THE RWANDA ILLEGAL STAMPS

Information and Reference of illegal stamps for the Rwanda according to U.P.U. Circulars 39, 363, 354, 198, 252, 92, 128 and 19

UPDATE - The Rwanda Counterfeit Illegal Stamps section has been updated as of June 18, 2019 to show illegal stamps not described by the circulars of which there are hundreds. New pages have been added which will be presented to the African nations as a case study to show just how bad the illegal stamp phenomena is and who is responsible for production and distribution.
The new link table above will get you to each new year page. This introductory page has been upgraded with the new table above and all the counterfeit illegal stamps described in the circulars are now upgraded for quality and shown on this page.
END UPDATE

On February 7, 2000 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to M.S. Raman (Assistant Director-General) posted to the Universal Postal Union a circular number 39 warning of the discovery of illegal stamps relating to butterflies being placed on the stamp market. This circular cannot be found on the UPU website by the general public anymore. The circular stated:

Dear Sir/Madam

The postal administration of RWANDA asks me to inform you that an issue of postage stamps entitled "papillons" (butterflies) was illegally issued in 1999 in the name of Rwanda.

The postal administration of Rwanda specifies that only the "Mémoire du génocide rwandais" (Remembrance of the Rwandan Genocide) set was issued in 1999 and asks me to inform UPU member countries that all other stamps issued in 1999 are illegal and cannot be accepted as a means of postal prepayment.

Yours faithfully,

M S RAMAN
Assistant Director-General

In September 2001 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Communication and Postal Markets) posted to the Universal Postal Union a circular number 363 warning of the discovery of a massive number of illegal stamps relating to many topics being placed on the stamp market. This circular also cannot be found on the UPU website by the general public anymore. The circular stated:

Dear Sir/Madam

The postal administration of RWANDA asks me to inform you of the following:

We would ask you to draw to the attention of all member countries of our Union, and all our philatelic partners within the World Association for the Development of Philately, the urgent need to take all possible steps to bring an end to the campaign of denigration and debasement to which not only our country but, as we have observed, numerous other countries are being subjected, in the form of the production and dissemination of illegal postage stamps. Such stamps are an offense to our country, to philately and to the Union as a whole.

Our administration has learned of the existence on the philatelic market of numerous series of miniature sheets of postage stamps with various designs, bearing the inscription "RWANDA". We wish to state that these postage stamps are illegal and have been issued without our knowledge. Their circulation has already done serious moral and economic harm to the Rwandan postal services, and continues to do so.

Following initial inquiries, we now have proof that a certain company registered in Belgium distributed the stamps in question. Legal action has already been initiated to trace the forgers and bring them to justice. Our efforts to trace the printers are continuing.

The most outrageous aspect for our country and our administration is the fact that certain miniature sheets illustrate pornographic scenes. This is all the more reprehensible in as much as it is prohibited to use the Post to convey pornographic materials. All these illegal stamps have been issued in contravention of the Universal Postal Convention (especially articles 6 and 25), its Letter Post Regulations and the legislation of the Republic of Rwanda.

The stamps have no postal prepayment value, and nor do they have any value for philatelists collecting our country's stamps. The existence of such postage stamps has discredited our postal service in the eyes of philatelists the world over.

Consequently, we would ask all postal administrations not to accept mail items bearing these illegal stamps, should they appear on correspondence reaching them from Rwanda. Such items should be returned to us.

We would also ask for extra vigilance on the part of all postal administrations, which are requested to pass on to us, and to the International Bureau, any information they may have regarding the distribution of such postage stamps within their country. Administrations are also asked to inform all their philatelic partners.

Yours faithfully,

K.J.S. McKEOWN
Director of Communication and Postal Markets

Annex

Illegal postage stamps issued in miniature sheets, purportedly by the Republic of Rwanda

NB.– The values shown on the postage stamps that make up the miniature sheets described below are high in comparison with the basic postage rates in use in Rwanda. The high rates indicated are designed to deceive purchasers. Furthermore, the currency of Rwanda is the FRW, not the F as indicated.

1 & 2 Two miniature sheets comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various pornographic and erotic scenes. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

3 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various models of double-decker buses. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

4 One miniature sheet comprising six postage stamps illustrating various varieties of roses. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

5 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various models of hot air balloons (including a dragon, a dinosaur, an elephant, a house and faces). The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

6 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various cars (old models). At the bottom of each postage stamp, there are lively crowd scenes. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

7 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating different views of a motorcycle in action during a race. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

8 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating trains (various models and views). These stamps are dated 1999 in the top left-hand corner. The values are in the top right-hand corner, in a horizontal sequence: 100F, 150F, 200F, 250F, 300F, 350F, 400F, 450F and 500F.

