They list Internment Camps coins and banknotes, from WWI and WW2, and even Defence Canteen issues etc.  And even fairly obscure things like the Cocos Keeling Islands 1902 Banknotes, and the 1910 ivory in-store tokens that are illustrated nearby.  Cocos Stamps and cover prices went insane at a recent Abacus Auction, often getting $10,000s each, so that area is Red Hot now.

The Clunies Ross Family, who owned and ruled the Cocos Islands like a mini unofficial Kingdom for about 150 years, paid their Malay workers in these special Store Tokens and banknotes - that could only be spent at the Clunies Ross owned shops on the island!  A very nice and super profitable payment system - if you can swing it.

Co-incidentally, I added to stock recently for $A725, a quartet of these 1913 Clunies Ross “Private Currency Tokens” in Ivory, including the 3 high values to 5 Rupees I bought cheap in an Estate.  Never owned even one these before, in 40 years of dealing.  Globally, only 1 or 2 sets a year get offered.

Only 1,000 sets of these Tokens were ever made, and they are fully catalogued, for generally many $100s each, in this new Renniks Coin catalogue.  Many stamp readers also collect coins, so more detail on the background to these curious things is here - tinyurl.com/Clunies

Even the staid world of philately is not immune it seems, from the global politics of China!  There were reports on stampboards.com that stamp exhibits and dealer stock on offer were being “censored” of anything the Red Nation did not like at CHINA 2019.  Which are many things.

The 2019 FIP China Expo was being held June 11-17 in Wuhan China as I typed this, so sadly I could not get any first hand confirmation from dealers there, if they had been “cautioned” on what stamps they might NOT be able to show/sell at their stands.

A stampboarder advised that there were even exhibits in the literature section for CHINA 2019 which were accepted, entry fees paid, and sometime later, a notice was issued from the Chinese organisers stating that exhibit could not be shown.  Overt censorship it seems to me, in our sedate hobby.

A tongue in cheek image of this nearby was posted by a member, which sadly I can imagine is the type of thing that might occur.  David Benson of Sydney, accredited FIP Judge, and Gold Medal exhibitor posted there - “In the last exhibition in China, exhibits from Taiwan were accepted and judged, but were then covered up during Exhibition opening hours.”
 

tinyurl.com/ChinaFIP is the stampboards discussion which claimed that the “BANNED” stamp material that was exhibited in the planned exhibits, or was in dealer stock, was allegedly all from these following areas -  

a.)  Manchukuo stamps
b.)  All stamps issued during the Japanese occupation of China which were issued by the Japanese
c.)  Taiwan stamps from 1949 onwards
d.)  Tibet stamps
e.)  Stamps issued by the German Empire (3rd Reich) during WW2.

China has of course VERY hard-line policies on many areas.  They lean really forcefully economically on small countries that still recognise Taiwan in the United Nations as a separate nation.  China regards Taiwan simply as a renegade Province, but many countries accept they are a separate independent, successful country.  That number is dropping fast as the map nearby shows.

In recent years, Beijing has increased the pressure on Taiwan’s international presence by wooing its diplomatic allies with “Pay Day Loan” type deals.  “We build ports and airports and roads, and you then please do exactly what we ask in the UN.”  Mainland China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and has not renounced the use of force to bring it back into the fold.

The Solomon Islands is one of six Pacific nations, and only 17 countries worldwide, that recognise Taiwan - precluding them from having diplomatic relations with China.  The Australian Prime Minister was there in Honiara early June frantically splashing about $A250 million in extra aid, to try and water down Chinese influence, as the Solomons Parliament votes on Taiwan shortly. 

The FIP in Switzerland is the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie - kind of the IOC of Stamp Collecting.  Bernie Beston from Australia was recently elected President - a first President ever hailing from Australia I feel sure.  Well done Bernie - a very nice guy! 

Their FIP website states Beston’s “Responsibility” role also covers these areas - “Jury matters, FIP Jury Academy, Legal Matters, Regulations.”  Bernie was a was a well-known practising lawyer in Australia, and these are areas he is certainly skilled in.

