“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp…”(I)
► Since 1840, almost 200 years ago, the postage stamp,
► an integral part of the continued history of the UPU.
► Playing a crucial role as a facilitator of communications
and developing the postal services within
the world’s most extensive distribution network.
► Connecting the lives & economies of tens of millions of
citizens of multiple professions & ages around a
multi-billion dollar postage stamp industry.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp…”(II)
► NOT just a short-lived simple piece of gummed paper.
► BUT also an investment, a rare collector’s item – the
most expensive stamp on record is the British Guiana
1 Cent Magenta from 1874; sold in 2014 for $9.48 million.
► Notably, as the most visible “miniature roving
ambassador” promoting 192 UPU members to the
farthest corners of the earth, highlighting their culture,
emblems, identity-building, sovereignty, tourism, etc.
► UNESCO has +1000 Heritage Sites - many are on stamps.
“Promoting history - an added value of the postage stamp…”(I)
The World of Stamps exhibition, highlighting archival. postal & historical materials in the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, USA.
“Promoting history - an added value of the postage stamp…”(II)
► The value of postal exhibits for postal history. “You’ve Got Mail!” An exhibition at Singapore Philatelic Museum (SPM) that seeks to re-ignite the good old days of writing, drawing and decorating a mail piece to family, relatives or friends.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp - Recognizing the philatelic stakeholders…”(I)
► It is vital to recognize & pay tribute to the key role the postage stamp continues to play at the heart of an extensive stamp industry and network that is active in every UPU member country.
► Numerous added value business, cultural, economic, historical, postal, social, tourist, among other activities, revolve around the postage stamp, - museums; philatelists & philatelic libraries; postal historians and writers; postal services; stamp auction houses, stamp artists, collectors and designers; stamp exhibitions and trade fairs, stamp security printers, etc.
► Their combined turnover amounting to billions of dollars, contradicts the assumption that postage stamps are “becoming obsolete” because of their diminishing use on physical postal mail against the increased use of electronic communications and the growing popularity of digital and electronic stamps.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp - Recognizing the philatelic stakeholders…”(II)
► Since the creation of the UPU in 1874, the growing popularity of stamp collecting and related philatelic activities led to formal organized structures - AIJP (philatelic press), ASCAT (philatelic publications and stamp catalogues), FIP (philatelists and stamp collectors), IFSDA (stamp agents and sellers) and INTERGRAF (postage stamp security printers). Together with the Posts, they founded, in 1997, the World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP), a postal sector group under the umbrella of the UPU. The overall aim is to ensure a lasting and dynamic development of philately promoting best practices, good governance and the protection of intellectual property, among others.
► Cooperation and Memorandae of Understanding have been or are underway with more partners such as Educational authorities (UNESCO) for letter writing; INTERPOL for stamp security and revenue protection; Museums; stamp auction houses; sports organizations (FIFA & IOC); the tourism sector; the United Nations and other UN specialized agencies.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Safeguarding its integrity…”(I)
► If postage stamps are indeed “becoming obsolete”, we would not be witnessing continuous stamp industry abuses that have already been generating considerable revenues for the private sector for more than thirty years. Revenues from the sale of illegal products, in our case, illegal “stamps”, are viewed as a source of “money laundering”, damaging the integrity of the authentic postage stamp and the sovereignty of the countries concerned. Illegal “stamps” sold are commonly dispatched using the express and registered products of the postal services.
► To make matters worse, we find the terms “Post”, “Postage”, “Postes”, reproduced on illegal “stamps”, as well as false cancellation dies.
► Organizations are also affected through identity theft, misappropriation and pirating of the copyright and intellectual property of their brand names and logos, such as for EUROPA, the Olympics and the UPU itself, see below.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Safeguarding its integrity…”(II)
► There are thousands of illegal “stamps” produced as “ bogus, fantasy, local, private issues” on favourite topics such as cartoons, cinema, famous persons, fauna, flora, space, sports, transport, etc. The worst illegal “stamps” reproduce denigrating & immoral scenes, war personalities and violence. All in the names of and to the detriment of mostly developing countries, their identity and sovereignty & the damage to the environment.
► It is particularly important to note that many illegal “stamps” denounced since 1997 (over 25 years ago) continue to be sold, and at high prices. There have been numerous new productions every year since.
► In November 2023, one site listed 4994 sets of illegal “stamps” covering the years 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, even earlier. The same site on 30 January 2024 advertised 6,099 Items. Another site lists 5,227 similar sets of illegal “stamps”. Still another site lists similar sets per topics – 538 for Sports, the highest price being an album for 315.00€; 403 for War including two albums each at 316.05€; a set of 25 sheets for 73.35€; .…
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Safeguarding its integrity…”(III)
► The illegal “stamps” situation is extremely serious. For 2023 alone, over forty UPU member countries have been affected. An Internet site refered to earlier still has 697 Sets listed at 30 January 2024. Several of the most expensive ones are below:
Stamps. Martin Luther Reforma 2023 year 6 sheets perforated MNH** 2023 year NEW // $99.99 // Name of country on “stamps”: Republique de GUINEE 2023 (A Set of 6 “sheetlets” of 8 “stamps” each).