9 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and "Leaders of XI – XIXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet). Each postage stamp illustrates a monarch or head of state from the 11th to 19th centuries. Each postage stamp identifies, on the left-hand side, in English text running vertically, the name of the historical figure and the century in question. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

10 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and "Architecture of XI – XIXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet), illustrating monuments and buildings from the 11th to 19th centuries. (Each postage stamp identifies, on the left-hand side, in English text running vertically, the name of the monument or building and the century in question). The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

11 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and "Art of XI – XIXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet), illustrating various works of art from the 11th to 19th centuries. (Each postage stamp identifies, on the left-hand side, in English text running vertically, the name of the work of art and the century in question). The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

12 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and "famous people of XI – XIXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet), illustrating various figures from the 11th to 19th centuries. (Each postage stamp identifies, on the left-hand side, in English text running vertically, the name of the event or historical figure and the century in question). The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

13 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Music stars of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet), illustrating various famous singers of the 20th century. The singer or group is identified in English, either with an inscription in English in the top left-hand corner, running vertically or horizontally, or with the reproduction of a poster or a record sleeve. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

14 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Movie stars of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet); dated 1999 in the bottom left-hand corner, with the inscription "Senior" on the right. Various figures from American and French films (dead and alive) are illustrated with photographs. Each star is identified in English with an inscription in the top left-hand corner, running vertically. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

15 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Movie stars of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet); dated 1999 in the bottom left-hand corner, with the inscription "Medium" on the right. Various figures from American films are illustrated with photographs. Each star is identified in English with an inscription in the top left-hand corner, running vertically. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

16 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Movie stars of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet); dated 1999 in the bottom left-hand corner, with the inscription "Junior" on the right. Various figures from American films are illustrated with photographs. Each star is identified in English with an inscription in the top left-hand corner, running vertically. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

17 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Music stars of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet); dated 1999 in the bottom left-hand corner, with the inscription "Medium" on the right. Various American singers are illustrated with photographs. Each star is identified in English with an inscription in the top left-hand corner, running vertically. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

18 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Music stars of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet); dated 1999 in the bottom left-hand corner, with the inscription "Junior" on the right. Various American singers are illustrated with photographs. Each star is identified in English with an inscription in the top left-hand corner, running vertically. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

19 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps commemorating the "Millennium" (at the top of the miniature sheet) and with the inscription "Engines of XXth Century" (at the bottom of the sheet); dated 1999 in the bottom left-hand corner. Various means of transport are depicted in photographs. The particular vehicles are identified in English with an inscription in the top left-hand corner, running vertically. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

20 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps each featuring different positions in chess (at the bottom centre of the sheet); dated 1999 in the top left-hand corner. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F. Note that a particular motif is reproduced on the upper and lower margins of each vertical column of postage stamps.

20a The same sheet as in 20, but with each postage stamp overprinted with a crown and an inscription in Russian.

21 One miniature sheet comprising six postage stamps illustrating various varieties of fungi. The values are in the top right-hand corner, in a horizontal sequence: 100F, 150F, 200F, 250F, 300F and 400F. Note that a particular motif is reproduced on the right and left margins of each horizontal row of postage stamps.

22 One miniature sheet comprising six postage stamps illustrating various breeds of cat. The values are in the top right- or left-hand corner, in a horizontal sequence: 100F, 200F, 300F, 400F, 500F and 600F. Note that a particular motif is reproduced on the right and left margins of each horizontal row of postage stamps.

23 One miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps each illustrating a different butterfly. In the top left-hand corner, there is the Latin name of the butterfly, and in the bottom right-hand corner the year 1999. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

...............................................................................

In December 2001 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Communication and Postal Markets) posted to the Universal Postal Union yet another circular number 504 warning of the discovery of another massive number of illegal stamps relating to many topics being placed on the stamp market. This circular also cannot be found on the UPU website by the general public anymore. The circular stated:

Dear Sir/Madam

The postal administration of RWANDA asks me to inform you that its country continues to be denigrated and debased by the circulation of illegal postage stamps. It therefore asks me to draw the attention of all Union member countries and all philatelic partners to the fact that numerous postage stamps purporting to come from Rwanda continue to be produced and distributed.