So it seems matters like any apparent censorship at FIP events, such as this being alleged in China, would fall under his direct portfolio, and be very interested to hear what the real story was, re any exhibits the Chinese deemed were off limits for the general public to see.  I suspect the Chinese would simply ignore any FIP protests.

Post War Taiwan is a country with a lot of stamp issues, and a stamp exhibit of that with major errors, covers, proofs and other specialist material would be interesting to look at, and it seems bizarre that the owner of such a collection might be BANNED from entering it in a FIP Exhibition to gain a medal.  You do not have to be anti-China to collect stamps!   

I visit China at least once annually, and many do not realise the massive censorship and government control that is ever present there.  It is impossible in China to use your computer or phone to access gmail, youtube, Twitter, facebook, pinterest, google etc.  All are totally blocked for access.  Plus 10,000s of other western websites.

China banned Instagram, the massive photo-sharing platform, after anti-China protests rocked Hong Kong in 2014. (And they are again, as I type this.)  That social media platform now can't be accessed from anywhere within the so-called Great Firewall of China, a censorship project operated for more than a decade by the Communist Party.

Like Taiwan, some areas get a particular focus, and Tibet is one.  We visited there a year back and even getting in to Tibet is a paperwork nightmare.  You must carry a special pass everywhere there, and it is regularly checked.  Planes, hotels, tours, you name it - scrutinised carefully, and at great length.  Many interesting pic here - even the main PO sales clerks! - tinyurl.com.glentibet

Dali Lama represents an independent Tibet, and China doesn’t want that.  China illegally invaded Tibet in the 1950’s and they do everything they can to maintain tight control of that country.  The Tibetans revere the Dalai Lama as the embodiment of Buddha on earth.  India where he lives, is the largest competitor to China in the area, and supports the independence of Tibet.

So any county that formally greets, or hosts, or even speaks to the Dali Lama, by anyone even resembling a senior official, incurs vast displeasure from China.  Who are not shy about objecting to it.  And do so most forcefully, and often, and strongarm most others to back off - sadly.  

For the past 3 years not one senior official from any major or even middling country has been game to upset China by meeting with him - even informally, since Obama did in July 2015.  To heavy diplomatic protests.  And that was a clearly personal visit behind closed doors at his residence, and not an official or state visit etc.  

This is a man who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and is a quietly spoken, simply dressed, non-violent, and wise and respected old monk, and is deserving of having an audience with leaders and officials of major countries, there is no doubt about that in my mind.  But that now cannot occur.

We all know postage stamps have been used for propaganda purposes from almost their inception.  Many causes - noble or otherwise, have been peddled via the humble postage stamp.  New Zealand Post had its hands full in fairly recent times, through a chap known as Bruce Henderson, a long time thorn in the side of NZ Post.

He was stopped 50 years ago from charging to deliver Cycle Mail in Timaru, South Island - on the coast just south of Christchurch.  Sets of those stamps of those sell for $100s.  Henderson submitted a design to the NZ Post Business Section for CALs (Customised Advertising Labels) to be printed by NZ Post.  CALs are valid postage stamps in NZ.  Application was made, the design was approved, and the required payment made.

The design had the Tibetan flag as central design element, and the dates on it related to the 50th Anniversary of the Tibetan uprising.  After the stamps were handed over, NZ Post belatedly realised the Tibet based stamps carried a blatant political message, that would almost certainly offend the Chinese, (YIKES!) so they demanded their return.

He refused.  New Zealand Post Security officers visited Henderson’s home and they got very serious about it all.  These CALS were not to be used on overseas mail they advised him. Henderson asked WHERE that was stated anywhere, and pointed out large companies that had printed CALS to cover foreign Postage rates, and they backed off!

