MALAWI ILLEGAL STAMPS
2018

Information and Reference of illegal stamps for Malawi

Counterfeit illegal stamps 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 Malawi 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 lots available on eBay and other public auction venues.

To find out what stamps are real and legitimate for Malawi visit the UPU WNS website and look at the Malawi section.

The Universal Postal Union WNS website

I have found the Colnect online catalog to be helpful as well although there are "conflicts" between what is listed there and what is on the WNS system.

The Colnect Online Catalog for Malawi

Check out their Illegal Stamp section as well. Many of the illegal stamps are listed to help you verify them as well.

The Colnect Online Catalog for Malawi Illegal Stamps

I have found the Stampworld.com Catalog to be very helpful as well although again there are "conflicts" between what is listed there and what is on the WNS system.

The Stampworld Online Catalog for Malawi

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.

Here we go!

Many illegal stamps can be found as imperforates and as color proof sets as well. Some exist on fake First Day Covers too.
Most times now (2019) 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 UPU circular descriptions.

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 illegal 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.

2018

In 2018 the production of illegal stamps in the name of Malawi appears to have virtually stopped. Possibly because Malawi has produced genuine topical stamps of which the shoddy illegal stamp producers cannot compete with.

In 2018 Malawi officially issued 37 stamps and souvenir sheets according to the Colnect Online Catalog and other catalogs. All are in agreement for this year except nothing has been listed on the WNS system.

In the research for 2018 I have found that one topical set with date 2017 is not listed in 2017 on any of the online catalogs nor in the Scott catalogs but is listed in 2018. See below....

There is confusion between the catalogs on all of the following issues. Scott catalog even questions if the surcharged stamp issues they have listed are even issued in 2018. Only the first set shown is listed in Scott catalog as of March 2019.

Malawi 2018 Surcharged (2002) Butterflies Scott 846-850



Malawi 2018 Surcharged in Red (2002) Butterflies



Malawi 2018 Surcharged in Red (1988) Birds



Malawi 2018 Indigenous Birds of Malawi Souvenir Sheet of 6
Issued June 4, 2018


Malawi 2018 Indigenous Birds of Malawi Souvenir Sheets of 1
Issued June 4, 2018


Malawi 2018 Mushrooms of Malawi Souvenir Sheet of 6
Issued August 6, 2018


Malawi 2018 Mushrooms of Malawi Souvenir Sheets of 1
Issued August 6, 2018


Malawi 2018 Translocation of Elephants Souvenir Sheet of 6
Issued October 2, 2018

This set has the 2017 date on the stamps yet it is listed as issued in 2018. I found sellers selling a first day cover for this issue. The date on the cancel is October 2, 2018.



Malawi 2018 Translocation of Elephants Souvenir Sheets of 1
Issued October 2, 2018


Malawi 2018 Vultures of Africa Souvenir Sheet of 6
Issued December 3, 2018


Malawi 2018 Vultures of Africa Souvenir Sheets of 1
Issued December 3, 2018


Malawi 2018 Insects of Malawi Souvenir Sheet of 6
Issued January 2, 2019?



Malawi 2018 Insects of Malawi Souvenir Sheets of 1
Issued January 2, 2019?



It is therefore understood that any stamp dating 2018 (other than the above issues) in the name of Malawi is a counterfeit illegal stamp!

As of March 2, 2019 there are no illegal stamps being offered dating 2018. If the status changes in 2019 I will update and add new pages accordingly.

References taken from:
WNS System
Major Stamp Catalogs
Internet Research

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