The Rwandan postal administration has learned of the existence on the philatelic market of further sets of miniature sheets of postage stamps with various designs, bearing the inscription "RWANDA" (a list of those it has been able to identify is annexed). These stamps continue to do serious moral and economic harm to the country, its postal service and the Union as a whole.

It maintains that these postage stamps are illegal and were issued without its knowledge in contravention of articles 6 and 25 of the Universal Postal Convention, its Letter Post Regulations and the legislation of the Republic of Rwanda. These postage stamps have no value as collector's items or for postal prepayment.

The administration has proof that the distributors include companies based in Great Britain and Belgium and at least two Internet sites in the United States. This leads it to believe that the companies in question may be involved in producing the illegal stamps. Its efforts to track down the counterfeiters will continue, so that they can be brought to justice.

It calls for the cooperation of all postal colleagues in the countries in question to check this problem, particularly since the postal service appears to be the chosen method for ordering and receiving the illegal postage stamps. It also asks that the philatelic community and all collectors be warned not to buy these illegal miniature sheets, which discredit its postal service in the eyes of philatelists the world over.

Finally, the postal administration of Rwanda reiterates its request to all postal administrations to exercise increased vigilance and refuse mail items bearing these illegal stamps. It also asks them to inform their philatelic partners accordingly and to notify the Rwandan administration and the International Bureau of any information they may have concerning the distribution of such postage stamps in their country.

Yours faithfully,
K.J.S. McKEOWN
Director of Communications and Markets

Annex

Illegal postage stamps issued in miniature sheets, purportedly by the Republic of Rwanda

NB - The values shown on the postage stamps that make up the miniature sheets described below are high in comparison with the basic postage rates in use in Rwanda. The high rates indicated are designed to deceive purchasers. Furthermore, the currency of Rwanda is the FRW, not the F as indicated.

1 A miniature sheet made up of three postage stamps, two of them identical, illustrating President Kennedy and President Lincoln, with the middle stamp showing a missile launch. The miniature sheet is entitled "SPACE KENNEDY" and includes images of space in the margins. The stamps have face values of 300 F and are arranged horizontally.

2 A miniature sheet comprising three postage stamps illustrating various scenes from the "Winnie the Pooh" children's stories. The miniature sheet is entitled "POOH" and includes other illustrations from the stories in the margins. The stamps have face values of 300 F and are arranged horizontally.

3 A miniature sheet comprising three postage stamps illustrating three sports car models. The miniature sheet is entitled "MODERN SPORT CARS" and includes an image of a larger car in the background. The stamps have face values of 300 F and are arranged horizontally.

4 A miniature sheet made up of three postage stamps, two of them identical, illustrating the late Diana, Princess of Wales, with the middle stamp showing Pope John Paul II. The miniature sheet is entitled "xx OF THE CENTURY" and includes the heads of various personalities in the margins. The stamps have face values of 300 F and are arranged horizontally.

5 A miniature sheet comprising three postage stamps illustrating pictures of the RMS TITANIC. The miniature sheet is entitled "TITANIC" and includes other pictures of the ship in the margins. The stamps have face values of 300 F and are arranged horizontally.

6 A miniature sheet made up of three postage stamps, two of them identical, illustrating the fairy story "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". The middle postage stamp shows a character. The miniature sheet is entitled "xx OF THE CENTURY" and includes the heads of various personalities unrelated to the fairy tale in the margins. The stamps have face values of 300 F and are arranged horizontally.

7 A miniature sheet comprising seven postage stamps illustrating various scenes of cowboys playing golf. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The 200 F column contains a single postage stamp at the bottom, the two others forming a double se-tenant stamp without any text or numbers. The miniature sheet is entitled "COWBOY GOLFERS" and includes various scenes in the margins.

8 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various species of tropical fish. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features various aspects of underwater life in the margins.

9 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various species of orchids. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features various plants in the margins.

10 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various types of aircraft. The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F.

11 A miniature sheet comprising six postage stamps with various pictures of the American actress, Marilyn Monroe. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features other pictures of the actress. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is the inscription "Marilyn Monroe".

12 A second miniature sheet comprising six postage stamps with various pictures of Marilyn Monroe. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features other pictures of the actress. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is the inscription "Marilyn Monroe".

13 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various types of trains. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features various other pictures of trains in the margins. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is the inscription "Steam Trains".