As can be seen, the official NZPO Logo is on the corner at lower right of the CAL stamps.  This really annoyed NZ Post, but they had approved the design, printed and handed over the stamps, and were stuck with it.  And clearly they could legally be used globally.  Bruce Henderson joined stampboards.com and outlined his version of the story thereafter -

“I was keen to mount a ‘discrimination’ case against NZ Post, so submitted a complaint to the Human Rights Commission. They ordered a mediation meeting, so Ivor Masters NZPO Philatelic Manager and I met in a stormy three-hour session at the HRC office in Auckland.  Ivor was obstinate, and just kept repeating ‘they violate our terms and conditions’ - for showing a ‘political’ topic like a flag.”

“I urged him to reflect on other cases where he has permitted CALs to show such things as Sri Lanka, Buddhists, Moslems, and even the famous Vietnamese politician Phan Boi Chau.  And none of those were ever restricted.  I then received a multi-page legal opinion from the Human Rights Commission's chief lawyer. I'm happy to supply photocopies of this to anyone interested.

Today, the Tibet flag CALS have considerable notoriety in NZ, and are among the more elusive CAL stamps around, mainly due to not being included in the NZPO annual "collector packs”.  The current Mowbray auction offers some mint blocks with estimate over $1,000, while used blocks are on TradeMe (our version of eBay) at over $2,000.”

All very interesting, and Henderson even mailed me the cover shown nearby, with one of these 50¢ CAL stamps on it paying the correct $1.90 franking, to see if it passed through the mails.  As can be seen, it arrived without incident, despite the prominent “HELP FREE TIBET - Boycott Chinese Products” sticker affixed on the front.  I asked for it to be backstamped at my Post Office for “proving” purposes - which it was.

So these stamps were designed, printed, perforated, and gummed by the Austrian Government Printer.  Media or VIP “Specimens” were even distributed, those the stamps having the words ”Frankatur - Ungütlig” (invalid for postage) stamped in a circle at lower right in a separate black printing.  Hence two versions of this €1.25 stamp exist.

It got to the point of nearly being released, and samples being distributed to media and VIPs and so on.  And then China seems to have got wind of its impending issue.  The issue was cancelled last second.  How you browbeat a Post Office like Austria, as to what they depict on their stamps I have no idea, but clearly it happened. Full discussion here -  tinyurl.com/DaliStamp

 A few singles and blocks of 10 have dribbled onto the market over the past decade, and the recent Michel catalogues have listed them at 8,000 Euro a sheet of 10, or €800 a single, for either type.  Early sales were higher - I can see a single was auctioned in 2008 realised €5,683 = AUD $9,295 at today's rates.  Prices have settled down since that early sale, to 10% or 15% that.  But are still rare.

DISCLAIMER - I do not own one, have never handled one, and until this week had no idea this stamp existed.  I would however suggest at around the current full Michel catalogue price of €800 or so a single, they are a superb buy for the future.  I see them as identical in all ways to the Audrey Hepburn stamps below, that sell for 120 times this level.

They are now recently priced in Michel, and the Scott Catalogue prominently notes their existence, and states that only 30 copies are reported. That figure now appears on the low side, but nonetheless after 13 years, I doubt any holdings of these will emerge, and the market appears to have settled to a stable level. 

There is an 2016 Austrian Expert Photo Certificate shown nearby, for a corner single, that states: “This issue, which was planned on 6 July 2005 on the occasion of the 70th birthday of the 14th Dali Lama, was printed in miniature sheets of 10 copies, and had to be withdrawn for political reasons, due to the objection of the government of the People's Republic of China.”

The entire affair appears shrouded in secrecy.  It took 3 years for even the first stamp to appear on the market.  I and others have searched the web for reports from the time.  Advance New Issue info from Austria Post, and so on, and it is as if a giant Cyber Vacuum from Beijing or somewhere, has somehow sucked out, and deleted every word of it!  Real “1984” material!

Austria had every justification to honour this man.  The Dalai Lama, has very frequently visited Austria, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle against Chinese rule of his homeland.  In 2002, Austria's Graz University gave him an award for his contributions to Human Rights, an honour the school has bestowed only on a few people, including renowned Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal.

