BURUNDI ILLEGAL STAMPS
2003 and 2004

Information and Reference of Illegal Stamps for Burundi Dating 2003 and 2004

In 2003 the British counterfeit producer strikes again. Several are noted in the Colnect Cinderella section as illegal.

According to the lists of stamps to resist or avoid on the PWO website, Modern Burundi stamps should be avoided if they are not listed on the UPU WNS System. I would say to a point it is correct. Sadly Burundi has not registered any stamps since 2016. We do see that some Impressor issues from 2014 are listed, but nothing like what they spewed out. Then nothing for 2015 and then one set of Birds in 2016. This shows you what the UPU thinks about the glut of Impressor gabage. Also notice not one Stamperija "issue" is registered. It is obvious why. My advise is to really research anything produced in the name of Burundi and avoid most of it. One might pay $1.00 for a year set of Stamperija or Impressor "issues". That is what they are really worth because they are wallpaper stamps.

Burundi had three UPU Circulars published. At present in 2022 they are not shown in the UPU reference sections of circulars. Why? Circular 8 made in 2012 has been documented on the PWO website for years. Circular 143 made in 2002 is documented to exist on several sites. I could find no reference at all online for Circular 362 made in 2007. The 2007 circular is presented below in the 2004 section. It documents all of the 2004 illegal stamps presented except for one set.

Let us begin!

To start, here are recommended sites to use for reference. As I stated, the WNS system is short and incomplete on what is real. The stamps that are shown should be researched further before you buy them.

The Universal Postal Union WNS website

I have found the Colnect online catalog to be very helpful. Sadly because of the glut of abusive issues in some years it is a pain to go through those pages.

The Colnect Online Catalog for Burundi

Some of the illegal stamps are shown in their Illegal Stamps section and noted as such. Several years are covered well. Still nothing close to what is out there as you will see.

The Colnect Online Catalog Illegal Stamp Section for Burundi

I have found the Stampworld.com Catalog to be very helpful as well but there are problems. Again, because of the abuse many of the pages are extremely long.

The Stampworld Online Catalog for Burundi

Here we go!

Many of the following illegal stamps can be found as imperforates and as color proof sets as well. Many exist on fake First Day Covers too.
Most times now (2022) the souvenir sheet sets and sheetlet sets are sold individually. Many times the stamps have been removed from the sheetlets and souvenir sheets. All of these "tactics" are used to avoid detection by experts and savvy collectors.

Sellers that call these "private", "locals", "Cinderella's", "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.

2003

In 2003 Burundi was still running a conservative stamp program. In 2003 Burundi did not issue any stamps. Yet we have this.

All of these are verified as illegal in the Colnect Cinderella section for Burundi.

2003 Burundi Pope John Paul II Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of 6

Sheet 1

Sheet 2


2003 Burundi Pope John Paul II Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of 2



Looks like that was all for the year.

2004

On November 19, 2007 the postal administration for Burundi by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets Development) posted to the Universal Postal Union a circular warning of the discovery of a number of illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 362. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 362

The circular describes all of the following illegal stamp sets shown below except for the Royals set. It presents a new problem with the "issued" stamps for the year. It is possible this is the reason why this particular circular cannot be found.

At the end of the circular is this statement.

"The postal administration of Burundi would also like to take this opportunity to inform the postal administrations of Union member countries that only three issues were released in 2004, featuring domestic animals, mushrooms and butterflies respectively."

In 2004 Burundi issued a total of 32 stamps in five sets of souvenir sheets according to all catalogs. Those being produced by IGPC.

This statement completely conflicts with what the agent (IGPC) advertises as issued and thus also conflicts with what is listed in the main catalogs. Firstly, it states with strictness that only three sets were released. We see two other sets being sold on the IGPC website and the listing of them in all the main stamp catalogs.

Please remember that circular 362 was published at the end of 2007. We know by the descriptions of the counterfeit stamps, that they were describing all 2004 counterfeits in the name of Burundi except the Royalty set which appears to be "exclusive" on the Avion Stamps website. This with the strict statement on what was issued by Burundi in 2004 shows us the target of the circular was aimed not only at the 2004 illegal stamps but also at the status of what was issued in that year.

The two sets not described in the statement are the Orchids set and the Birds of Africa set. Therefore, according to the circular, those two sets were never released and therefore they were illegally placed onto the stamp market by IGPC. Yet it even conflicts with what is listed on the WNS system. All five sets are listed on it.

We now know of curruption and favoring which has happened within the UPU and the owners of agencies like IGPC and Stamperija penetrating within the UPU in areas they should not be in contact with. There is the definite case that the circular omitted those two set purposely to let everyone know they were never authorized nor issued by Burundi. Do you take the word of a stamp agent over the word of the postal authorities? Do you take the word of people inside the UPU known for shady dealings over the word of the postal authorities? Do you take the word of catalog editors who admit to taking the word of stamp agents as to what is issued and what is not? A full in depth investigation should be done on this. In my experience and research, I have found no stamp agency that is privately owned by stamp dealers, to be shall we say, "squeaky clean". IGPC is no exception. Here is a link to show you why.

The Belize 1986 Royal Wedding Inverts

In 2004 the British counterfeit producer doubles the production with the following illegal stamps.

2004 Burundi Chess Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of 6

Described in circular 362 as "Indian chess".



2004 Burundi Chess Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of 4

Described in circular 362 as "ornate chess sets".



2004 Burundi Military Aviation of World War II Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of 4

Described in circular 362 as "World War II fighter planes".

Part 1

Part 2


The following described in circular 362 as "great erotic painters".

2004 Burundi Paintings by Henry de Touloise-Lotrec Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of 4



2004 Burundi Paintings by Paul Gauguin Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of 4



2004 Burundi Paintings by Pierre-Augusta Renoir Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of 4



I found these exclusively being sold on the Avion Stamps website.

2004 Burundi Royals of the 21st Century Counterfeit Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of 4



Again, the British counterfeit producer stops. I could find no more illegal stamps dating between 2005 through 2008.
Suddenly, without warning in 2009 the British counterfeiter produces a massive grouping of illegal stamps in the name of Burundi. It is what caused UPU circular 8 to be published.

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References taken from:
UPU Circular 362
Major Stamp Catalogs
Internet Research

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