New Issues.
🇳🇦 Namibia Post -
22 May 2024 - Biodiversity of the Etendeka Plateau - 1 sheetlet containing 10 different stamps. Designed by Helge Denker and lithographed. Rating:- *****.
14 June 2024 - Sea turtles of Namibia - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps. Designed by Helge Denker and lithographed. Rating:- *****.
11 October 2024 - Migratory birds - 2 se-tenant stamps each with attached labels. Designed by Helge Denker and lithographed. Rating:- *****.
🇱🇹 Stamperija.
This Lithuania-based producer and purveyor of philatelic products under contract from some African postal authorities produces an easily recognisable series of items on a regular basis with the names of the countries it represents printed on them. It is highly doubtful that most, if not all of these products, are ever put for sale in the countries whose names appear on them.
More recently products which look more convincingly like postage stamps that might be used in post offices have appeared from time to time with the names of Stamperija’s client territories printed on them. It is probable that they emanate directly from Stamperija though another agent may also be involved In bringing them to market to disguise the origin of the products and to add to their degree of verisimilitude. Such issues involve a large number of products with high prices attached to them and often include basic perforated stamps, imperforate stamps, booklets, sheetlets, miniature sheets, ‘deluxe proofs’ and postal stationery. When such products are released with a particular country’s name printed on them, the cost of a single issue embracing all these items can be several hundred if not thousands of pounds. I can not yet recall seeing any evidence that these products have been sold in, or found any usage in, the countries whose names appear on them although they look more authentic than the usual rubbish Stamperija unloads on to the philatelic market.
If nothing else, the combination of the vast number of items issued and their very high cost means that they may be considered as excessive issues and treated with great caution, As always, caveat emptor when considering spending any amount of money on these products.
Such a collection of products has recently appeared on an internet auction site with the name of the Commonwealth country of Togo printed on the numerous items sold as part of this vast collection.
🇹🇬 Items inscribed Togo -
Stated ‘date of issue’ - 25 April 2024 - 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China - 10 perforate stamps, 10 imperforate stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing all 5 stamps and 5 sheetlets each containing 6 of each design. Other types of products are also offered for sale.
25 April 2024 - Various species’ ‘Art of camouflage’ - 6 perforated stamps, 6 imperforate stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing all 6 stamps and 1 set of 7 deluxe proofs.
25 April 2025 - Venomous and poisonous species - 6 perforated stamps, 6 imperforate stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing all 6 stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing all 6 stamps and 7 deluxe proofs.
25 April 2025 - Reptiles - 8 perforated stamps, 8 imperforate stamps, the same 8 perforated and 8 imperforate stamps with overprint applied reading, “JOURNÉE MONDIALE DE LA VIE SAUVAGE’, 2 miniature sheets each containing 2 of each 1500F but 1 sheet overprinted ant the other not overprinted and a set of 4 deluxe proofs.
25 April 2025 - Amphibians - 8 perforated stamps, 8 imperforate stamps and 8 perforated and 8 imperforate stamps with overprint applied as in the ‘Reptiles’ issue and 2+sheetlet each of 16 stamps unoverprinted and overprinted from 2 booklets combining 2 each of the reptiles issue and 2 each of the 1000F ‘Amphibians’ issue, 12 deluxe proofs and 2 miniature sheets each containing 2 of each stamp but 1 sheet overprinted and the other not overprinted.
25 April 2024 - Birds of Togo -
25 April 2024 - Biodiversity of Togo - 9 perforated stamps, 9 imperforate stamps, 9 perforated stamps with overprint applied, 9 imperforate stamps with overprint applied, 32 sheetlets of 6 x 1250F identical stamps (9 perforated without overprint, 9 imperforate without overprint, 9 perforated with overprint and 9 imperforate with overprint), 4 single stamp miniature sheets (1 with and 1 without overprint, both perforated and imperforate), 2 perforated and 2 imperforate miniature sheets containing 8 different stamps (with and without overprint) and 9 de luxe proofs (each containing 2 versions of each respective stamp, 1 being with overprint and the other without overprint).
It is possible I have overlooked some products - there are far too many to be 100% sure but the above list gives an impression of what has been released in the name of the postal service of Togo. There are of course other items such as first day covers and postal stationery if the collector feels that completion is de rigeur.
Compare these exploitative products with the serenely collectible new issue programme of Namibia.