These Austrian issues are basically identical in nature to the German Audrey Hepburn “cigarette smoking” stamps of 2001, photo nearby, that also were allegedly "withdrawn" by German PO before official issue date, but a few used copies were later discovered in office kiloware, and the global hunt was then ON!.

Those used copies have sold for as high as 169,000 Euro - then $A272,000 apiece - indeed each new one turning up was for a period getting a much HIGHER price than the others!  Defying the usual supply/demand rules.  Full details and photos of all those stamps here - tinyurl.com/Glen9-10   Mint of those are cat higher than used in Michel.

That unissued Hepburn is Michel Cat “XIX” and this 2005 unissued Austria Dali Lama is Michel “IX”.  The “unissued” Hepburn stamps (Auction price as high as $272,000 each) are an absolutely perfect comparison.  A small number of used copies of that turned up in Kiloware, and a few mint also reached the market.

At the last minute, one of Hepburn’s two sons, Sean Ferrer, objected to the 2001 stamp design, and refused to grant copyright approval.  Deutsche Post had strangely not sought family permission to use her image on the stamp it seems.  Ferrer is an active campaigner against alcohol and tobacco addiction, and abuse.

It appears the first he knew of the impending issue, was when Deutsche Post mailed him a single mint stamp, and a pane of 10 showing their next issue.  That pane of 10 is what was sold by Ferrer.  All proceeds went to UNICEF - Hepburn’s favourite charity.  The other 14 million stamps allegedly were destroyed.  

Audrey Hepburn died of cancer in 1993.  The stamp design as you can see, shows her smoking a cigarette, taken from the famous "Breakfast At Tiffany's" movie.  The Mint sheet was auctioned for 430,000 Euro - over $A700,000 today.  It went surprisingly cheap I have always thought - a dealer broke it up into singles.  

These kind of stamp issues will always be popular with collectors.  Accidental issues, that the Post Offices tried to withdraw.  The New Zealand Kapa Haka issue of 2006 is another very similar case in point.  These issues were in fact mailed and charged to some buyers in fact.

The stamps were printed, advertised in advance as an upcoming new issue in the PO Bulletin, and were in fact mailed out to a number of clients who had specifically ordered them, and whose credit cards were charged by New Zealand Post for them. 

“Kapa Haka” is the term for traditional Māori performing arts, and literally means to form a line (kapa) and dance (haka). Kapa Haka is an avenue for Maori people to express and showcase their unique heritage, and cultural Polynesian identity, through song and dance - and is still widely practised and showcased.

Ivor Masters, New Zealand Post Stamps General Manager, stated that representatives from Te Papa and Te Puni Kokiri, the Ministry for Maori Development, had been consulted on the designs.  Masters said the Maori performing arts stamps offered "a wonderful opportunity" to celebrate an art form that was "totally unique" and of great cultural significance to New Zealanders. "We think the images by a young, local artist are a fresh and contemporary interpretation of Kapa Haka."

A few in New Zealand thought the cartoon-like designs were rather unflattering to be used for this issue - despite the full involvement of Te Papa Tongarewa, the Government's own Museum of New Zealand etc, in the artwork and design approval process.  “Letters To The Editor” ensued and someone in Government made a knee jerk reaction not to issue them.

All too late. The New Zealand Post Office later confirmed in writing that it had mailed out a quantity of the stamps, and booklets, coils, packs and FDC to a small number of its Standing Order customers, who had ordered and paid for this issue already.  It offered an inducement to these recipients, of a free 2005 Annual Album to send them back to the Philatelic Bureau, and receive a full refund to their credit card.

New Zealand Post could not, however, enforce their return, and it did not dispute the rightful ownership of the stamps by those few lucky recipients, whose credit cards had already been charged for their orders, and official invoices issued.  The New Zealand Post Office has since confirmed that they are all legally the property of those customers, or anyone they have on-sold them to.

Some copies were certainly used on mail - one buyer used a $2 value on a letter to GB Philatelic Bureau in Edinburgh, enclosing an order form for GB new issues, and Scottish dealers like Robert Murray posted an APB alert to his many Kiloware snippers, as it being used on cover or piece made it worth $1000s!