14 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various paintings by Renoir. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features in the margins various other scenes from paintings. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is the inscription "RENOIR".

15 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various types of wild cat, in particular the leopard and lion. Each postage stamp has the letter "L" in a circle on the right-hand side. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features in the margins various other pictures of the same wild animals. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is an illegible inscription, which may be "Cats".

16 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various internationally known sporting personalities (golf, tennis, boxing, basketball, football and baseball). The values are in vertical columns of 100F, 200F and 300F. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is the inscription "MILLENIUM".

17 A miniature sheet comprising nine postage stamps illustrating various breeds of domestic dog, and more especially puppies of each breed. The values are arranged vertically in columns of 100 F, 200 F and 300 F. The miniature sheet features various other pictures of the same puppies in the margins. At the top of the sheet, in the middle, there is the inscription "Pedigree Puppies", and at the bottom there is the inscription "RWANDA".

NB - Miniature sheets Nos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sold as perforate sheets, and are accompanied by the information that an imperforate version is available for twice the price of the perforate version!

These were posted before the WNS System was introduced and they hit many sets of illegal stamps. Many more illegal stamps were produced then and since the time they were written.

The following linked circulars have been posted since the initial 2001 circular and are similar in warning.

On October 13, 2003 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets) posted to the Universal Postal Union another circular warning of the discovery of more illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 354. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 354

The circular describes several sets that were found to be on the market dating 2003. I have imaged them on this page as well.

On June 25, 2007 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets Development) posted to the Universal Postal Union yet another circular warning of the discovery of more illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 198. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 198

The circular does not describe any sets but instead denounces sets in general that are being sold and states the last issued set for Rwanda is the 2003 AIDS issue.

On November 16, 2009 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets Development) posted to the Universal Postal Union yet another circular warning of the discovery of more illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 252. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 252

The circular describes illegal stamps dating 2003 and 2009. It again states the last issued set for Rwanda is the 2003 AIDS issue and this time adds that no stamps were issued in 2000 and 2001. I have posted images for them on this page.

On April 26, 2010 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets Development) reposted to the Universal Postal Union yet another circular warning of the discovery of more illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 92. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 92

The circulars description is the same as circular 252.

On August 20, 2012 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to K.J.S. McKeown (Director of Markets Development) posted to the Universal Postal Union yet another circular warning of the discovery of more illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 128. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 128

The circular describes that the Mountain Gorillas set and the Art and Culture set are posted on the WNS website and that all issues dating later are illegal stamps.

On January 30, 2017 the postal administration for Rwanda by request to Harald Weyerich (Acting Director of Logistics) posted to the Universal Postal Union yet another circular warning of the discovery of more illegal stamps created with their country name that are on the market. The circular is number 19. You can view the circular in its entirety in the PDF file I have linked here.

UPU Circular Number 19

The circular describes that the Mountain Gorillas set and the Art and Culture sets are the last sets issued by Rwanda and that all issues dating later are illegal stamps.
It describes and images (first time usage of images) an illegal stamp set themed "Heroes of the Soviet Union". I have posted an image of it on this page as well.

Because of the fact that so many illegal stamps have been produced in the name of Rwanda, I will use this page only for reference to the above named illegal stamp issues less a couple I could not find in my searches on eBay and elsewhere for the years 1999-2000. Yes, they are still being offered and sold mainly by the same sellers who sell many other illegal stamps for other countries. Now in 2017 I would have to create probably 20 pages of images to show even a fraction of what these cons have created and are selling.

These sellers are named on my list of illegal stamp sellers and any new names, which I already have found to be true in a quick search, I discover to be selling these illegal stamps will be placed on the lists as well. Again I must stress, if the seller is on the list then you as a collector or dealer should avoid that seller and not buy anything from that seller even if the stamp is a legitimate one. Those who support the sale of these illegal stamps should be punished severely by cutting their sales of any stamps as a whole! They are not to be trusted in any way with regards to selling stamps.

All stamps of Rwanda dating from 2000 to 2017 except for the 2003 AIDS Prevention issue, the 2010 Mountain Gorillas issues and the 2010 Art and Culture of Rwanda issues are ILLEGAL STAMPS!! This is according to the Rwanda postal authorities and is confirmed by the U.P.U. WNS stamp website. The latest circular number 19 which has come out this year reaffirms this as fact!

