Illegal Bears

"Illegal" Bear Stamps

Last Update: Saturday June 13, 2009

In an effort to inform collectors of bear stamps about illegal issues which may be found for sale online and at stamp shows, I am attempting to keep up with illegal issue circulars published by the UPU (http://www.upu.int/philately/en/) I have found the Ask Phil website is actually better at keeping up with the illegal issue bulletins then the UPU site is.

It is ultimately up to the collector as to whether they buy these stamps or not. My goal is to inform potential buyers of such stamps that they are in fact illegal issues and are therefore invalid for use as postage, and have no philatelic value.

ANGOLA
International Bureau Circular 406
- Sheetlet of 6 stamps, 3500000 NKz, depicting pandas

AZERBAIJAN
    International Bureau Circular 251 - Stamps are inscribed "Autonomous Republic of Naxcivan"
        -    5 stamps se-tenant stamps depicting bear, wolf, tiger; face values are 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m; issued in 1997
        -    5 stamps se-tenant stamps depicting pandas; face values are 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 m; issued in 1997

AFGHANISTAN
International Bureau Circular 345 - any postage stamps issued since 1989 are illegal issues
(this includes the bears set currently on my unlisted page. I unfortunately purchased those before I knew of this!)

BENIN

"One set of four individual postage stamps, each depicting a scene from the cartoon "Winnie the Pooh". Each stamp has a value of 1,000f and is inscribed "POSTES 2003". "
SOURCE: http://www.askphil.org/d062.htm

"One horizontal miniature sheet depicting a polar bear in its environment in the background. The miniature sheet contains a set of six postage stamps, in a single row, each of which is inscribed with a value of 100FCFA and depicts a different Arctic species, alternating between a polar bear and an owl. The miniature sheet is inscribed in the top right in French "Les animaux de l’Arctique"
SOURCE: http://www.askphil.org/d062.htm

"One horizontal miniature sheet containing ten postage stamps, each of which depicts a different species of black bear and is inscribed "POSTES 2003". The upper row is inscribed with values of 100f, and the lower one with values of 250f. The top and bottom are inscribed in French "OURS" ("BEARS"). Other bears are depicted on the margins of the miniature sheet."

SOURCE: http://www.askphil.org/d062.htm

"One horizontal miniature sheet containing a set of nine postage stamps, each of which features a different depiction of a polar bear. The values of the stamps, in rows from left to right, are 100f, 150f, 200f, 250f, 300f, 350f, and 400f, 450f and 500f. Each stamp is inscribed "POSTES 2003" and bears the "Scouts" logo. Eyes of polar bears are depicted on the margins of the miniature sheet."

SOURCE: http://www.askphil.org/d062.htm

"One horizontal miniature sheet depicting pandas in the background and inscribed at the top in French "SCIENCES DU MONDE". Each side of the miniature sheet contains a postage stamp depicting a panda. Each postage stamp is inscribed with a value of 500 FCFA, the "Scouts" logo and an illegible year." SOURCE: http://www.askphil.org/d062.htm

(this image does not exactly match the description above but it is also likely illegal)

"One miniature sheet featuring several pandas playing in their environment in the background, and inscribed at the bottom in English "PANDAS". The miniature sheet contains a set of six postage stamps, each of which depicts a different panda. The values of the stamps from left to right are 100f, 250f, 300f, 400f, 450f and 500f, and each stamp is inscribed "POSTES 2002". The same miniature sheet is sold in a cancelled format, with the claim that it is a first-day cancellation. The date, however, is illegible. The upper part of the stamps of the preceding miniature sheet is sold as a separate set of three se-tenant postage stamps which have also been cancelled." SOURCE: http://www.askphil.org/d062.htm

I suspect the following are also illegal issues, but I have not been able to find a definite source yet:

COMOROS
International Bureau Circular 201
- One souvenir sheet "PANDAS" with values of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 CF.

DJIBOUTI
     International Bureau Circular 226
          -   A sheetlet of 25 stamps showing pandas. Each stamp has a value of 200 F.
          - One sheetlet of 6 six stamps showing pandas. Each stamp has a value of 90 F and says 2004 and "République de Djibouti" on it.

ERITREA
     International Bureau Circular 294
        -    A sheetlet containing a strip of three panda stamps featuring with values 5 Nfa each and dated 2002.
        -    A mini sheet showing a panda and cub with a stamp featuring another panda, value 8 Nfa and dated 2002.
        -    Two sheetlets each containing six stamps depicting teddy bears. The sheets say "Mole Island Bears" on them.
              The values are 1, 1, 3, 3, 5 and 5 (no currency identifier) and are dated as 2001.
        -    Four mini sheets with teddy bears similar to the Mole Island Bears issue above. The sheets have a value of 5 on them
             (no currency identifier) and are dated 2001.
        -    Sheetlet of 4 panda stamps (with Scouting emblems) (from October 2004 Scott Stamp Monthly...not sure which UPU
             circular this is from!)
       -     Souvenir sheet of containing one panda stamp, face value 8n.

KYRGYZSTAN
     (From the 2005 Scott Catalog Volume 4):
       -     Sheet of 9 teddy bears, face value 20s each
       -     Sheet of 9 panda stamps, face value 20s each
       -     Sheet of 9 teddy bear stamps, face value each stamp 20s

MAURITANIA
    International Bureau Circular 161 (stamps are inscribed "Repbulique Islamique de Mauritanie")"
        -     Two miniature sheets each containing 6 stamps, with each stamp depicting various polar bear scenes. The value shown on
               each stamp is 60 UM, and each stamp is dated 2002.
        -    One miniature sheet containing 9 stamps, each stamp featuring a different scene from a series or film on teddy bears.
              The miniature sheet is inscribed "TEDDY BEARS" at the top. The value shown on each stamp is 60 UM, and each
              stamp is inscribed with the year 2003.

NIGER
    International Bureau Circular 194
        -    Pandas 9 values: 10-20-30-40-50-100-200-300-500 F

OMAN
    Stamps inscribed "State of Oman" are not listed by the Scott, Stanley Gibbons, and Michel catalogs. Please visit http://www.oman.org/phil8.htm

RWANDA
    International Bureau Circular 504
        -    A miniature sheet comprising three postage stamps illustrating various scenes from the Winnie the Pooh 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.

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