Stamps. Franklin Roosevelt 6 sheets perforated MNH** 2023 year NEW // $97.99 // Name of country on “stamps”: Republique de GUINEE 2023 (A Set of 6 “sheetlets” of 8 “stamps” each).
Stamps. Space Apollo 1 2023 Cabo Verde 6 sheets perforated // $97.20 // Name of country on “stamps”: Cabo-Verde 2023 (A Set of 6 “sheetlets” of 8 “stamps” each).
Stamps. Space Apollo 1 Cameroun 2023 year 6 sheets perforated // $94.99 // Name of country on “stamps”: Republique du Cameroun 2023 (A Set of 6 “sheetlets” of 8 “stamps” each).
Stamps.Prehistoric Fauna Mammoths 2023 1 sheet 9 sheets perf Solomon Islands NEW // $94.49 // BUT Name of country on “stamps”: São Tomé e Príncipe 2023 (A Set of 9 “sheets” of 8 “stamps” each).
► Several examples of illegal “stamps” that follow are only the tip of the iceberg of what is sold on the international market on various Internet sites.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(I)
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Illegal use of Olympic Logo
Three COUNTRIES reproduced in the same sheetlet.
A COUNTRY’s name is misspelt.
Illegal use of “POSTES”
Illegal use of a cancellation
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(II)
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” Abuse of Copyright & counterfeit & Illegal EUROPA 2000 “Stamps”
- In the name of 16 DIFFERENT AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
Bénin, Congo Rép, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Gabon, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania, Tchad
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(II)
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Totally unacceptable:
The UPU Logo is reproduced on illegal” stamps” in the name of Cabo-Verde, Republique du Cameroun, Union des Comores, R.D.Kongo, Republique Gabonaise.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(III)
The continued bulk sale of “Illegal Stamps”.
Wholesale sheets lot, butterflies, ships, dinosaurs, fish, birds, trains, chess - wild animals, dogs, cats, more, one lot 130 diff sheets _eBay / eBay Item: 253462776361 / Price: US$ 19.99 – More than 10 available / 63 Sold. // Seller Notes: “good condition” / You will receive 130 different sheets from this stock. Dispatch Info: Air-Mail registered shipping free!
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(IV)
HUGE COLLECTION OF WORLDWIDE SHEETS .. Price: US$ 28.00 / 10 avail.. Souvenir Sheets / Country of manufacture: Unknown.. Free Postage. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing... 100 souvenir sheets (Azerbaijan, Benin, Djibouti, Malawi, Somalia, Rwanda....)
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(V)
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Wholesale MIX of Authentic & Illegal “Stamps”
Worldwide Foreign Souvenir Sheets Stamp Collection Lot - 8 DIFFERENT SHEETS / Price: US$3.25 – More than 10 lots available (8 items per lot) / 1.611 Sold.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(I)
► The UPU’s website:“.. to stem the tide of illegal issues, the UPU and WADP have implemented .. concrete actions. The.. WNS records all new stamps legally issued by designated operators….”.
“UPU member countries are asked to report any illegal stamp issues to the International Bureau, which will inform the international philatelic community via a circular….”
► Updated WNS entries and UPU Circulars are a must for the credibility of the countries concerned and essential tools for philatelists and stamp collectors.
► That very few UPU Circulars exist lately denouncing any illegal “stamps” does not mean that there are fewer illegal “stamps”. On the contrary, we have just seen only the “tip of the iceberg”.
► More energetic actions are consequently required such as working with Interpol, that already has a cooperation agreement with the UPU since1997.
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp – Urgent Action against Abuses…”(II)
► To ensure continued protection of the postage stamp, in recognition of its unquestionable importance for the UPU and its stamp industry stakeholders, and to take into account an evolving market situation,
► The existing relevant international legal framework needs to be regularly reviewed and strengthened. This includes ensuring accountability, benchmarking, best practices and guidelines for the optimal management for the various activities comprising the stamp industry.
In particular, the following regulations need to be at the forefront of constant review and updating:
Article 6 “Postage stamps” of the Universal Postal Union Convention
Article 9 “Violations” of the Universal Postal Union Convention
UPU Philatelic Code of Ethics: Recommendation C 13/2016
“Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp = Urgent Action against Abuses…”(III)
► In summary, it is recommended that the relevant UPU Bodies – the WADP, the POC, the CA, the Restricted Unions concerned and the future Congress – prioritize urgent actions to solve the illegal “stamp” situation that is continuing to stain the reputation of the postage stamp, diminish revenues of mostly developing countries, endanger the support of important stakeholders and undermine the solidarity of the “single postal territory” itself.
► Potential proposals should include special protection for the postage stamp itself as a unique State symbol and the exclusive use by the postal services of the cancellation dies and the terminology “POST” / “POSTES” on authentic postage stamps only.
► In closing, for the entire philatelic stamp industry and other interested stakeholders, the daily mission and motto of the day should be undertaking all possible measures to ensure that by “Safeguarding the added value of the postage stamp”, the postage stamp remains a symbol of dignity and honor within UPU’s “single postal territory” and beyond for present and future generations.