UPDATE 2021

It has been revealed that a dossier has been found in the United States Postal Museum Archive that sheds more light on who the producer was and is of many of the Rwanda counterfeit illegal stamps. The name revealed is indeed Mr. Juan Carlos Marino Montero president of Mayfair International Printing Company at the time. Also France Philatelie Limited and France Philatelie (2000) Limited which is where he distributed the counterfeits throughout the world with. I discovered this dossier exists through online research. Firstly here is an image of that discovery.



For years this guy spewed lies about the Feigenbaum's being evil and how he would have nothing to do with them. In reality through emails obtained and preserved through his own words it is now proven that they were (and still are) working together. A biography on this guy not only proves he was the president of the printing company that produced the majority of earlier illegal stamps but was also president of Urch Harris (wholesale) limited which was owned by the Feigenbaum's. Here is a snapshot of part of that biography which is readily available in numerous locations on the internet. You can see that all of the companies referenced are included as being run by this person.



Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the museum was closed for over a year after I discovered the existence of the dossier. It was just sent to me in September 2021. The dossier did not have much in it that I already did not know except for that circular 39 made for Rwanda is included in the dossier. What the dossier does do is to connect the guy to the production of the illegal stamps in the name of Russian Federation provinces and territories, Mali, Niger, Morocco, Turkmenistan, Rwanda, Cyprus and the Ukraine. This is because the circulars and some of the original documents that were sent to make the circulars are all together and included in the dossier which as the title shown above implies and states "A French company has made illegal issue....".

It is quite obvious even though the counterfeit illegal stamps do not have the printer inscribed on them that this producer is indeed the one simply by comparing them. Same styles and subject matter give it away. The whole scam quite ingenious but at the same time quite simplistic. To this day the criminal producer and his buddies proliferate these counterfeits on the stamp market with minimal hindering. It is quite remarkable that they have been allowed to get away with this for over three decades now and that now millions of these counterfeits contaminate the stamp market in collections and dealers stocks all over the world.

The dossier establishes the fact that this guy is behind the production and distribution of the Rwanda counterfeit illegal stamps shown on this introduction page and the rest through 2013! As you will see this guy which I call the British producer (He is really from Argentina) has been highly involved in production of illegal stamps in the name of Rwanda throughout! Simply compare them with counterfeit illegal stamps made at the same time for countries like Niger or Mali which fully named this guy as the producer and distributor in their circulars and/or original documents found in the dossier.
Indeed the essence of Pure evil.

END 2021 UPDATE

In my research on what and who is selling these illegal stamps I was amazed at what is being sold on eBay alone! It is really a sad state of affairs that the stamp market is in when you can simply search on eBay for Rwanda stamps by practically any year such as "Rwanda 2011" and up to 100 lots of illegal stamps pop up! The illegal stamps described in these circulars and what are imaged on this page 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 Rwanda 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.

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 Rwanda. Please remember that the producers of these illegal stamps 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.

If you don't want to take my word for it, simply do the research yourself which you should be doing before purchasing any stamps these days!
Forgeries, reprints, tampered with and these illegal stamps plague the market now. It is your responsibility to know what you are buying and from whom. You can only protect yourself if you take the time to do the research before making that purchase.

To find out what stamps are real and legitimate for Rwanda from 2002 until now, visit the UPU WNS website and look at the Rwanda section.

The Universal Postal Union WNS website

You will find that only 3 sets of stamps have been officially issued by Rwanda since 1999 as of 2021! Everything else out there dating from 1999 until now are fake illegal stamps!

I have found the Colnect online catalog to be helpful as well.

The Colnect Online Catalog for Rwanda

Check out their Illegal Stamp section as well. It lists many of the illegal stamps that will help you verify them as well.

The Colnect Online Catalog for Rwanda Illegal Stamps

I have also found the StampWorld Catalog an excellent resource.

The StampWorld Online Catalog for Rwanda

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 described by the above circulars and are not listed in major catalogs.

Some of the following illegal stamps can be found as imperforates. Some even exist on fake First Day Covers!
Most times now (2017) the souvenir sheet sets and sheetlet sets are sold individually. In many cases the stamps have been removed from the sheetlets and souvenir sheets and sold individually. Sellers of many do not tell you the year of issue. 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 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. For Rwanda this means any dealer selling Rwanda stamps dating later than 1999 unless it is the official stamp sets described above and in the latest UPU circulars.

