplicate the originals. The gum is no longer produced. The paper is no longer produced. The inks are no longer produced. And even if all of that were still around...the presses that produced the originals would cost millions now of which the forgers do not have.

 

These fakes are now in collections and dealer stocks everywhere and more are being flooded onto the market as I write this. We probably cannot stop this flood of forgeries but we can be aware of what to look for when you buy them. If you get them...return them. If the seller refuses to accept and refund you....report them.

 

Anyone who has evidence of the source or evidence of issues not yet discovered to being forged is welcome to contact me. I cannot afford to buy them all so a lot of them I do not have in my posession. I do have examples of most of the original LOW issues to compare and also 60th Birthday, 85th Birthday, Royal Wedding etc. I have studied the printer for many years.

 

Either Google "Modern Fake Stamps" which is #1 there or here is the direct link to the introduction page.

Please get the word out! These forgeries are detrimental to the stamp market as a whole!

Thank you.

Here is the link.

 

Modern Fake Stamps

Message 1 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Newest page added is on the Saint Vincent Bequia 1985 Dogs issue. Scott# 178-181. Unknown reprints with different perforation size were made in 1991. Section 1 describes them. Unlike the Saint Vincent Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley issues which note the existence of "unauthorized" reprints, there are a number of sets that were reprinted in 1991 that are NOT noted to exist in Stanley Gibbons. This is one of them.

 

Forgeries including inverted frame errors have been produced in 2014. Section 2 describes them. They are very dangerous fakes because they are much better and have the proper perforation size. Still you will be able to see they are obvious fakes once you read the page.

 

The next page I am working on is the Nevis 1985 Audubon Birds issues. Scott# 407-14. Both series have been forged and are flooding the market.

I have already produced a page in 2014 that describes the unknown reprints with different perforation size that were made in 1991 of the second series.

If all goes well I will get section 2 made describing the forgeries. Creating the images and the write-ups and creating the html code takes time. I also have lots to make too!

 

Here is an image of the fake Bequia 1985 Dogs inverts. Just compare the border colors and you can see the difference! The forgers can't even get THAT right!

 

Message 2 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Amazing as it sounds indeed Leaders of the World Cars and Trains are also being reproduced.

They are not "reprints" as were done in the late 80's by Format but are being forged this year!

They are dangerous forgeries that are also hard to detect with images supplied by sellers.

The image below is of the 3rd Series Automobile stamp set from Nevis.

And yes they are all forgeries!

I just created a page on how to define them. Also both Nevis Audubon Birds issues have been forged and the page

is now live also.

Once you read a few of the pages you will be able to know what to look for.

 

Message 3 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Have added more pages on my website showing more forgeries.

Please visit them to know what to avoid!

 

Just received inverted Saint Vincent Grenadines 1983 British Monarchs. Fakes

Just received St. Vincent Century of Motoring imperf souvenir sheets. The whole set.

All are fakes. Two different gum types. one being very hard to distinguish from the originals

the other is the same shiny white gum. It is AMAZING the seller did not suspect something unless the seller already knows.

One was the white gum the other three the darker gum. Seller states MNH. Had to have looked and had to know there

is an extreme difference in gum types even though all are fakes.

will be posting new pages on them when I have time. Got them all here on eBay.

 

Leading British stamp dealers have verified all inverts shown on my webpages and here are FAKES.

It's going to be big folks!

 

 

Message 4 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Well folks

The first article on my discovery has just been published in the British Philatelic Exporter.

Attached is a copy of it.

But it is much worse.

Imperfs and normal issues are flooding the market.

Time for people to wake up!

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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Well folks today I had time to update on Saint Vincent 1987 40th Wedding Anniversary forgeries. Scott# 1017-22 SG# 1079-83 MS1084.

Some call it the Royal Ruby Wedding issue. This is going to astonish you.

 

Fake imperforates have and are being sold. In getting the infamous inverts out for comparison have now determined that

80% of the imperforates are fakes

80% of the inverted frame errors are fakes

Everyone must now be very careful in buying anything from this issue!

 

Several dealers here on eBay have closed their lots involving the fake inverts shown above. Several more are still running them.

Avoid 1985 inverted flowers from St. Vincent Grenadines. Avoid inverted 1984 St. Vincent Olympics. They are not real.

 

The problem is bad so please tell everyone you know.

We are hunting down the source. Very high members are determined to find you!

 

For the royal ruby wedding issues please read my updated pages on them.

Fake 1987 Royal Ruby Wedding Stamp issues

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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

The Leaders of the World Audubon Birds issues for just about every country they were made for have been forged. Basically 50% or higher of the issues offered here and elsewhere are now....you got it....FAKES.

This includes some imperforates and of course inverts as well.

Countries I verify them for are Montserrat, Tuvalu, St. Vincent and Nevis.

Here is an image of one set of forgeries.

Message 7 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

As you can see...they look JUST like the real ones. Only if the seller supplies you with 1200dpi images of part of the stamp will you be able to trust that they are genuine now. Thanks to the greed of some...
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Been having a lot of trouble technically with this thread.

Images dissappeared and posting to it virtually impossible.

 

Can someone tell me if they see the pictures?

Kind of wondering why nobody posts to it.

Message 9 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

hi golowenow,

the last photos that showthat I can see is of the World Audubon Bird.Is that the last of your Photos?

Does that help you any.

Lindy

 

Message 10 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Yes Lindy,

Just my PC I guess. Heavily armed against ads...especially adchoice so guess it effects my viewing of pics in the group. Talked through with an ebay support rep today and he too said all are showing up sooooo....guess its all ok.

Here is another pic from latest page added.

Saint Lucia 1986 60th Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

All fakes!

 

Message 11 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Hi Again,

just want to say there are 3 without photos right is that the way it is.

 

Also when I replied the green word came up at the top.Success  

Also I didn't see this photo till just now of the Queen up-side-down.

 

I sure hope it helps.

 

 You and Yours Have a Good Night.

Lindy

Message 12 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Time goes on. The flood continues.

This is British Virgin Islands 1986 60th Birthday imperforate souvenir sheet.

Found it also has been forged.

Here is the comparison image.

Message 13 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Hi John,

That is one that is very hard to tell them apart.

 

Also I left you a message,with a few questions.

I Thank You for Looking out for Others.

 

Lindy s Roar

Message 14 of 25
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Re: Modern Fake Stamps are Flooding the Market

Really facinating how much of this is being sold.

Have now discovered numerous 1986 Royal Wedding issues have been forged.

The excuse in certain sellers descriptions stating "from later printings" is not to be believed.

30 year later "printings" is off the charts for these issues. They are simply....fakes.

Here is Nauru Scouts souvenir sheet from 1982. At this point one can consider all imperforates are fakes.

Do perforated fakes exist? Probably so.

You can see the color is different.

The fakes are badly curling because of the inferior gum.

Sold in lots of 5 right here on eBay.

 

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