THE AFGHANISTAN ILLEGAL STAMPS

Information and Reference of illegal stamps for Afghanistan according to U.P.U. Circulars 2 and 177
Also Listing unauthorized stamp issues according to Scott Catalog.

On January 13, 2003 the postal administration for Afghanistan by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets) posted to the Universal Postal Union a circular warning of the discovery of a massive amount of illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 2. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 2

For the pages for Afghanistan I have a little different presentation. During the Civil War quite a few stamp issues were being produced by rogue stamp agencies bent on ripping collectors off. Most of them have the same style as illegal stamps being cheaply made with no subject matter, or very little relating to Afghanistan at all. According to Scott Catalog these stamps dating in the 1990's to 2002 are deemed by Mavlavi Allahdad Balkhi, the President of Post of the Afghanistan Postal Administration, as "false stamps". They were and are condemned as unauthorized by the Ministry of Communications. Therefore they are illegal stamps.

The stamps in question are described in the Scott catalog and categorized as unauthorized printings. Sorry to say folks but that makes them illegal stamps just like the later illegal stamps. Now for some strange reason Yvert and Michel want to list these illegal stamps as if genuine. This is due to dealer influence. These rogue dealers and agencies were and are sitting on thousands of copies(if not millions)and will do anything to try to legitimized illegal stamps. They produce bogus First Day Covers with false cancels and even make fake covers that look like normal postal use. Here is what is written (with reliable sources to back it up I might add) about the civil war era and the postal system in Afghanistan during that time.

Civil war and after

The disruption of governance in the late 80's and early 90's due to civil war and the rise of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, led to stopping of stamp issues from 1989 to 2001, although the postal service continued to exist it functioned only haphazardly using existing stamp supplies. There are only a few postal items known from the 1996 to 2001 period. During this interim period, many unofficial stamps were printed and distributed, which were disavowed by the Afghanistan postal service in 2000 under the Taliban, and subsequently in 2003 by the Karzai government. Stamp production resumed when the Taliban regime was overthrown and the Afghan Postal Authority reconstituted.
The first issue of a postage stamp after the hiatus was the May 2002 stamp showing Ahmad Shah Massoud, a military general and national hero who defended Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s and later led a resistance movement against the Taliban. So there you have it. No legitimate stamps for Afghanistan were printed after 1989 until 2002. This matches exactly with the UPU WNS system. It is stated in the 2007 circular that all legitimate stamps for Afghanistan from 2000 forward can be found on the WNS system and that all others are illegal stamps. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 177

We can see that the stamps purported to be printed in 1996 onward to the year 2000 mark are bogus. As you view the illegal stamps starting in 1996, please notice that the styles made for some are the same styles as the illegal stamps produced in the latter years 2001 and so forth. This shows us the rogue agency or agencies and dealers who started producing them, continued through 2007. At that time....it stopped. Why? Because of the discrepancies between the stamp catalogs the bogus stamps described in Scott Catalog as unauthorized, I will call "Unauthorized Printing" in year title only. All the others are either described in Scott catalog as illegal stamps, described in the 2003 circular as illegal stamps or have never been described, yet exist and are being offered for sale.

Some people selling them do not say anything and are thus deceiving collectors into thinking they are genuine. Some describe them improperly as "cinderella" or "Private Local Issue" which they are not. None or very few will ever state "Illegal Stamp". The end is coming for sellers on eBay and such.....

In my research on what and who is selling these illegal stamps I was amazed at what is being sold on eBay alone! For Afghanistan there are many dealers and collectors selling them. Some have numerous lots and some only a few. Some probably do not even know they are selling illegal stamps.

The illegal stamps described in the circular and in Scott Catalog and what are imaged on this and the following pages are still on the market today. They are available through private stamp dealers and their websites. They are available on eBay and Delcampe. They are everywhere! These illegal issues are fabrication of stamps that have never had any postal validity in Afghanistan and have been denounced as fraudulent. They were and are created by certain greedy, unethical and immoral stamp dealers. Any stamp seller out there that offers these "stamps" either does not know they are illegal stamps or is deceitful and they should be avoided at all costs. The deceitful ones prey upon unknowing collectors new and old. They prey upon topical collectors mostly because the majority do not have the knowledge that they are worthless in the stamp market. Some are quite obvious because they have hundreds of illegal stamp lots available on eBay and other public auction venues.

For years now there has been arguments as to whether these issues should be imaged for public viewing. The against argument being that collectors that see images of them will want them for their collections. We can see by the availability on the market and the sales generated that this argument has not worked. By only relying on descriptions of the illegal stamps through the UPU circulars the majority of collectors don't even know what they are.

I am a firm advocate against illegal stamps and the creators of them and the sellers of them. Perspective buyers of them need more than UPU circulars to be alerted to the problem. They need to see them and be able to recognize them when they are searching for stamps to buy on the internet or at stamp shows or buying from local dealers.

Because I am independent and run a site that is very public for collectors, I have decided that it is time for someone to display images of these illegal issues that have and are being reported to the UPU. The countries that are being victimized by these fraudulent printers need help and the UPU is not enough. It is up to you and me to get the word out and to let everyone know and understand about them since auction venues, stamp societies and catalogs seem to want to ignore the problem. Some who sell these fakes are large volume stamp dealers with supposed impeccable reputations. Some are in high positions in the stamp societies and in the auction venues. They in turn are avoiding the very problem by allowing these kind of sellers to peddle this junk because they also sell legitimate stamps on a large scale. The only way to stop the flow is to hit them where it hurts.

