🇲🇾 Pos Malaysia issued the first part of this year's special series of "Festival food" issues on 24 January 2017. The issue on the subject of food for the Lunar new year was made up of 3 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. The issue was designed by KY Lim of Reign Associates. The miniature sheet depicts a "Tray of Togetherness" and contains a single circular stamp. Rating:- *****.
🇧🇼 One item I have overlooked up till now is a diamond-shaped miniature sheet issued by Botswana Post along with a set of 5 stamps which were released on 9 October 2016 on the subject of "50 Years of Botswana stamps". The ordinary stamps are depicted in Blog 843. Rating:- *****.
That noble institution, Stamperija, has announced the release of more of its paraphilatelic products with the name of Commonwealth countries printed on them:-
🇲🇿 Mozambique - "issued" 10 August 2016 - 15 sheetlets each containing 4 different "stamps" and 15 miniature sheets featuring The 90th Birth anniversary of Marilyn Monroe, "Stamps on stamps", Centenary of the Salvation Army in Mozambique, World Youth Day, Whales, Turtles, Tigers, Tall ships, Supersonic airlines, "Summer Games", Prehistoric man, 135th Birth anniversary of Pablo Picasso, Orchids, Owls and Minerals. Rating:- 0.
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone - "issued" 29 December 2016 - 10 sheetlets each containing 4 different "stamps" and 10 accompanying miniature sheets featuring Whales, Polar bears, Reef fishes, Corals, "Scouting and mushrooms" (!), Orchids, Butterflies, Endangered species, Dogs and Cats. Rating:- 0.
*** Bogus stamps ***
🇸🇿 ☠️ It's bad enough that philatelic entities such as Royal Mail release a new set of stamps and miniature sheets with a face value of over £50 (see Blog 908) or that Stamperija and IGPC and others continue to peddle their wares on the new issue stamp market but there are also numerous bogus issues being sold on internet auction websites including some which have the names of Commonwealth countries printed on them. I drew attention to these issues and their characteristics in Blog 905 and I return to the subject having found a series of items for sale on the Delcampe auction site. These have the name of Swaziland printed on them and take the form of 5 "miniature sheets" which are imperforate and are on a subject of no direct relevance to Swaziland itself. The product description is in German and so I have no idea if the true bogus nature is mentioned since I have a scanty knowledge of the language. Regardless, the items depicted below are BOGUS and as such are valueless and should be avoided.