I present the 1999-2000 illegal stamps described in circular 363. There are many more from that time that were not caught by the Rwanda post and are not imaged here. Use the major stamp catalogs for pre-1999 stamps to see if what you are interested in is real. Most public libraries will have a set or have access to them.
Pages I have added in 2019 will show you those counterfeits and many, and I mean many more.

I note for Rwanda that the problem has become much worse since 2000 onward as you can and will see on the following pages. The dealers and producers have become quite emboldened since nobody has done anything to take legal action against them. Quite a few large volume dealers would disappear if the auction venues like eBay and Delcampe were to follow policy and remove their accounts for this fraudulent activity.

1999

It all started in this year for Rwanda as the above circulars show. A huge production of these fake stamps occurred and there are now many victims of these criminals. The same producers of these fake stamps produced the illegal stamps for the other countries I have posted. You can see they are all similar in design. 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.

The unsavory Pornographic issues described in the circular will not be shown. Stamps like those are obviously never legal stamps in any sense of the word.

At the bottom I will post images of the three legitimate stamp sets that Rwanda has issued. It is a bit disconcerting to me because in the 1980's and such the stamp printer I have and am researching (The Format International Security Printers) produced several sets for Rwanda that prove to be quite popular.

The following imaged illegal stamps are in order with the circulars descriptions. All of these can be found on the Stampdile/Avion Stamps websites which have one of the largest selections of illegal stamps in the world. The images I obtained here were readily available on eBay and Delcampe.

From Circular 363.

2000 Double-decker Buses Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


2000 Roses Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Six


2000 Air Balloons Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


2000 Old Cars Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


2000 Racing Motorcycles Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Trains Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


Millenium Series

1999 Millenium Leaders Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Architecture Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Art Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Famous People Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Music Stars Senior Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Movie Stars Senior Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Movie Stars Medium Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Movie Stars Junior Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Music Stars Medium Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Music Stars Junior Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Millenium Engines Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Chess Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Chess with Crown Overprint and Russian Inscriptions Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


1999 Mushrooms Fungi Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Six


1999 Cats Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Six

The circular describes this souvenir sheet properly except the values are all in the top right-hand corner of the stamps and there is no motif on the margins.



1999 Butterflies Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Nine


From Circular 504.

2000 Space Kennedy Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Three


2000 Winnie the Pooh Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Three


2000 Modern Sports Cars Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Three


2000 Princess Diana Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Three


2000 Titanic Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Three


2000 Snow White Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Three


2001 Cowboy Golfers Illegal Stamp Sheet of Seven


2001 Tropical Fish Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Seven


2000 Orchids Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Six

This was wrongly described in the circular as a sheet of nine.



2000 Aircraft Fighter Jets Illegal Stamp Sheet of Nine


2000 Marilyn Monroe Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of Six


2000 Steam Trains Illegal Stamp Sheet of Nine


2000 Paintings Renoir Illegal Stamp Sheet of Nine


2000 Big Cats Illegal Stamp Sheet of Nine

The circular states the the words "Big Cats" is illegible. At the time images were not good on the internet so it was probably a blurry image they were viewing at the time.



1999 Millenium Sports Stars Illegal Stamp Sheet of Nine


2000 Dogs Illegal Stamp Sheet of Nine


From Circular 354.

2003 Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Two


2003 The Wildlife Trusts Snakes Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of One


2003 The Wildlife Trusts Snakes Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheetlet of Six


From Circular 252.

2003 Pope John Paul II Souvenir Sheet of 9



2003 Pope John Paul Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheets of One


2009 Minerals and Sea shells Illegal Stamp Souvenir Sheet of Four

The reference to Adamite and Prehnite show us that at the time the postal authorities only had the two stamps as examples. Obviously they were taken from this souvenir sheet.



Full images of the counterfeit illegal stamps that are shown and described in circular 19 can be found on the 2016 page. They are being produced and distributed by a Russian based producer at present time.

Here are images of the official stamps of Rwanda. All other "stamps" offered on the market for the years 2000 through the present time (June 2019) are illegal stamps that are created by stamp dealers to rip you off!!

2003 AIDS Prevention for Children Official Stamp Set


2010 Mountain Gorillas Official Stamp Set


2010 Art and Culture of Rwanda Official Stamp Set


References taken from:
U.P.U. Circular Nos. 39, 363, 504, 354, 198, 252, 92, 128, 19
WNS System
Major Online Catalogs
Major Stamp Catalogs
Internet Research

All Content Copyright © 2017 Golowe's Collector Stamps, All Rights Reserved

Visit Illegal Stamps Introduction