This lucky buyer Bernard, also used most of his booklet of 45¢ letter rate stamps to pay local bills.  Then he saw media reports the stamps were possibly scarce, and via a Google search, found my original article on them in “Stamp News”, and I bought the balance of what he still had left.  Check your kiloware - a postally used copy would be worth easily $2,000 in my view.

The issue is described in detail in the Stanley Gibbons stamp catalogue after SG #2285, and thus is keenly sought by serious collectors of New Zealand stamps the world over. There is also a solid group of collectors of errors on stamps globally, for whom this issue is also highly sought.

The Stanley Gibbons catalogue notes that a small number of gummed sets of five was sold, mailed and charged to collectors. 11 stamp booklets of 10 x 45¢ self-adhesives, one roll of 100 x 45¢ self-adhesive coil stamps, and a very few FDC and packs were sold of this issue.  It is expected they will be priced in the next Edition of that SG catalogue, and the fun will then begin.  Michel took 12 years to finally price the Austria Dali Lama issue etc.

A First Day Cover has been sold for $NZ24,000, and the set of 5 Kapa Haka stamps is catalogued in the leading Len Jury New Zealand catalogue for $17,500, and the 45¢ coil and booklet stamps for $2,500 each, as can be seen in the photo nearby.  At nothing like the Hepburn prices, they have quite some upside I’d guess.

I bought a few from another one of the original buyers who had all his PO receipts, and told the PO to go away, when they asked if he would kindly mail them back for a full credit of the face value, AND get a free Year Book!  He bought a large slab of what the PO mailed out - several Plate Blocks 6, PO packs, 10 booklets, a coil roll 100, and FDCs.  Most of it he still has.

Sadness was expressed however by some Maori that the issue had been withdrawn. Rotorua Deputy Mayor and Kapa Haka tutor, Trevor Maxwell argued that the series would have highlighted and promoted Kapa Haka to the rest of the world.  New Zealand Post scrapped more than a million stamps, and the New Zealand Post Group Chief Executive, John Allen admitted that doing so, had cost the company around $190,000.

tinyurl.com/KapaNZ has the detailed background story for those who did not follow this saga when it unravelled. These are of course far more legitimate an issue than the NZ 1906 1d Claret Christchurch “Error of Colour”.  As all collectors know, the stamp was issued and sold in vermillion orange red, and is fairly common - SG 371 is cat £16 for mint.  The error is 371a, and a MUH example of that single stamp is a $30,000 item.  

The Secretary of the Christchurch Exhibition, Mr E. Righton basically purloined the sheet of “1d Clarets” that were to have been displayed there at the Exhibition.  He used many of them on covers addressed to himself, or in his hand, and kept others mint it seems. I know of three covers addressed to him, each bearing 3 stamps (3d) despite domestic post being just 1d.

The sheet given to the Organising Committee should have stayed forever in their archive etc, just as the PO Archive sheet stayed put to this day. These stamps were NEVER sold to the public, were NEVER sold at any PO, and should NEVER thus have attained full catalogue status anywhere.

Sadly it is one of those ‘inside jobs’ that Gibbons was suckered into listing over a century back, and it has stayed there ever since.  The SG listing criteria today totally precludes such an insider listing.  Dr. Alan S. Craig wrote a most revealing and detailed article on these, in the Campbell Paterson newsletter a few years back

This Dr. Craig is a senior and highly respected NZ collector and NZ specialist, and has been on the scene there for very many decades.  He was pointing out the absurdity to Warwick Paterson, that these 1d Clarets were fully listed and priced in the CP cat, despite none ever being on sale at any Post Office, at any time. 

Dr. Craig was then pointing out in the same newsletter that the 2006 “Kapa Haka” Maori Performing Arts set was oddly NOT listed in CP in any form.  The original buyers were not inclined to offer any cheaply to CP, as appeared to be the traditional practice at the time there, and they were hence never listed.  Only in NZ!