If they are selling this junk then avoid them!
Even if they have legitimate stamps for sale. Buy from sellers that do not have these in their offerings. If you are buying legitimate stamps from them you are still supporting the illegal stamp trade because they are supporting it. Tell them that you do not want to buy from them because they sell illegal stamps. There is no excuse to make them available to anyone.

The following images are of illegal stamps produced for Afghanistan. Please remember that the producers of these illegals are not only greedy, they are crude and sometimes disgusting which is the nature of these people. For some countries a certain section of the circulars I will not publish because they are offensive to many. Any "stamp" with imagery of what is described in that section is obviously fake and the country would never approve of or promote such trash. If you like that stuff, buy a magazine and cut out the pictures. Both are worth the same.

To find out what stamps are real and legitimate for Afghanistan visit the UPU WNS website and look at the Afghanistan section. You will find all the genuine issues produced from 2002 to 2012 listed there. Indeed not that many issues were authorized and made during that time period.

The Universal Postal Union WNS website

Or use a respectable catalog like Scott or Stanley Gibbons. Do not listen to these dealers trying to convince you they are something other than illegal stamps. Catalogs like Michel and Yvert appear to have been influenced by the sellers of illegal stamps getting some listed in their catalogs. Sorry to say but they are betraying the honor and trust of the stamp collecting community by allowing these criminals to influence them.

Here we go!

All imaged illegal stamps are proven to be just that because they are either described by the circulars or Scott Catalog or are not listed on the WNS site. For the years 1996-1998 the research is based on what has been presented in the Scott Catalog and deemed unauthorized.
You will see a mix of unauthorized printings and illegal stamps in the 2000-2001 sections. then it almost went dead in 2002. Then in 2003 the illegal stamps for Afghanistan flourished and lasted through 2007 when they suddenly stopped.

Many of the following illegal stamps can be found as imperforates. Many exist on fake First Day Covers too.
Most times now (2018) the souvenir sheet sets and sheetlet sets are sold individually. In some cases the stamps have been removed from the sheetlets and souvenir sheets. All of these "tactics" are used to avoid detection by UPU circular descriptions.

Sellers that call these "private", "locals", "cinderella", "unauthorized" are deceiving you. They are illegal stamps produced by a stamp dealer that is bent on ripping you off! Some sellers state "we offer them because they are on the market". Well how about you use a different dealer because that seller is "on the market"? If the stamp societies, auction sites and all other venues kicked these sellers off of their sites then they would have to comply or lose their ability to sell anything.

The following images are free for the use of all to use to alert the public to them. If anyone wants to make a public list of users on eBay, Delcampe and elsewhere who are selling these issues....fine by me since the UPU, PWMO and others appear to have given up or have not been updated in years.

If you have purchased any of these stamps from a dealer or if that dealer offers them, you should avoid that dealer! You will only be supporting illegal stamp makers who are only ripping you off.

1996
(Unauthorized Printing)

It all started in this year for Afghanistan. A huge production of these unauthorized stamps occurred and there are now many victims of these criminals. Hopefully these pages will influence collectors and non-collectors to avoid purchasing these and in turn avoid purchasing anything from these sellers of which some have already made their fortune selling this junk.

Listed in order of description and called unauthorized in the Scott Catalog. Created by a rouge stamp agent or dealer and therefore....illegal stamps!

1996 Mushrooms Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1996 Mushrooms Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1996 Bears Illegal Stamp Set of Five


1996 Bears Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1996 World Cup Soccer (1998) Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1996 World Cup Soccer (1998) Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1996 Silkworms Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1996 Silkworms Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1996 Domestic Cats Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1996 Domestic Cats Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1996 Horses Illegal Stamp Set of Five


1996 Horses Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1996 Islamic Revolution and Peasant's Day Illegal Stamps

According to Scott catalog it only describes the Islamic Revolution stamp and states there are 4 stamps in the set. This causes some confusion. The Independence set below is of the same subject matter being anniversaries and events. This shows us where the error is in Scott catalog. Instead the two described sets should be combined with Peasant's Day added as the set of four.


1996 Independence Anniversary and Honoring the Prophet Mohammed Illegal Stamps

1997
(Unauthorized Printing)

1997 Tulips Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1997 Tulips Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1997 Llamas and Camels Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1997 Llamas and Camels Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1997 Domestic Cats Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1997 Domestic Cats Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1997 Flowers Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1997 Flowers Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1997 Sailing Ships Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1997 Sailing Ships Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1997 World Cup Soccer (1998) Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1997 World Cup Soccer (1998) Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One

1998
(Unauthorized Printing)

1998 Mushrooms Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Mushrooms Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Butterflies Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Butterflies Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Princess Diana Memoriam Illegal Stamp Sheetlet of Nine


1998 Wild Sheep (WWF) Illegal Stamp Sheetlet

I note a ton of these are being offered on eBay and other venues as if authentic. Mainly the strips of four.


1998 Wildlife Animals Illegal Stamp Set of Twelve


1998 Dogs Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Dogs Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Locomotives Trains Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Locomotives Trains Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Prehistoric Animals Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Prehistoric Animals Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Antique Cars Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Antique Cars Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Fish Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Fish Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


1998 Birds Illegal Stamp Set of Six


1998 Birds Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


In 1999 the confirmed illegal stamps appeared along with unauthorized printings. When you look through this first page you can see that the style on most of the sets from 1996 through 1998 have the simplistic illegal stamp style used on so many illegal stamps for other countries. In fact, they are exactly the same style. So who was responsible for having these "unauthorized printings" done? A bit more deeper research should turn up evidence of which stamp agency is responsible. It would then prove who at least one producer of illegal stamps is....

The next page will show you how other illegal stamp producers became involved as the styles differ greatly.

View Next Page here!

References taken from:
U.P.U. Circular No. 2 and Circular No. 177
Scott Stamp Catalog
Internet Research

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